Red Sox Exercise Victor Martinez's 2010 Option; Decline Jason Varitek's

by Randy Booth on Nov 9, 2009 6:38 PM EST in News Comment 18 comments

Boston Red Sox's Jason Varitek unsuccessfully tries to lay down a bunt in the second inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas, Monday, July 20, 2009. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

4 months ago: Boston Red Sox's Jason Varitek unsuccessfully tries to lay down a bunt in the second inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas, Monday, July 20, 2009. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

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The Red Sox have officially brought back Victor Martinez for the 2010 season, while declining the team's 2010 option for Jason Varitek.

No shockers here. V-Mart came to the Sox and just simply mashed the ball. There was no doubt he'd be back.

With Varitek, only one option exists now: his player option. The team option was worth $5M -- an option that only would have been exercised if Varitek won the MVP in 2009 (OK, that wasn't a steadfast rule in the contract, but it essentially would have to happen). The player option is worth $3M. This gives Varitek the choice to come back or test the free agent waters.

Now we all know the smart thing for Varitek and agent Scott Boras is to exercise the player option. However, we saw Varitek and Boras do the very unsmart thing last year and decline arbitration and opt for free agency. Dumb. Will they make the same mistake twice? Who knows.

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Please leave Varitek

VARITEK MUST GO
Brandon Webb in 2010
Jason Bay is not WERTH it

by gizmosandy on Nov 9, 2009 6:40 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Good for the Sox

Like everything you’ve had in that post including your sig.

by Lolmoarpl0x on Nov 9, 2009 6:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Better yet...

…decline the option, retire as a player, and come back to the Sox as a coach.

by RSNexile on Nov 9, 2009 7:02 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I'd be fine with that

but why would he want to take a massive pay cut. He’ll be sitting on the bench either way

Homer: Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is, never try.

by DougieWentDeep on Nov 9, 2009 7:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Why did Wake?

Why did Wake agree to a perpetual $4M/year option to begin with, and why did he agree to a pay cut for the next two years?

Sometimes guys will do what is best for the team even if it means they’ll make less money. Granted, I don’t think any client of Scott Boras has ever had such an inclination, but nothing ever happens until it does.

by RSNexile on Nov 9, 2009 7:44 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Wake knew he wanted to play with the Sox for the rest of his career. He knew he wanted to stay in the area. The new deal gives him the security of knowing he will be on the Sox for the rest of his career. There was a chance that the Sox would decline the option on his other deal.

You imply that Varitek giving up $3M would be “best for the team.” Personally, I would rather he have the money than the franchise. That guy has done a lot for this team.

"Ninety percent [of my salary] I'll spend on good times, women, and Irish whiskey. The other ten percent I'll probably waste."
-Tug McGraw

by BTLove on Nov 9, 2009 11:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

So what?

Tek’s been horrible for the past two years. It absolutely would be best for the team if he didn’t pick up the option, and I question the judgment and sanity of anyone who says otherwise because he’s only going to get worse.

Wake is obviously a special case. But he has no bearing on Tek.

by RSNexile on Nov 10, 2009 7:03 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The Sox can cut him.

If it is best that he is not on the team, the Sox have the power to just let him go. He would collect his $3M and leave. For this team, that is not exactly going to effect them much. My point is that you cannot ask Tek to make a decision that would cost him $3M. The two-year deal was a mistake. But it is not Tek’s mistake to correct.

"Ninety percent [of my salary] I'll spend on good times, women, and Irish whiskey. The other ten percent I'll probably waste."
-Tug McGraw

by BTLove on Nov 10, 2009 1:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

there's a difference

Wakefield has clearly been determined to finish with the Sox for a long time. Varitek, though he’s been an enormous asset to the Sox, was perfectly willing to go somewhere else last year.

If anything, I’d guess the Sox will offer to quietly give him the $3 million if he walks away as a PR move. Maybe he’ll end up working as backup catcher for a while, though I do think wearing that C on the bench will look a little silly.

by wolf9309 on Nov 10, 2009 11:15 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

terrible contract the sox gaveTek last winter

terrible

VARITEK MUST GO
Brandon Webb in 2010
Jason Bay is not WERTH it

by gizmosandy on Nov 9, 2009 7:12 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Agreed.

There was no excuse.

"It's just a tiny little nick, but it hurts when I get champagne in there."
- Jason Bay, on getting spiked scoring the winning run in ALDS Game Four.

by 0157H7 on Nov 9, 2009 7:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The part I don't get is that nobody wanted Varitek especially at the cost of draft picks

Theo overpaid for 2009 bidding against nobody else and then gave in to Boras on a second year. This was a terrible move.

VARITEK MUST GO
Brandon Webb in 2010
Jason Bay is not WERTH it

by gizmosandy on Nov 9, 2009 8:33 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Nostalgia contract.

He wore the C. It was face-saving all around. He woulda gotten 10 in arbitration (if I remember correctly), he ended up getting 8.

Sox “save” some money and a certain (sizable) section of the fanbase gets appeased. Continuity remains with certain pitchers, intangibles….fucking…happen or something. Blah blah blah.

One of those things that happens that can be justified or explained with numbers.

Galactus does as he pleases. Because Galactus is drunk.

by Bloggy on Nov 9, 2009 9:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs