Is Varitek Really A Switch-Hitter?
More: Boston Red Sox, Jason Varitek
Now that we know Jason Varitek is coming back to the Red Sox, let’s think about how he can improve on a putrid 2008 season.
The most glaring issue is the alleged switch-hitting tag. Over the past three season (2006-2008), Varitek is batting .238 with .230 left-side and .258 right-side. Even in this explosive offensive age, you can live with a ~.260 hitter at important defense position like catcher or shortstop. Last year when he was hitting was truly nauseating, he hit .220 for the season by going .201 left-handed yet a whopping .284 when batting right-handed, his nature side. (Note: Watching Varitek hit left-handed is like watching Michael Vick at a PETA rally: awkward and painful.)
How can his season avg be so crappy when he is a better than avg hitter from the right-side? Because of the stupid lefty/righty matchup baseball tradition Tek hit from the left-side nearly 78% of the time!
The question is: should Varitek hit only from the right-side regardless of the pitcher? I say yes. Would his average be .284 if he hit righty against lefty pitchers, absolutely not. But would it be as bad as .201? Can’t be.
If Varitek wants to play for the Red Sox he should only be a right-handed batter. Theo beat him down on the money, he should beat him down on this one too.
Varitek Swallow Pride
More: Boston Red Sox, Jason Varitek, Scott Boras
He’s back:
Jason Varitek and the Red Sox have agreed to a one-year contract with an option, a baseball source confirmed to the Globe’s Tony Massarotti.
Varitek will earn $5 million in 2009, with the club holding a $5 million option for 2010. If the Red Sox do not pick up that option, Varitek has the choice of remaining with the club on a $3 million deal. In ‘10, he can earn another $2 million in incentives based on playing time, beginning at 80 games started.
Source: boston.com
So who won? Theo - in a Mike Tyson mid-80s TKO in 1:29 of the first round kind of victory. The value of this deal, if Varitek plays in 2010 with be less than he could have gotten for the 2009 season if he had accepted arbitration.
So if anyone is keeping score, that’s now Theo 2, Scott Boras Infinity.
Now how this plays out for Manny Ramirez, who is facing a similar zero leverage situation, will certainly be interesting. The difference being of course that Manny is first ballot Hall of Fame player who can still hit .300. Tek? More like .200.
Herm Joining ESPN
More: ESPN, Herm Edwards
Herm Edwards was well-known for his soundbites while coaching the Kansas City Chiefs and New York Jets. Now he’ll be taking his talking talents to ESPN.
Edwards, recently fired as head coach of the Chiefs, is joining ESPN as a NFL studio analyst and will start in mid-February.
Source: ESPN
Another studio analyst? I stopped watching ESPN football coverage years ago after the crew expanded past Berman, T.J. and Mort. Yet it still grows larger every day.
The real question: How many times is “You play to win the games” going to be said during these broadcasts? I can’t imagine a single show with Herm where someone doesn’t say it at least once. That’s like seeing Olivia Wilde and not yelling “Her father is the district attorney!” It can’t happen.
Varitek Has Until Friday
More: Boston Red Sox, Jason Varitek, Scott Boras
Jason Varitek has until Friday to accept a deal from the Boston Red Sox. The details of the offered are here in a blog by Rob Bradford:
WEEI.com has learned from a source close to the negotiations that the two-year offer made by the Red Sox to catcher Jason Varitek is for $5 million for the first year, along with a club option for $5 million or a $3 million player option for season No. 2 of the deal.
Source: weei.com
Hmmm, sounds just almost exactly like the Petite deal that I said Varitek should be expecting just yesterday.
Boras Says Manny Has Several Suitors
More: Los Angeles Dodgers, Manny Ramirez, MLB, Scott Boras
Several?!?!? Since when does several = one, Scott Boras?
“We are negotiating with several teams,” Boras said Monday night. “The process has begun and we’ll see where it takes us.”
Source: mlb.com
Please no one fall for this rouse, AGAIN. Please, I beg of you. Manny Ramirez has exactly one more suitor than Jason Varitek. That would be one.
The Dodgers are Manny’s only choice and I’d be shocked if he got the 2 year/$46M offer that was made at the start of free agency.
And are wearing no clothes Scott Boras. You are bluffing holding a 7-2 off-suit. I hope the Dodgers are not afraid to call you.
Petite Signs with Yanks for $5.5M
Andy Petite wanted closer to the $16M he made last year. The New York Yankees offered $10M. Petite didn’t want to be embarrassed by taking such a huge pay cut. Months and months passed with no offers. Eventually, reality kick in and Petite signed for nearly 1/2 of what was first offered, though he has incentives to make $10M total based on performance.
Now, I’m looking at you, Jason Varitek. Sound familiar? This is the reality staring you in the face. Face it - Scott Boras screwed you. You’ve always been overrated, but now you can’t hit better than .220 and still expected a multi-year deal with a pay raise over the $10M you made in 2008. I don’t want the Boston Red Sox to take you back, however, from your perspective, you need to swallow your pride and a take Petite-like deal with the before it’s too late and you end up with a minor league contract with the Brewers.
Cashman Hopes Yanks Rally Around AROD
More: Alex Rodriguez, Brian Cashman, MLB, New York Yankees
There is comedy. There is high comedy. And then there is Brian Cashman thinking the Yankees will rally around A-ROD after being called by Joe Torre in his upcoming book “The Yankee Years” for being a selfish, stats-happy, attention whore, who comes up small in big games.
“I think we’ve gone through so much of the Alex stuff that, you know, if anything, maybe this brings people closer together,” Cashman said Monday during a conference call to announce Andy Pettitte was returning to the team in 2009.
Source: ESPN
Come on, Cashman. Yes, it’s the right thing to say. But how about the fact his teammates are right to loathe him? And that everything Torre has to say is true? And that Jeter is rightfully disgusted by A-ROD? And that it’s so painfully obvious to anyone who follows baseball? No one needed Torre to tell us this - it just validates what everyone believed to be true.
*SHAKING HEAD*
Alex Rodriguez can not make plays on the big stage, folks. The Yankee fans know it and boo him mercilessly. Sounds like Cashman is just trying to convince himself after signing A-ROD for another $300M.
T.O.T.V.
More: Dallas Cowboys, NFL, Terrell Owens
Not like there weren’t enough distractions in the Cowboys organization, but now Terrell Owens might be getting a reality show:
VH1 announced Monday that the series takes place in the offseason, and T.O.’s best friends and publicists — Monique Jackson and Kita Williams — will help him re-examine his personal life. The two will work as “matchmakers and therapists” for Owens.
Source: ESPN
Ugh. I just threw up in my mouth a little.
Michael Redd Tears ACL, MCL
More: Michael Redd, NBA
ACL = season ending + one year to get back 100%, if you ever get back. That sucks. I like Michael Redd. He’s always been good to me on Xbox Live.
Redd was injured in the third quarter of Milwaukee’s victory over Sacramento on Saturday night. Bucks general manager John Hammond said Sunday that an MRI exam on Redd’s knee revealed a torn ACL and MCL.
Source: ESPN.COM
No word yet if well-known destroyer of knees, Bernard Karmell Pollard, was in the area at the time of the accident.
Vince Young is Done
More: Jeff Fisher, Kerry Collins, NFL, Tennessee Titans, Vince Young
Let’s do the math. You can only have one starting quarterback. Vince Young is mentally weak, an improviser, and has sloppy mechanics. Kerry Collins is a veteran, efficient system quarterback carried the Titans to the best record in the NFL.
When Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher broke the news to Kerry Collins last week that he was headed to the Pro Bowl, he also communicated directly to Collins that he indeed wants him back as his starting quarterback in 2009, a team source told ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen.
Source: ESPN.COM
It is the right thing to do. Running the back, playing defense and limit turnovers (See 2009 Pittsburgh Steelers) will always win. Collins gives you a better chance to win than Vince.
But here is the real question: How good would the Titans be if they hadn’t thrown away the 3rd pick in 2006 on Vince and the 6th pick in 2005 on Adam “Pacman” Jones. Let’s see who they might have picked instead.
In 2005, the #11-#13 picks were DeMarcus Ware, Shawn Merriman (@12 - Wow!), and Jamal Brown. All Pro Bowlers with Merriman likely HOF-bound if he keeps up his current pace.
Now for 2006. Well, 2006 is actually a pretty poor draft, but they could have snagged CB Antonio Cromartie who was around until #19 when he was grabbed by the Chargers. (Note: Sheesh, that’s two awesome mid-round picks by SD. Totally unrelated, but that’s worthy noting. Wow. Good job, Chargers.)
And one more thing. Anyone who doesn’t see a whole lot of Vince Young in Tim Tebow isn’t paying attention.
