"I just Look At Myself As A Catcher"

February 20, 2010 | Boston Globe | By Steve Silva



FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Veteran Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek spoke to the media this afternoon in Fort Myers and said he did not know how much playing time he would get once the season starts, even though Victor Martinez is in line to be the starting catcher in 2010.


"From my point of view they want to evaluate, see what's going on, they're not making any decisions now," Varitek said. "I have to continue to go out there and work hard and fight for a job.


"The biggest asset I've always had was dependability out there, is to be able to be out there and whatever goes on, whether you're hitting well or not hitting well, things are going well as a team, or not, they depend on me to be out there," Varitek said. "So that part's going to be different. How that transfers over early on, not taking a beating, not playing every night game, day game. I don't know. I might be a little bored, that might be a good thing, we'll see."


Varitek was asked if he saw himself as an everyday catcher who may not catch everyday.


"I just look at myself as a catcher," he said. "I don't know any other way to do it. How it all pans out, I don't really know. You try to get through spring training healthy, try and get better, and work on the entire game, and if that's the case, and if there's a question in the end, it means our team's pretty good."


When asked how many more years he wanted to play baseball, Varitek replied, "I don't know. Ask me at the end of this one."