Varitek Back With Sox

[jopete19]

"Retired Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek, according to a major league source, is "close" to agreement on a role within the Sox organization. It is possible that he will head to Florida in the coming days to work with Red Sox minor leaguers taking part in the fall instructional league.

 

Since Varitek announced his retirement during spring training, the Sox have said that the door would be open for him to have a future in the organization. In July, however, Varitek said that he was not yet ready to consider a post-playing-career job.

 

"It's still too early for me to make that decision. I still need to get a little of the piss and vinegar of playing out of me and what's most important is getting my life, my family, being involved in some of the things I had missed and enjoy," he said at the time.

 

However, it appears that the 40-year-old has now reached a point where he is comfortable pursuing his future in the game."

 

 

 

 

 

This was taken from the WEEI web site. Your guys thoughts?

[Dojji]

Anything but shocked.

 

On the whole I approve. I think the man will be a good managerial candidate sometime a few years from now and would not object at all to seeing him as a bench coach sooner than that.

[FenwayWest]

Everyone wants to see these guys back in a coach/manager role, myself included... But I think there needs to be a few yrs of separation.... But hey, its a great start! Groom him maybe for 2016?

 

Here's a though... how bout Kevin Millar as the next manager? I think that'd be fun!

[Bellhorn04]

I think it's good. Not sure about Varitek as a manager but I think he might be a great pitching coach.

[Dojji]

I think it's good. Not sure about Varitek as a manager but I think he might be a great pitching coach.

 

He's not our next manager unless someone gets really stupid. But I think he's as good a candidate as you're likely to find to groom as a manager over the next handful of years. And I can definitely see him as a pitching coach.

[ibot2much]

The stories are saying that he will be special assistant and learn the front business from the top to the bottom. Sounds like they have plans down the road for JV....and that is perfect.

[a700hitter]

The stories are saying that he will be special assistant and learn the front business from the top to the bottom. Sounds like they have plans down the road for JV....and that is perfect.

Another inexperienced baseball operations guy. Who cares.

[Behindenemylines]

I can see Varitek working with pitchers in the spring (pitching coach? or special instructor?). If the Sox and Varitek had eyes on him managing he would be doing that next season somewhere in the minors. Not to many successful managers that didn't spend time managing in the minors.

[SoxSport]

He should at least be the bullpen coach. I read that Pedro will also have an active position.

[Palodios]

What's this I hear of Pedro coming back to the Red Sox? There was something on mlbtraderumors, but no actual articles about it.

[Spitball]

Pedro was possibly the smartest pitcher I ever witnessed. He had considerable talent but knew how to pitch. He would be a great minor league instructor or major league pitching coach.

 

The Cincinnati Reds have been using Mario Soto to teach prospects the art of employing the change-up. I'm not sure how that has worked out, but Johnny Cueto has employed it pretty well.

[DocHolliday]

All of the news about guys like Pedro and Tek joining the organization in an instructional role with the pitchers is a promising sign that this organization realizes that they need to improve all aspects of the pitching in this organization - from philosophies, development, training, and approach.

 

I'm not certain of who has been responsible for developing the pitching prospects over the last few seasons, but its clear that there has been a significant void in pitching prospects making it to the majors from Buchholz, Masterson, and the like. Recently, Doubront and Tazawa are really the only products to come from the farm system that have shown any signs of being productive major league pitchers.

 

Granted, some promising prospects like Casey Kelly were dealt away in the Adrian Gonzalez deal and Masterson was traded away for Victor Martinez. But it really seems like the pitching has to improve from the lower levels from the farm system up to the major league level. This seems to be a good first step to the pitching transition.

[ConroyManfrogg]

He's not our next manager unless someone gets really stupid. But I think he's as good a candidate as you're likely to find to groom as a manager over the next handful of years. And I can definitely see him as a pitching coach.

 

Would he be able to work with a pitcher on mechanics? He was so strong a calling a game, but he wouldn't be doing that as pitching coach.

 

I almost see him better suited as manager than pitching coach.

[jung]

With attractive draft picks that will be used I am sure for pitching plus the guys from the LA deal plus guys already in the system, there is ample reason to improve our ability to develop pitchers. Sounds like there are at least steps in the right direction.

[Dojji]

Would he be able to work with a pitcher on mechanics? He was so strong a calling a game, but he wouldn't be doing that as pitching coach.

 

I almost see him better suited as manager than pitching coach.

 

Tek wouldn't be the first pitching coach who was a catcher. Heck, what position did Dave Duncan play? I think it's safe to say that Dunc was a pretty good pitching coach.

 

There's a myth that only pitchers really understand pitching mechanics, but a myth is exactly what it is. Heck, a pitcher is usually only intimately familiar with what works for him, and to develop into a pitching coach usually has to spend a lot of time doing what Tek spent his career doing -- watching and observing the mechanics of a lot of different pitchers and correctly identifying what works for those pitchers.

 

Tek has been correcting pitchers' mechanics from behind the plate for his entire career. More than once I saw him tap his shoulder or give some other quick indication to the pitcher of what was off with his mechanics that was making his command erratic. He could communicate it quicker than a pitching coach could since he had the pitcher's attention, and it allowed pitchers to correct their mistakes quicker when the catcher could correct a problem before the coach had to get involved. About the only difference if he was a PC is he'd have to walk to the mound to do it (or signal the catcher).

 

That right there is probably that bit that's the lion's share of the difference between the team with Salty catching and the team with Tek behind the plate. Salty isn't nearly as good at it as Tek was, and he'd need to work danged hard to get anywhere near that level.

[Bellhorn04]

I wonder if Tek will be assigned to try to help Daniel Bard. Bard's numbers were consistently outstanding with Tek catching him.

[a700hitter]

I wonder if Tek will be assigned to try to help Daniel Bard. Bard's numbers were consistently outstanding with Tek catching him.

They should give Tek a shotgun, have him take Bard hunting, and put the guy out of his suffering.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

The Boston Red Sox today named Jason Varitek Special Assistant to the General Manager. The announcement was made by Executive Vice President/General Manager Ben Cherington.

 

“Jason was one of the most respected players of his era and will be a key voice as we move forward,” said Cherington. “He will be involved in a number of areas including Major League personnel decisions, evaluations, and mentorship and instruction of young players. We are fortunate to have him in this role.”

 

http://sonsofsamhorn.net/topic/74556-jason-varitek-special-asst-to-the-gm/

[SoxFanForsyth]

Tek got Schrute'd. Assistant TO THE General Manager, Tek. Not Assistant General Manager.

[resdubwhite]

goodbye bobby if thats the case

[a700hitter]

Our team is so bad and pathetic that we consider this news worthy of discussion. That's pathetic.

[iortiz]

Our team is so bad and pathetic that we consider this news worthy of discussion. That's pathetic.

 

 

damn! how did we become this bad?

[a700hitter]

 

damn! how did we become this bad?

It wasn't easy. It took several years of incompetence and laziness to get to this point.

[Brennan]

I don't know. For some reason I really like these two guys coming back in coaching positions. Am I crazy at this point? These ideas sound too good to be coming from our FO. Both of these guys were brilliant in their positions and I think they will get the respect of all of our younger players.

[rjortiz]

They should give Tek a shotgun, have him take Bard hunting, and put the guy out of his suffering.

 

[a700hitter]

I don't know. For some reason I really like these two guys coming back in coaching positions. Am I crazy at this point? These ideas sound too good to be coming from our FO. Both of these guys were brilliant in their positions and I think they will get the respect of all of our younger players.

No, you are not crazy. You are bored shitless like the rest of us. Who cares about this s***. What's next a press release with the names of the newly hired interns and gofers from Northeastern Univ? We are starved for positive Red Sox news. This just in the Sox will be changing their uniforms to a cotton/silk blend, and the executives will be getting new ergonomic desk chairs to help prevent fatigue and cut down on afternoon naps.

[SoxFanForsyth]

@pgammo

The roles Bosox see for Jason Varitek and Pedro Martinez will not be ceremonial. See Bill Mueller in LA, Brad Ausmus, Trevor Hoffman in SD

 

I guess they'll bring him back as a front office guy for now. But how incredibly awesome would it be to see (in 2016) Tek as the manager and Pedro as the pitching coach??

 

Can you imagine Pedro teaching all of our pitchers his filthy changeup?? Even if only 1 of them picked it up, it would be huge.

 

I would absolutely love to see him mentor Rubby De La Rosa. They are extremely similar pitchers.

[SoxSport]

@pgammo

I would absolutely love to see him mentor Rubby De La Rosa. They are extremely similar pitchers.

 

I would hope they are smart enough to see the connect.

 

Pedro is Rubby's idol. He sure does throw like Pedro, less the changeup. Maybe Pedro will teach him.

[ibot2much]

I was surprised to see Tek come back so quickly what with a new wife and a new baby. I do not see Pedro coming out of retirement at all...ever

[example1]

No, you are not crazy. You are bored shitless like the rest of us. Who cares about this s***. What's next a press release with the names of the newly hired interns and gofers from Northeastern Univ? We are starved for positive Red Sox news. This just in the Sox will be changing their uniforms to a cotton/silk blend, and the executives will be getting new ergonomic desk chairs to help prevent fatigue and cut down on afternoon naps.

 

I have to admit that the most meaningful baseball-ish thing I'm doing these days is checking the standings to assure that the Sox are, indeed, among the worst ten teams in baseball, thus assuring themselves of a protected pick. I'm not rooting for them to lose, but I'm not rooting for them to finish with the 12th worst record either. Indifference with slight preference, I would call it.