The Red Sox made a flurry of contract decisions on Monday as they hurtle headlong into the Hot Stove season. Boston picked up its 2010 option on Victor Martinez, and declined options on longtime catcher and captain Jason Varitek and knuckleball pitcher Tim Wakefield, renegotiating a two-year extension with Wakefield at a low average annual value.There's little surprise about Martinez or Varitek.
The former, a catcher/first baseman who will make $7 million next year, was acquired at great cost in talent from the Indians at the trading deadline this year, and he excelled in the Boston pressure cooker, hitting .336 with 41 RBI in 56 games. The latter, a New England fixture and the heart and soul of two championship teams, has seen his production dip over the last few seasons.
The Red Sox declined a $5 million team option on Varitek, but he can still return in 2010 if he picks up his $3 million player option, and there are indications that he will.
The Wakefield decision is a mild surprise. The right-hander, who is the longest-tenured Red Sox player having been with the club since 1995, agreed to a one-year, $4 million deal in 2006 with recurring club options. Because Wakefield has been durable and essentially league-average during his time with Boston, the deal was seen as extraordinarily team-friendly at the time.
But Wakefield has run into injury problems the last two seasons, so the Red Sox worked out the extension reportedly at a lower base salary ($5 million over the next two seasons), with incentives based on starts and innings pitched.Wakefield, 43, could probably pitch into his late 40s because he throws almost exclusively the knuckleball, but you have to wonder if he'll call it a career when this latest contract runs out.
Wakefield told the Boston Globe that he's "done after two more."
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Wakefield is a class-act, So is Varitek. Wakefield is depth but we better make some real offers to guys like Lackey and Holliday.
I was hoping Ortiz would be traded but that won't happen.
get rid of martinez,bay,pedoria,varitek, matusksua and get some young ballplayers and more consistency players, LET S GO REDSOX ! YANKEES SUCK
Yankees suck? They just won their 27th world series championship. The only thing Yankees suck is the championship hopes of your Boston Red Sox. Eat humble pie you BOASTon Red Sox fans, members of the big bRAG machine. Coneyloveme, you must be David Cone. Don't forget he pitched for the New York Yankees. Ooh by the way, he also got world series championship rings with the Yankees in 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2000.
YEH THEY SUCK,,THEY SUCKED THE LiFE OUT OF BOSTON THIS YEAR..LOLOLOL #27
Can Wakefield really pitch into his late 40s though?
If anybody can do it it's a knuckleballer. Wakefield is lucky if his fastball broke 80MPH in his prime so it's not as if he's straining himself all that much.
HEY RALPH GARCIA !!
WILL U PLEASE SHUT UP YOUR MOUTH !!! IM A DIE HARD YANKEES FAN, DUH !I WAS TESTING ON BOSTON FAN, SO TRY TO GET RID OF GOOD BALL PLAYERS, PLEASE HUH !
the angels are gonna sign lackey and halla day is going to the mets ! holliday will stay in the cardinals! GOOD TRY, BOSTON ARE IN TROUBLE THE PITCHING IS GETTING TIRED INCLUDING BECKETT, GOOD LUCK
I hope the sox resign Varitek. They need more worthless aging players on their roster. Not that it matters, since they cant compete with the YANKEES(do i need to say WORLD CHAMPIONS) anyway. However red sox fans will "feel" good watching this used up, worthless, second rate catcher(with that laughable C on his jersey) perform at his best, which is to say hit .205 with 28 rbi's and 8 Homeruns
Hey s said,
Your Yankees won the world series and you're still pissing and moaning. That's the problem with dirtbag New York fans, they're never really happy unless they're trying to stomp someone in the ground. All ball player become older and less productive over time, including Jason Varitek. At least he has heart and class, which is way more than I can say for you.
Hey S Said,
The Yankees just won the world series and you're still pissing and moaning? That's the problem with New York fans, they're never happy unless it involves dishing out nasty comments or trying to kick someone on the ground. All ball players become older and less productive over time, including Jason Varitek. At least Varitek has heart and some class, which is way more than I can say about you.
BOSTON FANS MAKING COMMENTS ON STOMING POEPLE WITH COMMENTS????LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO THATS FUNNY..WHEN YOU GUYS STARTED THE SEASON 8-0 AGAINST THE YANKS THATS ALL I HEARD FROM YOU CLASSLESS FANS FOR 6 MONTHS..NOW THE SHE IS ON THE OTHER FOOT AND YOU CANT TAKE IT? LOLOLOLOL YOU GUYS GOT A BONE 2 TIMES IN 86 YEARS AND THOUGHT YOU WHERE THE NEW DYNASTY? IF YOU GOING TO DISH IT BE ABLE TO TAKE IT ASWELL. LOLOLOL