|
|
The Captain To Decline Arbitration
December 7, 2008
12.7.
08, 4:28 PM
The Captain To Decline Arbitration
Varitek Reportedly Will Turn Down
Red Sox Offer Of Arbitration
By: Jared Carrabis
This article was originally posted here on SoxSpaceNews.com
A report coming from SI.com has announced that catcher Jason Varitek will decline the Red Sox offer of arbitration to him before tonight’s midnight deadline. Of course this does not make much sense for Varitek to do, which leads me to believe that his agent, Scott Boras, may have had a hand in this decision if it ultimately becomes true. Varitek signed a 4-year, $40 million contract following the 2004 season and was owed $10.4 million in the final year of that contract in 2008.
Varitek is coming off a season in which he hit a career worst, .220, drove in the fewest RBI in a season that he played 100 games or more and posted a career worst OBP with .313. The Sox captain was expected to accept Boston’s arbitration offer and likely would have surpassed his 2008 salary even after the horrendous season he had at the plate. Now that there are reports claiming that he will reject the Red Sox offer of arbitration to him, I am skeptical that another team out there will be willing to exceed his 2008 paycheck of $10.4 million with the market for catchers being so poor.
If, hypothetically, Varitek were to accept the Red Sox arbitration offer, he likely could have received anywhere from $10.5 million to upwards of $12 million through arbitration. Being that Varitek is a Type A free agent, the Red Sox will receive not one, but two compensation draft picks if the catcher signs elsewhere.
For those that don’t understand how arbitration works, just because he has declined arbitration with Boston does not mean that his days in a Red Sox uniform are officially over. If the two sides can work out a deal that both sides are happy with, then Varitek can be brought back on the right terms. However, being that he declined an arbitration offer that likely would have rewarded him over $10 million, there’s a good chance Scott Boras is still seeking “Jorge Posada money” which no team in their right mind will be willing to cough up.
The best case scenario for Red Sox fans that want Varitek back in a Red Sox uniform is this: we have to hope that Varitek does exactly what Alex Rodriguez did when he opted out of his contract with New York. Rodriguez knew when enough was enough from Boras when he took things a little too far. Rodriguez negotiated with the Yankees exclusively without the likes of Boras and came to an agreement that was best for both sides without the super agent whispering into his ear. If the Red Sox captain of four seasons can manage to look past the dollar signs that he deliriously believes are out there for him, then he will return. If not, then we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.
-Jared Carrabis
-Jared Carrabis
|
