The Captain Out Of Tonight's Line-up...

April 23, 2008

...But not surprisingly, he can't stay away from the ballpark!

From the Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo this afternoon:

"He did take very limited batting practice, but Francona didn't think he'd be using Varitek as a pinch-hitter. Looks like Kevin Cash all the way...."

Although still suffering from the flu, Tek will be available tonight...just in case.

Tonight's line-up:

1. Ellsbury, CF
2. Pedroia, 2B
3. Ortiz, DH
4. Ramirez, LF
5. Drew, RF
6. Casey, 1B
7. Lugo, SS
8. Lowrie, 3B
9. Cash, C

Lester -- P

More News & Notes:

- Tonight's scheduled starter, Daisuke Matsuzaka, who is the latest victim of the flu, was a late scratch and will be replaced by Jon Lester.

- Kevin Youkilis is out of tonight's lineup with a sore back suffered when he made a play at third in Tuesday night's game. Terry Francona said Youkilis phoned him this morning to tell him that the stiffness had gone from his back to his buttocks.

- The Red Sox made a roster move by calling up reliever Craig Hansen from Triple-A Pawtucket after sending pitcher David Pauley back down.

- Mike Lowell took ground balls today and remains on schedule to hit in a rehab assignment this weekend.

- Coco Crisp is on schedule to play in tomorrow afternoon's game.

- Josh Beckett still has some neck stiffness (though better) but he's slated to pitch Sunday in Tampa.

- Bartolo Colon, also fighting the flu, threw from 120 feet today is targeting a May 5 return to the mound with Pawtucket.

Tek And Beckett Both Out For Tonight's Game!

April 22, 2008

The latest from the Boston Globe and the Hartford Courant this afternoon:

Josh Beckett has been pulled from tonight's start. Beckett had been fighting the same illness that has taken Jason Varitek out of the lineup for the past couple of days.

Jason continues to be ravaged by the flu and is not at the ballpark. He has been sick since Sunday and is still in rough shape, according to manager Terry Francona. Kevin Cash makes his third straight start tonight.

So the Red Sox, anticipating that there might be a problem, had pulled David Pauley from his start on Monday. He was told to come to Boston last night, where he spent the evening in a hotel. At about 2 p.m. Pauley was told that he wouldn't be needed tonight, then that was reversed around 4 p.m., when Pauley was told that he would be making the emergency start.

According to the Globe's Amalie Benjamin, the team's not sure if Beckett will be skipped in his start or whether he might just be pushed back a few days. We're hoping to get more information later, possibly after tonight's game.

The other problem that the Red Sox have right now is that they are short a second catcher. Varitek is still under the weather and, though he did come to the ballpark this afternoon, he was supposed to be heading home before gametime. Had Beckett not pulled from his start , the roster move would have been made for a catcher, which still might happen tomorrow (with the Sox sending Pauley back down to Triple A). With both Cora and Lowell, the "emergencey catchers", on the DL, Francona was in a bind - until Dustin Pedroia volunteered.

As Ms. Benjamin put it, "So, in a pinch, the second baseman will be heading behind the plate."

During the NESN Pre-Game Show it was learned that Manny Delcarmen, bullpen coach Gary Tuck and strength and conditioning coach David Page have also been hit with the flu bug.

A Get Well Wish For Tek!

April 20 -21, 2008

Beware of the flu! (from the Providence Journal):

A nasty flu bug is making its way through the Red Sox clubhouse right now, so when PawSox pitcher David Pauley was a last-minute scratch from his start yesterday at McCoy Stadium, there was some thought he might be on his way to Boston to start for Clay Buchholz today against the Rangers. That’s not the case. In fact, the team sent Buchholz home very early yesterday, so he wouldn’t be hanging around with the possibility of getting sick. Pauley is on call just in case any of the starters contract the bug.

Catcher Jason Varitek is so sick he needed someone to pick him up at home yesterday and bring him to the ballpark. He received treatment and was sent home.

"Tek looked awful," said Francona. "He looked bad. The bug is working its way around, like it always does. Hopefully, it’ll stay away from the manager."

The team even sent some of the training staff home in order to keep the damage in the clubhouse to a minimum.

*Note According to fans (that were in attendance) who emailed me this morning, Jason did not attend last night's Pitching In For Kids kick-off celebration at the Comedy Connection due to illness.

**Monday Update: According to Boston.com, Jason will not be in the line-up for today's game at 11:05 a.m. against the Rangers.

The veteran has been hit with an extreme case of the flu the last couple of days. Kevin Cash started in his place. According to Terry Francona, "I've not seen him yet this morning. It wasn't pretty [on Sunday]," Francona said. "I don't think he's going to show up looking real chipper. It's affecting guys in different ways. Some of the guys are getting the head congestion, some guys are getting the nausea, and some guys are getting the aches and pains. It's hitting everyone different."

And on NESN's Pre-Game Show, Terry said, "Jason is alot under the weather, and I told him, 'Don't even think of catching tomorrow (today)'. He didn't even put up an argument, and when he doesn't argue, you know he's bad."

NESN's Jerry Remy is also feeling under the weather today and was replaced by Ken Macha for today's game coverage.

Quote of the Day:

"He creates life in a crowd regardless of whether he has a hit or not. He's Big Papi for a reason." -- Jason Varitek on David Ortiz, from the Seattle Post Intelligencer.

To watch Big Papi's grand-slam the other night, click here.

Thank you to Kim for sending me the video link!

Red Sox 5, Rangers 3

April 19, 2008 - Post-Game Update

Combined from various news sources -

They are still the Butch and Sundance of the Red Sox batting order, no matter what the numbers for one of them still say.

Just when it looked as if the Texas Rangers might grab a victory at Fenway Park, David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez set them straight. With Ortiz' eighth-inning RBI single, followed by Ramirez' towering home run, the Sox claimed a 5-3 victory at Fenway Park to run their winning streak to three games.

Ortiz slammed Joaquin Benoit's pitch so hard through the right side that Texas second baseman Ian Kinsler, who had been playing in the shallow outfield, couldn't stop it. The single scored Dustin Pedroia from second base and was Big Papi's sixth RBI in two nights, giving him 10 this season.

That erased a 3-2 Texas lead, and Ramirez followed with his 496th career home run, a moon shot to left.

That gave the Red Sox a chance to turn the game over to closer Jonathan Papelbon, who set down the Rangers on one hit in the ninth.

"Late-inning comebacks are important, and we've had quite a few," catcher Jason Varitek said. "They build confidence."

The Red Sox have already won four games in which they trailed after six innings.

Entering the bottom of the eighth, the Red Sox were fortunate to be close. Jacoby Ellsbury's running catch off Josh Hamilton's screaming liner ended the eighth, and saved two runs that would have made it 5-2.

Ortiz' eighth-inning hit took left-hander Jon Lester - who has lost only four of his 31 career starts - off the hook. Ramirez followed with his sixth homer.

Lester became stronger as the game progressed. In the first 2 1/3 innings, he allowed three runs (one in each of the first three innings) and seven hits, including Hamilton's first-inning homer.

Then, he held the Rangers scoreless on three hits over the rest of his 6 1/3-inning, 107-pitch stint, giving Boston a chance.

"This was definitely a big step forward for me," Lester said. "First-pitch strikes were better, attacking the zone."

"The home run to Hamilton was a fastball up to a big, strong guy, and he flicked it over the wall," Varitek said. "Jason Botts turned on a ball (for a third-inning RBI double) that wasn't a bad pitch.

"But Jon gave us some length with that start, and that was important to our bullpen."

Lester remained 1-2 after this no-decision, but his .750 career winning percentage (12-4 in 31 starts) ranks second for all post-1900 pitchers with at least 25 starts.

Only the Cardinals' Howie Krist (37-11 for .771 from 1937-46) is better.

Jason's current stats: AVG .262 | HR 3 | RBI 6

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

News, Notes & Quotes

April 19, 2008

Red Sox 11, Rangers 3

David Ortiz broke out of an early-season slump with a grand slam and drove in five runs, as the Red Sox clobbered Texas, 11-3, in the opener of a four-game series at Fenway Park.

"It was just a matter of time," Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek said. "It was a big lift for him."

Dustin Pedroia belted a two-run homer and Daisuke Matsuzaka threw into the sixth inning for Boston, winners in six of its last seven games. Jacoby Ellsbury knocked in a run and scored three times.

Matsuzaka (4-0) allowed five hits and three runs, while walking two and fanning four.

Luis Mendoza (0-2) surrendered five hits and seven runs through three-plus innings to suffer the loss.

Ortiz, who entered the game just 7-for-63, homered in the third, and Boston scored nine times over a two-inning span. Despite going 2-for-4, Ortiz's average stands at .134 this year.

The Red Sox loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom half thanks to a double from Jed Lowrie and consecutive walks to Ellsbury and Pedroia. Ortiz then homered to left field for his eighth career slam.

"I just tried to stay ahead with the first pitch," Mendoza said. "On the two walks, I was behind in the count so I tried to start ahead and left a ball in the middle of the plate."

J.D. Drew walked to lead off the Boston fourth and Jason Varitek followed with an RBI double to left. After Sean Casey singled, that marked the end of Mendoza's night, as he was replaced by Josh Rupe.

Lowrie then lofted a sacrifice fly, Ellsbury tripled to center over the head of Hamilton. Pedroia then clubbed a homer to left for a 9-1 difference.

Terry Francona said Jason Varitek didn't feel well coming out of the bullpen before the game, which was the reason he took the catcher out after the seventh inning and replaced him with Kevin Cash.

Jason's current stats: AVG .276 | HR 3 | RBI 6

Tomorrow Night...

On Sunday, Jason and Tim Wakefield will host their annual "Pitching in for Kids" comedy show at the Comedy Connection in the Faneuil Hall Marketplace. Several members of the current Sox roster are expected to join former players Lou Merloni, Bob Montgomery, and Jim Lonborg, and former Sox skipper Joe Morgan. Also slated to be there are New England Revolution players Jeff Larentowicz and Matt Reis, former Bruins players Derek Sanderson and Ken Hodge, and former Patriots wide receiver Randy Vataha.

For more info, see the gray column on the right under "Events".

Here We Go Again....

My Photo Gallery was hacked into for a second time. My hosting company was unable to upgrade it this week and it was hit again this morning! My wonderful web designer is doing what she can to restore it, so please be patient.

I am on vacation at the moment (and sitting in a coffee cafe - the only place with an internet connection on the Island) but will find another way to upgrade it when I return. For all the latest photos (had no luck finding any from last night's game!), you'll have to continue to visit the "temporary" gallery at Flickr here.

Red Sox 7, Yankees 5

April 18, 2008

From the Boston Globe:

The Sox, who banged out a season-high 14 hits and lost Wednesday night, kept on hitting last night, rapping out 13 against Mussina and three relievers. Every Sox player in the lineup had at least one hit, except still-slumping David Ortiz and leadoff man Jacoby Ellsbury, who became the hittee instead of the hitter. Ellsbury was hit by a pitch in his first two plate appearances, stole second on the next pitch each time, rushed Chad Moeller into a throwing error on his second attempt, and jump-started the Sox' four-run rally in the third.

Kevin Youkilis had two hits and scored twice; J.D. Drew had two hits, including a two-run double; and Jason Varitek and Dustin Pedroia also had two hits apiece, each driving in a run.

Ramírez, who hits the Yankees as if he were still at George Washington High in Washington Heights and playing James Monroe High in the Bronx, hit home runs in his first two at-bats, the second a high, arcing drive deep into the left-field seats, and singled and scored in the fifth inning of a 7-5 Red Sox win before 55,088 at Yankee Stadium. Ramírez is five home runs from joining the momentous 500 club, and has more home runs (55) against the Yankees than any other opponent.

"Pretty good, huh?" said Josh Beckett, who went eight innings to become the first Sox starter to pitch at least seven on a night the bullpen needed the rest, with manager Terry Francona having used no fewer than four pitchers in each of the last eight games, five pitchers five times. "Hopefully, he'll invite me to his Hall of Fame speech."

Beckett limited the Yankees to one inning of scoring - they parlayed a walk, Johnny Damon double, Derek Jeter single, and Bobby Abreu double into three runs in the fifth - and ignored an invitation to ratchet up the temperature of this rivalry after Kyle Farnsworth threw a 95-mile-per-hour-plus fastball in the direction of Ramírez's head with his first pitch of the seventh. Ramírez ducked out of harm's way, but a few Sox moved to the top of the dugout steps after that impolitic pitch, which drew a warning from plate umpire Larry Vanover.

But instead of exercising the ancient, and at times absurd, code of slugger for slugger, dust to dust, Beckett stuck to business, setting down the last 10 Yankees he faced without once making a hitter quake in his spikes. (Had he thrown at anyone, it would have been an automatic ejection.)

Jonathan Papelbon replaced Beckett in the ninth and struck out Giambi, making it 14 outs out of 17 in which he has registered a whiff. Posada doubled and took third on a wild pitch, then scored on Robinson Cano's roller to short. Cabrera momentarily lifted hometown hopes by taking Papelbon deep on a 2-and-0 pitch to make it 7-5, but Papelbon caught pinch hitter Hideki Matsui looking to end it.

To see a couple of photos from the game, click here.

Jason's current stats: AVG .278 | HR 3 | RBI 5

Also Today:

I have added an article from MLB.com on catchers becoming pitching coaches -

Excerpt from the article -

Two current catchers, Ausmus and Boston's Jason Varitek, are generally assumed to be on the fast track to the coaching or managing ranks following their playing careers. Even in their current roles, they're considered an extra coach in addition to their duties as active players.

Farrell points to Varitek's encyclopedic knowledge as one of the pitching staff's most important resources. "The amount of his own personal library and database on so many hitters that he's faced over time, and being here for so long and the relationship he's got with pitchers here over a four-, five-, six-, seven-, 10-year span ... " Farrell said. "All of those elements that go into not only contributing to those meetings, but carrying it out and executing a game plan on the field."

To read the article, click here.

Home Run #3!

April 15, 2008 - Post-Game Update

After resting for eight innings, Jason pinch-hit in the top of the ninth this evening for Kevin Cash and hit a solo blast over the wall in left-center, putting the Sox on top of the Indians, 4-3. Following his homer, Boston loaded the bases and made it a 5-3 win on Kevin Youkilis' RBI single, sweeping the two-game ALCS rematch.

The Sox will take their four-game winning streak to New York for a two-game set at Yankee Stadium starting Wednesday.

Terry Francona is concerned about playing Jason too much and wanted to give him the whole night off. But needing a big hit, he turned to the veteran and Jason delivered.

The Captain's third home run came in his 13th game this season, last year he didn't hit his third home run until his 26th game. Tonight was also Jason's third career pinch-hit home run.

"I've had my fair share of appearances pinch-hitting over my career," Jason said at his locker after the game. "But haven't been able to do that very often."

To see larger versions of the photo and the screen capture, click here.

To watch his post-game interview, click here.

The Latest From The Lens of Kelly O'Connor!

April 15, 2008

These photos can't wait for an upgraded version of the gallery!

To view Kelly's latest photos of the Captain, click here.

To check out all of her latest, visit her site here.

Kelly, thank you again!!

Note: I am heading out of town for a mini-vacation through the weekend, starting Wednesday. The place we are staying does not have internet access - hopefully the coffee cafe in town still does, otherwise updates may be few and far between or perhaps not at all until we return on Sunday!

Also, I want to thank everyone that sent emails about the site and the gallery this past weekend! They meant a great deal to me and make maintaining the site worth all the time and effort!

"In Varitek, The Red Sox Have A Studious & Gritty Leader"

April 14, 2008

I have added a new article today from Jack Curry of the New York Times that starts with comments made about the Captain by Yankees GM Brian Cashman (see my January 26th news for info on the event where Cashman made his comments).

Excerpts from the article:

Jason Varitek of the Red Sox offered a thin smile when he was told that Brian Cashman, the general manager of the Yankees, wanted to pull a Ralph Kramden and send him to the moon. Or at least in that direction.

"If I could take Varitek and put him on another planet," Cashman said, "I would."

When Cashman and Theo Epstein, his counterpart with the Red Sox, spoke at William Paterson University in New Jersey in January, they were asked to name the one man they would like to remove from the other team’s roster. Epstein sidestepped the question.

Cashman’s playful remarks were uttered three months ago, but Varitek said he had not heard them.

"Hopefully, that shows I’m doing my job," Varitek said. "I take it as a compliment. We go through a lot of wars and a lot of games with these guys."

The reasons Cashman picked Varitek as the Red Sox player he would jettison were Varitek’s defense and leadership skills, not his offense. Varitek has averaged 17 homers and 67 runs batted in over the last four seasons, but he is much more valuable for what he does without a bat.

Before games, Varitek looks like a professor grading midterm papers. He often sits by his locker studying the scouting reports on opposing hitters.

Some teammates said Varitek was the most vocal person in the scouting meetings, not any of the team’s coaches.

"He’s a take-charge kind of guy who always put his defense first," said Joe Girardi, the Yankees’ manager and a former catcher. "He understands his main job is to get the most out of the 12 guys on the mound. And I have all the respect in the world for a catcher who does that."

To read the entire article, click here.

Also Today:

Quotes from the Captain -

On Daisuke Matsuzaka's performance last night...

"I wasn't quite sure what it was. I'm trying everything to get Daisuke's feel out there. He just couldn't get a feel for his pitches. (New York) is a patient team, and you've got to throw strike one." -- (The Republican and The Boston Globe)

On David Aardsma, Javier Lopez and Manny Delcarmen's performance...

"We had to piece it together. Hopefully, this will give our bullpen some confidence." -- (The Republican)

To see a larger version of the photo above, from last night's game, click here.

New Photo & Caps Added

April 13, 2008

I have added a photo from last night's game as well as a few screen captures into a new (and temporary) Flickr photo gallery for the site.

All photos and screen captures will be added to this new gallery until I can get the upgraded version of my coppermine gallery installed. You can still view photos posted before April 9th in the gallery here, but there will be no updates added until the upgrade.

You do not need an account with Flickr to view the photos. Just click here.

The Photo Gallery Is Back!

April 12, 2008

At least for now, thanks to my web designer Sylvie Morin!

She worked on it for several hours this morning and in the process, changed things around a bit. You can view it here.

This doesn't mean it will stay up however - there is a glitch in the coppermine gallery software (which was how the hacker was able to enter) that the folks at Coppermine.com are currently working to fix. My gallery was one of several hundred that was hacked into last week.

If you come across any photo links here on the news page that work, please email me to let me know, I would appreciate it.

We are currently working on another gallery to add any new photos to until the coppermine gallery is secure!

Curses & Rivalries...

April 11, 2008 - Evening

Are they still alive and well?

Heather Muse of the Village Voice on "The Curse" -

According to the (New York) Post's exclusive report, a Sox-loving construction worker buried a Red Sox T-shirt under what will be the visiting clubhouse of the new stadium. The shirt was poured into a slab of concrete that is probably one of the floors. The thorny part is that no one knows exactly where it's buried. Two anonymous construction workers came forward to the Post because, as one says, "I don't want to be responsible for sinking the franchise."

Reading this article, you see that there's an entire cottage industry that thrives on these fabled rivalries and bambinos, billy goats and black cats. We have quotes from the author of Haunted Baseball, a book about all these crazy curses. Peter Nash, who wrote Boston's Royal Rooters, argues that the current curse with the Yankees is "the curse of A-Rod." The best part of that bit is that Peter Nash might be better known to 1980's hip-hop fans as Prime Minister Pete Nice of the rap group 3rd Bass.

We'll have to see which team has its mojo working the best this weekend when the Yanks face the Sox at Fenway. It's the first meeting of the 2008 season for the two clubs, and the sports sections of both papers cover it pretty well. My one suggestion for the Post would be that the image of Sox catcher Jason Varitek and Alex Rodriguez be the one to symbolize the rivalry.

So, keep squawking about your 26 rings. With this new "curse," you're just like the rest of us.

Oh, and what's the only team to win two World Series in the 21st century? Yeah, that's what I thought.

To read the entire blog, click here.

Steve Buckley of the Boston Herald on "The Rivalry" -

World Series championships by the Red Sox this century: two.

World Series championships by the Yankees this century: doughnut.

In the end, though, this much has not changed: When the Red Sox play the Yankees, in April or September, regular season or postseason, in good times or bad times, and whether the manager is Joe Torre, Joe Girardi or Joe Lieberman, everyone pays attention.

That’s . . . everyone. We’re not just talking Red Sox and Yankees fans. We’re talking Twins fans and Royals fans, Pirates fans and Rockies fans. Yes, these fans from the outposts of Baseball America can wring their hands and say, “I’m sick of watching the Red Sox play the Yankees.” But they lie. The ratings say so.

Let the games begin. But let the drama begin, too. It is a lock that something will happen during the weekend, and that whatever that something is will be revisited when the teams meet again next week in the Bronx.

True, a lot of players on both sides like to point out that it’s just another game, that you have to play as hard against the Red Sox or Yankees as you play against the Rangers or White Sox, blah, blah, blah. But it’s just talk. The reality is this: If you play for the Red Sox or the Yankees, you circle these games on the calendar.

"This rivalry is going to continue for a lifetime, unless both cities decide that they hate baseball," said Red Sox catcher/captain Jason Varitek, putting it perfectly. "It goes beyond the players. It goes well beyond the players."

To read the entire article, click here.

Also Today:

Gordon Edes weighs in on the Birthday Boy in his mailbag column -

Q: Is it just me, or does Jason Varitek seem to be hitting the ball a lot harder this season? -- Dawn, Fall River

A: Dawn, you wouldn't have been saying that a couple of weeks ago, when Jason wasn't hitting the ball at all! He went through a stretch, at the end of the Japan trip and the weekend series against the Dodgers, where he whiffed 9 times in a stretch of 11 at-bats.

Jason said he felt "weird" in Japan, and that he found it very difficult to sleep adjusting to all the different time zones. He certainly seemed to welcome being back home, hitting three line drives in the opener, two of which fell for hits. I think the Sox hope he can approach the level of production he gave them last season -- .255, 17, 68.

He is so valuable in countless other ways, the only thing that would be of major concern is if he suddenly went into a huge decline offensively. He turns 36 today, so the Sox have to do what they can to maintain him physically. It would be a bonus if Kevin Cash could hit enough to lighten Varitek's load a little.

Happy Birthday Tek!

April 11, 2008 - Update

It's Jason's 36th Birthday today!

And to celebrate, I am giving YOU the gift!

One lucky person will receive a brand-new, sealed "Boston Red Sox 2007 World Series Collector's Edition" DVD set. It is an 8-DVD set which includes all four World Series games, plus ALCS games 5, 6 & 7 and a bonus DVD with player interviews and 2007 highlights! To check it out, click here.

But first, you have to be my number 4 (for the month of his birthday) emailer with the correct answers to the 11 (for the date of his birthday) questions below...

Update: Congratulations to Colleen Page, my 4th emailer who answered all the questions correctly. And also to Beth Burdick, who got her correct answers in so closely behind Colleen that she will be receiving the "MLB Presents: World Series '07 - Rockies vs. Red Sox" Story/Highlights DVD. The answers are in red:

1. Where was Jason born?
Rochester, Michigan.

2. How many siblings does Jason have and what are their names?
Justin, Jared and Joe.

3. In high school, what two positions did Jason play on his high school baseball team?
Third base and catcher

4. What was the name of his high school team?
Lake Brantley Patriots

5. Jason was the first baseball player at Georgia Tech to have his jersey number retired, but can you give me three other distinctions of his college career? (any three of many!)
(see the Bio page for all the awards - any three were acceptable!)

6. Can you also name the three awards he received in college?
1994 Golden Spikes Award, 1994 Rotary Smith Award, 1994 Dick Howser Trophy

7. Jason played in the Cape Cod League. What team did he play for?
Hyannis Mets

8. What round and what pick overall was Jason selected, and by what team, in 1994.
Seattle Mariners in the first round of the 1994 amateur draft, and the 14th pick overall.

9. What year did he enter that team's minor league system?
1995

10. What team did he play for in the minor leagues?
Port City Roosters

and lastly...

11. What year did he become a member of the Boston Red Sox?

1997 (and according to the majority of emails, it was the best move the Sox ever made!)

Now, if you are regular reader to this site, you will know that you can find all the answers right here...somewhere (however, not on the photo gallery this time, since it is still down!)

If you are a new reader, just wander through some of the pages, you just might be surprised at how easy it is to find all the Birthday Answers!

I will announce and email the winner later today!

Good luck and thank you for your continued support of this site!

Email your answers to: Erin@Jason-Varitek.com

*Thank you to everyone that emailed today, not only for sending in your answers but for your compliments on the site and your offers to assist with the photo gallery! I appreciate it so much! Hopefully, I will get the photo gallery back up in a couple of weeks!

That Ring!

April 10, 2008

From the jewelry site, Diamond Vues:

Few of us have the talent or ability to become a professional sports athlete and so we use our imagination and live vicariously through our hometown teams. All of us have at one time or another fantasized about making that winning shot or play to win a championship and get that Ticker Tape parade down Main Street. One of the rewards is getting that Championship Ring-Bling!!!

The Boston Red Sox, 2007 World Series Champions received their rings (Tuesday). The new bling - made by the ring kings at Jostens - features a pair of Red Sox, on the top, each one containing four specially cut rubies for a combined weight of 2.14 carats.

There are 14 princess-cut diamonds in a diamond-shaped bed below the Sox, and 28 more round-cut diamonds running around the top of the ring.

Eight players - David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, Jason Varitek, Curt Schilling, Tim Wakefield, Doug Mirabelli, Mike Timlin, and Kevin Youkilis - received rings that featured the Sox' "B" and two World Series trophies on the side because they were on the team in both 2004 and 2007. The rings for the rest of the team feature just one trophy.

On the other side of the ring are the words "7th Word Series Championship," with a replica of Fenway Park underneath and the words "4-0 Sweep."

The rings have been appraised at $20,000 and the Sox Team Officials are expected to hand out about 50 of them to players, coaches and staff.

Jostens also made all three of the New England Patriots Super Bowl rings, and are ready to design a ring for the Boston Celtics should they win the NBA Championship this year.

To view a larger version of the ring, click here for their website. (I am still without a photo gallery!)

No Photo Gallery!

April 9, 2008

Apparently my Photo Gallery was hacked into this morning and I have lost all of the photos (close to 3,000 that I have collected and posted over the three years I have had this site), and their descriptions and credits, to include the fan submitted photos and stories, screen captures and quotes, and the baseball card albums.

It is going to take some time to get a new photo page up and running, so please bear with me.

I know! This is not a good way to start the season!

For now, any photos that I find will be added to the site's Myspace "pics page" which unfortunately, you can only access with a myspace account.

I will try to come up with an alternative plan as soon as possible.

Opening Day, 2008

April 8, 2008 - Afternoon Update

Pre-Game Ceremony: The ceremony featured the presentation of the 2007 World Championship rings, the hoisting of the 2007 World Championship Banner, a parade of flags from 62 countries representing the breadth and diversity of Red Sox Nation, a flyover of F-16 jets, and a Ceremonial First Pitch by Bill Buckner, making his long-awaited return to Fenway Park.

The Ring Presentation: Select members of the Boston Bruins, Celtics and New England Patriots started the festivities by emerging with ring boxes and carrying their own hardware - the Stanley Cup, the Larry O'Brian Trophy and the Vince Lombardi Trophy. The 2004 World Series Trophy was carried by former World Series Red Sox teammates - infielder Brian Daubach, pitcher Curtis Leskanic and infielder/pitcher Dave McCarty.

The rings were presented in nine distinct groups in order: Manager and Coaches; Trainers and Clubhouse Staff; Catchers; Starting Pitchers; Infield; Outfield; Bullpen; Closer; and the Designated Hitter.

Some serious thought went into the music selections...

The rings for the Manager and the Coaches were given out as the Boston Pops played the main theme to "The Magnificent Seven", originally composed by Elmer Bernstein, chosen to collectively represent Manager Terry Francona and his team of six coaches.

The main theme to "Superman", composed by John Williams, was performed by the Boston Pops when Captain and Catcher Jason Varitek, Catcher Kevin Cash and former Catcher Doug Mirabelli received their rings. The music represented Jason Varitek's signature at-bat song "Kryptonite" by the band 3 Doors Down.

The main theme to "Raiders of the Lost Ark", composed by John Williams, was played as the starting pitchers received their rings. The song was chosen to embody the 'go-getter' spirit of the pitching staff that was best embodied by the Indiana Jones character.

The 2007 Infield received their World Championship rings to the tune of the popular "James Bond Theme", originally composed by Monty Norman, representing their slick defensive and dashing offensive capabilities.

The Outfield received their rings to the strains of the John Williams masterpiece "The Throne" and End Titles in "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope", which was selected because of its regality and splendor reflecting the myriad personalities of the Red Sox' spectacular outfield last season.

The Bullpen from last season received their rings to the tune of "He's a Pirate" from the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series, which was chosen to appropriately represent the 'pirate' theme that the bullpen went by the entire season last year.

Closer Jonathan Papelbon, of course, received his ring to his signature song, "Shipping Up to Boston", by the Dropkick Murphys.

Designated Hitter David Ortiz, responsible for so many exciting walk-off wins during his tenure here in Boston, received his ring to the Red Sox' victory song at Fenway Park, "Dirty Water" by The Standells.

Once the rings were presented, David Ortiz lead the team (with the exception of Jason Varitek who returned to the bullpen and Opening Day starting pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka - who did not receive his ring during the presentation - because he was also in the bullpen) to centerfield for the raising of the 2007 World Series flag.

Bill Buckner, the outstanding hitter known for a costly World Series error threw out the ceremonial first pitch to a loud standing ovation. It was a strike to former teammate Dwight Evans. The experience, Buckner said, was "probably about as emotional as it could get."

The fine-fielding first baseman knew the same old questions would crop up about that play 22 years ago that has been replayed on television hundreds of times. At first, he turned down the team's request. A few days later he agreed to return to Fenway Park for the first time since 1997 when he was batting coach with the Chicago White Sox.

"I really had to forgive," he said after collecting himself, "not the fans of Boston per se, but I would have to say, in my heart, I had to forgive the media ..."

Another pause, this one for 10 seconds, before he continued,"... for what they put me and my family through. So I've done that. I'm over that. And I'm just happy that I just try to think of the positive. The happy things."

The ceremony was "tremendous," Boston catcher Jason Varitek said. "Hopefully, it allows him to enjoy his life and people to enjoy the career that he did have."

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

I'll add more as I find them!

The Game:

Daisuke Matsuzaka combined with two relievers on a five-hit shutout as Boston blanked Detroit, 5-0, in the 96th home opener at historic Fenway Park.

Matsuzaka allowed just four hits, while walking four and striking out seven for the defending World Series champion Red Sox, who snapped a three- game skid and have won four consecutive home openers. Manny Delcarmen and Hideki Okajima combined to finish things from there.

Kevin Youkilis was 3-for-3 with a run scored and a pair of runs batted in. J.D. Drew and Coco Crisp also drove in a run apiece.

Kenny Rogers (0-2) was touched for three runs -- two earned -- on eight hits in 4 2/3 innings en route to the loss.

The Red Sox jumped on top with a run in the second. Drew led off the frame with a single up the middle, moved to second on a Rogers balk and advanced to third on a Jason Varitek base hit before crossing the plate on Crisp's sacrifice fly to center.

Boston added another run in the third when Tigers second baseman Placido Polanco's 187-game errorless streak ended. Manny Ramirez belted a deep fly ball to center field and was trying to leg out a triple when Brandon Inge fired the ball into Polanco. The second baseman turned and tried to gun down Ramirez at third but the ball got past Miguel Cabrera, enabling Ramirez to score.

The BoSox made it 3-0 in the third when Julio Lugo got on with an infield single, moved to third on a Dustin Pedroia base hit and scored on Youkilis' sac fly to center.

Boston put things away with two more runs in the sixth. Lugo singled to center and scored on Youkilis' one-out double to left. Jason Grilli then lost the strike zone. The reliever walked David Ortiz before getting Ramirez to ground out to third. He then issued consecutive walks to Mike Lowell and Drew to force in another run and make it a 5-0 game.

"It's great to be back home," said Jason Varitek. "We had a little better beat to our step."

The Captain was 2-4 today with 2 singles.

Final Score: Red Sox 5, Tigers 0

To see photos from the game, click here.

Jason's current stats: AVG .296 | HR 2 | RBI 3

First Look!

April 8, 2008 - Morning Update

The Boston Globe gives us the first look at the 2007 World Series Ring.

John W. Henry, principal owner of the Sox, will be ring master this afternoon at Fenway Park when he and fellow owners Tom Werner and Larry Lucchino present the players with their spoils for winning the 2007 Series. Unlike White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf, who commissioned his wife to design the ring after Chicago won in 2005, Henry did it mostly himself, just as he did after the Sox won in 2004. And he is keeping the details a secret.

"There was an early version of the ring that didn't have as many diamonds," Werner said, "but when David Ortiz said, 'There should be more bling,' we agreed."

The Sox didn't skimp when they gave out a record 500 rings for 2004 - a ruby "B" was bedecked with 14 large diamonds, with another five dozen smaller diamonds adding sparkle to the ring face - and the new jewelry promises to be far more precious than the watch fobs, pendants, and medals presented to Sox champions from an earlier time.

"Everyone seems very happy with it. We put the trophy on both rings, but this year my daughter gave us the idea of having two trophies on the rings for staff and players who were here in 2004. Sylvia Moon [Henry's special assistant] spearheaded the effort."

"I try not to flaunt it," Sox captain Jason Varitek said about wearing his first World Series ring, "but I try not to be too bashful about it, either. Friends and family want to see it. That's the neatest. When we go to Detroit, I've got a lot of relatives there, and it disappears out of my hands for a while. People take pictures, they say, 'Man, this is heavy.' "

To see more photos of the 2007 ring (above), click here.

With any luck, I will have more photos in that album by the end of the day!

Opening Day - Ring Ceremony: Full Of Surprises

April 8, 2008 - Early AM Update

From MLB.com:

For the second time in four years, the Red Sox will be commemorating the start of a new season by celebrating the one that just went by. That's what happens when you win the World Series.

The ceremonies should kick off about an hour before the 2:05 p.m. ET first pitch against the Tigers. In other words, the Red Sox are strongly advising fans to come to the game early. Gates open at 11:35 a.m.

Some of the events have been made public, such as the fact that all the returning players from last year's team -- and also former catcher Doug Mirabelli and retired utility infielder Royce Clayton -- will collect their rings as part of the poignant pregame ceremony.

But the Red Sox also have a couple of surprises up their sleeve. Who will throw out the first pitch?

"It will be a great day," said Red Sox chairman Tom Werner. "We have a lot of surprises -- [including a] very exciting surprise about who is throwing out the first pitch so I'm going to tease everybody about it -- but it will be a great experience. We've got a lot of great plans. Opening Days are great, but to combine it with the ring ceremony will be terrific."

Any more hints on who will throw out that first pitch?

"All I can say is," said Werner, "I think everyone will get goosebumps."

One can only guess what the Sox might have in store this time. While the Boston Symphony Orchestra will play the national anthem and contribute music throughout the pregame ceremony, Werner also said the club will have another secret guest singing "God Bless America."

The eight players who saw action for the Red Sox of 2004 and 2007 -- Jason Varitek, Curt Schilling, David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, Mike Timlin, Tim Wakefield, Kevin Youkilis and Doug Mirabelli -- will have a different ring than the others. There will be some type of inscription regarding both seasons on those eight rings.

The ceremonies will begin with a parade of flags belonging to 62 different nations on the warning track by the Green Monster. The nations represented by these flags either count Red Sox Nation members as its residents or have citizens who have been in touch with the club's front office via letters and e-mails professing their love for the team.

In addition to the ring ceremony, championship banners will be unfurled from the Green Monster and the 2007 World Series pennant will be hoisted by members of the team on the center-field flag pole.

If you're feeling nostalgic, you can check out screen captures from the 2005 Ring Ceremony, including larger versions of Jason's ring (above) by clicking here.

Hopefully, I will have news and photos to add from today's ceremony later in the afternoon.

Home Run #150 For 'TEK!

April 7, 2008

Jason's home run in yesterday's game marked his 150th - all as a member of the Red Sox, moving him past Reggie Smith and into 16th place on the Sox' all-time list.

His first major league home run came on May 10, 1998 off Kansas City's Jose Rosado in the fifth inning at Kaufman Stadium. It was a 2-run blast to deep left.

Jason wore the number 47 from 1997 until August, 1999.

Unfortunately, I don't have a photo of his first home run, but I do have some photos from the '98 season (like the photo above) that you can check out here.

News, Notes & Quotes:

From the Globe & Mail -

Someone asked Boston Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek how he felt yesterday after the club was swept out of Toronto with a 7-4 Blue Jays win.

"That doesn't matter," Varitek said. "We just need to pitch a little better and play a little better defence. The bats I don't worry about."

From the Providence Journal -

After yesterday's game the Red Sox finally headed for home, putting an end to a 19-day road trip that featured games in Japan, the West Coast and Canada.

But no one in the clubhouse was using the journey as a reason for the team's 3-4 record.

"We just have to keep playing. No excuses," said captain and starting catcher Jason Varitek. "Some normalcy will be nice, getting back and getting going in front of our fans, playing some night games so we can get back into (the normal grind)."

Varitek said the team's record at this point could be attributed in part to the difficult and unusual travel schedule, but there's a simple bottom line to it all, he said.

"We just have to play better baseball," said Varitek.

Quotes during yesterday's game from TBS game announcer Buck Martinez (who also managed Team USA in the 2006 World Baseball Classic):

"Dustin Pedroia is not quite a leader yet but he certainly will be. Right now, the leader of the Red Sox is Jason Varitek because Terry Francona knows that he is the personality of the team." -- When asked during the telecast if Pedroia is a leader.

And:

"Terry Francona won the World Series with the team in 2004 and they were the self-proclaimed 'idiots'. They changed their personality dramatically after the 2004 season. In the next 18 months they had a dramatic turnover. Guys like Youkilis who is very professional, very focused. Manny is very prepared, Dustin Pedroia is very intense, J.D. Drew is very quiet; he goes about his business and does it differently than anybody else.

They allowed the team to take over Jason Varitek's personality. He's very professional, studies his opponents in the clubhouse and knows all about what his pitching staff needs to do. And then Mike Lowell comes in and compliments that personality dramatically. This team handled it very well because they are professionals." -- When asked to describe the personality of the Red Sox now.

"We're Not Clicking On All Cylinders Just Yet"

April 6, 2008

Notes & Quotes (after yesterday's game):

From the Providence Journal -

No one is expecting Clay Buchholz to sail through his rookie season despite the lofty expectations he might have created last year by tossing a no-hitter in his second appearance in the big leagues.

And the "No-Hit Kid" didn't exactly breeze his way through the Toronto Blue Jays' minefield of a lineup yesterday at Rogers Centre.

But despite being tagged with the loss in his season debut in the Jays' 10-2 victory, Buchholz showed bits of promise of good things to come in allowing four runs, three of them earned, in five innings. He fanned seven and while his command came and went at times, he showed off an outstanding changeup and a knee-buckling curveball.

"He was pretty good," said catcher Jason Varitek. "We made some adjustments. He's still going to go through some bumps. He's got tremendous stuff. He'll just continue to get better."

The Red Sox, meanwhile, will need to get better if they want to successfully defend the World Series championship they racked up last fall.

"We're not clicking on all cylinders just yet," said Varitek after the Sox' bullpen was torched for six runs in the sixth, putting the game out of reach. "They've thrown the ball better and they've hit the ball better than us."

Of course, only six games have been played this year, and Boston is 3-3 with a tough travel schedule, notably games being played in three different countries - Japan, the United States and now here in Canada. So there's certainly no need to panic now.

In the fourth, a single to left by Lyle Overbay, a bunt single by Aaron Hill and a walk filled the bases with one out. Gregg Zaun hit a possible double-play grounder but Casey couldn't handle the hot grounder. The ball clanked off his glove for two runs and by the end of the inning, the Jays had a two-run lead.

Buchholz, though, rebounded with a spotless fifth. His only 1-2-3 inning, finishing his stint with a strikeout of Overbay on a nasty changeup.

"He had a strong fifth after that crazy inning but he was able to keep the damage to a minimum this time," added Varitek. "It was still only his first outing (of the year)."

Today's Game:

Home Run #2 For The Captain -

Jacoby Ellsbury started things for the Red Sox in the top of the third inning with a solo home run to right off Jays starter Roy Halladay. Jason Varitek followed with a solo home run of his own in the fifth that hit the Windows restaurant in straightaway center. To complete the Boston hat trick, right fielder J.D. Drew also added a solo home run to right in the eighth. David Ortiz had an RBI single in the eighth.

But that was all the offense the Sox could musteroff Halladay (1-1), who went eight innings allowing just four runs on eight hits. Mike Lowell singled to left and Jason singled to center in the ninth, but Julio Lugo popped out to end the the rally and the game.

Final Score: Blue Jays 7 , Red Sox 4

From Jeff Goldberg's blog in the Hartford Courant, post-game:

After a 7-4 loss in the third game of the series, the Red Sox insisted they would make no excuses. Sure, they're tired after being on the road for three weeks. But they instist their early-season schedule is not the reason for a 3-4 start.

"We just have to keep going out there and play right now," Jason Varitek said. "No excuses."

Ok, but a three-country voyage can't be good for guys accustomed to a routine. Players said they would relish a day off today, for the mere opportunity to spend time with their kids and (get some) sleep.

To read the rest of his blog, click here.

If you'd like to see a few screen captures from today's game, click here.

Jason's current stats: AVG .261 | HR 2 | RBI 3

Also Today:

I have added fan photos courtesy of Kathy Sferra once again! They are from her trip to spring training this year.

To view them, click here.

I have also added another "2008 official photo" here.

2008 Jason Varitek Baseball Camp

April 5, 2008

From the RBI Academy:

The Jason Varitek Baseball Camp will take place from August 10th through August 15th at Stonehill College in North Easton, MA.

Be a part of the most exciting camp New England has ever seen! The Jason Varitek Baseball Camp!

The Commuter Camp is conducted from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm each day for boys and girls ages 7-16. Tuition for day campers is $499.00 which includes daily activities and lunch each day.

The Overnight Camp is conducted for boys ages 9-16, with check-in on Sunday, August 10th. Tuition for overnight campers is $799.00, which includes all day and night activities, sleeping facilities, and three meals per day.

Jason will appear at the camp one day during the week to speak to campers as a group. He will also go from team to team and meet every camper!

Other professional players will also appear at the camp as their schedules permit!

Each camper can look forward to:

- Five days of top level instruction on the fundamentals of hitting, pitching, fielding, throwing, catching and base running.

- Baseball games and instructional drills daily.

- Autographed 8 x 10 color photo of Jason Varitek for each camper.

- Team photo with Jason.

- Jason Varitek Baseball Camp t-shirt and gift bag.

For more information, click here.

To see photos from Jason's 2007 Summer Camp, click here.

To see photos from Jason's 2006 appearance at the Winter Camp, click here.

I also have a few in the Gallery here (pages 1, 4 & 5).

The RBI Academy also has a Baseball Camp scheduled in July with special guest Manny Delcarmen. For more info, click here.

Win Tickets To A Red Sox vs. Yankees Game!

April 4, 2008

From Celebrities for Charities:

Here's your chance for you and a guest to enjoy a Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees game at Fenway Park.

Drawing Date: Thursday, April 10, 2008
Entry Deadline: 3:00 PM EDT Thursday, April 10, 2008
Tickets: $2.00 (minimum purchase of 5 tickets required)

Grand Prize:

- Winner and a guest will receive two State Street Pavilion Club Tickets to the Saturday, April 12, 2008, Red Sox vs. Yankees game at Fenway Park.

Help the Celebrities for Charity Foundation in its efforts to support local area charities, and, in return, you and a guest could enjoy the ultimate Red Sox experience.

To order your tickets, click here. You must be 18-years old to purchase raffle tickets.

Does the Celebrities for Charities organization sound familiar?

That's because they sponsor the Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt-Putt Tournament.

You can purchase tickets for this year's Putt-Putt Tournament, which takes place on June 9th (see Events section in the column on the right for more info), here.

"Varitek Could've Used A Replay"

April 3, 2008

From Jeff Goldberg, sportswriter for the Hartford Courant:

Jason Varitek left no doubt on his homer in the ninth inning Wednesday, clearing the fence in right with ease. He would have had two homers in two days if the umpires hadn't incorrectly ruled that a ball he hit Tuesday night was in play for a double, when it actually hit above the yellow line on the scoreboard.

It was another example where instant replay would have produced a correct call, something manager Terry Francona would love to see. Baseball's general managers voted 25-5 in the offseason to explore using replay for boundary calls like the Varitek non-homer.

"I wish they would put a fifth umpire in the booth," Francona said. "I think it would be a great teaching tool. There's a way it would be simple. I know you're talking about finances, but I don't see any drawbacks to the game. There's always ways to do things better. I think it would be fantastic.

"Sure, there has to be limitations, because the human element needs to stay in the game. But there's some things where you could have the human element, but he might be up higher [in the ballpark] and using some technology."

From umpire Rob Drake, on his blog (in the posted comments section) -

"I can admit when we messed up. I am holding in my hand, the DVD from last nights game. I have watched it about 20 times and I am telling you that the ball did NOT short-hop the wall, but instead hit the top corner of the wall and bounded up into the air.

They showed it on ESPN last night every hour and every time you can see the ball hit the line and IMMEDIATELY come back on the field. The ledge that is on that wall is about 5 feet wide and the ball would have vanished for a split second if it got to the back wall. It hit the yellow and that is why it came back immediately. I am not really trying to defend the call, but I am trying to show you how to examine a replay properly."

"Pillar Of Strength"

April 2, 2008 - Update

I have added a good article/interview by senior writer David Whitley of the Orlando Sentinel today to the Articles page.

Mr. Whitley quotes Jason and his mother and tells you a bit about the Captain that you may not have known (or not have read in the Bio on this site!).

Excerpt from the article:

The thing about Varitek is that he's always had that "C" on his mind, if not his chest. He's about as lighthearted as an IRS audit. All business, all the time.

"That's pretty much Jason," said his mother, Donna. "He's all work."

The Variteks moved to Longwood from Michigan when Jason was 7. He's the second-oldest son of Donna and Joseph Varitek, who named their boys Justin, Jason, Jared and Joe...Joseph taught his sons to take whatever they do seriously."

"He instilled that in us," Jason said. "Whatever you do, do it 100 or 110 percent, or you were not allowed to do it."

To go straight to the article, click here.

If you'd like to check out the few family photos I do have in the Gallery, click here.

Also Today:

Home Run #1

The Captain had another good day at the plate today, not just behind it!

He was 2-4 with a walk, a single to left in the fifth, and a home run in the ninth off A's closer Huston Street.

The homer gave the Red Sox their 5-0 win.

Behind the plate, the Captain's presense clearly paved the way for a sharp outing by Jon Lester. Lester pitched 6-2/3 scoreless innings today, allowing three hits with three walks the day after Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched 6-2/3 and struck out nine on Tuesday night in a 2-1 win.

What did Lester have going for him against Oakland? (RedSox.com):

"Command," said Sox catcher Jason Varitek, who blasted a solo homer to pad the lead in the ninth. "He was able to utilize both sides of the plate. He's got that powerful cutter and was able to bore in on hitters, but he opened up the whole plate, the other side of the plate. He got a lot of ground balls and a lot of sinkers, and he didn't have to throw as many cutters, which was a beautiful thing."

To see photos from this afternoon's game, click here.

Who's the Captain?"

"My grandson, who will soon turn 3, was showing us around his new house.

In his bedroom, decorated in a nautical theme, he proudly noted the sailing-related items around the room.

He also pointed out the brass plate on the door that said Captain's Quarters.

As he ran into his parents' room, I said: 'Hey, wait a minute. Who's the captain?' He immediately yelled back: 'Jason Varitek!'. " -- Christine Graber, Walpole

"The Captain Gives Sox Lead, Then Robbed"

April 1-2, 2008

It's 12:15 a.m. (I hate these west coast games!). For those that weren't crazy enough to stay up and watch the game:

From Nick Carfardo's Extra Bases blog this early morning -

After umpires convened to act on manager Terry Francona's protest, they ruled that Jason Varitek's drive to right, which looked as if went over the yellow marker just beneath the John Muir health sign, was a double and not a homer.

Nonetheless, it drove in Kevin Youkilis with two outs in the sixth to give Daisuke Matsuzaka and the Red Sox a 2-1 advantage.

Youkilis had tripled over Emil Brown's head in left with two outs. Brown went back for the ball, but he didn't go back far enough before making his leap.

Varitek was robbed by Travis Buck against the right-field wall in the fifth, but this time he got all of it. The Sox bench was waving home run, as was Varitek from second base, but after Francona's argument, umpires discussed and made their decision.

Jason was 2-4 tonight/this morning with a single in the top of the ninth. He also gunned down Oakland's catcher Kurt Suzuki attempting to steal second base in the first inning.

The Red Sox won, 2-1!

To see photos from the game, click here (I'll add more as I find them throughout the day).

America's Next Top Model?

April 1, 2008

Well maybe not, but it does appear that the Captain is Nike's latest top model!

Jason has surfaced in MLB's Opening Day catalog posing in his Nike attire again (see Picture-of-the-Week to the right), but this time the full-page ad has a retro poster-look to it with the tag lines:

"This is Baseball Country" and "In Tek we Trust."

"When you're the genuine article, it shows in what you do and what you wear."

Jason is actually the only player-model featured in MLB's catalog.

To see a larger version, click here.

Also Today:

Catching Up On Sleep (excerpt from an article in the Boston Herald) -

Fourteen days into an epic, three-week sojourn that features four Opening Day ceremonies in three countries, the Sox hope to set aside their lingering jet lag and resume the defense of the World Series title when Daisuke Matsuzaka opposes Joe Blanton in the rematch of last Tuesday's opener in Tokyo.

Unpredictable body fatigue remained a factor with both teams. Players struggled to find consistent sleep patterns and have found themselves in a mental fog at unexpected times.

"Physically, people are going through adjustments," catcher Jason Varitek said. "I'm going through some weird parts of days and evenings."

On Saturday night, before the exhibition game against the Dodgers before a record crowd of 115,300 at the Los Angeles Coliseum, Varitek fell into a deep sleep on a trainer's table and unknowingly broke into a cold sweat that briefly drew the concern of the team's medical staff.

To read the entire article, click here.

New Fan Photos Added!

March 31, 2008

Kathy Sferra sent some great photos of Jason from her trip to spring training which I have added here.

All of her photos can be enlarged for that ever-important desktop wallpaper!

*Kathy, thank you so much for sharing your pictures with us!

Today's news, notes and quotes:

From Mike Fine in his column today in the Patriot Ledger entitled, "The cast of the Red Sox" -

"There's little doubt why the Sox catching core is so solid, though, with Jason Varitek handling the day-to-day duties. Varitek last season struck out 122 times (twice more than the Yankees Alex Rodriguez) but raised his batting average from .238 to .255, with a .367 OPB. At age 35 his statistics generally ranked in the middle of the AL pack, but his knowledge and value to his pitching staff is at the head of the class."

To read the rest of his column, click here.

From Ian Browne's column on MLB.com -

After having the Opening Day stage to themselves in Tokyo, the Red Sox and A's were the only teams not scheduled to play on Monday.

"Seeing the games on TV kind of puts you in that perspective [of starting the season]," said Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek. "We still had to mentally be ready for the start of our season. It was pretty difficult going backwards after that."

In a way, however, it was necessary. The adjustment back to the United States time zone hasn't been an easy one.

"I think physically, people are going through adjustments with the different time zones," said Varitek. "Physically those were important days for us to hopefully get us acclimated to baseball. There's just been some weird parts of the days and evenings. I've had some nauseous days, where I was nauseous most of the afternoon."

How are Varitek and the Red Sox doing now, after a few days of re-adjusting?

"Pretty good," Varitek said. "Getting there."

To read Browne's column, click here.

From Dan Shaughnessy's column today in the Boston Globe -

Yesterday was odyssey day No. 12, the final day in southern California. Last night the Red Sox were scheduled to fly to San Francisco. Their next opener is tomorrow night at Oakland. Friday they open Rogers Centre in Toronto. The Fenway opener is a week from tomorrow - two weeks after the Japan opener, and 10 days after the Sox played in front of the largest crowd in baseball history.

The Sox looked pretty wobbly yesterday. They committed two errors and made two wild pitches...and the only Sox hit was a one-out flare in the eighth by Bobby Kielty.

"There was some adjustment coming back from Japan," said captain Jason Varitek. "I think that was evident the first night - the swings that were put on by the whole group weren't very good. We've got to focus on trying to make this team better. We're still trying to do that.

"Everybody's getting their work in. We're not necessarily locked in yet. We need to play. We've had a little start-stop, that kind of stuff, and we need to play."

To read the rest of Shaughnessy's column, click here.

And from Gordon Eades column in the Boston Globe -

"Catcher Jason Varitek was hitless in two at-bats but put the ball in play both times after striking out in nine of his previous 11 plate appearances. Varitek noted he only recently has begun sleeping with any regularity after the trip to Japan."

To read the rest of his column, click here.

Cover Story: USA Today Sports Weekly

March 30, 2008

The latest issue of USA Today's Sports Weekly (March 26-April 1) has Josh Beckett on the cover with the question, "Again? - Boston is loaded for another drive to a World Series Title."

Inside, they take an in-depth look at the line-up. Below is their take on the Captain:

Jason Varitek -

He was next to last in batting average among last year's regulars (.255), fourth on the club for homers (17), sixth in RBI (68), first in importance.

"You want your catcher to be indispensible," Francona said. "The problem is, when he goes down, you find out he is."

Varitek's .255 batting average last season was a 17-point improvement from 2006, when he was limited to 103 games by torn cartilage in his left knee. If there was any doubt about Varitek's importance, the 33 games he missed in August and early September 2006 settled the matter: The Red Sox went 10-23 without their captain and catcher, tumbling from a one-game lead in the American League East to a nine-game deficit enroute to missing the playoffs for the only time in the past five years.

But last year's numbers still are below Varitek's performance the three seasons before '06. He turns 36 on April 11, and the backup is now journeyman Kevin Cash with the next options a couple of unproven prospects in Class AAA: George Kottaras and Dusty Brown.

"We don't need to worry," Francona says of Varitek. "All the physical testing we do, he's at the top of the charts."

- You can purchase a copy and read the rest of the team report wherever USA Today newspapers are sold.

And for all the stat-happy nay-sayers out there who don't understand the value of 'Tek:

If you compare the stats of all MLB catchers for 2007, this is how Jason stacks up to the rest...

With 400 or more At-Bats:
OBP: 5th
Slugging: 8th
RBI: 6th
Runs: 5th
Home Runs: 7th
OPS: 5th

That's an average of 6th overall out of 30! Not bad for an "aging" catcher!

A big thank you to Joe for the stats assistance!

Just one photo...

I could only come up with one photo from the L.A. Colliseum last night -

A rather "artsy" shot from the lens of FOX Sports Broadcast Associate Bryan Biederman, from his blog.

To view it larger, click here.

A Few Photos Added...

March 28, 2008

I have added a photo from yesterday's voluntary work-out at Dodger Stadium to the 2008 Gallery. There may be a few others you haven't seen!

Click here to go right to it.

The last of the Japan photos have been added here.

I have also added a larger, brighter photo from the Olympia Sports Spring catalog here - a better size for that desktop wallpaper! (and the new Picture of the Week).

...And thank you to Kevin Watson for sending me a photo that he took of the Captain at the Rolling Rally.

I have added it (and a photo of the sign Kevin made for the Rally) to the Fan Photo Gallery.

Newbury Fine Arts to Unveil Varitek - Papelbon "Victory" Sculpture and "Boston Champs II" Painting

March 26, 2008

To help Red Sox fans gear up for Opening Day, Newbury Fine Arts will host famed sports artist Opie Otterstad as he unveils "Boston Champs II" commemorating the 2007 World Series Champion Boston Red Sox on Sunday, April 6th from 12:00pm - 5:00pm.

Bostonians will get a chance to view Otterstad's tribute art show including "Boston Champs II" and other Red Sox-related artwork. This special viewing is free and open to the public, and Otterstad will be on hand for a meet-and-greet and to answer questions from the crowd.

In addition to "Boston Champs II," Otterstad will exhibit his other masterpieces immortalizing current Red Sox players and Sox legends from previous decades.

*A special sculpture entitled "Victory" featuring Jason Varitek and Jonathan Papelbon will also be revealed that day.

Only 33 sculptures were created, symbolic of the number 33 that Jason Varitek adorns on his Boston Red Sox uniform.

Newbury Fine Arts is located at 29 Newbury Street, Boston, MA 02116

For more information on the event, click here.

To view the painting, go to Newbury Fine Arts site here.

Photos From Opening Day, 2008

March 25, 2008

The Red Sox won their opening day game against the Oakland Athletics in the Tokyo Dome today 6-5 in 10 innings.

I have added several photos of the Captain, including a team photo, to the Gallery.

To view them all, click here.

Record of Note: Jason Varitek started his ninth straight opener, the most Opening Day starts for a catcher in club history. It's the longest streak for any Red Sox player since outfielder Mike Greenwell started nine in a row from 1988 through 1996.

Also Today:

Some Quotes of Note -

The strongest candidate...

"Who is the one player the Red Sox can't afford to lose for an extended period? Before you say, 'Josh Beckett,' I've got a bigger candidate - Jason Varitek.

He is the glue to this team. And Kevin Cash, while a nice backup, is no Varitek.

The captain doesn't have to hit .275 and he doesn't have to hit 20 homers. All he has to do is play four out of every five days, and the Red Sox will be in the hunt.

He missed 32 straight games when the Sox were in the hunt in 2006 and the Sox lost 22 of them.

Varitek is too important with this pitching staff. He is basically a coach. If he goes, so goes the Sox chances."-- Sportswriter Bill Burt of the Eagle Tribune in an article featured here.

Dice-K on Tek...

"He spoke about the great charisma of Jason Varitek." -- Former Seibu pitcher Takashi Ishii on his conversation with Daisuke Matsuzaka during a golf outing this past winter (Boston Globe)

Press Conference: 2009 World Baseball Classic

March 24, 2008

From the Boston Herald & the Providence Journal this morning:

TOKYO - Because we are in the land of both the rising sun and all things that concern Daisuke Matsuzaka, one cannot speak with a member of the Red Sox organization without having a Japanese media reporter get in a Matsuzaka question.

At the World Baseball Classic press conference at the New Otani Hotel, the Red Sox were well-represented by Jason Varitek, David Ortiz and Alex Cora. When it came to the question-and-answer session, the Matsuzaka angle came up, of course, and Ortiz and Varitek got asked what it would be like to face the possibility of having to face Matsuzaka in a Japan uniform while they are wearing their Dominican Republic or U.S.A. uniforms.

Varitek got off the best line.

"By the time we get to next year, Dice will have another year under his belt with us, so as far as my offensive attack against him, I'll come up with that by then, but right now I'm going to bunt and then steal second," said Varitek.

Varitek acknowledged that Matsuzaka's tournament MVP performance in the 2006 WBC, which was won by Japan, had a great deal to do with the Red Sox' presence in Japan at this very moment.

"Dice has done a great job for us and without the World Baseball Classic, he might not be a Red Sox right now and he might not be a part of a world championship or aiding us to winning a world championship," said Varitek. "So this whole venue allows us now the opportunity for the exposure for Daisuke to come up and play with us and ultimately win a world championship. I look forward to another year of playing with him and getting to know him as a player and as a person."

The second World Baseball Classic, to be staged in March 2009, will be conducted under a new format and contested in cities that weren't hosts in the inaugural tournament in 2006.

All first-round sites will be outside the continential United States. The sites will include Toronto, San Juan, Mexico City and Tokyo. Second-round sites, as well as sites for the semifinals and finals, will be announced within a few weeks.

The United States will compete in Pool C, along with Canada, Italy and Venezuela. Those games will be played at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, home of the Blue Jays, from March 8-12, 2009.

The 2009 WBC will feature an altered format, with double-elimination in the first round rather than round-robin pool play. Also, the tournament will feature crossover play in the semifinals. Those changes were implemented to eliminate complicated tiebreakers and to eliminate the possibility of two teams meeting three times in the first few rounds.

Red Sox DH David Ortiz, one of a handful of players on hand for the announcement, looked forward to playing for the Dominican Republic again.

"It was an honor to represent my country," he said. "I think it was a great idea and I'm pretty sure the second one is going to be as good as the first one."

Red Sox captain Jason Varitek termed his experience "a phenomenal time. The excitement was far beyond what we had imagined as players. ... I would encourage any of the American players to play."

To view photos from today's press conference, check out the WBC album here.

Also Today:

From an article in the L.A. Times entitled, "Red Sox fans come to grips" -

The Yankees were a dynasty, winning 26 World Series titles. The Red Sox were a travesty, losing in ways comic -- It gets through Buckner! -- and tragic.

But in recent years that has changed. The Red Sox are now baseball's dominant team, with last fall's World Series sweep of the Colorado Rockies giving them two championships in four seasons. The Yankees haven't won since Bill Clinton was in the White House.

So when Boston opens the season Tuesday against the Oakland Athletics in Tokyo, the location won't be the only unusual thing about the game. Stranger still will be the expectations surrounding the Red Sox, who are favored to repeat as World Series champions for the first time since 1916.

"It feels different because we're not in the losers' bracket anymore," said Sam Sereppa, a Red Sox fan from Maine. "Even I feel strange about it."

It feels different in the clubhouse too, says catcher Jason Varitek. At least it does for players such as Varitek, who has been in Boston long enough to remember when the Red Sox would annually disappoint their fans.

This season that pressure is gone.

"You don't have to deal with the piano that was put on your back from all the heartache and everything that our fans have gone through for these last 86 years," he said. "The longer you were here, the more you understood how big that piano was. But the attitude, it can change by winning.

And the attitude for our fan base changed by winning. Finally they didn't get their hearts broken."

"When I first got here there was just this sense of what was going to go wrong to not allow us to win a World Series," said catcher Doug Mirabelli, who was released this spring after seven years in Boston, where he played on both Red Sox championship teams. "It was always like a fantasy to talk about what would happen if we ever did win a World Series. But the belief really wasn't there that it could happen."

That changed, Varitek said, in the 2004 playoffs when the Red Sox, down three games to none against the Yankees, rallied behind some inexplicable fortune to win the ALCS before sweeping the Cardinals, baseball's best team in the regular season, in the World Series.

Then came last fall, when the Colorado Rockies arrived in Boston having won 21 of their last 22 games, only to get demolished by the Red Sox in four straight.

The challenge now is to keep winning. And if they don't? Well, at least they won't have a curse to blame.

"They don't talk about it no more," designated hitter David Ortiz said with a smile. "The worst that can happen is we wait another 86 years. I'm not going to play that long."

To read the entire article, click here.

News, Notes, Pics & Quotes

March 23, 2008 - Happy Easter!

From the Red Sox Official Site this morning:

Tokyo - Before Sunday's game, fans at the Tokyo Dome were treated to a scoreboard montage of the Red Sox's magical postseason run of 2007. By the time the contest between the Sox and Yomiuri Giants was actually underway, J.D. Drew re-created one of those moments live and in the flesh, bashing a grand slam to left-center. The Red Sox went on to win the exhibition game 9-2.

For the second day in a row, the Red Sox faced off against a tradition-laden franchise from Japan. A day after edging the Hanshin Tigers, the Sox went against the Yomiuri Giants, the most revered franchise in the history of Japanese baseball.

It's doubtful the Giants have seen a knuckleball quite like the one floated by venerable Boston righty Tim Wakefield. Yomiuri did scrape one run across in the first on an RBI single by Seung-Yeop Lee and another in the fourth on a double play grounder by Yoshitomo Tani, but Wakefield cruised for most of his outing.

Over 5 2/3 innings, Wakefield scattered five hits and two runs, walking one and striking out three. Hideki Okajima marked his return to Tokyo Dome -- his home venue for his 11 seasons with the Yomiuri Giants -- by firing a scoreless inning.

Notes:

World-class announcement (from the Boston Herald today) -

Major League Baseball will hold a press conference Monday morning at the team's hotel to kick off preparations for next year's World Baseball Classic. Information such as venues, team pools and a host of new changes in the format will be unveiled. Commissioner Bud Selig's flight is landing too late for him to attend, but Bob Dupuy, president and chief operating officer of Major League Baseball, is among the MLB brass to be on hand. Jason Varitek and Alex Cora, as well as some members of the A's, are supposed to be there as well.

Meet the 2008 Boston Red Sox (from the Boston Globe today) -

Jason Varitek, Catcher:

Fast fact: Red Sox pitchers were 74-48, 3.79 with Varitek catching; 22-18, 4.08 with others.

Lowdown: Varitek doesn't have to learn new pitchers this spring, so he should have more time to concentrate on his offense. He hit .255 with 17 home runs last season, numbers the Sox would gladly take again, especially if he can help Josh Beckett and Daisuke Matsuzaka replicate their success.

*To "meet" the rest of the 2008 Red Sox, click here.

Quotes:

Going gets tougher in the American League (from the New Hampshire Union Leader today) -

The Red Sox squad that won last year's World Series remains intact. Yet even with that continuity, the team acknowledges that it cannot rest on its laurels if it hopes to repeat.

"We need to take strides to be better," said Sox catcher Jason Varitek. "I believe that if we stay constant, then the league is going to pass us up." Varitek's perspective is understandable. The American League seems stacked, denying the Sox the possibility of complacency.

*To read the entire article, click here.

More than just a side job (from the Boston Globe today) -

You want to know, Sox catcher Jason Varitek says, why Francona is such a good manager?

"As a manager, you're as good as the people you've surrounded yourself with, and he's surrounded himself with pretty doggone good coaches," Varitek said. "We got the best bench coach [Mills], the best catching coach [Gary Tuck], the best pitching coach [John Farrell]. He's been able to surround himself with very significant people, and that makes you a great manager right there."

*To read the entire article, click here.

More Pics:

I've added a few more this morning.

To see the latest photos of the Captain in Japan, click here (pages 1-3).

Red Sox 6, Hanshin Tigers 5

March 22, 2008

The Boston Red Sox defeated the Hanshin Tigers 6-5 today, during an exhibition game at the Tokyo Dome. David Ortiz homered in the first inning, smacking a solo shot under the Tokyo Dome roof and over the left-field wall. It was his first at-bat in the country since 2004, when he hit a 514-foot homer in the same stadium.

That started the Red Sox to a 6-5 exhibition win over the Hanshin Tigers, the first of Boston's four games on the trip. The World Series champions meet the Yomiuri Giants in another exhibition Sunday then play the first two games of the regular season against the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

J.D. Drew added a three-run homer to left-center that made it 4-0 in the first. Mike Lowell (2-3 with a walk), Kevin Youkilis (2-5 with 2 RBIs) and Big Papi (2-4 with an RBI) all had two hits for the Sox. Jason Varitek picked up three walks in the game.

"It was different," Francona said. "I'm not sure we knew what to expect."

Before the game, the sound system played "Eye of the Tiger" in recognition of Hanshin's players. And after the top of the eighth, a recording of Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" filled the ballpark, just as it does at the same point in Boston's home games.

To see the latest photos of the Captain, click here.

"Boston Should 'Value' Varitek"

March 21, 2008

From the column of Pawtucket Times sports editor Terry Nau today:

Listening to Jason Varitek praise Boston's support staff in an ESPN interview while negotiations were going on with Major League Baseball officials, one couldn't help but appreciate what a standup guy the captain of the Red Sox has been for the past decade and more.

I've heard some Red Sox fans criticize Varitek for his offensive stats. They don't think the team should extend his contract, which expires after this season. Those are the fans who do not understand the game. They google-search statistics over the Internet and think they can quantify the value of a player.

What they don't realize is how a catcher is involved in every pitch of the game. While Manny Ramirez crouches in left field between pitches, wondering when the moon will rise over the grandstand, Varitek is running the game, talking to his pitchers, getting signals from the dugout, and giving signs, not only to the pitcher but to his middle infielders as well.

Maybe the Sox will get lucky and trade for a young catcher this season. Maybe George Kottaras will develop some defensive skills this year in Pawtucket to go along with his improving offense. Even so, the Sox would be making a big mistake if they don't re-sign Varitek for at least two more years.

The problem, of course, is the Yankees gave Jorge Posada four years and $52M to stick around. Varitek's agent is Scott Boras. So you know where this is heading. Unless Varitek intervenes in the negotations process next October, he's heading to the free agent market.

Also Today:

From the Boston Herald:

Jason Varitek and Mike Lowell took the stage together to answer a few questions. The process took awhile, since their remarks had to be translated, plus English questions had to be translated for the Japanese, Japanese questions had to be translated for the players and U.S. media and -- you get the picture.

After one such back-and-forth in which Lowell answered a question and then Varitek was asked for his response. He paused and said, grinning widely, "Can you repeat the question?"

I have added quite a few photos from Japan!

To view the latest, click here (pages 1 & 2).

Sox Arrive Safely In Japan

March 20, 2008

From the Boston Globe's Dan Shaughnessy this afternoon:

There was no daylight to tell the Red Sox what time it was when they touched down in the Land of the Rising Sun. It was early Friday morning in Japan, late Thursday morning back in Boston, and infinitely timeless in the minds and bodies of the exhausted world champions.

The 18-day, three-country, nearly 16,000-mile sojourn started eventfully when the Red Sox threatened to boycott their final exhibition game Wednesday afternoon. In support of coaches and staff who weren't receiving the $40,000 compensation being offered to players, the Sox were prepared to cancel the game and stay in Florida until the matter was settled.

After a settlement was reached, the Sox cam