As longtime Boston Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield announced his retirement today, per the AP, another bit of information has surfaced that fellow longtime BoSox catcher Jason Varitek is eyeing his exit from the game as well.
According to Nick Cafardo of Boston.com, a friend of Varitek notified him that the veteran catcher is planning on retiring from the game as well.
Varitek has been with the Red Sox his entire career, which dates back to the 1997 season. He has been a consistently good player, having 1,307 hits in 4,994 at bats. While his .256 batting average doesn't pop off the board, what he brought to the locker room on a season-by-season basis was important for the team.
He was also apart of the 2004 and 2007 World Series winning teams, which will go down in Red Sox history.
From 2005-11, Varitek was the team captain. With his status of being a free agent this season, Varitek could potentially see this point in his career being the best time to walk away.
His last two seasons have been cut short, as he only saw action in 39 games in 2010 and just 68 in 2011. His numbers have been slipping, and on the verge of turning 40, now seems to be the appropriate time for him to step away.
Wakefield, who had been with the team since 1995, was certainly an important teammate to Varitek, and it could have likely factored into his decision.
Varitek will most definitely go down in MLB history as a fan favorite, and a man respected by his peers. The Red Sox locker room won't be the same without him, but it is just another change in what is looking to be a new chapter in their team's history.
Jeff Chase is a Featured Columnist for the Chicago Cubs and Arizona State football.
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