Jason Varitek Should Gain From Victor Martinez' Arrival As Relief Catcher

August 1, 2009 | Boston Herald | By John Tomase



BALTIMORE - Perhaps no one will benefit more from the arrival of Victor Martinez than catcher Jason Varitek.


Battling numerous nagging injuries all season, Varitek has been particularly troubled in recent weeks by a sore left shoulder that has contributed to a precipitous drop in production from April and May, when he slammed 10 home runs, to June and July, when he managed just three.


Varitek traditionally has been reluctant to discuss injuries, and yesterday was no exception.


“I don’t know,” he said when asked about his health before last night’s 6-5 win against the Orioles, in which he went 0 for 3. “I go out and play, and play every day, and it doesn’t matter what’s going on, so I don’t know.”


Earlier this week, Varitek joked, “I haven’t felt good since the second day of spring training.”


He typically sports ice packs on his knees, shins, shoulder and wrist after each game, and has refined a stretching program to stay fresh. But he did recently acknowledge, “I’ve had my fair share of things to deal with.”


His slugging percentage has declined each month, from .533 in April to .369 in July.


Adding Martinez to the mix should give Varitek his first true partner capable of spelling him beyond the days when pitches.


“We’ll see as time dictates itself,” Varitek said. “I don’t think, with the chaos of everything, they’ve had that opportunity to go through that. Either way, I think he’s going to help our ballclub.”