Boston Red Sox free agent catcher Jason Varitek could retire according to a baseball source.
From Tony Massarotti of the Boston Globe:
According to a baseball source, the deadline by which Varitek must accept or decline the Red Sox’ latest contract offer is set for tomorrow morning 8:30 AM leaving less than a day for the matter to play out. According to the same source, Varitek is very seriously considering the option of sitting out the 2009 season and/or retiring rather than accepting the contract offer made to him last week.
Though Varitek appears to have no other suitors at this time, it would not be unprecedented for him to sit out (or retire) until he receives an offer to his liking. With agent Scott Boras advising him at that time, too, Varitek sat out an entire year after being drafted in the first round by the Minnesota Twins in 1993. He then re-entered the draft and was selected by the Seattle Mariners in 1994, who eventually signed the player.
Massarotti adds that the Red Sox will start talking with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers about Miguel Montero and Jarrod Saltalamacchia respectively.
This could be Boras and Varitek’s way of trying to get themselves a better deal. But who knows it could backfire on them as the Red Sox already don’t like Boras from their dealings with Mark Teixeira.
Let’s hope that it doesn’t come to this (Varitek retiring or sitting out). Varitek is much needed for this Red Sox team.
UPDATE 5:41 PM: Tony Mazz changed the time in his blog post from tomorrow morning to an 8:30 AM deadline.
