Red Sox Reviews - Jason Varitek

I realize that in my last Red Sox Review, I told you that Manny Delcarmen would be coming up next. However, with today being “deadline day” and all, I thought it would be a good time to focus the microscope on Jason Varitek.

Before I get started, let’s face it that the numbers are not pretty. That makes this a difficult post for me because I’ve always been a big fan of Varitek. I sat in the stands at Boshamer Stadium in Chapel Hill and watched Varitek play while at Georgia Tech. I still remember the ridiculous, mammoth home run that Varitek hit in the College World Series. I still have a No. 33 USA Baseball t-shirt with Varitek’s name on the back hanging in my closet.

Do I think that Jason Varitek is in the “decline phase” of his career? Of course. But do I think that his 2008 results can all be blamed on diminishing skills? Not necessarily. I think that his early season illness set him back more than most people want to believe. But I’m the stats guy and the numbers are what they are, so here goes:

JASON VARITEK – 423 AB in 2008 - .220 AVG / .313 OBP / .359 SLG / .672 OPS

* - Jason Varitek leads Sox catchers all-time in hits (1,156), doubles (256), RBI (654), and walks (529). Varitek is second on the all-time Red Sox list for HR by a catcher with 161, trailing Carlton Fisk by one dinger. He has played 12 seasons with Boston, one more than Fisk and Gedman.

* - Varitek hit .157 with runners in scoring position and 2 outs in 2008 (8-51) after hitting just .162 (12-74) in those situations in 2007, the 9th and 10th worst such seasons in Red Sox history (since ’74 at least). His .160 average over the last two seasons in those situations is the 2nd lowest in the majors (min. 100 AB):

.147 – Andruw Jones
.160 – Jason Varitek
.168 – Rickie Weeks

* - In his career, Varitek has had 11 different streaks of 12 or more consecutive games without a multiple hit game. 3 of those 11 streaks came after June 1 of 2008. They included a then career-long 23 gamer in which he went 10-84 (.119) from June 1 through July 3, a 12 game streak where he went 7-39 (.179; August 3-18), and what technically is a 25 gamer (that is still active) from September 7 through the playoffs (10-78, .128).

* - In 2008, Varitek batted .119 against “fireballers” (pitchers who averaged more than one strikeout per inning), the second lowest such average in the majors (min. 60 such PA):

.071 – Geovanni Soto, CHC
.119 – Jason Varitek, BOS (7-59)
.121 – Jim Thome, CHW

* - Varitek’s .302 OBP at Fenway in 2008 was the 3rd lowest seasonal mark by a Red Sock since 1997 (min. 200 home PA):

.271 – Shea Hillenbrand, 2001
.301 – Shea Hillenbrand, 2002
.302 – Jason Varitek, 2008
.305 – Darren Lewis, 1999

* - Varitek’s career average from Sept 1 on is now just .229 and over the last four seasons it’s .201, the lowest such average in the majors during that span (min. 300 total Sept/Oct PA over the last 4 seasons):

.201 – Jason Varitek
.205 – Mike Cameron
.214 – Pedro Feliz
.216 – Jason Giambi

* - With the bases loaded, Varitek has just 125 RBI in 192 AB (0.651 RBI/AB), the lowest such RBI/AB average since they began tracking the stat in 1974 (min. 140 career AB with bases loaded):

0.651 – Jason Varitek
0.653 – Enos Cabell
0.663 – Tony Pena

* - Tek’s .607 OBP following a 3-0 count was the 3rd lowest in the AL last season (min. 25 such PA):

.533 – Mark Teahen, KC
.564 – Johnny Damon, NYY
.607 – Jason Varitek, BOS

* - In “Close and Late” situations in 2008, Varitek went 10-64 (.156) with 9 singles and 1 HR (.203 SLG). That slugging percentage was the 2nd lowest in the AL last season (min. 60 such AB):

.179 – Jack Hannahan, OAK
.203 – Jason Varitek, BOS
.210 – Carlos Gonzalez, OAK

It was the lowest slugging percentage in those situations by a Red Sox hitter since 1992 (same minimum):

.203 – Jason Varitek, 2008
.207 – Alex Gonzalez, 2006
.234 – Jose Offerman, 2001

* - Odds and Ends: Varitek hit 5 HR against the Orioles in 2008, tied with four others (including Manny Ramirez) for the most by any Orioles opponent last season… With 2 outs and 2 strikes in 2008, Varitek hit .111 (8-72) with 45 strikeouts, including strikeouts in 18 of his last 22 such AB… Over the last 4 seasons, Varitek is 10-76 (.132) against the Angels during the regular season, the lowest such average by any Angels opponent over that span (min. 70 PA). During that same span, he is 5-25 (.200) against the Angels in the postseason… Varitek managed only a .235 average against Detroit in 2008, snapping a personal five-year streak of batting averages of .333 or better against the Tigers.

Thanks to Baseball-Reference for their statistical help. Check back soon for more Red Sox Reviews! As always, I’d love to hear from you, so leave a comment or send me an email at gmarbry@weei.com.


Source: blogs.weei.com