Sox, Varitek at odds

Varitek made $10 million in base salary and prorated bonus money in 2008.

Though he appears to have no other suitors, it would not be unprecedented for him to sit out until he receives an offer to his liking. With agent Scott Boras advising him, Varitek opted to return to Georgia Tech for his senior year after being drafted in the first round by the Minnesota Twins in 1993. He then reentered the draft and was selected in the first round by the Seattle Mariners in June 1994, then signed with the St. Paul Saints of the Northern League because he could not come to terms with the Mariners.

Varitek never played for the Saints and eventually signed with the Mariners in April 1995, but he lost almost a full year of development. A few years later, Boras took an almost identical approach with Sox outfielder J.D. Drew, who remains an enemy of the people in Philadelphia after stonewalling the Phillies, who drafted him in 1997, and signing with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1998.

Prior to the 2007 season, Boras threatened to send Daisuke Matsuzaka back to Japan rather than accept the Sox' six-year, $52 million contract offer. The agreement was finalized only after Matsuzaka intervened and accepted the deal.

If Varitek rejects the offer, the Sox may have little choice but to walk away, given the finality with which the offer was presented. The Sox then would likely go to spring training with a catching platoon of switch-hitting Josh Bard and lefthanded-hitting George Kottaras. Dusty Brown, a righthanded hitter, also would be in camp.

Independent of the Varitek negotiations, the Sox are expected to revisit talks with the Texas Rangers about switch-hitting Jarrod Saltalamacchia and the Arizona Diamondbacks about lefthanded-hitting Miguel Montero. Saltalamacchia is regarded as having better offensive upside but has major questions defensively. Montero is looked upon as a more balanced player and the more likely acquisition by trade, according to another baseball source.