Just how bad is Jason Varitek...

[yall hate]

the answer is VERY.

Since the All Star Break, there are roughly 350 hitters in MLB who have had over 100 plate appearances.  Of those, Varitek has the worst batting average...in baseball. Here's the bottom 5:

5) .181 - Gross, TBR (105 ABs)
4) .180 - Dye, CHW (200 ABs)
3) .180 - A. Jones, TEX (89 ABs)
2) .165 - Hanigan, CIN (97 ABs)
1) .156 - Varitek, BOS (122 ABs)

Of this same sample of roughly 350 hitters, Jason Varitek has 2nd worst OPS in baseball. Here's the bottom 5:

5) .519 - Coste, PHI/HOU (96 ABs)
4) .502 - Alb. Gonzalez, WAS (152 ABs)
3) .494 - Hanigan, CIN (97 ABs)
2) .490 - Varitek, BOS (122 ABs)
1) .482 - Taveras, CIN (109 ABs)

http://espn.go.com/mlb/stats/batting/_/split/182/sort/OPS/count/281/order/true/minpa/100

Those are some pretty amazing numbers

[Roy Hobbs]

Ugh...  .156.   That's bad for a pitcher, let alone a position player.

[nickagneta]

I never did understand the 2 year contract or the optimism regarding his play. He's been done for a while. Those are some really ugly numbers.

[yall hate]

I never did understand the 2 year contract or the optimism regarding his play. He's been done for a while. Those are some really ugly numbers.

Well, I think the 2 year deal had some upside, in the sense that it wasnt that much money (for the Sox).  I mean, what was it, 5 mill for this year, player option for 3 next (if the sox declined)?  so they can look at it as 1 year 8 million, which is fine.  His supposed impact on the pitchers is worth that.

That being said, we are in dire need of an everyday Catcher going forward (I dont think VMart can do it everyday)

[Fafnir]

Yeah they've got to get him out of there at this point...

[moiso]

I got a kick out of all my friends that said after the first couple weeks of the season that Varitek was much improved from the previous year.  Yeah right.

[MBz]

Awful, his ability to call a game is one of the most over-rated things in all of baseball.  He shouldn't be playing more then once every 5 days.  It's that simple, let him catch Beckett and that's it.  VMart's defense is just as bad as Teks is now, so there is no difference there, neither of them can throw a runner out to save their lives.  There is just no question that this guy shouldn't be playing.

[gpap]

Awful, his ability to call a game is one of the most over-rated things in all of baseball.  He shouldn't be playing more then once every 5 days.  It's that simple, let him catch Beckett and that's it.  VMart's defense is just as bad as Teks is now, so there is no difference there, neither of them can throw a runner out to save their lives.  There is just no question that this guy shouldn't be playing.

VMart's defense is just as bad as Tek's? Ummm I don't think so. Did you watch the game vs. Kansas City last night where Martinez threw out a runner at 2nd base? Victor Martinez is a huge upgrade over Tek in everyway imaginable. And ditto the fan who mentioned Tek's defense is extremely overrated. I say the Sox bring back Tek next year, let him back up Martinez. Then in 2011 they go after Mauer, lock up Martinez long term and move him over to 1B.

[MBz]

Haha, come on VMart throwing out one guy doesn't mean he's good defensively, have you seen him throw the ball into center field numerous times?  Both are sub par defensive catchers.

[nickagneta]

Martinez is serviceable but not good. He's a good platoon catcher to have if your other catcher is a defensive guy who can't hit. Unfortunately our other guy is a defensive guy who can't hit and can no longer play defense either.

[Bankshot]

Martinez is serviceable but not good. He's a good platoon catcher to have if your other catcher is a defensive guy who can't hit. Unfortunately our other guy is a defensive guy who can't hit and can no longer play defense either.

Misconception.  One of the reasons that Martinez didn't catch nearly every day while in Cleveland was because they had a very good backup on Shoppach who was hitting very well (although he's not hitting well this year) and needed playing time.  Martinez is not as bad as Tek defensively.  I know this because I heard interviews where both Martinez and Magadon said this.

[yall hate]

Martinez not catching everyday has nothing to do with his defensive abilities. 

The biggest issue is health, and the fact that he simply cant catch everyday anymore (knees?)

The second issue is that his splits are outrageous, his offensive game falls apart when he catches...ill have to find the numbers (ugh, I cant seem to find them right now, but i'll keep looking.  You'll have to trust me that he is a better offensive player when playing 1b or DH over C).

[nickagneta]

Martinez is serviceable but not good. He's a good platoon catcher to have if your other catcher is a defensive guy who can't hit. Unfortunately our other guy is a defensive guy who can't hit and can no longer play defense either.

Misconception.  One of the reasons that Martinez didn't catch nearly every day while in Cleveland was because they had a very good backup on Shoppach who was hitting very well (although he's not hitting well this year) and needed playing time.  Martinez is not as bad as Tek defensively.  I know this because I heard interviews where both Martinez and Magadon said this.

I'm not fully understanding your post. What exactly is the misconception?

[hwangjini_1]

the answer is VERY.

Since the All Star Break, there are roughly 350 hitters in MLB who have had over 100 plate appearances.  Of those, Varitek has the worst batting average...in baseball. Here's the bottom 5:

5) .181 - Gross, TBR (105 ABs)
4) .180 - Dye, CHW (200 ABs)
3) .180 - A. Jones, TEX (89 ABs)
2) .165 - Hanigan, CIN (97 ABs)
1) .156 - Varitek, BOS (122 ABs)

Of this same sample of roughly 350 hitters, Jason Varitek has 2nd worst OPS in baseball. Here's the bottom 5:

5) .519 - Coste, PHI/HOU (96 ABs)
4) .502 - Alb. Gonzalez, WAS (152 ABs)
3) .494 - Hanigan, CIN (97 ABs)
2) .490 - Varitek, BOS (122 ABs)
1) .482 - Taveras, CIN (109 ABs)

http://espn.go.com/mlb/stats/batting/_/split/182/sort/OPS/count/281/order/true/minpa/100

Those are some pretty amazing numbers

you might provide a link to this info....

http://sonsofsamhorn.net/index.php?s=7989265b36410fbbae33bc3f964201ed&showtopic=49921

[BrickJames]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uG5NhkxQJQc

who's bad?