Limited alternatives will likely keep Varitek in Boston

The Globe's Maureen Mullen spoke with a few major league scouts about Jason Varitek and the lack of quality catchers in the majors right now:

“I’d take Varitek if he hit .210, just by the way he works hitters and the knowledge he has of how to run a game,” said a major league scout. “He makes bad pitchers into mediocre pitchers, and he makes mediocre pitchers into pretty good pitchers. How he gets some of the stuff he gets out of them, I don’t know. He’s pretty damn good.”

The question facing Sox management is: If not Varitek, who? It’s a familiar question this off-season, with many teams looking for front-line catching.

“That’s a heck of a question, because there sure isn’t much around from what I’ve seen,” said another major league scout. “The only free agent guys that would be worth anything would be Varitek and [the Yankees’ Ivan] Rodriguez. The rest of them, they’re either backup or not very good front guys. If they lose Varitek, they better hope the [replacement] does well. I don’t think there’s anything else around, and anybody that has a catcher that’s worth anything is not going to want to part with them for sure.”

Those other “free agent guys” include Toronto’s Rod Barajas (the team has a $2.5 million option) and Gregg Zaun, the Cubs’ Henry Blanco ($3 million team option), the White Sox’ Toby Hall ($2.25 million team option), and the Reds’ Javier Valentin.

“I have no idea where you’d find a catcher or one that’s worth even talking about that’s available, as far as a free agent goes,” the second scout said. “There might be a club that would trade its front-line catcher, but I don’t know. But you’d probably have to give up half the ball club to get him.”

Bottom Line: If the Sox can acquire another bat to fill in the middle of the order, I can live with Tek and his .220-.250 average. But if Lowell and Papi don't get over the injuries that plaqued them in 2008 and the Sox don't add any pop to the lineup... we could be in for a long and unproductive season.

Jacoby, Dustin and Youk can set the table but if no one's coming to dinner - what's the point? Thoughts?

Read the full article here.

TEK UPDATE: Ken Rosenthal says Boras is pitching Varitek to the Tigers:

"Boras, according to a rival executive, is trying to sell catcher Jason Varitek to the Tigers as a replacement for another of his clients, Ivan Rodriguez. The idea is not without merit; the Tigers' lineup is strong enough to carry Varitek's declining offense, and his defense and leadership would greatly benefit their pitching staff. "