Now it's official: Jason Varitek will be back as a Red Sox next year:
Jason Varitek's 10-year run as the Red Sox's primary catcher is over. But his reign in Boston isn't.
Despite the club's decision to decline its $5 million option on Varitek this week and general manager Theo Epstein saying he expects Victor Martinez to be the everyday guy behind the plate, the Red Sox captain chose to exercise his $3 million player option on Wednesday afternoon and will thus return to Boston for a 14th season in 2010.
No shocker here (that sounds familar). Varitek will be back as the Sox's backup catcher in 2010.