Varitek in no condition to slow down

March 9, 2008 | Boston Herald | By Alex Speier

 

FORT MYERS - Because of his position and his age, it is almost inevitable that catcher Jason Varitek faces questions about longevity. Yet members of the Red Sox insist that such inquiries are terribly misguided.


There is an undeniable history of catchers whose productivity declines by their early- or mid-30s, a reflection of the grind of baseball’s most physically taxing position. Yet Varitek doesn’t fit into the mold of those whose skills decline at such a career stage.


"He’s going to be 36 here pretty soon. He’s got the body of a 25-, 26-year-old. And I think he’s got the mind of a 56- or 66-year-old. That’s a pretty good combination," said bullpen coach and catching instructor Gary Tuck. "No. 1, he was blessed with a perfect catcher’s body to take a workload like that. No. 2, he’s got 9.7 percent body fat, which is unheard of for a catcher at any age."


Varitek’s conditioning is exceptional not merely for those who play his position. When he reported to spring training last month, the captain went through the same battery of strength and flexibility tests to which all of his teammates were subjected. The results?


"He led the camp in all of the testing," said manager Terry Francona. "You talk about making concessions (based on age). I’m not sure you’re supposed to. . . . There’s not really any reason. Because of his work ethic, he’s going to be prepared."


Last season, Varitek continued to perform at an elite level for catchers at age 35. Despite a low batting average (.255), the switch hitter ranked fifth in both on-base percentage (.367) and OPS (.788) among catchers while clubbing the sixth-most home runs (17).

While putting up those strong numbers with a bat, Varitek continued to earn raves from the pitching staff for his leadership and pitch calling. His work behind the plate also remained outstanding.


"He blocked over 730 baseballs, and went a month and a half in the season without allowing a wild pitch," said Tuck. "That’s unheard of."


Such totals bolster Varitek’s commitment to play the game for as long as he can. Rather than forecasting decline, the catcher feels that he is capable of maintaining his perch among the game’s top receivers.


"I’m in a different state than I was a year ago, health-wise. I feel pretty good. It’s encouraging," said Varitek. "I don’t want to do this and be crippled and not do this productively, but I don’t see any reason not to do this as long as I can."