Jason Varitek — 33 | C
Fast Facts about Jason Varitek
Date of Birth: 11 April 1972
Place of Birth: Rochester, MI
Height: 6-2 Weight: 230
College: Georgia Tech
Drafted: 1994 (Seattle Mariners)
Years Pro: 11
Years with Red Sox: 11
Bats: S
Throws: R
Batting Statistics for Jason Varitek through 2007 Season
SEASON
AB
R
H
HR
RBI
BB
SB
AVG
1997 — BOS
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
.000
1998 — BOS
221
31
56
7
33
17
2
.253
1999 — BOS
483
70
130
20
76
46
1
.269
2000 — BOS
448
55
111
10
65
60
1
.248
2001 — BOS
174
19
51
7
25
21
0
.293
2002 — BOS
467
58
124
10
61
41
4
.266
2003 — BOS
451
63
123
25
85
51
3
.273
2004 — BOS
463
67
137
18
73
62
10
.296
2005 — BOS
470
70
132
22
70
62
2
.281
2006 — BOS
365
46
87
12
55
46
1
.238
2007 — BOS
435
57
111
17
68
71
1
.255
TOTAL
3978
536
1063
148
611
477
25
.267
More about Jason Varitek
- The veteran catcher played for Georgia Tech in college alongside future Red Sox players Nomar Garciaparra and Darren Bragg and was named Baseball America's College Player of the Year in 1993. He also represented Team USA during the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain and during the 2006 World Baseball Classic.
- Varitek was part of one of the best trades ever made by the Red Sox; in 1997, he came to Boston along with pitcher Derek Lowe in exchange for closer Heathcliff Slocumb. After splitting time Scott Hatteberg during the 1998 season, "Tek" became the regular catcher in 1999. The only significant time he has missed since then was in 2001, when he injured his shoulder chasing after a foul ball at Fenway Park in June, limiting him to just 51 games.
- During his tenure in Boston, Varitek has been behind the plate for three no-hitters: Hideo Nomo on 04 April 2001 in Baltimore, Lowe on 27 April 2002 against Tampa Bay at Fenway Park, the first no-hitter thrown at home by a Boston pitcher since Dave Morehead in 1965, and Clay Buchholz on 01 September 2007 against Baltimore at Fenway in the rookie pitcher's second major league start.
- In 2003, Varitek was chosen by fans as the 30th player to represent the American League in the 2003 All-Star Game, though he was never inserted into the lineup during that contest.
- Always considered a clubhouse leader, Varitek was named just the third captain for the Red Sox since 1923 in December of 2004 after signing a four-year contract that will keep him in Boston through the 2008 season. The only other players since then to earn that recognition were Carl Yastrzemski (1969-1983) and Jim Rice (1985-1989). Varitek responded with one of his best seasons, hitting 22 home runs and driving in 70 runs while batting .281. He was also voted in as the starting catcher for the 2005 American League All-Star squad.
- On 18 July 2006, Varitek surpassed Hall of Fame catcher Carlton Fisk as the all-time leader in games caught for the Red Sox with 991. He helped celebrate the occasion by catching a combined one-hitter thrown by rookie starter Jon Lester and rookie closer Jonathan Papelbon and scored the lone run in Boston's 1-0 win over Kansas City.
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