New Fan Story & Photos

September 1, 2010

T. Marino was at last Sunday's game at Tropicana Field and took some great photos of the Red Sox Captain. She also sent this email about her experience:

"After missing Tek the last time the Sox were here in Tampa (I was at the game but I thought he wasn't), I went to the Sunday evening game against the Rays at Tropicana Field and was lucky enough to have Tek sign an "I [heart] Jason Varitek" Shirt. He's a man of many hats out on the field. I guess that comes with being the Captain!

"Before the game, he was talking on the bench with Pedroia, and then he made his way out to the group stretching near home plate. He went to the outfield and was warming up with the rest of the team, he made his way over to first base and was catching some throws from third during batting practice before Mike Lowell got there, then he headed to the bullpen where Cash was doing some drills before he came over and signed autographs and took pictures. Then he took some swings twice during batting practice.

"If I had to guess, it looks like he is still favoring his foot though so hopefully it feels fully recovered soon."

You can see her photos here.

*T, thank you so much!

Tuesday Notes & Quotes...

August 31, 2010

Rehab Notes...

From the Providence Journal's Dan Barbarisi :

Jason Varitek continues to progress through various drills, and his broken foot is healing to the point that a minor-league rehab assignment is likely in the very near future," manager Terry Francona said.

"I would think he'll stay with us through this trip and the timing of that is probably pretty close to -- when we get back off this trip, he can get examined. Again, as long as everything is going OK. And maybe we can get him out and play a few games."

Varitek has performed catching drills, and tried some running, and just needs to do more of the same before returning. He has been on the disabled list since he fractured his foot July 1.

You can read Mr. Barbarisi's latest here.

Minor League Quotes...

"He'd probably be disappointed that he's been here all year with all the things that have [gone] on. But he's worked hard. His receiving has gotten better. You've got a guy like Jason Varitek up there that kind of sets the standard, and it's a pretty tough act for these guys to follow." — Portland manager Arnie Beyeler on catcher Luis Exposito, who's remained with the Sea Dogs all year despite a productive offensive season (Providence Journal).

Rehab Update

August 27, 2010

From NESN this morning:

"Though he couldn't run at full speed on Tuesday, Jason Varitek is scheduled for an end of the month return. His broken foot recovery was always a few weeks behind Pedroia's, and as soon as he feels comfortable running the catcher should be on the docket to return by the end of August."

And from RedSox.com's Ian Browne in a tweet this afternoon:

"Tek had a great day, told Tito he felt like he could play tonight. Should start Minors rehab soon."

Jaffarian Automotive Group - Customer Appreciation Day

August 25, 2010

Jason was on hand to sign autographs and pose for photos during Jaffarian's Customer Appreciation Day, which took place on Tuesday, August 17th.

The dealership is located in Haverhill, Massachusetts at 600 River Street.

Their Appreciation Day with the Red Sox Captain brought some funny moments - including Jason posing with a silky terrier named Varitek; a little boy who left his name and address in case Jason wanted to "come over and play some baseball"; and another youngster who handed him a folded-up piece of paper and asked him to deliver it to Dustin Pedroia!

You can view all the photos on their Facebook page.

*Thank you to Brett for the heads-up!

Tek: "Johnny Is A Special Player"

August 23-24, 2010 - Updated Tuesday

With the news today that the Red Sox placed a waiver claim on Johnny Damon, it's obvious that Jason wouldn't mind seeing his friend and former teammate return:

"Johnny is a special player. He's pushing on Hall of Fame-type numbers, and you add that Johnny's great in the clubhouse, he's a gamer on the field, and he's one hell of a teammate."

The Red Sox Captain was asked by reporters prior to tonight's game if he might put in a call to Damon in an effort to talk him into returning (Damon can veto a deal to Boston and told the Boston Globe's Peter Abraham that he wasn't inclined to return), "I'm not going to answer that," he said, then smiled. "Maybe."

However, later in the interview he said he would take a 'wait and see' attitude, "It would be a nice opportunity. But we'll let him do what he needs to do...see what happens. Johnny knows we love him and always have. It's wishful thinking right now."

Tuesday Update:

Tek weighed in on Damon's decision to stay with the Detroit Tigers this afternoon -

"I said it before and I'll say it again – playing with Johnny and the way [he played] the game, the way he goes about his business, it would have made a welcome addition to have him back here.

"I reached out to him, as a friend, as a teammate, and ultimately, he's obviously had some decisions to make which...I can't even fathom what all had to go into it. I can only speak for what Johnny has meant here and what he has done as a player and what he is as a teammate. He would have been a big addition to our team with what he can do."

Sources: Boston Globe; NESN; Providence Journal; ESPN.

Rehab Update

August 21, 2010

From ESPN today:

The Boston Red Sox conducted a conference call Friday night in reference to the progress of injured catcher Jason Varitek.

On the call were manager Terry Francona, medical director Dr. Thomas Gill, head trainer Mike Reinold, Varitek and his representatives from the Boras Group. The prognosis is Varitek won't hurt his fractured right foot further even though he's feeling discomfort.

"He's able to advance forward and continue his progression, he's not quite ready to play in a game yet," Francona said. "The good part is if he feels discomfort, neither doctor thought [Varitek] was putting himself in jeopardy, so that was good to hear and Tek felt relieved by that."

"I've been encouraged," Varitek said. "I haven't gone backwards. You want it done yesterday, but you look at it where last homestand, I couldn't walk without a bad limp. So that's encouraging."

Varitek will continue to increase the workload and will be able to soon concentrate on moving more laterally during his workouts.

"I need to get to another gear and another level of running with less limping," Varitek said. "It's getting better. It's moving along."

You can read the rest here.

If You Can't Watch Him Behind Home Plate...

August 19, 2010

You can catch him fishing with Charlie Moore...

The next date for the re-airing of Jason's episode on NESN's Charlie Moore Outdoors, filmed in May of this year on Lake Winnipesaukee:

Saturday, August 21st at 12:00 p.m.

Charlie's television schedule is posted on a weekly basis only, so I'll post other dates for the month when they become available.

You can check out Charlie's website here.

And doing some putt-putt golfing for a good cause...

The latest dates for the re-airing of Jason's Celebrity Putt Putt Tournament episode on NESN's "Celebrity Spotlight" series:

Saturday, August 21st at 1:30 p.m.

Thursday, August 26th at 6:00 p.m.

Saturday, August 28th at 1:30 p.m.

You can check NESN's website here.

On the "celebrity news" front...

Tek was on hand for the opening of Howl at the Moon, a nationally established dueling piano bar, on Monday night. They are located in Boston's Financial District.

He joined teammate Kevin Youklis, Bruins players Shawn Thornton, Tuuka Rask and Adam McQuaid, and former Patriots players Christian Fauria, Scott Zolak, Matt Chatham and Ted Johnson for a VIP reception to celebrate the opening.

You can read about the event and see a larger version of the photo here.

And on the injury front...

According to the Worcester Telegram's Bill Ballou, Jason will seek another opinion on the progress of his broken foot, from the Carolina Panthers team doctor.

Tek Has Another Exam

August 17, 2010

From WEEI earlier this afternoon:

Jason Varitek will meet with doctors on Tuesday night to get the latest update on his broken right foot, according to Red Sox manager Terry Francona.

Francona said the catcher's right foot is healing and he continues to be able to run but is experiencing some lingering soreness.

"Tek had a scan," Francona said. "There's a lot of improvement. It still hasn't fully healed. He's going to get it examined. I think at this point, the examination is more important than what the scan says. The pain he's still having is a little bit off of where the the bone was broken and he's doing a great job and he's running better now than he was before."

And from NESN later this afternoon:

Varitek recently had his broken foot scanned, and while the scan showed significant healing, he is not 100 percent and is still experiencing lingering soreness.

He was seen sprinting in the outfielder earlier and continues to take cuts in the cage.

Rehab Update

August 13-14, 2010

From Joe McDonald's ESPNBoston blog:

...other news on the rehab front involves catcher Jason Varitek. He participated in some sprinting drills Friday afternoon at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington as he continues to progress from a broken foot.

"The timeline all along has been roughly a week, 10 days, two weeks behind Pedy and he's probably close," Francona said of Varitek's recovery. "I know it can change, but it's been following that pattern the whole way."

You can read the rest here.

From Peter Abraham's Red Sox Blog at the Boston Globe:

Jason Varitek must really want to come back. It's 102 degrees and he is running sprints in the grass along the third base line under the supervision of head athletic trainer Mike Reinold.

You can read the rest here.

Update: Fishing with Charlie Moore -

I know, I know! The two dates given on Charlie's site for the fishing expedition on Lake Winnipesaukee with the Red Sox Captain were incorrect or pre-empted - the episodes shown were NOT the episode with Jason's guest appearance.

However, Charlie now says that the episode with Jason will air tomorrow night (Sunday) on NESN at 8:00 p.m.; and again on Monday night at 11:30 p.m.; and 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday.

You can check out Charlie's site here.

You can check another photo from their fishing expedition here.

Reason #6: Jason Varitek

August 12, 2010

The Boston Globe listed their "Nine reasons the Red Sox can still make the playoffs" today in a slideshow, and the team captain's return came in at number six:

Raise your hand if you thought that Jason Varitek would have a .547 slugging percentage at any point during the regular season. He was more than anyone had hoped for when he accepted his role as Victor Martinez's backup at catcher, providing pitching staff stability and contributing some clutch hits.

Varitek is set to return after a foot injury put him on the disabled list.

What he provides with the bat may be less important than what he provides in the clubhouse with his leadership.

You can catch the rest of their list here.

Also Today:

Kelly O'Connor snuck in some photos of Tek from the Memorial Day weekend series against the Royals on her photo site when I wasn't looking! And they are definitely worth a look!

I have added them to my gallery here.

But when you have the time, you should really check out her full collection here.

Wednesday: Notes & Quotes

August 11, 2010

The New York Times - Article on the Giants' Buster Posey: "Mark my words: he's Jason Varitek behind the plate and Derek Jeter as a hitter," Martin said. “He gets inside the ball like he's Jeter, and he runs the show like he's Varitek — and he cares, like both of them do. That's what you're getting."

NESN - Injury update: With Dustin Pedroia planning to return to the Red Sox from a broken foot on Tuesday, Jason Varitek hopes to make a similar comeback from the same injury within the next few weeks...he ran for the first time on Saturday.

Red Sox Official Site - Article on Jarrod Saltalamacchia's call-up: Saltalamacchia, who will serve as Victor Martinez's backup until Jason Varitek (fractured right foot) returns to the mix, is expected to start Thursday afternoon's game against the Blue Jays.

And...

MLB play-by-play announcer Buck Martinez, during tonight's telecast of the Red Sox vs. Blue Jays game: "Saltalamacchia is smart to sit next to Jason Varitek" in the dugout so he can "pick his brain". Varitek is the "Doctor of Baseball" and has a "Masters in Baseball". According to the former catcher and baseball analyst, Jason is in "a league of his own!"

*Thank you to Lynn!

The Captain Goes Fishin'...

August 9, 2010 - Updated again

Tek and Charlie Moore's fishing excursion on Lake Winnipesaukee will make it's maiden voyage on NESN this month!

The episode had been set for 8:00 p.m. Sunday night, but with the Red Sox playing the Yankees at the same time, the date and time was changed to this afternoon - twice: 5 p.m. (which was when NESN's Red Sox post-game was being shown), and then during the 6:30 p.m. Charlie Moore timeslot.

Alas, it was not shown this evening in any of the timeslots for the show (6:30 p.m, 7:00 p.m. or 7:30 p.m.).

Other dates and times the episode is scheduled to air: Friday, August 13th at 6:00 p.m., and Saturday, August 14th at 12:00 p.m.

You can check Charlie's site here, and follow Charlie on Facebook here.

And see a photo from their day on the lake here.

Injury Update:

Jason participated in on-field batting practice for the first time on Sunday.

"I've been hitting in the cage and not taking up guys' time on the field, but I've been taking [batting practice] and stuff. It was good," said Varitek, who has been out since early July with a foot fracture.

"I'm still learning how to walk and jog right now. Yesterday I ran for the first time, and we jogged two days before that at about 10 percent 30 feet three times. Yesterday I ran about 75 percent and did a little jogging, a little bit today, being a back-to-back day. But I'm recovering day-to-day and getting better each day, which is a good thing. Whatever I'm doing, I'm handling, and I'm not going backward."

He isn't sure when he'll be back, but thinks this week will tell a lot.

Source: Hartford Courant

Injury Update

August 6, 2010

From the Boston Globe's Nate Taylor this evening:

Varitek said his right foot feels better each day. He has been without crutches and a medical boot for more than a week and was seen taking swings in the cage before last night’s game.

Varitek made it a point to say his recovery time is on schedule, if not ahead.

You can read the rest of his Red Sox Report here.

Sunday - Injury Update:

Jason participated in on-field batting practice for the first time.

"I've been hitting in the cage and not taking up guys' time on the field, but I've been taking [batting practice] and stuff. It was good," said Varitek, who has been out since early July with a foot fracture.

"I'm still learning how to walk and jog right now. Yesterday I ran for the first time, and we jogged two days before that at about 10 percent 30 feet three times. Yesterday I ran about 75 percent and did a little jogging, a little bit today, being a back-to-back day. But I'm recovering day-to-day and getting better each day, which is a good thing. Whatever I'm doing, I'm handling, and I'm not going backward."

He isn't sure when he'll be back, but thinks this week will tell a lot.

Source: Hartford Courant

The Captain Goes Fishin'...

August 3, 2010 - TV Update

With America's favorite fisherman, Charlie Moore!

Jason and Charlie Moore spent a day fishing on Lake Winnipesaukee in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire back in May.

And now you can "catch" the action on the lake on NESN this Sunday, August 8th at 8:00 p.m.

You can check back with me for more dates when this episode will be shown, or you can check Charlie's site here.

You can also follow Charlie on Facebook here.

You can also see a photo here.

The Captain goes miniature golfin'...

The August schedule for NESN's Celebrity Spotlight Show showcasing Jason's Celebrity Putt Putt Tournament is out!

But there are only two showings, so don't miss 'em!

You can watch the action on the miniature golf course on these dates:

Sunday, August 15th at 7:00 p.m.

Monday, August 16th at 4:00 p.m.

*FYI: these scheduled showings are subject to change (and apparently do!).

You can see fan photos from the tournament this year (and years past) here.

You can see the 2008 Putt Putt Tournament "Celebrity Spotlight" series here.

*Thank you so much to Lisa!

Just A Few Notes...

August 2, 2010

From ESPN's Gordon Edes on Jason's progress:

Jason Varitek, who is on the disabled list with a fractured right foot, hit in the cage on Monday for the first time since the injury. He had hit from his knees on previous occasions but was standing for this one. He has been off crutches for two days.

You can read Mr. Edes column here.

And from NESN.com:

As I posted on July 29th, one of the most important trades in the history of the Red Sox came when the Sox traded reliever Heathcliff Slocumb to the Seattle Mariners for Jason and Derek Lowe prior to the 1997 trade deadline.

Heidi Watney caught up to with the Sox Captain in the clubhouse about that trade, and the difficulty and uncertainty that comes with being traded.

You can watch the videotaped interview here.

And:

Condolences to Sox batting coach Dave Magadan on the recent passing of his father. Coach Magadan will be away from the team for a few days.

Injury Update

July 30-31, 2010 - Saturday Update

According to several news sources this afternoon...

Jason's CT scan showed that he has had "significant healing" of his broken foot.

"Both reports came back really good," said Terry Francona of both Jason's and Dustin Pedroia's scans.

"With Varitek he's off the crutches, he'll be out of the boot tomorrow and he'll do as much of [the] activities as he can tolerate."

Jason should be able to remove the protective boot on Saturday, and according to NESN on Saturday morning, he is just "weeks away" from returning.

During his press conference, the Red Sox manager also took a moment to praise his Captain and his second baseman during their time on the DL, "Pedroia and Tek were as helpful as anybody when they were out there. They showed amazing leadership skills even when they were not playing, which is not very easy to do."

Also:

I have added a photo of Jason, posing with three of his teammates, at the 2010 Beckett Bowl to the site's gallery.

The charity event took place on Thursday night at Lucky Strike Lanes in Boston.

You can see a larger version here.

Looking Back: 1997 Trade Deadline

July 29, 2010

There are many articles out there about the trade that brought Jason and Derek Lowe to the Red Sox in 1997, but this one is still my favorite!

From a September 13, 2004 article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer by John Levesque:

Blame it all on Dan Wilson.

If Wilson hadn't established himself as the Mariners' No. 1 catcher in the mid-1990s, Jason Varitek would likely be squatting behind the plate for the Mariners, not the Boston Red Sox.

Mention the trade of Varitek and Derek Lowe to the Red Sox for one Heathcliff Slocumb, and Mariners fans perform the biggest group eye roll since General Pickett told his men they were going to run across a big open field at Gettysburg while the other side was shooting at them.

Mention it to Red Sox fans and they break into the same sly smile you see on the face of the car dealer after you think you've outsmarted him on the trade-in of Aunt Lottie's Plymouth Duster. If members of Red Sox Nation were inclined to send thank-you notes, they'd have to form support groups to cope with the writer's cramp arising from their gratitude over that 1997 deal.

It might have been the grandest hosing Mariners vice president Woody Woodward ever got, and yet Varitek, widely considered to be the rock on which the modern-day Red Sox are built, believes it was the right move at the time.

By 1997, Varitek says Wilson, acquired in 1994 from Cincinnati, had cemented himself as the Mariners' catcher for the foreseeable future. He says it made sense that the Mariners trade their top minor league catching prospect for much-needed relief pitching, since said prospect -- Varitek -- wasn't likely to see much playing time with the Mariners anytime soon.

Maybe so. But most folks with partisan memories think the Mariners gave up way too much for Slocumb, whose 10-year, eight-team sojourn through the majors ended during the Clinton administration.

In fairness to the Woodward family, Slocumb was solid as the Mariners closer during their run to the American League West championship in 1997. It was in 1998 that he fell apart -- and forever installed himself as a pariah in the minds of Mariners fans who still look at Varitek from afar and chant, "What if, what if, what if?"

Varitek learned of his trade in Colorado Springs, where the Tacoma Rainiers had just finished a game. Lowe, who had been with the Mariners for most of the season, also was back with the Rainiers, having been sent down 10 days before the trade. Both players reported to Class AAA Pawtucket; both were called up in September and have been Red Sox mainstays ever since.

"They had a great catcher here and they made the right decision to get the pitching they needed," Varitek said in his assessment of the Mariners' decision to trade him.

Though Lowe has had highs (a no-hitter) and lows (media criticism) struggling under the weight of Boston-style expectations, Varitek, now 32, has flourished as the gritty field general.

Varitek, the Mariners' top draft pick in 1994 out of Georgia Tech, confessed to some shock at being traded in '97, but he said he was excited about going to Boston.
"It's a very intense and passionate place," he said, relishing the craziness of Fenway Park when it's packed to the rafters.

This article can be read in it's entirety here.

You can check out photos of Jason (wearing #47) from his 1997 Red Sox days here.

Tek-nically Speaking...

"Seattle sends Derek Lowe and Jason Varitek to Boston for Heathcliff Slocumb (July 31, 1997): This is one trade the Mariners would love to have back. Slocumb, who was an all-star with Philadelphia in 1995, tossed only 95 innings with Seattle in '97 and '98, going 2-9 with 13 saves and an ERA around 5.00. Lowe and Varitek were key contributors as Boston ended its World Series drought in 2004. Lowe, who now pitches for Atlanta, has become one of the game's more consistent starters, while Varitek has reached the post-season seven times and won two championships." -- CBC Sports (Canada), "Trade Deadline - Memorable Deals" by Doug Harrison.

"Seattle was on the opposite end of a one-sided deal back in 1997, when they were so enamored with Red Sox reliever Heathcliff Slocumb that they parted with top young players Jason Varitek and Derek Lowe to get him. The Mariners did make the playoffs that year, though they were bounced out quickly in the first round. And Slocumb, whose $3 million salary represented a premium price for a reliever at the time, was of little help during his one-plus seasons in Seattle, going 2-9 with an earned run average close to 5.00. Lowe and Varitek ultimately became heroes of the Red Sox 2004 championship team" -- Yahoo! Sports' "Baseball's biggest trade deadline busts" by Tom Van Riper.

Also Today:

The Sox have the day off!

And it looks like many of the players will be attending Josh Beckett's 2010 Beckett Bowl at Lucky Strike Lanes in Boston!

The fun-filled evening will begin at 6:00 p.m. with a celebrity red-carpet event. The celebrity bowling tournament will kick-off at 7:15 p.m. and festivities will conclude with a concert by country music sensation Jason Aldean at the Absolut Beckett Bowl Concert presented by MGM Grand at Foxwoods at the House of Blues Boston.

Expected to attend: Jason, Tim Wakefield, David Ortiz, Daniel Bard, Jon Lester, John Lackey, Manny Delcarmen, Mike Lowell, and Scott Atchinson.

Proceeds from the event benefit Children's Hospital Boston.

For more info on tonight's event and Josh's Foundation, click here.

And last but certainly not least...

From Curt Schilling's Mailbag column at ESPN.com -

Q: Did you have a favorite catcher?

Curt: My all-time favorite catcher to work with was Tek.

The rest of Curt's Mailbag column is here.

Jason Working Hard To Return

July 25, 2010

Jason took a few minutes to answer questions from NESN's Heidi Watney on the physical process involved in coming back from his injury:

"I'm coming along just fine," said the Captain. "We'll get another CT [scan] when we get back. The previous CT was a little early, I was only at two weeks....hopefully it shows what we need to be able to excelerate what we are doing.

"We're doing stuff now to prepare for when we get out of the boot and off the crutches so the foot will be in the right place to do things [like] standing up, run, etc...

"I don't want to lose the arm strength and the stuff that we've built. Pedey and I are going through a throwing program from our knees and a lot of little stuff."

According to NESN, CT scans will be done again on both Jason and Dustin Pedroia next Friday.

You can watch the videotaped interview here.

Also Today:

Terry Francona is proud of his injured tough guys -

Whether it is Jason Varitek hopping into the dugout on crutches, or Dustin Pedroia sitting on a folding chair outside the batting cage so he can watch batting practice with his walking boot on, Red Sox manager Terry Francona is full of appreciation for the character of his team.

"They've all been good," said Francona. "I don't think people realize how extraordinary what we have going here is. You don't see this. I've been a lot of places. You don't see guys standing around the cage in a chair. You don't see guys on crutches trying to play. It doesn't happen. This is an extraordinary group right now. Sometimes I think that gets lost. It's amazing."

You can read the rest of Ian Browne's report here.

And:

Although Jason isn't quite ready to go back to work behind the plate, he did go to work behind the counter....

...at the Seattle Market this weekend!

And lucky for us, a Red Sox fan "caught" him in the act!

You can check out a larger version of the photo here.

If you want to add your best caption to this photo, please send it to me with your name (first or full)! I will post the captions with the photo in the gallery!

Jason On The Cover...

July 20, 2010

Jason will grace the cover of a new magazine/periodical called "Hometown Sports", which will cover local and regional sports in the Cape Cod area.

The first issue is expected to debut in August and will also feature an interview with Jason which centers around his days in the Cape Cod League and how that experience influenced his career.

Jason played for the Hyannis Mets of the Cape Cod Baseball League (photo) during the summers of 1991 and 1993 around a stint with Team USA in 1992.

He won the CCBL's Pat Sorenti Award as the League MVP in 1991, and the Thurman Munson Award with the highest batting avg. (.371) in 1993.

I will post info on Hometown Sports and where to purchase an issue as soon as it becomes available!

You can see photos of Jason's playing days with the Hyannis Mets here.

Fishing with Jason...

And Charlie Moore!

Jason and Charlie Moore spent a day fishing on Lake Winnipesaukee in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire back in May.

According to Charlie, the show (which can be seen on NESN) does not have an air date just yet, but it will soon.

You can check back with me for the dates it'll be shown, or you can check Charlie's site here.

You can also follow Charlie on Facebook here.

You can also "catch" a photo here.

*Thank you to Charlie!

Miniature Golfing with Jason...

If you missed the opportunity to attend Jason's Celebrity Putt Putt Tournament on July 1st, you can watch it on television!

NESN will showcase the event this month and next as part of their Celebrity Spotlight Series, hosted by Bruins Legend Ray Bourque.

For those that don't check the Events section in the column on the right, you've already missed two airings of the episode, but there are three more this month:

Saturday, July 24th at 1:30 pm.

Monday, July 26th at 1:00 pm.

Tuesday, July 27th at 6:00 pm.

*These scheduled showings are subject to change (another Celebrity Spotlight episode was shown last night in place of the Putt Putt episode).

I will post the August schedule when it is made available.

You can see fan photos from the tournament this year (and years past) here.

You can see the 2008 Putt Putt Tournament "Celebrity Spotlight" series here.

"Catchers Often Serve As On-Field Managers"

July 18, 2010

From an article/interview in the Reno Gazette-Journal this morning:

Curt Schilling accomplished much in his career, but he never threw a no-hitter. Maybe he would have if he'd listened to his catcher.

The then-Red Sox pitcher was one out away from a no-hitter in June 2007 when he shook off catcher Jason Varitek, and subsequently gave up a single. Schilling later said he should have trusted his catcher and thrown the pitch Varitek called.

While it's an extreme example, Schilling's decision demonstrates just how much of a pitcher's success depends on his catcher.

"To me, catcher is the most difficult position there is," [Reno] Aces pitching coach and former major leaguer Mike Parrott said. "Pitchers get all the glory or the blame, but the catcher can do a lot to help get the pitcher through each inning."

San Francisco Giants star Tim Lincecum has repeatedly said he wished he could slice each of the two Cy Young Awards he's won in half to share them with former catcher Bengie Molina.

"I think (longtime Yankees pitching coach) Mel Stottlemyre Sr. said it best: It's called the battery for a reason," Parrott said. "If one part of the battery is not connected with the other part, the battery doesn't work. I've thought that is a great analogy for the pitcher-catcher relationship."

The average fan may not notice all that goes into playing the catcher position. While the shortstop is captain of the infield and the center fielder that of the outfield, the catcher, in many ways, is the captain of the entire field.

The catcher is both the commander of the defense and an on-field pitching coach. The pitcher ultimately has the final say in what pitch is thrown, but it is the catcher who first calls the pitches.

He is expected to know the tendencies of every pitcher on his team's staff, as well as those of the opposing hitter.

"Sometimes what they see out there is totally different than what we see here in the dugout," Parrott said. "In a lot of ways, the catcher is the pitching coach's and manager's eyes out there."

The job cannot be mastered in a short time.

"It's a lot. It's kind of a chess match," Aces catcher John Hester said. "It comes down to communication. The more you're talking to a pitcher the more they're going to realize you care as a catcher how they're doing. If they feel you're part of their career and part of their success or failure, you're going to earn that trust faster.

Ultimately, as Hester said, it comes down to the trust level between pitcher and catcher, and then the execution.

In the end, the pitcher gets either the glory or the blame. But the catcher feels just as responsible.

"If the pitching staff does bad, you did bad," Aces catcher Carlos Corporan said. "And if they do good, you did good, you feel good."

You can read the entire article here.

Also Today:

Kelly O'Connor may have just outdone herself!

Check out these incredible shots from batting practice on June 26th!

*Thank you so much Kelly!

You can check out all of her latest and greatest right here.

Now...

there haven't been many, but I have added a few game photos from the last couple of weeks here.

Injury Update

July 16, 2010

From both the Boston Globe and WEEI this afternoon:

Terry Francona says that CT scans done earlier today on Dustin Pedroia and Jason Varitek revealed that the two are at different points in recovering from foot fractures.

Francona said that Pedroia's test showed "a lot of healing," and the second basemen has been allowed to shed his crutches and begin putting weight on the broken left foot. Pedroia is still in a walking boot, and probably will be for the next 1-2 weeks, but he will be able to resume several activities that were hampered by the crutches.

As for the Captain...

"Tek is a little bit behind," Francona added. "There's not as much healing with Tek, which I think they expected. He's probably a couple of weeks behind Pedey."

And Victor...

Victor Martinez took batting practice today, but in limited capacity. Martinez can swing from the left side of the plate, but batting right-handed and catching are still out of play.

"Once we can get that glove on and he can catch, they can rig up a lot of contraptions to take away some of the pressure, but he's just not there yet," Francona said.

Tek & The Sox Together For Another Season?

July 13, 2010

From Amalie Benjamin's Red Sox Mailbag today in the Boston Globe:

Q: Assuming he would take it, can you see the Sox signing Varitek to a one-year deal in a reduced role similar to this season which has seemed to help with his health and production? Any thoughts on signing V-mart as DH after this year?

Amalie: I can actually see the Red Sox re-signing Jason Varitek to a one-year or two-year deal at the end of this season, as long as they can match up on a relatively short amount of money. I would never have thought that possible in the offseason, believing the relationship had run its course, and that an unhappy Varitek would have to simply wait out his final season as a backup in Boston. But that has changed this year, with Varitek settling into the role as backup.

Granted, that has all changed with his broken foot, but Varitek was doing an excellent job helping Victor Martinez and backing him up and is obviously doing all he can to be back as soon as possible. Varitek has clearly been a good clubhouse presence, a catcher that pitchers continue to want to work with, and a leader.

Obviously, the catcher situation is up in the air for the Red Sox in general. They have to determine their path with a starting catcher before they can work on their backup situation, but the presence of Varitek could help stabilize a team that easily might have a new starter this offseason. As it seems increasingly likely that Boston won't have a young catching prospect advanced enough to learn behind a starter in 2011, that makes Varitek an attractive option as their No. 2 backstop.

You can read Ms. Benjamin's full mailbag here.

Thursday: Notes & Quotes

July 8, 2010

From the Boston Globe's Peter Abraham this morning:

Jason Varitek may have a broken bone in his right foot, but that didn't keep him from working out on the field four hours before the game. While wearing a protective plastic boot, Varitek worked on blocking balls in the dirt with catching instructor Gary Tuck. He then threw from one knee.

You can read Mr. Abraham's complete column here.

From the Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo this morning:

Both Pedroia and Varitek are on crutches and wearing a boot. Pedroia sits in a chair every day during batting practice to offer help and support to the hitters. Varitek was in the bullpen yesterday in shinguards, on one knee blocking balls and playing catch to stay sharp.

You can read Mr. Cafardo's complete column here.

From the Associated Press' Baseball Injury Notebook last night:

Red Sox C Jason Varitek, still wearing a protective boot for his broken right foot, took soft throws wearing his gear while sitting in a chair behind a bullpen plate.

You can read the rest here.

And from NESN.com's Dan Podheiser this week, an excerpt from his column entitled, "Jason Varitek, Darnell McDonald among best bench players in baseball":

It was only a matter of time before the Red Sox captain's reign as starting catcher was over. But Varitek has been magnificent as the reserve backstop for Boston. The 38-year-old had seven homers, 16 RBIs and an .871 OPS (90 points higher than his career mark) before being placed on the 15-day DL on July 1.

You can read Mr. Podheiser's complete column here.

Also Today:

Jason and his teammates did Q&A segments with WAAF during his Putt Putt Tournament last week that is now available on YouTube.

You can watch it here.

*Thank you to Lynn, Susie and Sterling for the heads-up!

Youk: "Wow, These Guys Are Just Unbelievable Teammates"

July 6, 2010

Kevin Youkilis was a guest on WEEI's Dale & Holley Show today (which was hosted by Tom Caron and Eric Frede) and spoke about the injuries to teammates and the presence they still have in the clubhouse and even in the dugout:

"We're going out every night and we have the attitude to win. Just 'cause these guys aren't the starters and some guys aren't even with the team right now that are starters, we just go out and win. We just want to win.

"We've got good guys out there. We have good guys that want to be there. We have guys on crutches that are going down steps, being out in the dugout and cheering on their teammates. That means a lot. A lot of these guys filling in see that and say, 'Wow, these guys are just unbelievable teammates.'

"To watch Tek and Pedroia - they're comin' down...at Tampa, if you ever walk down here, there's three [flights] of steps. I watched Tek yesterday and it's like, man, it's a full-out workout for these guys [to take the steps], but they care so much about the team. And it transfers over to these other guys that see that, and they're in there rooting on their teammates.

"I'm telling you, we have such a great team this year - guys that really care. And we're going there and we're trying to win. We'll throw anyone out there. It doesn't matter. Every guy wants to play out there and every guy wants this team to win. And that's the big thing right now. Every guy's pushing each other. It's not about just trying to hold down the fort, to try to win here and there. We're trying to win every day."

To listen to his full phone-in interview, click here.

To see a larger version of the photo above, click here.

Fan Photos From Jason's Putt Putt Tournament Added!

July 3, 2010

I have added several photos from Jason's event Thursday night to the gallery...

With a BIG thank you to Lisa Stone, Jenney Griffin, Kim Wright Campbell, and my longtime friend and supporter known as Fenway Fruitgirl!

You can check them all out here!

There's always room for more! So if you attended and would like to share your photos, just email me!

Also...

WAAF has a slideshow from the Tournament here.

*Thank you to Karen W. for the heads-up!

Injury Update

July 2, 2010

"I was looking forward to being healthy and playing but you can't dictate the timing of something like this happening. I thought I'd be able to play Saturday." -- Jason, speaking to reporters after walking into the clubhouse with a boot and crutches today.

From the Boston Herald this afternoon:

Jason Varitek has a minimally displaced fracture of his metatarsal in his right foot, an injury described by Terry Francona as "very similar" to Dustin Pedroia's fractured left foot. Varitek was injured in the seventh inning Wednesday night (when he took a foul ball off the foot during Carl Crawford's at-bat) and left the game after the eighth.

The Red Sox don't have an exact timetable on his recovery, although he's not supposed to put weight on his foot for 2-3 weeks. Varitek said he'll be seeking a second opinion.

Asked who's better on crutches, him or Pedroia, Varitek said, "We'll race."

You can read the rest of the Herald's Red Sox blog here.

You can view a video of another interview with Tek from WBZ-TV here.

And from NESN.com:

While both catchers begin their recuperation, neither of them plans to be out of the equation entirely. Varitek said he and Martinez plan to be available to Kevin Cash and Gustavo Molina as much as they are needed.

"Any feedback they need, if they need any questions answered, how certain things transpire, certain pitches, certain hitters," Varitek said.

The injury situation seems to grow more perilous by the day - five roster players (Martinez, Varitek, Pedroia, Manny Delcarmen, Clay Buchholz) have gone down in the past week alone - but no good will come of focusing on that.

"We're in a good spot - that's the good thing," Varitek said. "Really, we are. Just to be where we're at right now with everything, even to this point, this team's had to deal with - starting with, most importantly, starting pitching - and losing a couple guys and having to adjust to that and move from there...we're in a good spot."

You can read the rest of NESN's injury report here.

You can view a larger version of the photo above here.

Tek To The DL With Broken Foot!

July 1-2, 2010

From WBZ-TV earlier this evening:

A major league source tells WBZ-TV's Dan Roche Thursday night that Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek could miss 4-6 weeks due to a leg injury. It's believed that it may be a broken foot.

The Red Sox acquired catcher Kevin Cash from the Houston Astros on Thursday night, so it's assumed he will be with the Red Sox Friday when they open up a three game series with Baltimore at Fenway Park.

From the Boston Globe's Peter Abraham near midnight:

Jason Varitek suffered a broken foot on Wednesday night and is expected to miss six weeks. That is what led to the Sox acquiring Kevin Cash from the Houston Astros.

Varitek left the game against the Tampa Bay Rays after eight innings and a source with knowledge of the situation told the Globe last night that the team captain would become the latest player to go on the disabled list.

This story has been percolating all day. There was speculation earlier that the trade for Cash was triggered by Varitek possibly having been injured. WBZ's Dan Roche reported that there was an injury and Nick Cafardo was able to confirm via a source that Varitek had a broken foot.

And from CSNNE's Sean McAdam just after midnight:

Varitek underwent a fluoroscan at Fenway immediately after Wednesday's game, which proved negative. However, according to a source close to Varitek, the veteran catcher woke up Thursday morning and had difficulty walking, resulting in additional tests and a new diagnosis.

The break in Varitek's foot is said to be similar to the one suffered by Dustin Pedroia last Friday in San Francisco. Like Pedroia, Varitek is expected to miss four-to-six weeks.

On a lighter note...

Jason gives a tour of his beautiful home in Georgia on the latest edition of the Red Sox Report on NESN.

The show will re-air on Sunday at 10:30pm.

You can check out NESN.com for their full television schedule.

I will post a video link of the tour if/when it becomes available.

The Captain Answers The Call

July 1, 2010

From the Boston Globe's Michael Vega, in his column today:

He never has lacked for intensity, or cut back on his meticulous game preparation. Even when Jason Varitek found himself the backup catcher behind Victor Martinez, the Red Sox captain never allowed himself to be idle. There was always work to be done, whether it was in the bullpen, the batting cage, or on the bench charting pitches.

So when Martinez was placed on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday after suffering a minimally-displaced fracture of his left thumb Sunday in San Francisco, Varitek was asked to reprise his role as the everyday catcher. Having played parts of 14 seasons in Boston, making him the second-longest tenured player on the roster, Varitek didn’t seem to miss a beat in an 8-5 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays Tuesday night at Fenway Park.

John Lackey, who pitched seven innings against the Rays, allowing one run on eight hits, credited Varitek for calling a great game.

Said Varitek, "I don't know what to say about that. It's my job to be on the same page with the guys as much as possible. Sometimes you’re not and sometimes you are. Depends on the guy. I can guarantee when I catch Clay, it's not going to be like that, because that's not the way Clay pitches. So everybody's a little different."

Varitek entered last night’s game hitting .261 with 7 homers and 16 RBIs. In his first start of the season, April 10 at Kansas City, Varitek clubbed two homers in four at-bats, marking the 10th multihomer game of his career, and his offense has been solid since.

His seventh homer came in his 70th at-bat of the season. He did not reach seven homers last season until his 126th plate appearance.

"I've been fortunate to have some people believe in me and help me make some adjustments, and that's about it," said Varitek.

"You just have to fulfill your role when you're called upon."

You can read Mr. Vega's full column here.

Also Today:

I have added a couple of great photos from last year's Putt Putt Tournament sent by Jennifer Gohra.

In the fall of 2007, Philip Brault & Jennifer Gohra purchased a Harley Davidson Fatboy, autographed by the entire 2004 World Series Champions, The Boston Red Sox. This one-of-a-kind-piece of Boston Red Sox history has since made special appearances at several Boston Red Sox Charity events.

"We are so very proud to own this piece of Red Sox history and to be able to share this with all of the Red Sox fans of New England!" says Phil & Jen.

They also have been honored to work closely with the Boston Red Sox and to help with their charity events. In this past year our motorcycle has been showcased at the Shade Foundation's Strike Out Skin Cancer Bowling Tournament, 09' Beckett Bowl, Kevin Youkilis' Golf Classic, Jason Varitek's Celebrity Putt Putt Tournament, and The Jimmy Fund's amazing events such as The Scooper Bowl featuring many of the Red Sox wives, Fantasy Day at Fenway Park, and the Todd Schwartz Softball Classic. "Phil and I truly have had a wonderful experience with all of you Red Sox Fans and we look foward seeing everyone at the upcoming 2010 events!"

In fact, if you are going to Jason's Putt Putt Tournament this evening, be sure to visit Jennifer and Phil on the concourse. They will be showcasing the bike until 9:00 p.m.

And if you attend tonight's event and would like to share your photos, just email me!

You can see Jennifer's photos here.

You can check out their website here.

I have also added two great photos taken by Susan Clerke Gustofson during the Pitching In For Kids Golf Classic held on Monday, June 14th at the Granite Links Golf Club at Quarry Hills, in Quincy, MA.

You can see Susan's photos here.

*Thank you so much to both ladies!

Tek Has 2-RBI Night In Sox Win Against Rays

June 30, 2010

"I have to give Tek a lot of credit. I didn't shake him off one time tonight. His game plan was pretty incredible. I just went with him. I went with him, and it worked out nicely." -- John Lackey, during his post-game interview last night.

From the Boston Herald this morning:

When Jason Varitek was displaced in the starting lineup by Victor Martinez this spring, the Red Sox knew there would be a time they would need their veteran catcher.

That time is now.

Martinez was placed on the 15-day disabled list yesterday with a small fracture in his left thumb. That thrust Varitek back into the starter's role, at least, for the next two weeks.

"It's very comforting," Francona said before the 8-5 win against the Rays last night at Fenway Park.

Varitek limped off the field after the top of the fourth with what Francona described as a cramp but remained in the game, going 1-for-3 with two RBI.

Varitek started 21 games this season and responded well to his reduced role. His offensive numbers have improved from last season with significant jumps in batting average (.261 from .209) and slugging percentage (.554 from .390). He has seven home runs in 92 bats.

But with Varitek, the value always extends beyond the box score. Though playing time has dipped, his leadership has not.

"He's been tremendous," Francona said. "I think I've commented on it several times. He’s been terrific. He's always been a captain and he continues to be. On days when things seem to be going a little bit not our way, he’s a little bit louder, whether he's playing or not."

You can read the entire article here.

You can see a larger version of the photo here.

With the bat:

In the sixth, Jason singled to right, scoring J.D. Drew, then he added another RBI in the seventh, with a sacrifice fly to left to plate Kevin Youkilis.

Jason's current stats: AVG .261 | HR 7 | RBI 16 | OBP .324 | SLG .554 | OPS .898

Martinez To The DL - Tek To Start

June 28-29, 2010

From the Boston Globe's Peter Abraham on Monday night:

Victor Martinez, as the Red Sox said in their release, will not need surgery on his left thumb. But sources told the Globe that the Red Sox will place him on the 15-day disabled list tomorrow.

Gustavo Molina, who was not in the lineup for Triple-A Pawtucket tonight, is expected to be called up.

The Red Sox are comfortable using Jason Varitek as their starter with Molina (or another catcher) starting once or twice.

You can read Mr. Abraham's Extra Bases blog here.

Tek-nically Speaking...

"Between the media and our fan base, it was tough to buy time for this group of guys to be good and bad. We saw the bad early, and at all ends of the spectrum. Now we're starting to find out what kind of team we really have. It seemed like everybody in some way, shape, or form was dealing with a rough spot.

"This team hasn't been healthy yet. We've done well, but you can't replace a guy like [Pedroia]. Bill Hall will do just fine. It's just another thing we need to overcome. We've been doing it all season. If we continue to get good pitching, we'll be fine." -- The Captain, during an interview with the Peter Abraham on Tuesday.

Jason Varitek's Celebrity Putt Putt Raffle

June 25, 2010

Jason is offering the opportunity for one lucky fan to have their own foursome play golf with him and his teammates at the Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt Putt Tournament on July 1st!

Raffle tickets are just $2.00 a piece (minimum purchase of 5 tickets).

-- The winner and 3 guests will enjoy a round of golf on July 1, 2010 at the Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt Putt Tournament. All 18 holes are manned by a celebrity host. Confirmed celebrities include Jason, Josh Beckett, Mike Lowell, Jonathan Papelbon, Tim Wakefield, Mikey Ward, and Cole Wright, with more expected!

-- The winner and their guests will receive VIP credentials to the celebrity reception and buffet prior to the tournament.

-- The winner and their guests will receive a golfer gift bag.

-- The winner will receive 2 golfer parking passes for the VIP lot.

The celebrity reception and buffet will be held at 5:30 p.m., and the tournament starts at 7:00 p.m.

Entry Deadline: 11:00 a.m. EST - Wednesday, June 30th.

Drawing Date: Later that afternoon on Wednesday, June 30th.

Proceeds from the raffle and the tournament benefit Journey Forward and the Celebrities for Charity Foundation.

For more info and to purchase your tickets, click here.

New Fan Photos Added!

June 24, 2010

Hang on to your Sox caps before you check out these WOW-inducing photos from Kelly O'Connor!

Kelly captures some great moments of Tek with both Victor Martinez and Mike Lowell, as well as couple of great shots of a smiling Captain walking alone!

You can see her latest and greatest here.

Also:

Nanci snapped a couple of bright, beautiful shots of Tek complete with a patriotic background during her trip to Fenway on June 18th!

You can check them out here!

Thank you to both ladies!

And:

Check out these two great stories about a special young man named Jeff Pula, who was not only greeted with a special message from both Jason and Kevin Youkilis during the 25th annual inter-church softball all-star game in Chicopee on Tuesday night...

...but was presented with autographed baseballs signed by his two favorite players as well!

To read the story and watch the video from WWLP News-22, click here.

To read the story and watch the video from CBS-3, click here.

Every Day Is Father's Day In The Red Sox Clubhouse

June 20, 2010 - Happy Father's Day!

From Brian MacPherson's Red Sox Journal in the Providence Journal this evening:

There's a reason manager Terry Francona has no issue with Victor Martinez and David Ortiz bringing their sons to the clubhouse on a daily basis.

D'Angelo Ortiz and the younger Victor Martinez play catch in the middle of the Red Sox clubhouse virtually every day. Sometimes they play catch with each other. Sometimes they play catch with Kevin Youkilis or Jason Varitek or another player. Sometimes they even take swings — though their swings usually are reserved for the safety of the outdoors.

In 1970, the final season his father was in the major leagues, the then-11-year-old Francona even went on a road trip in August with the Milwaukee Brewers to Minnesota, Chicago and Kansas City. His mom even bought him a new suit to wear on the plane.

"All it takes, when you're 8 or 9 or 10 years old, is for somebody to say hello to you, and that does it," Francona said. "There was always somebody on every team, somebody willing to let a 10-year-old get in the way and play catch with him."

Kids have not had any shortage of attention in the Red Sox clubhouse this season. Varitek on Sunday afternoon sneaked up behind the younger Martinez and playfully wrestled him to the floor. That’s just the way Francona would want it to be.

Take a moment or two and read the rest here.

Also...

Although Jason wasn't behind the plate today, he did wear his Father's Day gear in the bullpen.

Click here to check out a photo of his gear, courtesy of Stan Jurga, Jr. of All-Star Sports.

Friday Night Game: Red Sox 10, Dodgers 6

June 19, 2010

David Ortiz, Adrian Beltre, and J.D. Drew each homered, as the Red Sox used a seven-run fifth inning to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 10-6, in Manny Ramirez's much-anticipated return to Boston.

Ramirez's return overshadowed Felix Doubront's major league debut for Boston. The 22-year-old lefty went five-plus innings, allowing five runs - three earned - on six hits. He also fanned two batters and walked two.

"He definitely has a pretty good power arm from the left-hand side," said Jason, who caught Doubront's debut last night. "We got him into a little trouble in that inning we gave up the three runs, but he continued to throw strikes, which was key. I thought he did a great job. It's a pretty good lineup over there. He kept things at bay."

David Ortiz, Adrian Beltre, and J.D. Drew each homered, as the Red Sox used a seven-run fifth inning to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 10-6, in Manny Ramirez's much-anticipated return to Boston.

Five players finished with two hits for Boston, which was coming off a three-game sweep of the Diamondbacks.

With the score tied at three, Boston plated seven runs in the fifth. Dustin Pedroia singled and Ortiz walked. Kevin Youkilis followed with an RBI double past a diving Kemp in right-center field. Ramon Troncoso relieved Monasterios and immediately gave up a single to Darnell McDonald. Kemp misplayed the ball in center, allowing two runs to score on the play. Beltre stepped to the plate and blasted a 2-1 curveball over the Green Monster. Not only did Beltre hit the homer on one knee, but he also hit the ball out of the stadium.

The Red Sox didn't stop there, as the Captain doubled (his 5th), Mike Cameron singled, and Daniel Nava was hit by a pitch to load the bases with nobody out. Travis Schlichting then took over on the mound. Jason scored as Marco Scutaro grounded into a fielder's choice. Mike Cameron scored on Dustin Pedroia's sacrifice fly.

The Dodgers got two runs back in the sixth. Ramirez singled and Casey Blake doubled. Loney drove in both runners with a single. After Ronnie Belliard walked, Scott Atchison came in from the bullpen. He retired the next three batters to limit the damage.

Garret Anderson led off the ninth with a homer to right, cutting the gap to 10-6. LA went on to put runners on second and third, but Daniel Bard got Ramirez, appropriately enought, to go down looking for his third save of the year.

As to the return of Manny Ramirez?

The crowd was mixed!

"I thought you heard more cheers than anything and rightfully so, as much as he's accomplished here and been a part of winning two championships," said Jason.

Ramirez, who spent 7-1/2 years with the Red Sox, received a mixed reaction from the Boston crowd. It seemed like there was more cheers for the once wildly popular slugger.

Game photos can be seen here.

Jason's current stats: AVG .275 | HR 7 | RBI 12 | OBP .348 | SLG .600 | OPS .948

Students From Maine's "Action Team" Meet The Captain

June 17, 2010

From the Mid-Coast Maine Times-Record this afternoon:

The 'C' on Jason Varitek's Boston Red Sox jersey designates him as the team captain, which affords the longtime catcher a fair amount of sway in Beantown. So when Varitek, taking a moment to chat with Maine high school students on a wet Wednesday afternoon, asked who’s responsible for the weather, the chorus of responses was: "You."

The captain laughed at that answer.

He might not be quite that influential, but Varitek (seen above during the 2008 Maine Action Team visit) did make a big impact on the students Wednesday. The trip to Fenway Park has become an annual pilgrimage for Maine high schoolers who participate in a yearlong community service program, run by Volunteers of America and the Major League Baseball Players Association.

Varitek, who seems to especially value the community service program, has regularly taken moments from batting practices to greet the Maine groups when they’ve come.

He congratulated the students on their accomplishments and told them they should be proud, then fielded a few questions.

"He was on the field taking batting practice," said Morse High School class of 2011 member Zach Shaw, one of three Shipbuilders to make the trip. "It was nice of him to come over in the middle of that and take a few seconds for us. If he hadn't come over, no one would have thought anything of it, but he made time for us."

Glenn Michaels, of Volunteers of America’s Brunswick-based Northern New England operation, said that time with the captain is significant.

"The players send messages that, 'You guys can do as much as we can. You see us as stars who can make a difference, but you can make just as much of a difference as we can,'" Michaels said.

You can read more about the Action Team here.

*You can see photos from Action Team member Sean Ferris, who met Jason during a visit to Fenway in 2008 here (third row down).

Also Today:

Jason was a call-in guest on the Hill-Man Morning Show on WAAF Radio this morning!

He talked about Game 7 - Celtics vs Lakers tonight, getting used to his new role as a backup, kicking a field goal through the uprights, pitchers Jon Lester and Dice-K, instant replay in baseball, Manny "the cheapest guy ever" Ramirez' return to Fenway, his upcoming Putt Putt event, and (gulp!) his thoughts on the possibility of retiring in a Red Sox uniform.

To listen to his interview, click here.

*Thank you to Susie for the heads-up!

And:

Check out these two beautiful additions to the "Tek Art" album!

The first addition is a photo of Jason signing a painting for the Silent Auction from the Pitching In For Kids Tournament earlier this week. The painting, entitled, "Unfinished Business" was done by artist Justyn Farano. The photograph was taken by Diane.

The second addition is a colored pencil still-life drawing by student artist Christina Tran for her Advanced Art class.

*Thank you to both ladies for sharing!

Golfing For A Good Cause

June 15-16, 2010 - Wednesday Update

From the Boston Globe's Celebrity News page today:

Tim Wakefield and Jason Varitek hosted the "Capital Grille & Pitching in for Kids 2010 Celebrity Golf Classic" at Granite Links Golf Club at Quarry Hills yesterday. The guest list for the benefit included Clay Buchholz, Doug Flutie, Bruins legend Derek Sanderson, and comedian Tony V. The afternoon included Wakefield and 'Tek trying for a hole in one from 165 yards out.

You can see a larger version of that photo here.

You can see video of the event from RedSox.com here.

*If you were in attendance and would like to share your photos, please email me!

Today's Tek Stat:

How low can you go?

Jason has struck out 25 times in his career following 3-0 counts (once every 14.5 such plate appearances). That strikeout rate is the 5th lowest in the AL since they began tracking the stat in 1988 (min. 2,000 total plate appearances).

Saturday: Red Sox 10, Phillies 2

June 13, 2010

A day of firsts for Daniel Nava...

Daniel Nava (being congratulated by the Captain at left), an undrafted prospect the Red Sox signed out of an independent league in January 2008, went 2-for-4 and hit a first pitch grand slam in his first major-league at-bat as Boston once again pounded Philadelphia, 10-2, in the middle test of a three-game interleague set from Fenway Park.

Nava joined three other players in baseball history to clear the bases with a home run in their first big-league plate appearance, and became just the second player ever to hit one on the first pitch -- joining Kevin Kouzmanoff when he did it for Oakland on September 2, 2006.

J.D. Drew homered and drove in two runs and Marco Scutaro also drove in a pair for the Red Sox, who have won the first two games in the series by a combined 22-4 score and have taken four of six overall.

Drew led off the home second with a homer inside the Pesky Pole in right field, then Adrian Beltre singled, Jason Varitek reached on a bunt to third and Darnell McDonald singled.

Nava brought them all in on his first career blast, a grand slam on Blanton's first pitch which sailed into the bullpen in right for a 5-2 game.

"In that situation with the bases loaded, I was just looking for something to drive, Nava said of his memorable at-bat. "I wasn't sitting on any pitch. Fortunately, he threw me a fastball. It wasn't until I rounded the bases that I was like 'I just hit a grand slam' and so that's why I was sprinting the whole time. I was so pumped for the moment."

Scott Atchison allowed two hits and two runs in three full frames. He started in place of Daisuke Matsuzaka, who was a late scratch after being placed on the 15-day disabled list with a right forearm strain.

Manny Delcarmen (2-2) allowed one hit in two scoreless relief innings for the win.

Jason was 1-4, with a bunt single, two walks, and a double-play grounder that scored a run.

You can see a couple of photos here.

Jason's current stats: AVG .263 | HR 7 | RBI 12 | OBP .341 | SLG .592 | OPS .933

There's Still Time To Purchase Tickets...

June 11, 2010

The 2010 Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt-Putt Tournament is scheduled for July 1st at 7:00 p.m., at the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell in Lowell, Massachusetts.

Jason Varitek, his teammates and many other Boston celebrities come together for a game of putt-putt to raise money for Journey Forward and the Celebrities for Charity Foundation.

For the last three years, the Tournament has been attended by more than 1,000 people and covered by almost every major Boston television station, as well as several radio stations and newspaper publications.

Spectator tickets are $15.00 per person.

For tickets, directions and more info, click here or call the Tsongas Center at (978) 848-6938.

And, if you'd like to "catch" some photos and screen caps from past Tournaments:

To see NESN's feature on the 2008 Putt Putt Tournament for their "Celebrity Spotlight" series, click here (you'll see a mention or two of this site!).

To see screen captures from the 2006 through 2009 Tournaments, click here.

To see fan photos, click here.

Wednesday: Notes & Quotes

June 9, 2010

Tim Wakefield makes history...

From Ian Browne at RedSox.com this morning:

This was a special night for Tim Wakefield, one in which he set a Red Sox record for most innings pitched, surpassing former teammate Roger Clemens. Not only that, but Wakefield was brilliant in leading his team to a 3-2 victory over the Indians.

"Now that I know what's going on, it's very special," said Wakefield. "I had no idea. Victor asked me to throw the ball back. I had no idea that I had surpassed Roger Clemens' all-time for innings, but more importantly, we got a win tonight, and hopefully we can keep the momentum going into the next two games."

Overall, the night belonged to the knuckleballer.

"It's fortune and a testament to his durability over time," said Red Sox captain Jason Varitek. "He's brought a uniqueness to an organization for an extremely long period of time and has done a great job doing so."

You can read the entire article here.

You can see a larger version of the photo of Tek and Wake here.

Jason to spend more quality times at the lanes...

From NESN.com this afternoon:

Red Sox pitcher Manny Delcarmen loves to bowl – and later this month, he’ll be helping local schools while doing so.

The Hyde Park, Mass. native will host his annual "Bowlin' Strikes for Schools" event Monday, June 28 at Jillian's Boston to raise money for Boston Public Schools.

Delcarmen, a product of the Boston Public Schools system and an avid bowler, has raised over $70,000 with this event since 2005.

On-air personalities from WAAF and NESN will be in attendance as well as several of Delcarmen's Red Sox teammates, including John Lackey, Adrian Beltre, Clay Bucholz, Jason Varitek, and Marco Scutaro among others.

Tickets are $20 and are available online at www.mannyd17.com. Can’t make it to Jillians? You’re in luck, because real time updates during the event can be found at www.facebook.com/mannybowl.

You can read more here.

You can see a larger version of the bowling photo here.

Catching up with Kevin Cash...

From an article in the Houston Chronicle today:

Catcher Kevin Cash is often praised by coaches and teammates alike for the way he prepares for games: repeatedly going over scouting reports, devising a plan and discussing it at length with his pitcher.

One need not look at the lineup card to know when Cash is starting behind the dish; spotting him with his white three-ring binder by his side is tell enough.

Cash said he learned much of his approach from watching Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek at work.

"Just being around Jason in Boston so much, how he went about it, how important it can be in a crucial part of the game to know, 'Hey, this guy likes hitting the changeup, but he doesn't like hitting the breaking ball,' or whatever it is," Cash said. "Or he sits soft late in the count. Those little things can help you through the course of the game."

You can read the rest here.

You can see a larger version of the photo of Tek and Kevin Cash here.

Georgia "Tek"

June 6, 2010 - 66th Anniversary of D-Day!

"He was the symbol of what a college baseball (player) is supposed to be. Being there four years, owning almost all of the records as far as hitting, and as a catcher. He was the ultimate competitor then like he is now." -- Orioles catcher Matt Wieters talks about Jason.

From John Tomase's column in the Boston Herald this morning:

Matt Wieters is one of the best young players in baseball, but during his college career, he just wanted to measure up to Jason Varitek.

Like Varitek, the switch-hitting Wieters caught at Georgia Tech, where the Red Sox captain simply owns the record books. The comparisons between the two were inevitable during the Baltimore Orioles catcher's three years at the ACC school (2005-07), and as he embarks on his own major league career, he considers Varitek an influence.

Varitek is the Yellow Jackets' all-time leader in hits (351), home runs (57), total bases (610), games (253), runs (261), RBI (251) and doubles (82). He left college with a lifetime average of .384 and a slugging percentage of .667.

Varitek lives in Georgia during the offseason and stays in regular contact with Yellow Jackets coach Danny Hall. The Sox catcher started hearing good things about Wieters practically from the first day he hit campus.

"Just the things you like to hear," Varitek said. "He's a good kid, works, does his stuff, and he's very talented on top of that. Those are things you like to hear. I hear that he's just a good dude. Add that with ability, and I think you have a lot."

The two crossed paths at banquets during the younger player's college career, but they didn't really talk until Wieters made the big leagues last year. By that point, Wieters felt like he already knew Varitek, thanks to all the stories he heard from Hall.

"Coach Hall would always tell me he didn't have to manage when Varitek was back there," Wieters said. "He just took control. He'd sit back and let Varitek be his manager on the field. He didn't need to make trips to the mound or anything like that. Varitek ran the game."

Wieters hopes to follow in Varitek's footsteps.

"I'd love to have his career," he said. "It would definitely be something to have his rings and his long career."

You can read Mr. Tomase's complete column here.

You can see photos from Jason's Georgia Tech days here.

Tek talks Bard...

From Joe McDonald in his column at ESPN.com this morning:

It's been a little more than a year since Daniel Bard made his major league debut with the Boston Red Sox.

He showed the baseball world what to expect from his lightning bolt right arm when he worked two scoreless innings against the Angels in Anaheim on May 13, 2009.

Bard did it again Saturday night against the Baltimore Orioles in an 8-2 Boston victory at Camden Yards.

Starter Jon Lester kept the Baltimore bats at bay through 6 1/3 innings, but he began to tire in the seventh and walked the bases loaded. Boston held a 1-0 lead at that point thanks to a Kevin Youkilis solo homer in the top of the inning, and Francona signaled for Bard to stifle the Orioles' momentum.

That's just what he did.

Bard retired the next two batters to end the threat and secure the Sox's lead.

"Those are extremely huge outs in that situation," said Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek. "He kept the game at bay and it led to us having a big ninth inning."

Bard displayed his usual 99 mph fastballs and complemented them with his nasty high-80s to low-90s changeup.

"It's speed differential. If his fastball is 92, [his changeup] probably stinks," said Varitek. "But his fastball is 99, so the speed differential is there, which you need. That's the big part with variance in velocity."

It's also a pretty gutsy pitch to throw with the bases loaded.

"Maybe a year ago he might not be able to make that pitch, or we didn't know enough and the experience wasn't there between pitcher-catcher or just pitcher," said Varitek. "He elevated the ball real well when we needed to. He's becoming more complete, but he'll continue to get better. And he's pretty good where he's at."

With Bard holding the fort, the Sox scored one run in the eighth and six more in the ninth. Even though Lester improved to 7-2 overall and is 6-0 in his last seven outings, it was Bard's brilliance in a pressure situation that deflated the Orioles.

You can read Mr. McDonald's complete column here.

To see photos from the game, click here.

2010 Beckett Bowl

June 4, 2010

Josh Beckett, his teammates, local celebrities, and other Boston athletes will throw strikes for children at Fourth Annual Beckett Bowl, presented by Foxwoods Resort Casino!

Josh Beckett will throw strikes of a different kind on July 29, when he hangs up his cleats and ties on a pair of bowling shoes at the fourth-annual Beckett Bowl presented by Foxwoods Resort Casino, a star-studded bowling tournament held at Lucky Strike Lanes in Boston.

The fun-filled evening will begin at 6:00 p.m. with a celebrity red-carpet event. The celebrity bowling tournament will kick-off at 7:15 p.m. and festivities will conclude with a concert by country music sensation Jason Aldean at the Absolut Beckett Bowl Concert presented by MGM Grand at Foxwoods at the House of Blues Boston.

A limited number of tickets for both the bowling tournament and after party concert will be on sale through www.ticketmaster.com this Saturday, June 5th at 10 am. Tickets to attend the bowling event and concert are $250 and tickets for the concert only are $40. Fans can purchase a VIP concert ticket for $125 which includes a meet & greet with Jason Aldean and a reserved seat at the House of Blues.

"We're overwhelmed by the support we've received from the local sports and business communities over the last three years and especially thrilled to have Foxwoods Resort Casino and MGM Grand at Foxwoods as our presenting sponsor and the return of Absolut as our title sponsor for the concert," said Beckett. "As a result of our collective efforts, we are fortunate enough to raise funds that make a positive impact on the lives of kids served by Children’s Hospital Boston. I'm thrilled to be back for another Beckett Bowl to rally around these deserving children and make an even greater impact in the community."

Local companies and individuals are invited to sponsor four-person bowling teams for the event. Each team will be joined by a celebrity teammate and compete for unique prize packages. For information on sponsoring a team, companies and individuals can call 617-338-2766 or visit their website.

The all-star lineup of celebrities participating in the 2010 Beckett Bowl includes current and past Boston Red Sox, New England Patriots, Boston Celtics, Boston Bruins, and New England Revolution players, along with actors, comedians, musicians and celebrity chefs with New England ties.

The annual fundraising event is organized by The Josh Beckett Foundation, which supports community-based programs that improve the health and well-being of children, especially those who are seriously ill, disabled, poor or otherwise disadvantaged. Since its inception in 2007, Beckett Bowl has raised more than $750,000 to benefit the Foundation and the event’s primary beneficiary, Children's Hospital Boston. Monies from these efforts facilitated the opening of The Josh Beckett Cancer Treatment room at Children’s Hospital Boston in 2009.

The Josh Beckett Foundation is also hosting the Beckett Bowl Ultimate Raffle in partnership with the Red Sox Foundation, with proceeds benefitting both organizations. Fans have a chance to win 19 different items by purchasing raffle tickets for only $5 each (no minimum purchase). The one-of-a-kind grand prize includes two tickets to Beckett Bowl presented by Foxwoods Resort Casino and the Absolut Beckett Bowl Concert presented by MGM Grand at Foxwoods, featuring Jason Aldean. The winner and a guest will also have the exclusive chance to watch a future Red Sox game against the New York Yankees from Beckett's personal seats at Fenway. Fans can purchase raffle tickets for the Beckett Bowl Ultimate Raffle for only $5 at www.redsox.com/beckett.

Past Beckett Bowls have attracted some of Boston's top professional athletes and celebrities, including Beckett's Red Sox teammates Jason Varitek, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jonathan Papelbon, Kevin Youkilis, Jon Lester, David Ortiz, Clay Buchholz, Tim Wakefield and Mike Lowell; HBO's Entourage star Adrian Grenier; performer Darryl "DMC" McDaniels of legendary hip-hop trio Run DMC; country music star Pat Green; Boston Celtics 2008 Finals MVP Paul Pierce and teammate Glen "Big Baby" Davis; Boston Bruins Patrice Bergeron and Milan Lucic; New England Patriots Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Adalius Thomas and Steve Gostkowski; New England Revolution stars Matt Reis and Taylor Twellman; and many more.

For more information on the event, click here.

For more information on Josh's Foundation, click here.

To see photos of Jason from past Beckett Bowls, click here.

Thursday: Notes & Quotes

June 3, 2010

Sox win against Oakland 6-4 last night -

After a rough three-run first inning, Daisuke Matsuzaka got tough and pitched 6-2/3 innings, allowing 10 hits and 3 runs to take a 6-4 victory over the Oakland A's at Fenway.

"He threw the ball well even in the first inning," said his catcher after the game. "He hung a breaking ball to Suzuki [for a 2-run home run]. After that, he settled in and made some pitches. I'd say in about the third inning he settled into his delivery."

Varitek said the difference between this start and the one against Kansas City, in which he lasted just 4-2/3 innings, was "we couldn't get a borderline call. He couldn't really harness back in. He had a better feel for his cutter today. Gave up a couple hits early on. He kept a good mix. He used both sides of the plate on his fastball. It’s kind of where he's been. Even though he had a bunch of walks, he wasn't that far off last time."

To read more on Dice-K's outing, read Nick Cafardo's column here.

Jason talks about the retirement of Ken Griffey, Jr. -

After last night's game, word filtered through the Red Sox clubhouse about the sudden retirement of the Mariners' Ken Griffey Jr.

"What a gifted player," Jason told reporters that had gathered around his locker. "He was gifted from Day One. It's pretty special to have those abilities and to have accomplished what he has."

And from Gordon Edes' column this afternoon -

Jason Varitek broke in with the Mariners, and later played with Griffey on Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. He chuckled thinking about Griffey's at-bats when he was behind the plate, Griffey talking to himself after almost every pitch. "He'd say, 'I should have hit that one,' stuff like that," Varitek said.

"He was just so gifted, so talented," he said. "When I think of him, I think of that hat backwards, the big smile, hit, run, catch, he could do it all."

Playing through pain is part of the game -

Jason spoke out yesterday on the perceived influence of his agent Scott Boras and injured clients:

Jason Varitek has found himself in numerous situations where injuries could have affected his future earning potential, yet the catcher kept playing through the ailments (see the 2009 season).

During each bout with injury, however, Varitek said the decision whether or whether not to suit uphas never been guided by Boras.

"He's never once told me when or when not to take the field.

He's never once told me when or when not to take the field. It's my decision," Varitek said. "I can only speak for myself. I wouldn't expect otherwise. He does nothing but support me as a player and always tries to do what's right and what's best for me, whatever that is. But that decision is mine. He's got nothing to do with that. 'Make sure you get seen, if you have any questions, any type of second opinions or anything,' absolutely. But that is my decision."

To read the rest from Rob Bradford's column, click here.

Tek Stats:

-- Jason now has 1,249 career hits, moving him past Duffy Lewis (1,248) for 16th place on the Red Sox' all-time list (15th with 1,277).

-- The Captain also has 628 runs scored, tying him with Mo Vaughn for 20th place.

-- And, he has 717 RBI, moving him past Frank Malzone (716) for 14th and Mike Greenwell (13th with 726).

*Thank you to both of my favorite stat geeks, Adriane and Tim!

For Tek, It's All About The Stretch...

June 1, 2010

NESN.com's Tony Lee takes you through the Captain's stretching routine:

The daily stretching session can become a good time for the players to socialize and maybe even rib one another. But none treat it as a joke.

In fact, it's that everyday session that helps get Varitek prepared for the rigors of his demanding job.

"That's extremely important to me in my position because you spend a lot of time tightening up those muscles that help you become more elastic," Varitek said.

The 38-year-old Varitek has seen some alterations to team stretching procedures over the years, but his focus on the task remains the same. It’s an imperative part of the process of getting set to squat repeatedly in a three-hour span.

That focus has actually allowed him to ward off Father Time, in a way.

"At my age, I'm more flexible than I was in my mid-20s," he said.

You can read the rest here.

You can check out the larger version of Kelly O'Connor's 2005 photo here.

Another Win For The Sox, Another Home Run For The Captain

May 30, 2010

Jon Lester rolled to his sixth straight win behind seven innings of one-run ball and Jason went 2-4 with his seventh homer and two RBI, as Boston managed to split a four-game series with the Royals by taking the finale at Fenway Park, 8-1.

Lester (6-2) moved to 6-0 over his last eight starts, scattered four hits, walked four, struck out five and lowered his earned-run average to 2.97. The lefty held a lofty 8.44 ERA and 0-2 mark three starts into the season.

Marco Scutaro went 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and two runs batted in, while Mike Cameron also clubbed two doubles, scored three times and knocked in two for the Red Sox, who have won seven of nine overall.

The Royals' Bruce Chen went four innings in the start, limiting the Sox to a run on two hits with five strikeouts. Brad Thompson came on in relief and was blitzed for six runs on seven hits over 1-2/3 frames.

It was a 1-1 game heading to the fifth where Boston notched the first of consecutive three-run frames to break things open.

Thompson took to the hill and promptly put two on with a Bill Hall base hit and Cameron's double. Scutaro scored one with a groundout and Ortiz cranked a two-run shot out to center two batters later for a 4-1 difference.

In the sixth, Jason and Bill Hall hit consecutive singles and Mike Cameron scored both with another two-bagger. Marco Scutaro then chased home Cameron with a base hit to right.

Jason then homered off Dusty Hughes to lead off the eighth to make it 8-1.

Both teams were wearing white caps as part of MLB's "Welcome Back Veterans" initiative. Terry Francona wasn't sure he liked the white caps joking with the media that "it looks like we're selling ice cream."

Jason was rockin' the camoflage gear made for him by All-Star Sports to honor our military this weekend. The game-used catcher's gear will be raffled off in the near future at the Celebrities for Charity website!

The Sox have the day off tomorrow to enjoy Memorial Day. Jason and Tim Wakefield will be hosting the Pitching in For Kids Pre-Tournament Poker Party tomorrow evening at Ned Devines, Faneuil Hall Marketplace (see May 18th news below).

To see photos and screen captures from today, click here.

Jason's current stats: AVG .286 | HR 7 | RBI 11 | OBP .357 | SLG .667 | OPS 1.024

Sox Sweep Rays In Three-Game Series

May 27, 2010

The Red Sox Captain was behind the plate for all three after an injury to Victor Martinez early in Game 1.

From Brian MacPherson, Providence Journal this morning:

John Lackey stood at the open door of the Red Sox clubhouse late Wednesday night, a towel on his shoulder, his fist bumping the fists of the final stragglers from the dugout — Mike Cameron, David Ortiz, Marco Scutaro and Jason Varitek among them.

"It was a tough stretch, no doubt about it, and we played good baseball," Lackey said. "But we've got to continue to be playing good baseball because we've got a long way to go."

Adrian Beltre did more good things than most, hitting two home runs in the early innings and a two-run triple in the ninth that put the game away.

The third baseman drove in a career-best-tying six runs in the game and bumped his batting average to a team-best .341 for the season.

But that was just with the bat. Beltre also made a couple of terrific plays with the glove, most notably when he threw out Sean Rodriguez bunting for a hit with two on and no outs in the bottom of the second.

Instead of having the bases loaded and no outs, Lackey had runners on second and third with one out and escaped without the Rays putting up a crooked number.

That was the story all night long for Lackey, who appeared to fight with his command once again and pitch with runners all over the bases. He walked four and allowed eight hits in his 6 1/3 innings, but the Rays had just one hit in 13 at-bats with runners in scoring position while he was in the game.

"He obviously made some real good pitches at the right times, kept away from big innings," Varitek said. "They made him work early, and he didn't get away with a whole lot."

Final Score: Red Sox 11, Rays 3.

You can read Mr. MacPherson's full game report here.

You can see a couple of photos from the game here.

Injury update on Victor Martinez from MLB.com:

Martinez, who sustained the injury when he was struck by a foul ball from Jason Bartlett in the second inning on Monday, said he felt improvement. The problem is that he can't put his spikes on without being in agony.

"Hopefully, once I get better with the shoes on, I'll be in there," said Martinez. "But we're in great hands with Jason [Varitek]."

In a perfect world, the Red Sox will get Martinez back on Friday night, when knuckleballer Tim Wakefield takes the mound against the Royals at Fenway Park.

Varitek handled Wakefield early in his career, but hasn't worked with him since catching him for one inning in 2008.

You can read the rest here.

Not much longer...and Tek will be back on the field!

*If you have a favorite photo you would like to see as a future Picture-of-the-Week, email me!

Don't forget...

Check below for the latest on events, magazines, and television shows that feature the Red Sox Captain!

You can follow Jason-Varitek.com on Twitter:

http://twitter/jasonvaritekcom

I'm also on Facebook:

http://facebook.com/erin3307

This is an unofficial fan site on Mr. Varitek.
For more information, click here.

This Cabernet Sauvignon is rich and elegant with enticing flavors of black currant, tart cherry, tobacco and clove. This Cabernet is a full bodied wine with a finish of moderate tannins.

Proceeds from Captain's Cabernet support Pitching In For Kids, a program dedicated to improve the lives of children across New England. Funds have been earmarked to help Children's Hospital Boston, one of the nation's top hospitals specializing in pediatric care.

To order, click here.

Pitching In For Kids Foundation

Pitching in for Kids, Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing grants designed to improve the lives of children across the New England region through sports-related fund-raising events.

For more information, click on the image above!

To see photos of Jason from PIFK events, click here.

Journey Forward

Journey Forward is a non-profit organization dedicated to bettering the lives of those who have suffered a Spinal Cord Injury through an intense exercise program. Exercise is important to everyone and even more so to those who have suffered a Spinal Cord Injury.

For more information, click on the image above!

All-Star Sports Equipment -

Prepared to take you onto the field!

Click on the image above for more info!

Scroll down the page to see Jason in his All-Star Sports catchers gear that was specially designed for and worn by him. It was then sold at auction on MLB.com for charity.

2010 Regular Season

» Sep 1, 2010
» @ BAL, 7:05pm
» NESN

» Sep 2, 2010
» @ BAL, 7:05pm
» ESPN

» Sep 3, 2010
» vs CWS, 7:10pm
» NESN

» Sep 4, 2010
» vs CWS, 7:10pm
» NESN

» Sep 5, 2010
» vs CWS, 1:35pm
» NESN

» Sep 6, 2010
» vs TB, 7:10pm
» NESN

» Sep 7, 2010
» vs TB, 7:10pm
» NESN

» Sep 8, 2010
» vs TB, 7:10pm
» NESN / ESPN

» Sep 10, 2010
» @ OAK, 10:05pm
» NESN

» Sep 11, 2010
» @ OAK, 9:05pm
» NESN

» Sep 12, 2010
» @ OAK, 4:05pm
» NESN

» Sep 13, 2010
» @ SEA, 10:10pm
» NESN

» Sep 14, 2010
» @ SEA, 10:10pm
» NESN

» Sep 15, 2010
» @ SEA, 6:40pm
» NESN

» Sep 17, 2010
» vs TOR, 7:10pm
» NESN

» Sep 18, 2010
» vs TOR, 7:10pm
» NESN

» Sep 19, 2010
» vs TOR, 1:35pm
» NESN

» Sep 20, 2010
» vs BAL, 7:10pm
» NESN

» Sep 21, 2010
» vs BAL, 7:10pm
» ESPN

» Sep 22, 2010
» vs BAL, 7:10pm
» NESN

» Sep 24, 2010
» @ NYY, 7:05pm
» NESN

» Sep 25, 2010
» @ NYY, 4:10pm
» FOX

» Sep 26, 2010
» @ NYY, 8:05pm
» ESPN

» Sep 27, 2010
» @ CWS, 8:10pm
» NESN

» Sep 28, 2010
» @ CWS, 8:10pm
» NESN / ESPN

» Sep 29, 2010
» @ CWS, 8:10pm
» NESN

» Sep 30, 2010
» @ CWS, 8:10pm
» NESN

» Sep 12, 2010
» @ OAK, 4:05pm
» NESN



For the full schedule, click here.

Book - Dynasty: The Inside Story of How the Red Sox Became a Baseball Powerhouse

By: Tony Massarotti
Foreword by: Jason Varitek

Available March 31, 2009 - To order online at Amazon.com, click here.

Jason's Holiday Charity Gear!

All game-used gear is auctioned or raffled with proceeds benefitting Jason's favorite charities.

2009 Fourth of July gear: proceeds (over $20,000) from the raffle benefitted Saints Medical Center.

2009 Memorial Day gear: proceeds from the auction benefitted the Massachusetts Soldiers Legacy Fund.

2009 Mother's Day gear: proceeds from the auction benefitted the Susan G. Koman "For the Cure" Foundation.

*To see more photos and caps of Jason's All-Star holiday gear, including the Father's Day gear, click here.

2009 & 2010

Hometown Sports - First Issue

August, 2010

Jason will be on the cover and featured in an interview that will center around his time in the Cape Cod League and the influence it had on his career.

Hometown Sports is a magazine/newspaper that will cover local and regional sports as it relates to Cape Cod.

I will post information on how to purchase the magazine when it becomes available.

Red Sox Magazine

2010 Spring Training Issue

Jason and Victor Martinez will grace the cover of the first issue of Red Sox Magazine for the 2010 season.

The two catchers posed for their upcoming cover during a photo shoot in Fort Myers this weekend.

The duo is also the topic of a story entitled, "Call Two Arms - Tek and Victor command the staff".

You can subscribe to Red Sox Magazine here.

You can "catch" a couple of captures from the shoot here.

TV: NESN's Celebrity Spotlight Series - July/August 2010

Featuring: The 2010 Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt Putt Tournament

NESN follows along with Jason, his teammates and many other Boston celebrities as they come together for a game of putt-putt to raise money for Journey Forward and the Celebrities for Charity Foundation.

The event took place at the Tsongas Center on Thursday, July 1st.

NESN will air the show on the following dates: July 18th at 7pm; July 20th at 6pm; July 24th at 1:30pm; July 26th at 1:00pm; and July 27 at 6:00pm.; August 15th at 8pm; August 16th at 4:00 pm; August 21st at 1:30 pm; August 26th at 6:00 pm; August 28th at 1:30 pm (air dates are subject to change).

If you missed it...

You can see fan photos from the tournament this year (and years past) here.

To see NESN's feature on the 2008 Putt Putt Tournament for their "Celebrity Spotlight" series, click here (you'll see a mention or two of this site!).

To see screen captures from the 2006 through 2009 Tournaments, click here.

TV: NESN's Charlie Moore Outdoors

August 15th at 8:00 p.m. August 16th at 11:30 p.m. August 18th at 5:00 p.m. August 21st at 12:00 p.m.

Jason and Charlie Moore spent a day fishing on Lake Winnipesauke, in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire back in May.

It's the Captain's maiden voyage with Charlie!

"Catch" the action Monday afternoon!

*Thank you to Charlie!

"I'm going to support my teammates. Is that because the 'C' is on my jersey? It wouldn't matter if it's on my jersey or not. There's different ways, whether you're doing good or doing bad, that you have to communicate. Communication; sometimes it's leaving a guy be. Sometimes it's by example. Sometimes it's letting them talk so you know what's going on in the human being because we're all human beings." -- Jason, from an interview in the Providence Journal, May 1, 2010.

"The biggest asset I've always had was dependability out there, is to be able to be out there and whatever goes on, whether you're hitting well or not hitting well, things are going well as a team, or not, they depend on me to be out there. So that part's going to be different. How that transfers over early on, not taking a beating, not playing every night game, day game. I don't know. I might be a little bored, that might be a good thing, we'll see." -- Jason, February 20, 2010.

"Things fell that way kind of the last two months of the season anyway. My role changed. There's different parts. I handled a lot early, played a lot and handled it in a full-time capacity. But I think that just seeing in a different role, how my body adapts to maybe the less pounding and the less physical grind, it might be a good time for me to transition. I'm preparing as I always do, to be able to handle as much as I can. I'll prepare for a full-time role even though it's dictated another way, and that way if something happens, I'm ready to go.

"I think you can reflect back when you're done. I'm preparing to come out here and get to Spring Training and make sure I win myself a job and to make sure I'm able to help this team win games. When I'm done and sitting on the couch and doing that full-time, then I can probably reflect more. I'm happy, and always feel fortunate that I've been able to be here and have a career, period."-- Jason, during an interview with Ian Browne at MLB.com, December 18, 2009.

I’m ectastic that I'm a Red sox. I’m ecstatic for the fact that I had peace of mind to know that I'll be in this uniform. I get closer to retiring in this uniform—not saying that I see retirement anytime soon—but it allows me that opportunity to do what's most important for me, to wear the 'C' for this group of fans and people in this organization who have spent a lot of time building a championship." -- Jason Varitek, in his first interview of spring training, shown live on NESN (February 14, 2009).

"I am aware these could be my last home games here, and I don’t want to take them for granted. That’s as far as I can take it right now. I don’t want to take any of this for granted, particularly the excitement of playing here." -- Jason Varitek, on his pending free agency at the end of this season, Providence Journal, (September 3, 2008).

"There's a reason the Yankees have been as good as they have been since I've been going against them. Jorge (Posada) plays the game right. He has an extreme respect for the game, which you can't help but notice. And his bat is obviously pretty special and he's durable.

"Jorge doesn't get the credit he deserves as a catcher. You can tell he is very good at handling pitchers. ... I respect the way he plays, as I do with their shortstop Derek Jeter and closer Mariano Rivera." -- Jason Varitek, during an interview for an article by Bill Burt of The Eagle Tribune (August 21, 2009).

''That's ridiculous. I'm not that smart to come up with such a clever line in the heat of battle. I knew Arroyo didn't hit him on purpose, and I just told him to get along to first base.'' -- From a September 15, 2004 article in the New York Times in which Jason was asked if he told Alex Rodriguez that, "We don't throw at .260 hitters" during their July 24, 2004 brawl.

From HOF Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk -

"I've always enjoyed the way he catches and approaches the game. He's a tough nut. You need to be one of those to be back there. You can tell by his actions on the field that the most important part of his game is behind the plate. I always felt that was my most valuable place on the field and dealing with the pitchers and positions and the umpires. I see a lot of that in Jason, too.

"When you recognize you have more chances to influence the outcome of the game back there than you do three or four or five times you come to the plate. If you can feel good about what you're doing behind the plate and what the pitcher is doing with you, then you feel that much better than when you go up to the plate.

"Even if things don't work out at the plate, you can still feel as though you have influence on the outcome. I always thought it was necessary for me to come out of the game with a victory. I could go 0-for-4, 0-for-8 or 0-for-the-week, but I know that I blocked a ball to save the run or helped a pitcher out in a tough spot.

"Even though your value doesn't show up in the numbers page, you have a lot of value when you put the gear on." -- From an interview with The Enterprise news (September 20, 2006).

"There's no mystery as to when the Red Sox started to have a little bit of a soft spot. I don't mean to dis' anybody on the club because everybody has their own value. When you saw what happened to the Red Sox when Varitek went down, it shows you the value that he has for his team." -- From an interview with the Lowell Sun News, after the 2006 season about Jason's injury, surgery and stint on the DL (September, 2006).

From The Sports Journalists -

"I was telling a bunch of friends of mine from other teams, Jason Varitek has risen to a place, in my mind, far above what he was when he was hitting 30 home runs as an All-Star. He has been the greatest team guy in that role all year. It's fascinating to be around him because he's a brilliant guy. If he wants to be a manager or general manager that's what he's going to do. He really dedicated himself.

"He's so defensive for his teammates. He actually started up into the stands after a guy who was screaming at Victor one night when they were stealing bases on him. I mean, there aren't many players who would go from making $10 million to $3 million, or go from catching six days a week to catching one or two days a week, and act and behave the way Jason has.

"I think he know he's better off with more time off, because he is so intense. But he really believes he can play three or four more years. I made some comment about the money … and he went, 'If they wanted to pay me $10 million, they would have.' But he seems very happy to be in Boston, in this role, and being supportive of the team. To me, it's been the the brightest of all the bright spots on the team, as someone who has great admiration for him, I have more admiration for him now then I ever had before." -- HOF writer and NESN baseball analyst Peter Gammons, during an interview on WEEI Radio's "The Big Show", May 21, 2010.

"You know, the last two years he got off to reasonably good starts. He cares so much, he is so intense that I think he just wears down. He really can be a very good player in the role he is in now, catching 60 games a year or 50 games. Getting the time off, he has a lot more bat speed this year. So maybe that works. But it just amazes me that he lost his job and he is probably the best friend and the greatest advocate for the guy who took his job. I really respect that. I'm not sure I'd be that way." -- HOF writer and NESN baseball analyst Peter Gammons, during an interview on WEEI Radio, April 23, 2010.

"Jason Varitek is baseball's purest definition of catching." -- Mark Whicker, columnist for the Orange County (CA) Register in his article on October 3, 2008.

"As the 2008 ended, Jason Varitek was a free agent at the end of a four-year contract. He had caught more games than any other Red Sox catcher (1,273); had hit more home runs(158), than any other Red Sox catcher; led the franchise list in home runs by a switch hitter (161) and was tied for second with Manny Ramirez on the team's all-time list for post-season homers (11).

"In Varitek's case, the numbers that mattered most were not batting average or RBI's or home runs. From 1998, when he caught his first game for Boston, through 2008, the Red Sox were 705-468 (.601) when Varitek was the catcher, 256-302 (.459) when he was not.

"It's little wonder why he was an All-Star -- no matter what his batting average was -- and why he joined Carl Yastrzemski and Jim Rice as Red Sox players who were selected as captains." -- Sportwriter Bill Ballou, in his book "Behind the Green Monster: Red Sox Myths, Legends & Lore", available March, 2009.

"So if this is it -- and it might be -- get a good look at what we've been taking for granted these last 11 years. It's hard to remember any Red Sox player who engendered as much public respect from his teammates as Jason Varitek, and, with the exception of Carlton Fisk, no Red Sox catcher in history ever produced as consistently and as well for as long a period of time.

Remember not the figure who struggled to put his bat on the ball for much of June and July this year. Remember instead a man who, as much as anybody, symbolized the return of the Red Sox as one of baseball's true powerhouses." -- Sports Journalist Art Matone, Providence Journal, (September 19th).

From His Pitchers - Past & Present

"I have to give Tek a lot of credit. I didn't shake him off one time tonight. His game plan was pretty incredible. I just went with him. I went with him, and it worked out nicely." -- John Lackey, during his post-game interview on June 29, 2010.

"You can see him on the plane and hours before the game sitting there with the scouting report, making notes on it, studying it. To have that, even now, if I'm up in the air on what pitch to go to, I can throw whatever he puts down with 100 percent conviction because I know the work that he puts in." -- Reliever Daniel Bard, in an interview with the Providence Journal, May 1, 2010.

"He's got that C on his chest for a reason. He's one of our emotional leaders. To see him do well is important to all of us." -- Josh Beckett, during a post-game interview, Providence Journal, April 10, 2010.

"Jason Varitek is very special to me because we end up getting in a rhythm very, very quickly. But the bottom line is that it's your fault. If you can't execute a pitch and you give up a hard hit ball it's your fault. Anybody who tells you different is probably a (wimp). For me the thing is that I throw so many pitches. For somebody new it's very difficult to remember everything I throw because I throw everything to both sides of the plate. -- Josh Beckett, during an interview on WEEI on September 19, 2009.

"There isn't a son of a (gun) alive I'd rather have back there!" -- Josh Beckett replies to questions from the media about Jason during a post-game press conference, September 18, 2009.

"Hats off to Jason Varitek tonight for calming me down - I was a little frustrated early. He got a couple of hits, came out of the game, and in the locker room I wanted to talk about his hitting and he wanted to talk about my pitching. It's nice to have a guy behind the plate who cares that much about the pitchers and what they do. He did a good job of getting me through tonight." -- Paul Byrd during his post-game press conference on September 10, 2009.

"He's a warrior, man. He's intimidating when you see him walking out in his full gear and that's exactly why. He's a competitor and that's the reason the Red Sox still want him here, because he does stuff like that for the team. That's not going to show up in the stats or be in the box score tomorrow, but that’s as big a play as you could ask for tonight." -- Pitcher Daniel Bard during post-game comments after Tek blocked the plate sending the Blue Jays' Travis Snider spinning away like a top (August 28, 2009).

"He knows how I am, a laid-back guy having a good ole time, of course serious on the mound, but he knows I like to have fun. And he came along those lines and was there just to make sure if anything didn't go right, wherever there's a time, a few struggles here and there, to make sure I'm keeping my head up, saying, 'Hey, you've got the stuff.' Just simple things like that, always in his mind saying, 'Hey, let's try this pitch here to this batter.' Just talking through things, and that's helped me be a better pitcher in general. And, whenever his career is over, I’ll have a better idea of who I am as a pitcher because of him." -- Justin Masterson, in an interview with NESN (after his trade to the Cleveland Indians) on August 4, 2009.

"Ludicrous! I thought it was ludicrous that they were thinking about not bringing him back. The biggest thing that he brings to our team and means to our team is leadership by example. And when I say that, I mean he shows everyone by his examples how to play, how to be a consistent player and he shows everyone how to play through pain, just everything that goes along with leading by example." -- Jonathan Papelbon, in an interview with NESN on August 4, 2009.

"I thought Tek and I did a really good job. Most normal people probably wouldn't have been playing if they were Tek. I am amazed by what he does, how he goes out there whether he's feeling 100 percent or 5 percent. I think today was probably closer to 5 percent than 100 percent, he deserves a lot of credit for that....we had a game plan and we stuck to it, and like I said, he deserves a lot of credit for that, he really does." -- Josh Beckett, during his post-game press conference after an 8-3 win over the Athletics on July 27, 2009.

"That was one of the concerns of mine when I went to L.A., because I went for months without ever shaking him off. I was like on 'auto pilot' when Jason caught. You don't see guys shaking Varitek off because of his preparation. You have to think more on your own [in L.A.], and that's where you get spoiled with Jason because then you can just let him call the whole game." -- Derek Lowe during a radio interview with WEEI's Joe Castiglione on June 19, 2009.

"It has a huge impact! I mean, certainly the inviting way he can get a pitcher to throw a pitch, it's still up to the pitcher - you've got to be committed! But when you're as established and as confident as he is, he knows everything - his preparation is second to none, and you want to know as a pitcher if you have any sense of doubt, that the guy is going to carry you through those.

"You think about it - you have 115-120 decisions to make through a game and you're not going to be right on all of them, and you need that guy back there empowering you to say, 'this is the right pitch' and working together. You can't be shakin' your head 'no' a lot, at least for most pitchers it's not going to work in an environment like this. If you're not clicking and you're not on the same page, it's going to make for a longer game and a tougher scenario.

"Without a doubt, a catcher is a huge part of a pitcher's success as he goes through the season." -- John Smoltz talking about Jason during an interview with Mohegan Sun's Sports Tonight in relation to a question asked by host Michael Felger, "Can a catcher behind the plate have any impact on the way a pitcher throws a game?" (February 16, 2009).

"There's certain players in Major League Baseball that are on certain teams that you take a gamble on whether it's age or whether it's money. And for me, Varitek is, no question, in that category. I don't care who you bring in or who you take out, there's certain stability, not only in the clubhouse but on the field as well and he's part...no, he's not part, he is the main stability in our clubhouse and on that field, so for me - whether it's the age issue or the money issue, there is no question in my mind that you make that gamble with a person like that! That's the way I feel, that's it. It's that simple for me!" -- Jonathan Papelbon during a phone interview with Comcast Sports Net on bringing 'Tek back for 2009 (January 20, 2009).

"He lives, eats, and sleeps baseball, and cares as much or more than anyone I’ve ever played with." -- Paul Byrd, during a post-game interview after Game 3 of the ALDS (October 13, 2008).

"I knew he was a good catcher, but he is a great receiver. He blocks the ball as well as anybody. What he brings behind the plate, the knowledge he has of hitters, I've had a blast working with him."
-- Paul Byrd talks about his second start working with Jason Varitek (August 22nd).

"For two years, over all those games that Varitek has caught for me, I've been able to pitch with less and less stress over that time and that certainly has helped me in my performance, as well. Any time a pitcher pairs up with a new catcher, there's some adjustments that need to be made and it's not an easy process. So I just hope I get to be paired up with the same catcher for as long as possible." -- Daisuke Matsuzaka, throught his interpreter Masa Hoshino, from an article on MLB.com (October 15, 2008).

"Tek is the most prepared baseball player I have ever been around. He's great because he comes up to you before your start and says, 'Hey, you want to go over these guys?'. He's very outspoken on what he thinks works with these guys (batters), and he's very knowledgable about it because he does the legwork". -- Josh Beckett, from an interview for Major League Baseball (after the 2007 World Series).

"Everyone knows what kind of leader he is. But the biggest thing for me is he leads by example. He’s able to do a multitude of things and [he] carries the load. It’s not one thing. For me, he does it all. He helps me with my confidence and the way he calls a game." -- Jonathan Papelbon, from an interview with the Providence Journal (September 17, 2007).

"He’s helped me out tremendously, especially with the mental side of the game — learning how to pitch to hitters. He’s great, not just at knowing the hitters, but also at understanding what makes each pitcher go. He does a tremendous job behind the plate." -- Rookie reliever Justin Masterson, in an interview with the Providence Journal (September 4, 2008).

"The way he breaks down each hitter, it's unlike anything I've ever seen before - how much pride and passion he takes in everything he does. When he's back there calling a game you can see him thinking about what pitch we want to throw. You don't come across guys that often who 'think' the game while they're playing. He's a great attribute to what happened tonight and I'm glad to say I got to throw to Jason Varitek." -- Clay Buchholz, during his post-game interview after his no-hitter (September 1, 2007).

From His Other Teammates -

"Just because he's not on the field every day, I don't think he prepares less," third baseman Mike Lowell said. "He's in the weight room a lot more because he does have that time. That's just the dedication and the professionalism he brings to himself and his position. All those things encompass being a leader." -- Third baseman Mike Lowell, in an interview with the Providence Journal, May 1, 2010.

"I'm going to be with Jason. He's a great guy, great man. That's why he is the captain. That's a guy that really makes a big difference for me in this clubhouse and on this team." -- Victor Martinez, to reporters during the first day of Spring Training in Fort Myers, February 18, 2010.

"He was generous. To be honest again, I never thought that he was going to be that helpful for me. I started taking a little more of his playing time, little by little. I got more comfortable with the pitching staff because of him. He was a guy who came to me and said, 'If this guy struggles, call this pitch, that will relax him a little bit.' Man, he was great." -- Victor Martinez, in an interview with the Boston Herald, February 15, 2010.

"I love catching. I love the relationship a catcher has with pitchers and the responsibility. But if we have had success with me catching, it's because of Jason Varitek. He has been unbelievable working with me to know the pitchers and work on game plans. I am very fortunate to be able to work with Jason. I look up to him." -- Victor Martinez, as quoted in Peter Gammons' blog at ESPN.com on September 19, 2009.

"I am very respectful for Jason Varitek. He is a great guy and a great catcher. We have been playing a little bit, behind the plate and man, he has been great for me. Varitek you know, he's been there for me. He's always saying, 'if you need anything, you just come out and ask me'. That's the one thing that I really appreciate, that is one of the things that makes me feel more comfortable in the clubhouse and on the field." -- Victor Martinez, during an interview with NESN's Tom Caron on September 10, 2009.

"I think he's such a stable force behind our pitching staff. I think, in today's game, we analyze things so much. I think there's actually an added 'oomph' to guys that can handle a pitching staff. I was actually talking to [Orioles catcher] Gregg Zaun the other day. And I was like, 'So, how’s it going? I see that you’ve been swinging the bat pretty good.' He goes, 'I’m just trying to do my best to call a good game, put the pitcher in a position to win, and if I hit, it's icing on the cake.'

"It's almost gotten to that point where if you have someone who can handle a staff so well, you can almost offset the offense. Well, that being said, no one wants to not hit. And I think Tek's got to be happy with his power numbers. His average I'm sure is lower than what he would want. But I think he's shown that we can play a lot of winning baseball with him behind there. I think there would have been a lot more openings and question marks and inconsistencies if he wasn't here this year." -- Mike Lowell, in an interview with NESN on August 4, 2009.

"One of the things that’s frustrating to me about the way he’s perceived sometimes is that everybody talks about him being a clubhouse leader and all that, but the guy’s a great player. It’s like when (pitcher Greg) Maddux came over to (the Padres). Everyone said, 'He's going to help the young pitchers and do all this stuff.' They’re not paying him $10 million to coach.

"Obviously, I admire the career that Jason's had — being able to win the World Series and put up numbers. Obviously, he’s a great, great player. I’m excited to learn from him and be here." -- Josh Bard, during spring training (February 22, 2009).

"He is the foundation for the team. No matter what he is going through, no matter what he's doing with the bat, he's such a valuable asset to the team. Not only just commanding the game, commanding pitchers and putting them in the right mindset to pitch, but he's just a clubhouse guy that you can always lean on. For me personally he was always there! He was always there - if something needed to be said. He is not a guy that is 'rah rah' or a guy that everyday is going to be cheering you on, but if something needs to be said or something needs to be acted upon - HE is the one do to it.

"If there was something he saw in my game or something happened during the game that he thought I could improve on, he would sit me down and we would have a talk. At the same time, if he saw something that he liked, he would reinforce that. He just handles situations so well. He would be an asset to any team, but because he knows Boston so well, he is even bigger for us." -- Shortstop Jed Lowrie as a guest of the Casey Stern Show on MLB-Radio, February 7, 2009.

"When he walks in the door at one o’clock in the afternoon, his presence everyone feels. He doesn’t even have to say anything. That’s the type of teammate he is and what kind of player he is. Everyone looks to him for advice and looks up to him. That’s why he’s the captain of our team. He sets the tone." -- Dustin Pedroia, during a post-game interview (October 19, 2008).

"From a personal standpoint, he has taught me a lot in this game, both on and off the field. He's a great role model for a lot of people out there and he's a great...you know, what he does for this team is unbelievable. You know, he's not the most talkative guy in the world, but when he says something, it means a lot to the team. That's one thing you can't replace." -- Kevin Youkilis, during an on-air interview at his "Hits for Kids" event (October 20, 2008).

"He’s a human wall behind the plate. Nothing gets by him. As far as preparing for a game, he’s the best I’ve seen. The confidence he brings to our pitchers is invaluable." -- First baseman Sean Casey, in an interview with the Providence Journal (October 4, 2008).

"He (Lester) did a good job. With 'Tek back there calling the game, they're a good combination, and when you have the captain back there you have a good chance of winning." -- Coco Crisp, during an on-the-field interview after the Sox win over the Blue Jays (September 14, 2008).

"He's been great. He's a great person and a great leader, and he is very important to this baseball club. I try not to get in his way too much and try not to bother him. When I have a chance, I ask him a lot of questions. He's been great with that."-- Catcher George Kottaras, after making his major league debut with the Sox (September 13, 2008).

"Man, el capitan, he’s a leader, man! He’s a guy who knows how to deal with situations better than anyone around here, I can tell you that. He’s great. He doesn’t talk too much, but when he sees things going in the wrong direction, he tries to fix them up. "-- Designated hitter David "Big Papi" Ortiz in an interview for the Providence Journal (September 17, 2007).

From His Manager -

"I think Tek is kind of a special guy. I think he's certainly earned that right to wear that 'C' and if his playing time changes a little bit, I don't see his role diminishing ever, [in terms of] what he can bring to a team, even when he's not in the lineup. He's a very strong influence on our team and he always will be." -- Terry Francona, during his conversation with the media at spring training on February 20, 2010.

"You want your catcher to be indispensible. The problem is, when he goes down, you find out he is!" -- Manager Terry Francona talking about Tek (and his stint on the DL in 2006) in a interview for a USA Today Sports Weekly Cover Story (March 30, 2008).

"When we were on the field after the [clinching] game the other night, he put his head on my shoulder and cried like a baby. He had willed everybody to be so good. I think that's why I'm so calm. I know he's in charge. It's his team." -- Manager Terry Francona talking about Tek, from an article first published by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (November 2, 2007).

From His Coaches -

"I think Jason Varitek can catch as long as he wants to catch. I think his body will hold up to that. Obviously, there's the shape he gets himself in, and in the [backup] role he is in now with Victor [Martinez] here, I think he can catch at least four, five more years.

"His game hasn't really slowed down. It's the wear and tear of the physical that has affected him along the way. The formula for him this year is to stay strong and healthy. You've got a pretty irreplaceable guy there. No one has the same experience. Only one other guy sticks out, and that's Jorge [Posada].

"I think he could manage in the major leagues. He obviously could coach. He's a great communicator and he's organized. And he's had the luxury of being taught by the best the last three years. That's what I tell him every day." -- Red Sox bullpen coach and catching instructor Gary Tuck, in an interview with ESPN's Gordon Edes on February 26, 2010.

"I don't think they get the credit they deserve. I believe they are taken for granted, especially in this great rivalry. But I've been involved in coaching for 34 years and I never seen anything like these two guys when it comes to catching, leading, work ethic. The fact that they've been matched up against each other for so long and have had the success they've had, winning multiple championships...I believe they are in a class of their own.

"Jason is Navy Seal. He's programed like a computer. His recall is second to none. His prep dwarfs everyone's. I really believe he is the most selfless guy in the game. -- Bullpen Coach and catching instructor Gary Tuck on Jason and Jorge Posada, during an interview for an article by Bill Burt of The Eagle Tribune (August 21, 2009).

"Tek is like a pilot. We're flying along, and we run into a storm, and he takes it up a few thousand miles, brings it back down. He gets you through it." -- Bullpen Coach and catching instructor Gary Tuck, in an article for the Orange County (CA) Register (October 3, 2008).

"I don't know that we can measure the effect Varitek has had on this pitching staff because it has been immense. His ability (is) to not only execute a game plan that we've devised through scouting reports, through our own personal history or through the many other avenues available to us, but to also tailor it within the game depending on what's working effectively for a pitcher that night. He's the most valuable member of our pitching staff." -- Pitching coach John Farrell, during an interview with NESN (September, 2007).

"I've been very fortunate to work with some of the best guys that ever squatted in the game in 30 years, and he's right at the top of the list, if not the top, because of what he brings to the game.

No. 1, mentally, his retention skills, his work ethic, his leadership skills and just his passion for wanting to be a better player at age 35, and he will be a better player this year than he was last year and that's all because he's willed himself to do it." -- Bullpen Coach and catching instructor Gary Tuck, from an interview with MLB's Mike Petraglia (February 27, 2008).

From Major League General Managers -

"If I could take Varitek and put him on another planet, I would." -- Yankees GM Brian Cashman, during a speaking engagement at William Paterson University in New Jersey in January, 2008.

From Major League Managers -

"He's a bulldog! I wouldn't want to mess with the guy. He's big-time old-school. He'll hurt you. He's a throwback player. And there just aren't many out there like him. Players like him just don't come around often." -- John McLaren, manager of the Seattle Mariners in an interview on June 6, 2008.

"I walked up to Varitek and said, 'You don't know who I am but I know who you are. I see the way you carry yourself, I see the way you conduct yourself...' I mean I watch this guy block every pitch, I watch him throw in between innings down to second base - that's what this game needs, it needs people to have respect and play the game the right way!" -- Orioles manager Dave Trembley, during MASN's broadcast of the Red Sox @ Orioles game on May 14, 2008.

"I think he's probably, outside of the Red Sox organization and with the work in the club, he probably gets less appreciation because people are going to focus a lot on the offensive numbers and if you're not having the type of offensive year maybe you're thought not to be contributing as much. But Jason Varitek has been a guy there that has brought as much to that organization and contributed maybe more than anybody to what they've done in the last five or six years.

"So I think I certainly appreciate what he does behind the plate and there is no doubt in my mind about what he brings to that club, and I think when you look at the defensive aspect of catching, not many guys bring it like Jason Varitek does." -- Mike Scioscia, manager of the L.A. Angels, during his ALDS press conference on October 2, 2008.

"He's the heart and soul of that team. I've known that for years. Several years ago, I was fortunate enough to be a part of the All-Star coaching staff and I went up to him, I mean, I didn't even know him, but I told him how much I appreciated the kind of work that he did - that was 2003 I believe. This guy has always been there. He wears it on his face...I mean this guy's always ready to play and his preparation habits are tremendous. You never take him for granted. He wants to win every night!" -- Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon talks about Jason during his post-game press conference.

From Major League Players -

"He was the symbol of what a college baseball player is supposed to be. Being there four years, owning almost all of the records as far as hitting, and as a catcher. He was the ultimate competitor then like he is now.

"Coach Hall would always tell me he didn't have to manage when Varitek was back there," Wieters said. "He just took control. He'd sit back and let Varitek be his manager on the field. He didn't need to make trips to the mound or anything like that. Varitek ran the game."-- Orioles catcher and Georgia Tech alum Matt Wieters in an interview with the Boston Herald, June 5, 2010.

"I know Jorge (Posada) really well and he is really an outgoing guy, very funny. I don't know Jason as well, but he's definitely got a tougher exterior. He's all business out there. He's not really an approachable guy." -- Former Yankees catcher and YES Network play-by-play man John Flaherty during an interview for an article by Bill Burt of The Eagle Tribune (August 21, 2009).

"He's definitely come a long way. I was fortunate to, in my opinion, play with the best catcher in all of baseball, especially calling a game in Varitek. And I went years, not starts, but years in Boston and never shook off that, because I had that much faith in his game calling.

"And I think Russell is eventually going to get there. You can't expect him to be at Jason's level this early in his career. We definitely look to him, we definitely lean on him. I think he's definitely open for suggestions throughout the game. But you still have to do your homework being a starting pitcher and you can't 100 percent rely on anybody this time of year." -- L.A. Dodgers pitcher Derek Lowe, during a pre-game interview when asked about catcher Russell Martin (October 12, 2008).

"The catcher-pitcher relationship is totally important. My best games on the mound were those in which I didn't have to shake off my catcher's signals. I'd be thinking, 'OK, let's go fastball outside,' and my catcher would signal for a fastball outside. That's what it means to be on the same page. That’s what Varitek brings to the Sox, and I'd certainly want him behind the plate if I were pitching." -- Former MLB pitcher Steven Ellis in an interview with The Swellesley Report, March 16, 2009.

"He's a good pitcher, but I have to give credit to Jason Varitek. You can have a good pitcher, but you need a good catcher to make it complete, and that's what Varitek does." -- Orioles third baseman Melvin Mora, when asked about Daisuke Matsuzaka during a dugout game-time interview with MASN announcers (September 2, 2008).

"You never want to see a no-hitter go against you like that, but, unfortunately, that situation happened.I give a lot of credit to the pitcher, but most of the credit I give to Jason Varitek. He one of the smartest guys, the smartest catcher. He's the one that got that pitching staff going that way about [its] business.

"You want to guess and you're looking for a pitch, it's like Jason is reading your mind. And the pitchers listen to him about the pitch he wants in a certain situation. You think, 'OK, I'm going to take a pitch,' and here you go, he comes with a strike there; and you want to swing, he comes with a breaking pitch. He's a big value to this team, and they should be proud of what they have there. He's a special guy. That's a lot of work to do to be a catcher. It's not just catching the ball and throwing it back to the pitcher.

"You've got to be pretty smart and know the situation and, from what I understand, he's a big student of the game. He studies every hitter and he gets in your head. He's pretty special." -- Royals left fielder Jose Guillen, during a post-game interview after Jon Lester's no-hitter on May 19, 2008.

"The guy is always prepared. He does more and more every day. Every time he gives up a run, he takes it personally. He takes it as his own ERA, and that’s what makes him so different." -- Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Eric Gagne, talking about working with Jason during his time in Boston. Gagne said that Varitek was like no other catcher he has ever worked with.

"I do have a lot of respect for Jason. He's a world champion and I'm not." -- New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez, during an interview in the New York Daily News, March 24, 2005.

MLB Game Announcers -

"It’s really beneficial to the Red Sox pitching staff to be able to think about execution and never think about theory. When you’ve got a 'virtual computer' in Jason Varitek behind the plate calling games, you turn everything over to him and all you think about is executing that pitch." -- MLB game announcer Buck Martinez, on the importance of catcher Jason Varitek to the Red Sox, during the third game of the Toronto series (September 21st).

"I think Varitek is the key. What are the Sox going to do with 'Tek? We talk about their pitching, but there is someone back there calling a lot of signs and who does a lot of work. He puts in yeoman’s work behind the plate, I think they are going to miss that if they lose him behind the plate. We always focus on offense but he brings a lot." -- Harold Reynolds, former MLB player and current MLB commentator on the importance of the Red Sox bringing back Jason Varitek (during the TBS ALCS broadcast, October 19, 2008).

"Jason Varitek might be the most important person on that team and I'll tell you why: If you look at last year when he got hurt in August and didn't play much in September - actually rushed himself back - bottom line: HE is the reason this team plays well.

He controls the pitching staff. He's the heart and soul - When they lost him in August, they were done. That's when they fell way behind the Yankees. They had absolutely no chance after he was gone. He is so important to them." -- New York Yankees game announcer & ESPN radio personality Michael Kay, during his radio show (August 27, 2007).

And Three NHL Hall of Famers -

"I have great respect for Jason. He handles himself so well and you don't hear him complaining. Last year when they brought in a new catcher, Jason did a great job when he was called upon. He's a good person. I've come to know him and he's a gentleman." -- Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins HOF'er, during a Celebrity Skate at Fenway Park on December 18, 2009 as the NHL prepares to get the baseball venue ready for the Winter Classic between the Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers on New Year's Day.

"The thing that's impressive about Jason is his work ethic. How he approaches the game and his leadership. With our fan base, whether it's hockey, football, baseball or basketball, fans want to see guys who are committed, who work hard, who put out an effort, and that's what Jason has done." -- Cam Neely, Boston Bruins HOF'er, December 18, 2009.

"He's an incredible player and has had so many great years with the Red Sox," said Bourque. "He really stabilized that position for so many years. You just listen to the pitchers and their thoughts about working with a guy like that says it all right there." -- Ray Bourque, Boston Bruins HOF'er, who has gotten to know Jason through their work with the Celebrities for Charity organization.

Have you met Jason? Had your picture taken with him? Taken a picture of him? If the answer is yes, and you would like to share your story and/or photo, please e-mail me!

• Boston Red Sox
• Red Sox Foundation
• Jimmy Fund
• Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt-Putt Tournament
• Celebrities for Charities Foundation
• Pitching In For Kids Foundation
• All-Star Sports (makers of Jason's catcher's gear)
• RBI Academy
• Curt's Pitch for ALS
• The Mike Lowell Foundation
• J-V.com MySpace
• Big Ben News (my other site)