This Is Why the Yankees Should Offer Pudge Arbitration
By leokitty ~ October 30th, 2008. Filed under: baseball.
Varitek, the Red Sox captain, is a free agent for the first time since 2004. The 36-year-old catcher batted .220 with 13 homers and 43 RBIs in 2008, his 12th season with Boston. He is joined in the free-agent field by Red Sox teammate Dave Ross, Ivan Rodriguez, Paul Lo Duca and Jason LaRue.
The other guys out there who are available (today was just the first day to file for free agency) are Gregg Zaun, Toby Hall, Josh Bard, Michael Barrett and then some guys even older than Pudge (Paul Bako!) who might elect to just retire.
That is just a ridiculously weak catcher class–weaker than last year, even, I’d say. Pudge is clearly the best out of what’s available and as such someone will offer him a contract. I don’t see him accepting arbitration when he can probably get his last two year deal somewhere else.
Playing America’s Game: Baseball, Latinos, and the Color Line (American Crossroads)