Catcher: Mets divided on Jason Varitek
The Mets could seek to improve their pitching by signing free-agent catcher Jason Varitek,’ explains Ken Rosenthal in a report for FoxSports.com.
According to Rosenthal, ‘Club officials are divided on how strongly to pursue Varitek,’ with some seeing him as ‘a potential difference-maker for their pitching staff,’ while others are ‘alarmed by his .220 batting average last season.’
Rosenthal says, for the Mets to land Varitek, ‘they would need to move catcher Brian Schneider,’ who several teams are interested in.
Last week, the Washington Post said the Mets and Red Sox had discussed a deal that would send C Brian Schneider to Boston.
Later that day, though, in report for the New York Post, Joel Sherman explained, “The Mets talked several weeks ago to the Red Sox about dealing Schneider, and hopefully signing Varitek”
However, when the Red Sox offered arbitration to Varitek, Sherman explained, ‘the Mets turned away from that scenario because they didn’t want to give up both the money necessary to sign Varitek and the first-round draft pick they would have to surrender in compensation.’
Last month, in a post to his blog for SI.com, Jon Heyman said there were ‘indications,’ based on conversations with other team executives, that ‘the Mets appear open to trading either Ramon Castro or Schneider.’
