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33 - Varitek, Jason
catcher
Height: 6-2 Weight: 220 lbs. Throws: Right Bats: Both Born: April 11, 1972 Scouting Report Hitting The switch-hitting Varitek recovered his old stroke last year after a bad wrist hampered him in 2000. He's a good low-ball hitter and is dangerous from either side of the plate. He pulls most of his home runs but can send liners off the Wall from either side. In the past two years he's become more patient and has steadily developed into a better two-strike hitter. He tends to be streaky, since he sees defense as his primary responsibility and is willing to play through injuries that only affect his swing. Baserunning & Defense Varitek works as hard at his defense and pitch-calling as any catcher in the game, and the Red Sox have had a much lower ERA with him behind the plate in each of the last two years. The club's disdain of the slide-step has hurt his caught-stealing numbers, but he's an above-average thrower, especially when compared to his replacement, Scott Hatteberg. Varitek's heavy legs are no asset on the basepaths.
