Varitek not done swinging just yet

June 25, 2007 | Boston Herald | By Tony Massaroti

 

Jason Varitek gets a hug from Red Sox teammate David Ortiz after his eighth-inning homer in yesterday’s 4-2 Red Sox win in San Diego.SAN DIEGO -

Remember that 35-year-old catcher who was supposedly approaching the twilight of his career?


Well, Jason Varitek is doing just fine, thank you very much.


After going 2-for-4 with a triple and home run in the Red Sox 4-2 victory over the San Diego Padres yesterday, Varitek is batting .272 with eight home runs and 33 RBI this season. Through 74 games, Varitek is on pace for 18 home runs and 72 RBI, totals that are very much in line with his career averages from 2002-05.


“He doesn’t always have to hit. The way he catches is first and foremost (in importance to the team), which he knows,” Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. “But when he has the at-bats he’s having hitting seventh, it just thickens out our lineup.”


Now 6-for-13 in his last four games, Varitek is tied for fourth for most home runs by an American League catcher. Cleveland’s Victor Martinez leads the way with 14. Varitek also ranks fourth among AL catchers in OPS behind only Martinez, New York Yankees catcher Jorge Posada and Kenji Johjima of the Seattle Mariners.


While even Varitek admitted that his triple yesterday was a gift - the bloop hit caused a collision between Padres left fielder Russell Branyan and shortstop Khalil Greene - he was also retired later on a slicing liner to left that Branyan ran down.


Varitek described the lineout as “the best ball I hit (yesterday).”


Just the same, Varitek’s homer was a missile to deep right-center field that measured an estimated 422 feet.


The blast came on a 3-0 pitch and extended the Sox’ lead from 3-2 to 4-2 in the top of the eighth inning.


That gave the team a key insurance run in the final two frames.


Varitek’s homer was the only one hit by the Sox during the three-game series. The club hit nine during a three-game set in Atlanta last week.


“I don’t always swing 3-0,” Varitek said. “I felt like I saw the ball well enough all day that if I got a pitch I could hit, I could put a good swing on it.”


And he did.