In a sense this post is an over-long answer to fishfarmr, who called Sox fans critical of Jason Varitek disloyal.  I believe Tek is the one who is being disloyal. 

Four years ago, he and his agent (Scott Boras) held the Sox' feet to the fire before agreeing to a 4 year/$40 million contract.  Tek was coming off his best season--.296 AVG/.390 OBP/.482 SLG--and he was looking for 5 years/$55 million.  Had any other team offered that, we would not be debating about Jason Varitek right now.

First off, anyone who thinks Scott Boras somehow screwed over Varitek on arbitration is crazy.  Boras and Tek have worked hand in glove for years.  Also, MLB players know the deal.  If Tek didn't think he was still worth $10 million, he would have accepted the Sox' offer.  Even if Tek was misled by Boras, it was only because Tek wanted the money.  Baseball is a business--and Tek is a businessman as well as a player. 

Loyalty has nothing to do with it.  If it did, Tek would have signed with the Sox long ago.  Instead, Tek's girlfriend, Heidi Watney, is reporting that somehow he didn't know the arbitration rules.  This late change of heart by the Sox' captain seems very contrived to me.  Basically, Tek found out he has little value to any team except Boston and now he wants to end his career there.

If Varitek was truly loyal, he would accept a $2 or $3 million contract to stay in Boston.  That would not be a "hometown discount," it would be slightly more than he is worth. 

Four years ago, the Sox gave Varitek a 4 year/$40 million contract.  He only had one good season during that contract: 2005.  Over the last three years of the contract, Tek hit .238 AVG/.336 OBP/.393 SLG.   

Since the end of the 2005 season, Tek has been putrid at the plate.  In three seasons, he has only had 7 months where his AVG was .250 or better; and 5 months with a .350 or better OBP.  Last year, Kevin Cash and Tek were offensive equals.  Varitek was 15th out of 21 AL catchers with 200 plate appearances in VORP.  He placed just behind Salty and Gregg Zaun.  Looking at MLV, Tek was even worse.  (MLV is an estimate of the additional number of runs a given player will contribute to a lineup that otherwise consists of average offensive performers).  Tek placed 18th out of 21 AL catchers in MLV, better than only Molina, Johjima, and Mathis. 

Here is a comparison of Varitek and Gregg Zaun, who just signed a 1 year/$1.5 million contract with Baltimore.

2008 season:

Varitek - (423 AB) .220 AVG/.313 OBP/.359 SLG (22.2% of base-stealers caught).

Zaun -  (245 AB) .237 AVG/.340 OBP/.359 SLG (25.9% of base-stealers caught).

2006-2008:

Varitek - (1223 AB) .238 AVG/.336 OBP/.393 SLG (22.9% CS)

Zaun - (866 AB) .251 AVG/.348 OBP/.413 SLG (20.8% CS)

Both catchers are 37-year old switch-hitters, with very similar numbers.  Zaun may have been a better fit if the Sox are thinking about a catching platoon, as it appears Jason Varitek is the only person on the planet who still thinks he is a starting catcher.

I know the Boston media loves to talk about Varitek's intangibles.  That's probably because his tangibles suck so badly.  Sooner or later the Sox will have to cut ties to Tek.  When that happens, many will panic because no one else, it seems, can handle the Sox' pitching staff.  However, about 10 years ago, when Tek was learning his craft, Joe Kerrigan called the pitches from the dugout.  In my opinion, John Farrell is more than capable of doing that for any of the new Sox catchers.  Farrell knows the staff very well.  In fact, I'd credit him far more than Tek for Beckett's post-2006 turn around and the development of the young pitchers.

Again, Gregg Zaun signed a $1.5 million contract.  That's the market for Varitek.  A $2 or $3 million (no incentive) contract would be extremely generous.