SHOPPACH SIGNED-WRITING ON WALL FOR VARITEK?
By Bill Smith
It was disclosed in an article by Peter Abraham and others of the Boston Globe, that Kelly Shoppach has been signed for a one year 1.35 million dollar contract, guaranteed as a backup catcher. Some of you make recall that he was with the Red Sox in 20o5, then went to the Indians and later the Tampa Bay Rays, only to return here. It was in the air when he was here in 2005 that he and Varitek did not get along. I don’ think that’s going to be an issue this time.
In the past, we had been limited in our catcher candidates because of Tim Wakefield and the knuckle ball. Bob Uecher, the funniest catcher who ever played, said the only way to catch a knuckle ball was to wait until it stopped rolling asit hit the backstop. Who can forget that Doug Mirabelli had caught Wakefield for 4 years, and apparently was the only one in the Western Hemisphere that could. Before the 2006 season, Mirabelli was traded to the Padres for Mark Loretta, and a poor soul named Josh Bard was assigned the duty to catch Wakefield. It is important to note the Jason Varitek would not catch Wakefield unless a mid game line up change required it.
Bard was on course to get into the Guinness Book Of Records for passed balls, when those who must be obeyed, took drastic action. On May2, 2006, Bard and another player, plus $100,000 were sent to the Padres and Mirabelli was flown back by private jet, changed into his uniform in the cab and ran out on the field at Fenway to cacophonous cheers in time to catch Wakefield’s first pitch; thus is the skill level of a knuckle ball catcher.
Now that it appears that Wakefield is not going to get a new contract with the Red Sox, , that unique need dissolves; with the signing of Shoppach, it appears also that someone just pulled the plug on Varitek’s life support. As I have stated in previous posts, it’s time for Varitek to retire. Should he become a coach for the Red Sox, that would be the best of all worlds. That man has more knowledge about catching and calling a game than anyone who walks the planet; but when it’s time to go, it’s time to go. This brings up an interesting side issue. Varitek was Josh Becket’s catcher. Short of illness or injury, Jason Varitek was the only catcher Becket used. What repercussions this will have with with the most prima of our coterie of prima donnas, remains to be seen; but you can be assured there will be some. Becket and Bobby Valentine have been circling each other like two Wild West knife fighters since Bobby V’s coronation.
From the team’s vantage point, this is an excellent move. Shoppach has a much better record than Varitek in catching base thieves. This was one of the chinks in Varitek’s war worn, rusty armor. He was easy to steal on. This also permits Ryan Lavarnway to develop his skills in a less urgent manner at the AAA level , than was thrust upon him last year, when he was taught to swim by being thrown off the dock. It is also conceivable that he might figure in a trade before the start of the season.
Those who must be obeyed are slowly considering the pitching rotation and several atractive candidate are being shopped right now. I hope that does not happen because Jarrod Saltilamacchia has begun to be a true Red Sox catcher and Lavarnway would be perfect to replace Shoppach when his contract expires at season’s end. (It would be nice to snag a catcher whose name I can pronounce, but it is what it is) The signing of Shoppach is definitely a positive move by management; in fact, in light of the lack of motion from the front office, this is a pleasant surprise. Now, if we can just get someone the throw to him.
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