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All-time Mariners’ infield of best players who got away
By Andrew Pitts
C - Jason Varitek - (7/31/1997) Varitek and Derek Lowe to Boston for RP Heathcliff Slocumb
Varitek was the Captain of the Red Sox teams in the 2000s that won the World Series in 2004 and 2007. During Varitek's career, he made 3 All-Star appearances and also received MVP votes from 2003-2005. Current Mariners Catcher Cal Raleigh grew up as a Red Sox fan and truly idolized Varitek. Sorry, Jason, Cal was the first Catcher in Fenway Park history to homer from both sides of the plate in one game! Fingers crossed the Mariners don't make the same mistake that they did in Varitek with Cal, but at least Cal has played for the Mariners and hit one of the most iconic home runs in team history.
The Mariners have always seemed to struggle at finding good backstops, with the only real exceptions being Dan 'The Man' Wilson, and now with the 'Big Dumper'. What if we had held onto Varitek, though?
If we look at the prime of his career, between 2001 and 2005, these were exactly the last years of Dan Wilson's career. Comparing just these years, Varitek had a much higher WAR (14.5) compared to Wilson's 3.1 WAR, I think it's safe to say Varitek would have been a nice upgrade, despite how much we all love 'Dan The Man'. Add in the other piece of this trade, Derek Lowe, and I would have to say this is easily one of the worst trades the Mariners have ever made.