COLUMN: Baseball TALK 

The New York Times Co. 

Red Sox NOTEBOOK 

The Boston Red Sox have given catcher Jason Varitek until Friday to accept or reject a one-year, $5 million contract offer with options for 2010. 

The Boston Red Sox have given catcher Jason Varitek until Friday to accept or reject a one-year, $5 million contract offer with options for 2010. 

The Boston Red Sox joined in mourning the death of Pulitzer Prize-winning writer John Updike, who in a famous essay once described Fenway Park as a "lyric little bandbox of a ballpark. 

With Andy Pettitte back in the rotation, Kevin Kernan thinks the Yankees have to put Joba Chamberlain in the set-up role. 

There are reasons why playing for the Giants wouldn't appeal to Manny. 

There are reasons why playing for the Giants wouldn't appeal to Manny. 

The older brother of AL MVP Dustin Pedroia is facing child molestation charges. 

The Red Sox don't have many openings at key positions, and catcher is the only spot at which they might have to bring in somebody new is if they choose not to re-sign C Jason Varitek. 

The Red Sox don't have many openings at key positions, and catcher is the only spot at which they might have to bring in somebody new is if they choose not to re-sign C Jason Varitek. 

Principal owner John Henry of the Red Sox and free agent catcher Jason Varitek met for approximately 90 minutes recently near the team captain's Georgia home, but there still is no pending agreement between the parties. 

--RHP Jonathan Papelbon and Red Sox management indicated that the possibility still remains for the two sides to come to an agreement on a long term extension. 

Principal owner John Henry of the Red Sox and free agent catcher Jason Varitek met for approximately 90 minutes recently near the team captain's Georgia home, but there still is no pending agreement between the parties.