Jason Varitek's Decline Heats Up the Stove

As suspected, Boston's captain, Jason Varitek, and his super-agent, Scott Boras, have declined the Red Sox's arbitration offer of one year for a price rumored to be around the $10.4 million mark. The decision doesn't necessarily mean that 'Tek's days in Boston are over, but it certainly kicked the dial on the stove up a few more notches. One scenario Boston could put in to action, if the 36-year-old Varitek chooses not to return to Boston, is calling up their tag team of Dusty Brown and George Kottaras from Pawtucket. GM Theo Epstein previously commented that Brown and Kottaras weren't quite ready for the big show and could still use some development in the minors.  When asked to comment on that possibility recently Epstein said, "We have the right infrastructure in place with our coaching staff to be able to handle something like that if it came to pass. Obviously, you take a bit of a risk with young catchers' ability to handle a staff and deal with the grind, mentally and physically, of ... (link)