2008-12-07T22:49:51-05:00 <p>Longtime Red Sox catcher <strong>Jason Varitek</strong> is planning to reject Boston's offer to arbitrate by tonight's midnight deadline, SI.com has learned.</p> <p>Beyond a few relief pitchers, very few of the 24 players offered arbitration are expected to accept, &nbsp;but Varitek was seen as a possibility since he made $10.4 million last year and would likely beat that in arbitration, even after a poor season offensively.</p> Varitek will reject Red Sox arbitration offer 2008-12-07T14:37:43-05:00 27 2008-12-07T14:37:43-05:00 1 3 10 2008-12-07T16:38:13-05:00 27 NY CAP75 Elmont 533819 First off, I'd never use Zito's name while trying to get a deal for my client.... 17 Really great point. Best comment post thus far. Varitek, when combining Off &amp; Def, is only marginally better than Jose Molina right now. And many would debate that as well. Tek's value is in his leadership and knowledge of the game. Those may be valuable, but not as much as BOREas appears to believe. 3569855 2008-12-07T22:49:51-05:00 11 MA rick@bedford Bedford 614603 Really great point. Best comment post thus far. Varitek, when combining Off &amp; Def, is only marginally better than Jose Molina right now. And many would debate that as well. Tek's value is in his leadership and knowledge of the game. Those may be valuable, but not as much as BOREas appears to believe. 27 I'm still a Varitek fan, but i think his main value to the Sox right now is to provide a bridge to his replacement. He didn't provide much leadership last year, and he didn't help the pitching staff in the ACLS. I doubt he'll hit well again. 1 yr @ $9M or 2 @ $15M. Maybe the Sox would be better off with the draft choices, except then they'd have no catcher. 3572089 2008-12-07T18:06:59-05:00 101 NY jb12bb Saratoga Springs 628339 26 Mauer is the best bare none. Teks the best behind the dish, but they need more offense out of the catcher pos. with Lowrie and Ellsbury still unpolished. Signing Texeria would ease that situation, but Tek should take Arb. and be a mentor for the future catcher Salty. 11 mil for great def. and no off. is not something to decline if I was Tek. 3570291 2008-12-07T14:53:52-05:00 http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/400/3/thumb/gray_andy.jpg 11 NY Andy Gray New York 4023 1 He is easily the best catcher in baseball. Boston better re-sign him. 3569190 2008-12-07T17:45:35-05:00 http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/459/563/thumb/1908479599.jpg 96 NY theevilhim Little Neck 460003 He is easily the best catcher in baseball. Boston better re-sign him. 25 Looks like someone has really let the down economy cloud his judgement and poor ole' Andy seems to be hitting the pipe. Boras is lucking Texiera is his client, cause otherwise the Arod debacle w/ the World Series opt out gaffe last year, coupled with the disastrous off season he personally would have had(bad markets for Manny, Pudge, Varitek, etc.) might have spelled career suicide for Bor-**** 3570228 2008-12-07T17:06:04-05:00 19 NJ yazman67 Tuckerton 521427 19 Should have traded Manny for Mauer...straight up!...back in July...! 3570029 2008-12-07T17:26:31-05:00 142 CA doghockey Long Beach 489073 Should have traded Manny for Mauer...straight up!...back in July...! 24 Nice call, knucklehead. I'm sure trade talks broke down at the last minute. 3570100 2008-12-07T14:53:52-05:00 http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/400/3/thumb/gray_andy.jpg 11 NY Andy Gray New York 4023 1 He is easily the best catcher in baseball. Boston better re-sign him. 3569190 2008-12-07T17:25:10-05:00 142 CA doghockey Long Beach 489073 He is easily the best catcher in baseball. Boston better re-sign him. 23 What year is this? 3570097 2008-12-07T17:10:49-05:00 http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/381/902/thumb/manbearpig.jpg 130 NJ fiercescuba jersey city 382342 22 Varitek calls a great game but his arm has diminished. He cannot catch Wakefield making him a bench player every fifth day. His offense is all but gone. Great teammate, average catcher, overpaid by millions. 3570081 2008-12-07T17:08:23-05:00 365 AZ yngwiescruggs Tempe 493642 21 Joe Mauer is the best catcher in baseball. Tek is below average, but in a lineup as stacked as the Sawx, it's probably ok for them to resign him just to manage the pitching staff. Tek is the 4th Molina brother, NOT the best catcher in baseball. 3570061 2008-12-07T17:06:59-05:00 19 NJ yazman67 Tuckerton 521427 20 Should have traded Manny for Mauer...straight up...in July! 3570041 2008-12-07T17:06:04-05:00 19 NJ yazman67 Tuckerton 521427 19 Should have traded Manny for Mauer...straight up!...back in July...! 3570029 2008-12-07T15:03:46-05:00 1 NJ gmen426 Newark 628192 2 andy gray = delusional 3569230 2008-12-07T16:47:32-05:00 6 MI splink Ferndale 92259 andy gray = delusional 18 I concur. At this point I would rather have almost ANY other catcher than Varitek. Defensively he is sound, but his &quot;catching&quot; ability doesn't make up for the hole in the lineup he creates. I started calling him &quot;rally killer&quot;. 3569926 27 <p>Longtime Red Sox catcher <strong>Jason Varitek</strong> is planning to reject Boston's offer to arbitrate by tonight's midnight deadline, SI.com has learned.</p> <p>Beyond a few relief pitchers, very few of the 24 players offered arbitration are expected to accept, &nbsp;but Varitek was seen as a possibility since he made $10.4 million last year and would likely beat that in arbitration, even after a poor season offensively.</p> <p>The Red Sox value his defense and leadership and believe the switch-hitter's problems offensively were limited to the left side of the plate.</p> <p>Varitek will still have the option of working out a contract and remaining in Boston if the sides can agree.</p> 29822 http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/100/64/thumb/Heyman_Jon.png 0 NY Jon Heyman New York 10084