2008 AL Cy Young & Silver Slugger Award Winners...A Varitek Opinion

Cliff Lee has been named the AL Cy Young award winner for 2008. Daisuke Matsuzaka finished a respectable fourth, but boy, did he get a ton of run support during the season. The AL Silver Slugger Award winners were also announced. This particular award goes to the best hitter at each position. Boston's Dustin "Pedey" Pedroia won at second base and two Yankees reigned over the other left side infielders, with AROD and Jeter bringing home the honors. Congratulations, Pedey. You had quite the season with hopefully many more to come in Boston.

The Boston Globe's Chad Finn wrote a scathing piece on Jason Varitek. I have the last couple paragraphs of it right here and I'll link the post title to it also. Here you go...

"Still, I’m simply dumbfounded that they’d (agent Scott Boras & Varitek) even suggest that the starting point is four years and $52 million, at least not without a laugh track. It’s those ridiculous salary demands — coupled with the I’m-a-team-guy-so-I’m-not-going-to-complain-even-though-I’m-complaining incredulity he showed when Terry Francona had the nerve to pinch hit for him in the postseason — that has me convinced of this: No one believes in the value of Jason Varitek’s intangibles more than Jason Varitek.
Then again, that’s all he has left. His bat speed is gone for good, and so are most of the primary skills that made him such a valuable part of so many outstanding Sox teams.
It’s okay to admit it. It happens to all of them. Yes, Virginia, even to stoic and heroic captains who run out every predictable 4-6-3 grounder, all the way to the bank."

Peter here...that's the first time I heard Boras(s) was looking for a four year deal. But at $13 million per year? Who's joking whom here? My goodness, I love Jason as much as can be but he has proven since the 2007 All Star game onward through the entire 2008 season that he rarely catches up to major league pitches. Not any more. My solution? Sign him to a two year deal for way less than $13 million per year and get a capable catcher who can hit and field to catch half the games. 'Tek's off the field expertise would still be there for the Sox pitcher of the day and he could even call the pitches from the bench to the catcher, if needed. $52 million for 4 years of 'Tek is simply too much. Period. Boras(s) has balls, I guess. But we all knew that anyways.

Title click to read Finn's entire piece, titled GREED IS GOD. It's a thought provoking one for sure, and as always, BE WELL. I'm hanging in there...you can too! My thanks go out to commenter supreme BFW for wishing me well with my healing endeavor. Thank you, BoSox Fan In Wichita. You're the best! The free agent frenzy begins today. I'll be right here for any breaking news.