Varitek finally living up to expectations
HOWARD ULMAN, AP Sports Writer
FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) -- Jason Varitek has heard the compliments but prefers not to listen. He'd rather spend his time crouching behind home plate, calling pitches and helping the Boston Red Sox win games.
After just one full season, he's risen to the upper echelon of AL catchers, second only to 1999 MVP Ivan Rodriguez, according to preseason publications. He provided surprising punch last season with 20 homers and 76 RBIs.
He also had something to do with a pitching staff that led the AL with a 4.00 ERA led by Pedro Martinez's league-best 2.07.
"I was fortunate to have the opportunity to play," Varitek said. "I don't read the preseason predictions because they don't mean anything. All that means something is if we win. If I don't go back there and do my job on defense, we won't have a chance to win."
Varitek, a college teammate of Red Sox shortstop Nomar Garciaparra at Georgia Tech, was acquired with reliever Derek Lowe in a lopsided traded with Seattle for closer Heathcliff Slocumb on July 31, 1997.
In 1998, Varitek and Scott Hatteberg platooned at catcher. But an elbow injury that sidelined Hatteberg for most of last season gave Varitek his chance. He played 144 games and hit .269 last year.
Another statistic may give a better indication of Varitek's value.
"From the seventh inning on, the league hit .236 against us. That's by far the lowest," Boston pitching coach Joe Kerrigan said. Anaheim was second at .252.
"That's one of the key reasons why we were as good as we were. We shut teams down the last nine outs and most of that credit has to go to Jason Varitek and his understanding of the hitters, understanding of situations. Without Jason Varitek, we're just another staff."
Boston, coming off two straight 90-plus win seasons, should start this season with a better staff than it had last spring training. The rotation of Pedro and Ramon Martinez, Tim Wakefield, Jeff Fassero and Brian Rose could be formidable. The experienced bullpen includes closer Derek Lowe, Rod Beck, Rheal Cormier and Rich Garces.
Varitek isn't afraid to disagree with any of them, if he thinks he has a better idea of what pitch to throw. Even with Pedro Martinez.
"When you have a veteran pitcher, they know what they can and can't do," Varitek said. "If you totally disagree, that's when it's time to call timeout. But you don't go out there saying, 'OK, Pedro's going to call this pitch. I'm not going to think.'"
The acquisition of Fassero and center fielder Carl Everett seems to have improved Boston, which finished just four games behind the Yankees in the AL East.
The Red Sox beat Cleveland in the AL division series before losing to the Yankees 4-1 in the AL championship series.
"I didn't last year look at any reason why they were any better," Varitek said. "They just beat us."
Varitek already has had a very good year. His first child, Alexandra Rose, was born Jan. 14.
"It's the most amazing thing that's ever happened to me," he said.
When it comes to baseball, he takes the good things in stride, even when he emerged as one of the game's top catchers.
"I look at it as I was fortunate to have the opportunity to play," he said.