Jason Varitek to Announce Retirement

Earlier this month it was long-time teammate Tim Wakefield.  Now, after waiting for a call to come this offseason, former Boston Red Sox captain Jason Varitek has decided to hang ‘em up.  It’s being reported that the 39-year-old has elected to retire from the game of baseball and will make his announcement Thursday.

Varitek was not hoping to call 2011 his final season; if he was he likely would have made his pending announcement some time ago.  Instead, Varitek wanted another shot at backing up Boston’s primary catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia.

But the Red Sox signed veteran backstop Kelly Shoppach this offseason and all they had to offer Varitek was a non-roster invite to Spring Training.  With the possibility of not breaking camp with the big league club, Varitek instead decided to exit on his own terms.

Selected in the first round of the 1994 MLB Draft by the Seattle Mariners, Varitek was later dealt to the Red Sox with Derek Lowe for Heathcliff Slocumb.  Varitek went on to spend his entire 14-year major league career with the Red Sox.

The three-time All-Star posted impressive numbers at the plate for a catcher, hitting at a career clip of .256/.341/.435.  However, Varitek became known more for what he did behind the plate as Boston’s field general.

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