Latest Rumors on Jason Varitek

11.4.08 10:06PM

HOT STOVE SEASON
Lastest on Varitek

One of the latest rumors surrounding catcher Jason Varitek is the Los Angeles Dodgers apparently have interest in the 36-year-old, as reported by ESPN baseball analyst Peter Gammons. Even after being acquired by Los Angeles from Cleveland at the trading deadline, Casey Blake made it known that he wanted to return to Cleveland when he entered free agency at the end of the season. According to Gammons, the Dodgers are without a third baseman and have the intention of permanently switching Russell Martin to third in order to acquire the pitching-oriented Varitek.

Here is the flaw in that for the Dodgers. Los Angeles does not need help behind the plate. Martin has already proven he can work well with the Dodgers pitching staff plus provides some pop at the plate – but not enough. One of the main reasons Los Angeles were beaten by the World Champion Phillies in the championship series was because of their inability to up come with the timely hit. Is Varitek the answer to that? No. Varitek came up a plethora times with men in scoring position and two outs in Boston and failed to drive them in.

It is most likely the Dodgers are going to lose Manny Ramirez and will have to replace that bat in the line up as well as another hitter. Signing Andruw Jones to a long term deal last off-season was the biggest bust of the season. Jones spent more time on the disabled list than he did in the Dodger Stadium outfield. The core group of Dodgers – James Loney, Matt Kemp, Russell Martin, Blake DeWitt and Andre Ethier – have been together for three years and have not got past the National League Championship Series. They need a veteran hitter in their line up like Ramirez brought them after being acquired at the dead.

So a Varitek deal with the Red Sox West is probably not going to happen.