Varitek's absence won't hinder Sox

[BoSox34]

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- When he makes his first appearance in the World Baseball Classic next week, the trivia question will get a little longer for Jason Varitek.

Who is the only person to have played in the Little League World Series, the College World Series, the Major League World Series, the Major League All-Star Game, and now, the World Baseball Classic?

"I've been awfully fortunate," Varitek said, sitting in the clubhouse of the Red Sox's Spring Training facility on Tuesday. "Awfully, awfully fortunate."
Varitek is one of nine Boston players scheduled to leave Thursday for various national camps -- Orlando, Fla., in his case, as the backstop prepares to play for Team USA in the inaugural Classic.

"It'll be fun. You get to play with different personalities ... different guys you've never really gotten to compete with, for a little bit, so it's different than the All-Star Game," he said. "It's not one game and you play a few innings. It'll be interesting. Hopefully, I can learn a little bit and compete well."

With 30 pitchers in the Red Sox's camp and without a set backup catcher yet, Varitek, well known for his work and preparedness, acknowledged that while he's looking forward to the international competition, he has reservations about leaving camp.

"I'll have to do a lot of catch up," Varitek said. "Hopefully, I can get with [first-base coach Bill Haselman], and he can keep me in the loop of what's going on. That's something I hope to do just to keep up-to-date with how guys are throwing."

Josh Beckett is one of 17 pitchers, including eight non-roster invitees, in the Red Sox's camp for the first time.

"I heard he is the hardest working catcher in the game, as far as knowing hitters and stuff like that," said Beckett, who has pitched to Varitek twice this spring.

Varitek is not daunted by the number of new pitchers. It's a rite of spring and a learning process.

"That's new, but there's always new turnover," he said. "There always has been. As far as I think leaving, having to leave, that's changed. It's just different, a different go-round.
"It's going to take time [before being comfortable with a new pitcher]. You can catch guys on the side, get them in a lot of [batting practice], but you've got to catch them in a game, where maybe they're struggling to throw strikes or maybe dominating. [You have] got to see them at all different levels."


Pitcher Curt Schilling, for one, is not concerned with Varitek's absence from camp.

"It's whatever you make of it," Schilling said. "There's nothing you can do about it. He's going to be gone, so I'll do what I have to do to get ready, just like I know he will. And for him and I, it's not going to be much of an issue. I just want him to stay healthy and then come back here and be ready to go."

Varitek is one of three catchers on Team USA's roster, joining the Cubs' Michael Barrett and the Nationals' Brian Schneider.

"I don't think there's any question that [Varitek is] probably in the best shape of any player at that position in the game," Schilling said. "He works harder and does more to be ready every day than anybody. So, if anybody on this club was going that I was comfortable with not being here, it'd be Jason."

Manager Terry Francona will use Varitek's absence as a chance to evaluate John Flaherty, Ken Huckaby and Josh Bard as contenders to be the backup catcher, the one who will catch knuckleballer Tim Wakefield.

"Everything we do here, we try to make it be a positive," Francona said. "If we don't, it's our fault. Since [Varitek] is going to be gone, it'll give us a chance to look at the other three catchers. So, you turn a potential thing that maybe is a negative and make it into a positive. We can look at Flaherty, Huckaby and Bard on an extended look, not just catching Wake or every other day. These guys are going to get to catch a bunch, and it'll give us a real good read.

"[When] Jason comes back, he's conscientious enough. We'll get done what we need to get done."
Maureen Mullen is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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[paranoia]

Just hope he doesn't get hurt and overworked at the classic

[Killah Sith]

Wow, I didn't realize he was the only player to accomplish all that excluding the WBC.

[Fishercat]

Good: We get to see which .200 hitting, mediocre fielding catcher will take plate every 5th day

Bad: Tek may even be more tired than he was last year