The GM was sympathetic to Varitek's state of denial, calling it part of the "human condition," saying it was common to people in virtually every walk of life.

"How old do you perceive yourself to be?" the GM asked.

"Certainly not 46," I replied.

Varitek, 36, declined to accept the Red Sox's offer of salary arbitration in December, an offer that would have landed him a non-guaranteed salary of $10 million or more next season.

Instead, he re-signed with the team on Friday for $5 million, with a second-year option that will be worth either $5 million if the club exercises it or $3 million if Varitek does.

Varitek, perhaps more than any of the other 21 free agents who declined arbitration, failed to perceive himself for what he had become, badly overplaying his hand in a collapsing market.

Yes, Varitek was the catcher for two World Series champions, highly regarded for his ability to handle pitchers, the team's "operating system," in the words of his agent, Scott Boras.

But he also was a switch-hitter who batted .220 last season, .201 against right-handed pitching. His .666 OPS was the fourth lowest among the 23 catchers who had enough plate appearances to qualify for the batting title.

What's more, Varitek's value was further diminished as a Type A free agent who rejected his team's offer of arbitration. No club was willing to forfeit a top draft pick to sign Varitek, making him persona non catcher on the open market.

The Sox, correct in sensing that the interest in Varitek would be almost non-existent, forced "The Captain" to return on their terms, scoring a knockout in their latest showdown with Boras.

Boras' concern that the Red Sox might have released Varitek in spring training and paid him only one-sixth of his salary was not without merit; an agent needs to consider all possibilities. Still, Boras' rationale was probably far-fetched, maybe even revisionist history. He has accepted arbitration for other free-agent clients before.

Varitek, acting upon Boras' advice, lost sense of who he was at this stage of his career. His denial was understandable; he never would have become Jason Varitek in the first place if not for his tremendous pride.

Just this once, that pride cost him dearly.

Boston RedSox News News » Varitek is not as valuable as he thought
Varitek is not as valuable as he thought
A general manager made a point to me Friday morning about declining veterans such as Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek, saying how difficult it is for them to accept that their star is fading. MLB Hot Stove