Red Sox offer arbitration to Varitek and Byrd

Sports Network | December 1, 2008

Boston, MA (Sports Network) - The Boston Red Sox have offered salary arbitration to free agent catcher Jason Varitek and right-handed pitcher Paul Byrd.

The Red Sox would be eligible to receive compensation for Varitek, a Type A free agent, and Byrd, a Type B free agent. Players offered salary arbitration have until the conclusion of this Sunday to accept or decline that offer.

Varitek posted a .220 batting average with 13 home runs and 43 runs batted in over 131 games last season, while Byrd combined for an 11-12 record and a 4.60 earned-run average in 30 starts with Cleveland and Boston.

The Red Sox also announced it will not offer salary arbitration to pitchers Bartolo Colon, Curt Schilling and Mike Timlin, catcher David Ross, infielders Sean Casey and Alex Cora, and outfielder Mark Kotsay.