Totally 'TEK

Hello and good Sunday morning. The unseasonably warm air (near 70 degrees Saturday) is being replaced by cold, fresh air from Canada here in the northeast. I like it on the cooler side...a month and a half from now I'll be sorry I typed that! I came across a small blurb that was in the Boston Herald and I wanted to share it with you. It concerns team captain Jason Varitek. Among other things, it referred to the fact that agent Scott Boras(s) was NOT looking for a mega-bucks four year deal for 'Tek...2 years at $10 million per year might just do the trick. It also said this...

"Despite what Scott Boras says, Jason Varitek badly wants to stay in Boston. Mound men Jonathan Papelbon, Justin Masterson and Jon Lester told fans at a recent meet-and-greet that they don’t think the free-agent captain is going anywhere. The hurlers added that, if they had their way, Jason would stay right behind the Fenway homeplate."

Peter here. Boy, are those nice words, and who would know better than three Boston hurlers? If 'Tek has a choice of taking a little less money to stay in Boston and he really wants to come back (I believe he does bigtime), he just might stay. His last contract was a four year $40 million dollar one, and that $10 million per year might stay the same but will not increase. That's a nice paycheck for a guy who plays his heart out game after game, day after day. I hope the club does the right thing.

I also read that the pinstriped ones acquired first baseman/outfielder Nick Swisher as a backup should their quest to land the much prized Mark Teixeira fails. If Teixeira goes elsewhere (Boston?), Swisher would man first base for that team from the Bronx and they would then turn their attention to buying the services of a certain right handed leftfielder who goes by the name of (GULP!!) Manny. I'm sure you've heard of him at one time or another. If Sir Manny does enter into the wild kingdom of pinstripes, his name and history in Boston will boil down to one word...TRAITOR. Manny, if you can hear me, DON'T DO IT! There will be a handful of teams bidding for your popping hot bat in BOTH leagues. Stay away from New York, at least the American League team with the brand new stadium. You want to go to the Mets? More power to you. Have fun!

I hope every one of you has a great Sunday, whether it be a football day or an NCAA basketball day. The number one rated team in the nation, the University of Connecticut women's basketball team, plays their first regular season game today. The UCONN women's team is an incredible one and they will make it to the Final Four, if not win it all. Some of you might say "girls basketball...who cares!" With all due respect, you are sadly mistaken. Title click for the Globe's Red Sox site, and as always, BE WELL. GO HUSKIES!!