FORT MYERS, Fla. — Jason Varitek has served primarily as the backup catcher for the Red Sox since they acquired Victor Martinez at the trade deadline in 2009. However, since that was an in-season move and since last year was so topsy-turvy with all of the injuries, he is only now settling into the role.
The captain is settling in just fine, too, and has drawn rave reviews in camp not only for showing up once again in great condition but for remaining the guy on which the other catchers lean.
That said, Varitek knows that his role is not limited to that of a mentor, a coach on the field, or whatever term one needs to define it. He is still a player, first and foremost.
"I've got to prepare. I've got to prepare to play," he said Sunday morning. "I've got to focus on myself, too."
Realistically, if everyone is healthy up and down the roster, Varitek will get many of the starts against left-handers. Also, since starter Jarrod Saltalamacchia is still just 25, he may need to watch the master from time to time, rather than just listen to him. It's reasonable to expect Varitek to see action in more than 50 games.
Still, Varitek knows that for the Red Sox to be successful, Saltalamacchia has to make the leap.
"He's not a rookie, he's not a first-year player," Varitek said of his teammate. "He's established and he needs to play. When he plays, we've got to let him play. Just like we do with pitchers. You have to take the good, bad, indifferent and let them carry on from there.
"We may see him great early, we may see him not so great early. But he's going to be a good player. No way about it. He's too gifted and works too hard for it not to happen."
Saltalamacchia has drawn comparisons to Varitek in camp from multiple people, including Josh Beckett and Jon Lester. It was entirely complimentary. Ever the leader, Varitek wants everyone to know that Saltalamacchia is pretty special on his own.
"Salty's gonna be Salty," Varitek said. "Hopefully, [being compared to me], that's not what he's living with…I believe Salty's his own person and he's going to be his own player. He's extremely talented. I don't know if I had those abilities that he has when I was younger."
Varitek's "new" role is also expected to give the club some pretty good production. Playing in about half of his team's games early last year, only some of them as a starter, he was batting .342 with six home runs and 10 RBIs on May 11.
Nobody expected that pace to continue, but there is every reason to believe that the struggles at the plate that Varitek had as a more regular player in 2008 and 2009 are a thing of the past.
"He really took to [the role]," manager Terry Francona said. "He was on pace offensively to have his best season in a long time. He was as productive as can be. The broken bone kind of derailed that season. He was terrific.
"He looks like he's in better shape now than he was. I don't know how he does it."
Eagerness to take on new chores certainly helps. Varitek said he is relishing being with the six other catchers in camp. Much of it has to do with the exchange of ideas between each backstop.
"The most important thing for me and for them is just communication," Varitek said. "The door is open."
