Varitek: Stay or Go?

[TheKilo]

We have a "replacing the captain" thread, but I'm curious to see what this board feels the FO should do with Jason Varitek this offseason.

 

Me? I voted "No offers whatsoever". It's time to move on. I don't want to run the risk of offering arb, no multi year deals, nothing.

 

What does everyone else think?

[BoSox21]

Move on to where though? Kevin Cash? Dusty Brown? George Kottaras?

 

I read somewhere that the Sox were 24-22 this year when someone other than Varitek caught. That stat alone frightens me a bit.

[TheKilo]

I'd be more than happy with a Brown/Kottaras platoon.

 

That stat is misleading because it's directly tied to Tm Wakefield's performance, and he is a .500 pitcher.

[Cocos Disciples]

Move on, he's done.

[jacksonianmarch]

if you offer him arbitration, he'll stay. Nobody will offer him 8 mil (which is the least he'll get in arb) on the open market.

[ORS]

I think I take the risk and offer it anyway. No, nobody is going to want him at $8M per, but I could see a team going 2 @ $6M. And, I don't think it's the end of the world if he accepts, but his playing time needs to be reduced.

 

Anyone familiar with the weighting system used to determine class rank? The thing that may suck is that he may have been good enough in previous years to get a type A rating, which will make other teams wary of signing him. I think someone may bite if he only costs money, but throw a pick into the mix and it might not get done.

[YanksHater213]

1 year, 4 mil, team option for a second.

[TheKilo]

I think compared to other catchers (which I believe is how it is done) Varitek will be a type A largely in part to his decent 2007 season.

 

The caveat with offering him arb is that no case that has gone to arb has resulted in the player getting a lower salary than the year before. It's conceivable to think Varitek could get a one year deal worth about $12 million in arb - which would be inexcusable for the Sox to offer, IMO.