Experiencing Tek-nical difficulties

According to the Boston Globe Jason Varitek is now considering sitting out the season or retiring rather than accept the 50 percent pay cut being offered by the Red Sox.

Let's face a basic truth - at age 37, if Tek takes a year off, considering the only offer he has on the table now is from the Red Sox, he might as well be retiring.

This man is looking for a multi-year deal at $10 million per year.

This same man was 26th in batting average among catchers that appeared in at least 90 games. Only five catchers in the majors that appeared in at least 90 games had a worse batting average.

My only assumption is that agent Scott Boras believes that the reason that Varitek is not getting offers from the other teams is that the teams don't want to give up a draft pick as compensation. I have a hunch that is indeed part of it - but I also think that no team wants to pay top of the market rates for bottom of the market offensive production.

Tek is an interesting case.

There is no catcher behind the plate right now that has caught as many no hitters as Varitek. Hideo Nomo, Derek Lowe, Clay Buchholz, Jon Lester. Hell, he got Curt Schilling and Pedro Martinez into the ninth.

But let's face it - there's a reason that Jim Rice was at one point the highest paid player in baseball, and not Dwight Evans.

Is Tek's ability to call a game worth $10 million? Frankly, no. If it were, then a team would also have been willing to part with a draft pick considering draft picks are far from a sure thing - and teams would at least know what they're getting with Varitek.

I like Varitek, but I just don't think there's enough in his tank to merit giving him starter money - and if he thinks there is, then he's just not facing reality.