Late Innings

In case anyone cares, this Saturday will be a big day for free agent catcher Jason Varitek, who’s currently caught between “a rock” and “a hard place”:

By Saturday, it should become known whether the Red Sox catcher and captain will be returning to the team this season.

A baseball source confirmed yesterday that the Sox presented Varitek with a deadline to their proposal. A baseball source indicated last night that Varitek was given “one week” to make a decision in a letter he and agent Scott Boras received Friday.

According to another baseball source, Varitek has the choice of a one-year, $5 million contract or a one-year offer for a guaranteed $5 million with a dual option for 2010.

In the latter scenario, the Sox have a $5 million option for the 2010 campaign. Should the team decline the option, Varitek can return at a salary of $3 million, essentially guaranteeing him $8 million over two seasons.

The one-year offer may prove more appealing to Varitek because it would allow him to reenter the market next fall, at which point he might have greater earning power.

Going by my count, this is the second contract that the Red Sox offered to Varitek. He shot down their arbitration offer back in December, and like a lot players in similar situations today (e.g. Jon Garland, Juan Cruz), most likely wishes he could go back in time.

If Varitek shoots down offer #2, it’ll all but certain end the Red Sox’s tenure of their team captain. From here Theo Epstein will probably pursue a young, above-average catcher (e.g. Miguel Montero, Jarrod Saltalamaccia.) And Vartiek will of course be in a deep “0 and two hole.” And judging by how well he hit last year in this situation…