Together again: Martinez, Varitek team up for workout
By Ian Browne
redsox.com
Red Sox Spring Training photo gallery from Feb. 16
As pitchers and catchers of the Boston Red Sox participated in their first formal workout Saturday, there was no more gratifying highlight than the recharged battery. In Fort Myers, Fla., ace righty Pedro Martinez was firing strikes into the mitt of catcher Jason Varitek.
As tough a blow as it was for the Red Sox to lose the individual skills of those two performers in the second half of last season, it was even more crushing to lose them collectively.
From June 8 until the end of the season, Varitek (fractured elbow) didn't play a single inning and Martinez (ailing rotator cuff) didn't register a victory. And so it was that Boston's encouraging 34-24 start was followed by a 48-55 finish.
But judging by Saturday's events, Martinez -- the three-time Cy Young Award winner -- and Varitek -- who was emerging into All-Star status when he went down making that brilliant diving catch -- are ready to bury the misfortunes of 2001.
"He looks really good to me," Martinez said of the batterymate he has worked so well with in the past. "He's in really good shape -- his arm maybe is not yet at full strength. But he's back. I'm back. We're all back."
Varitek had a similarly glowing report on Martinez.
"He was good," Varitek said. "He looked strong and the ball had late life. It's the first day. He'll get better."
In essence, Martinez and Varitek working out in unison Saturday was symbolic of the team's hope for a fresh start to 2002.
It doesn't take a baseball expert to realize that the key to Boston getting back to the playoffs for the first time since 1999 is for Martinez, Varitek and star shortstop Nomar Garciaparra (only 21 games in 2001) to stay healthy.
Garciaparra will test his right wrist within the week, as the team's first full-squad workout is Wednesday. Until then, the focus will be on Martinez and Varitek.
Not only is Martinez arguably the best pitcher in the game, but his presence takes pressure off of his fellow rotation members, and alleviates the workload of the bullpen.
Varitek is not only a switch-hitter with power and a fierce attitude behind the plate, but the pitchers love working with him and he is a respected presence in the clubhouse.
Red Sox Manager Joe Kerrigan, who didn't get a chance to pencil Varitek into his lineup even once after taking over for Jimy Williams last August, loved what he saw from Varitek.
"The highlight of the day," surmised Kerrigan, "was seeing Jason Varitek out there doing everything he used to do."
Sometimes you don't completely realize what you have until it is gone, and Boston was given an all-too-painful reminder of Martinez and Varitek's worth during their joint hiatus.
Martinez didn't bring out the vintage stuff Saturday. He is wise enough to take it slow. But he threw loose and easy, throwing off the mound for roughly 10 minutes.
"Why should I rush? I have plenty of time to do what I have to do and I feel really, really good," he said. "Everything went fine -- just as expected."
It isn't quite as easy for Varitek to know what to expect. He has never suffered an injury like this before, and given the nature of his position, he knows he needs to be careful not to rush himself back to Opening Day form.
"It's the spring now, so I have to listen to it so I'm healthy for the season," Varitek said. "I have to listen to what the elbow is telling me. Right now, it's fine. I've made it through all my throwing. The next thing is to get used to the up-and-down -- like what happens in a game -- the rest, get loose, rest."
At this point, the Red Sox and their fans can rest easy. The most noted battery on the team is recharged and anxiously awaiting Opening Day.
Camp Kerrigan: Given that he is an extremely detail-oriented person, Kerrigan is looking forward to being able to put his stamp on this team from the beginning, unlike last season, when he was thrown into the fire in the heat of a pennant race.
"It's a little strange because you're an overseer now," said Kerrigan, who was the Red Sox pitching coach for nearly five seasons before being promoted to manager. "You keep your head up and make sure everything is in sync. You have to watch all the fields.
"Day one is tough because you have physicals, and you're not really into your regular routine -- those 10 a.m. workouts. Overall, it went very well. Everybody came out in one piece. We emphasized that in the meeting [before the workout]. Give it a good effort, but don't go crazy -- stay under control."
Back to the future: At quick glance, you might have thought you had stumbled into an old-timers game instead of the first workout for pitchers and catchers.
Among those in attendance Saturday were Jim Rice, Luis Tiant, new hitting coach Dwight Evans and recently hired bench coach Mike Stanley.
Kerrigan thinks it is important to have members of the Sox's recent and not-so-recent past around.
"We are trying to bring the Red Sox tradition back and pass it on to the players," Kerrigan said. "But these guys aren't just going to stand around like statues. We're going to pick their brains, too. We've already gotten some advice from Luis Tiant.
"We are educating people about the Red Sox tradition and the tradition of the game. It's up to us to make sure the new generation knows that tradition."
The one current Boston players know the most about is Stanley, who had a pair of stints with the Sox (1996-97, '98-00), and was a universally respected presence in the clubhouse.
"He brings a lot of comfort," Martinez said. "He's a coach, but he's almost like a teammate."
By Ian Browne
redsox.com
Red Sox Spring Training photo gallery from Feb. 16
As pitchers and catchers of the Boston Red Sox participated in their first formal workout Saturday, there was no more gratifying highlight than the recharged battery. In Fort Myers, Fla., ace righty Pedro Martinez was firing strikes into the mitt of catcher Jason Varitek.
As tough a blow as it was for the Red Sox to lose the individual skills of those two performers in the second half of last season, it was even more crushing to lose them collectively.
From June 8 until the end of the season, Varitek (fractured elbow) didn't play a single inning and Martinez (ailing rotator cuff) didn't register a victory. And so it was that Boston's encouraging 34-24 start was followed by a 48-55 finish.
But judging by Saturday's events, Martinez -- the three-time Cy Young Award winner -- and Varitek -- who was emerging into All-Star status when he went down making that brilliant diving catch -- are ready to bury the misfortunes of 2001.
"He looks really good to me," Martinez said of the batterymate he has worked so well with in the past. "He's in really good shape -- his arm maybe is not yet at full strength. But he's back. I'm back. We're all back."
Varitek had a similarly glowing report on Martinez.
"He was good," Varitek said. "He looked strong and the ball had late life. It's the first day. He'll get better."
In essence, Martinez and Varitek working out in unison Saturday was symbolic of the team's hope for a fresh start to 2002.
It doesn't take a baseball expert to realize that the key to Boston getting back to the playoffs for the first time since 1999 is for Martinez, Varitek and star shortstop Nomar Garciaparra (only 21 games in 2001) to stay healthy.
Garciaparra will test his right wrist within the week, as the team's first full-squad workout is Wednesday. Until then, the focus will be on Martinez and Varitek.
Not only is Martinez arguably the best pitcher in the game, but his presence takes pressure off of his fellow rotation members, and alleviates the workload of the bullpen.
Varitek is not only a switch-hitter with power and a fierce attitude behind the plate, but the pitchers love working with him and he is a respected presence in the clubhouse.
Red Sox Manager Joe Kerrigan, who didn't get a chance to pencil Varitek into his lineup even once after taking over for Jimy Williams last August, loved what he saw from Varitek.
"The highlight of the day," surmised Kerrigan, "was seeing Jason Varitek out there doing everything he used to do."
Sometimes you don't completely realize what you have until it is gone, and Boston was given an all-too-painful reminder of Martinez and Varitek's worth during their joint hiatus.
Martinez didn't bring out the vintage stuff Saturday. He is wise enough to take it slow. But he threw loose and easy, throwing off the mound for roughly 10 minutes.
"Why should I rush? I have plenty of time to do what I have to do and I feel really, really good," he said. "Everything went fine -- just as expected."
It isn't quite as easy for Varitek to know what to expect. He has never suffered an injury like this before, and given the nature of his position, he knows he needs to be careful not to rush himself back to Opening Day form.
"It's the spring now, so I have to listen to it so I'm healthy for the season," Varitek said. "I have to listen to what the elbow is telling me. Right now, it's fine. I've made it through all my throwing. The next thing is to get used to the up-and-down -- like what happens in a game -- the rest, get loose, rest."
At this point, the Red Sox and their fans can rest easy. The most noted battery on the team is recharged and anxiously awaiting Opening Day.
Camp Kerrigan: Given that he is an extremely detail-oriented person, Kerrigan is looking forward to being able to put his stamp on this team from the beginning, unlike last season, when he was thrown into the fire in the heat of a pennant race.
"It's a little strange because you're an overseer now," said Kerrigan, who was the Red Sox pitching coach for nearly five seasons before being promoted to manager. "You keep your head up and make sure everything is in sync. You have to watch all the fields.
"Day one is tough because you have physicals, and you're not really into your regular routine -- those 10 a.m. workouts. Overall, it went very well. Everybody came out in one piece. We emphasized that in the meeting [before the workout]. Give it a good effort, but don't go crazy -- stay under control."
Back to the future: At quick glance, you might have thought you had stumbled into an old-timers game instead of the first workout for pitchers and catchers.
Among those in attendance Saturday were Jim Rice, Luis Tiant, new hitting coach Dwight Evans and recently hired bench coach Mike Stanley.
Kerrigan thinks it is important to have members of the Sox's recent and not-so-recent past around.
"We are trying to bring the Red Sox tradition back and pass it on to the players," Kerrigan said. "But these guys aren't just going to stand around like statues. We're going to pick their brains, too. We've already gotten some advice from Luis Tiant.
"We are educating people about the Red Sox tradition and the tradition of the game. It's up to us to make sure the new generation knows that tradition."
The one current Boston players know the most about is Stanley, who had a pair of stints with the Sox (1996-97, '98-00), and was a universally respected presence in the clubhouse.
"He brings a lot of comfort," Martinez said. "He's a coach, but he's almost like a teammate."
