According to NESN's Red Sox reporter Heidi Watney, free-agent catcher Jason Varitek said he was not aware that teams would have to surrender a No. 1 draft pick in order to sign him and he takes full responsibility for his decision to turn down salary arbitration from the Red Sox. ...And this is the guy who we are told prepares so diligently for every single game that the Red Sox pitchers would be totally lost without his extraordinary guidance?
"Varitek told me he wasn't aware that teams would have to give up draft picks now in addition to paying him and that's something that definitely cost him and he takes full responsibility for that," according to Watney. "He doesn't blame Boras for that."
January 21, 2009
Varitek: Liar Or Idiot?
This has been discussed at SoSH since last Saturday night, but I finally saw something in the Globe:
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21 comments:
First McNabb didn't know NFL teams could tie in the reg season and now this? What the hell? Even if it were true why would you admit it? I understand "damage control" but not at the cost of your intellect and/or integrity.
Probably trying to cover his ass for making a foolish decision.
I'm going with "idiot", at least with respect to negotiations. It's perfectly understandable that someone could put that much effort into their job, but be totally clueless about salary negotiations.
Players hire a Scott Boras so they don't have to be involved in negotiations.
Who wouldn't want to give up their first draft pick for a backup catcher?
Idiot. And is it any surprise this news came from Heidi Watney? Eyewitness news! Snicker snicker. Just kidding, but not about the idiot part! Sounds like not just he is an idiot but Boras is too in this case.
Wouldn't you think your agent would tell you if you were a Type A or B? Maybe (hopefully) he did. So that means maybe Varitek didn't know teams would have to give up that draft pick since he declined arbitration... and that would make him an idiot. He's even making me sound like an idiot.
Oh well. His loss. Doesn't matter to me that he didn't know. His value is being forced back down to earth, so if the Red Sox can sign him for relatively cheap, he and Bard can platoon and be done with it.
heh JCal, thats exactly the first comparison i thought of...silly mcnabb.
I'd vote for Liar, but lying about it = Idiot.
i was hoping somebody would mention mcnabb. do we really want and need tek? i think hes still got it with his mask, but with his bat.....i kinda dont want him back. im certanily not dissing all that hes done and accopmlished is our uniform its just that its MJ, FAVRE all over again. i think were better off without him.
I can't see the up side in lying, so it has to be idiot. I've never really been convinced that Varitek is especially smart. The bar is pretty low for these guys.
how about both.
seawolvesfan said...
MJ, FAVRE all over again. i think were better off without him.
Tek would be flattered, to be put in the same class as those 2..
Really? It IS Borass' fault for not knowing that and not telling tek that. Tek is a catcher Borass is an agent. Which one would you expect to know more about the contract law in the MLB?
If he really didn't know he is an idiot. Is a sad ending for Tek, if the Sox don't bring him back. Him and Boros would own it for sure. What do you guys think the Sox would pay IF they decide to bring him back 2-3 million?
Since Tek thought there was a multi-year deal out there for him, knowing the situation with his signing was worth tens of millions of dollars. He HAS to be aware of the particulars.
I had been saying 5, but at this point, judging from what others have signed for (or not, in I-Rod's case), 3 seems like the most.
9CASEY: well to judge just how great a cather is you cant just look at there batting numbers, you have to take in account what he has done and help accomplish with his pitchers. tek in my mind deserves to be put in that elite category
you have to take in account what he has done and help accomplish with his pitchers. tek in my mind deserves to be put in that elite category
That's the common view. You'll find many folks here disagree, or see a more balanced view.
If you give Tek credit for his pitchers' success, then you should fault him for his pitchers' failures. Or else credit and fault the pitchers and leave him out of it.
seawolvesfan said...
9CASEY: well to judge just how great a cather is you cant just look at there batting numbers, you have to take in account what he has done and help accomplish with his pitchers. tek in my mind deserves to be put in that elite category
I am the first one to defend Tek , , but when judging him you have to take all factors into account......And really what pitchers did "he" make great?
Pedro?
Schilling
Beckett?
Lester?
Lowe?
These guys might have been just as good with Butch Wynegar behind the plate...
How about Buchholz he catches his no hitter then he shits the bed , that Has to be some of Tek's fault right...
Most of the performance of a pitcher is on the pitcher. The catcher has to know what pitches to call based on the batter and the pitcher that particular night. However, the pitcher ultimately has to put the ball in the spot the catcher called for to be successful so Tek cannot be blamed nor credited for a pitcher's performance more than say 10-15%. When a pitcher is on fire like in a no-hitter, he has caught what 6?, then he has stated that he backs off and lets the pitcher throw his stuff. I cannot quote him or add a link but I just remember him saying that after I think HH's no-hitter.
Still Borscht was wrong on two accounts, the misread of the the leagues interest and then the arbitration miscue. I would hire an agent to handle all business affairs for me so I can concentrate on the game. I believe this is one of the core reasons that agents came to be. Sure Tek should know what is going with his career business wise but he does pay a steep fee for his agent's services and he did not receive those services this year. This most important of all years for his career.
I think Boras knew the arb rules but sold Tek a bill of goods thinking he could get 3/30 perhaps out of someone. Boras is after all in it to make the most money possible for himself and his client. Why would he make a rookie mistake of declining arb if he really didn't think there was a deal out there. I think some GM told him that they were interested in Tek and then withdrew that.
well it depends on how just great do you think MJ, and FAVRE are? MJ certinely was a scoring machine-captain-won 6 world championships. FAVRE is the outcast and now I regret putting him in the same league cuz hes a primadona. I dont care bout him and his accomplishents cuz im a VIKINGS fan. TEK=2 world seris rings-captain-certinly helped out our pitchers young and old. so 33 in that catergoy is okay? But i do agree with the fact the catcher has minimal credit for a pitchers no-hitter-perfect game. but they deserve some credit. and i never said that tek doesnt earn some heat for his pitchers screwups-i do believe in that. and as for Buckholz well hes still a rookie pithcer in my mind so mistakes are gonna happen no matter who catches the ball.
and i never said that tek doesnt earn some heat for his pitchers screwups
You said this:
you have to take in account what he has done and help accomplish with his pitchers. tek in my mind deserves to be put in that elite category
If you count the great (as 9C rightly points out, they would have been great anyway), the good, the mediocre, and the crappy, Varitek hardly comes out looking "elite".
When Josh Beckett was addicted to his lousy fastball, and wouldn't adjust even though he was sucking, Varitek was pure teflon. Then Josh turns it around, and Tek is pure gold.
The media loves to go on and on about it - his leadership, his clubhouse skills, his amazing defensive abilities. I'm not saying Tek wasn't very good at those things, but the adulation got a little out of hand.
I love Der Capitan as well-but facts is facts. He hit, as Bill Simmons put it, like he was swinging a stick of bologna in 2008, and I haven't seen convincing evidence that catchers have that much sway over pitchers' performances.
Derek Jeter is a great baseball player too, but at some point you have to put aside stories of terrific awesomeicity and get guys out and score some runs.
In 2008, it seemed like Tek
isn't a help in those departments.
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