Red Sox Fishwrap: News on Varitek, Heidi Watney, Erin Andrews, Kelly Clarkson

You can hear the sports talk radio callers now: "So THAT'S why he's been so bad!!!" It was revealed today by the Boston Globe that Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek filed for divorce at the end of last month. His marriage to soon-to-be-rich ex-wife Karen began in 1997, and they have three kids. And to add onto things, Varitek's contract runs out at the end of this season, and the 37-year-old is hitting .216. Quite a year! While the divorce situation probably hasn't helped the captain's on-field success, it also can't be entirely blamed as well. V-Tek plays at the most physically demanding position on the field and is just a few years shy of turning 40. His decline was bound to happen eventually. However, the Varitek divorce is a reminder that off-the-field issues can play a part in a player's on-field performance. Two recent Sox examples include J.D. Drew in 2007, when dealing with his son's medical issues, and Daisuke Matsusaka, with moving to a new country and adapting to a new culture.  ... (link)