Watching Jason Varitek behind the plate has left me a bit concerned. Nobody is more prepared than Tek and in the past nobody ever shook off the pitches he called. This year Tek is getting the "no" more often (not including Dice-K) than in previous years. Tavarez seems to shake him off a lot but didn't seem to do it too much when Dougie was catching him today.

My question is this...Am I seeing things, or is this a fluke, or is Tek not as tuned in as he was a few years ago?

I don't know one way or the other -- I think what we saw with Mirabelli is the SEVERELY underrated gamecaller that is our backup catcher, rather than any concern about Tek's talents.

It takes a lot to keep a hitter off balance when you're the target for a guy who only throws one pitch.

1. I think Beckett shook him off more last year than this year.

2. Just because the pitcher shakes off the sign doesn't mean it's the wrong pitch call.

3. I've never been fully sold on the idea that Varitek is some sort of god with his game calling - just based on the results. But the Sox have the best staff ERA in the AL right now, 2nd in all of baseball behind the Padres (whose home park might be just a little bit of a pitchers' park). That might be Farrell. That might be Theo having done what appears to be a much better job at assembling a bullpen from day 1 than in previous seasons. It might also be guys pitching over their heads a bit (For one, I love Wake, and he has had a handful of seasons with a very, very good ERA - but I'll be stunned if he's at 2.41 in September).

All that said, I have a hard time thinking that Varitek's game calling has slipped concurrently with the Sox having a dominant staff. :confused:

I don't notice what you're referring to, and don't see any statistical indications that anyone related to our pitching staff is off his game.

I don't see it either. I'm suspecting that he's referring to Schilling's last two games in which he has struggled, not just on bad luck with BIP but with walks and going deeper into counts.
Schill has been the only guy who really seems to have any sort of "problem" but the results are still there.
Schill's problem the last two games has been bad defensive play in the field behind him, bad luck on balls in play for the most part. His walks are up though... .and for Schill... that IS something to keep an eye on

I agree that the staff has looked great so far, but part of the reason may be that people like Beckett have been shaking off Tek more this year than last year. It might be multiple factors, but I find it a bit more of a considence that the pitchers have been shaking off Tek more this year and the rotation is doing better.

I have no idea what you are talking about... Beckett doesn't shake off Tek often... that was last year .

His one piece of advice to Matsuzaki, was "Trust 'Tek"
http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/reds...urns_favorable/

Schilling is the only one I notice to shake off Tek.....

The only place where I can see a "failure" from last season to this season would be in Schilling's first start of the season and his two most recent.
Failure is a pretty strong word since he won yesterday... but the BB's and his lack of command is what I'm referring to.... that could have any connection to Varitek.

It's something worth keeping an eye on though. Too early for me to really tell... and if he is "off his game" and our staff continues like this... I can't to see what it's like when he finds it again!!!
WOOO HOOO!!!!

Beckett has been shaking Tek off *LESS* this year than last year.

I absolutely agree. How many times in the after game interview has Beckett said that 'Tek is why he pitched so good. We all clammerd after last year for Beckett to "LISTEN TO TEK!", and he is this year, which in my opinion is one of the reasons that Becket is no longer "throwing" and is now "pitching".
Also in Schill's blog today he says that 'Tek called for some pitches that Schill disagreed with, but Schill threw what 'Tek told him to, and the results were very good. Intimated that without 'Tek he would not have been able to get out of some of his "incidents"

I don't see any indication at all that Tek is off his game.

Also ... my impression is that shaking off the sign isn't always a disagreement, sometimes it's a conversation, and sometimes it's a diversion. One thing I have noticed over the years with Tek is that he doesn't seem to let his ego get in the way if the pitcher has an idea.

FWIW ... Last night with two outs in the 6th inning, and Schill struggling - in his blog he said he knew he was very close to being pulled out of the game - Tek went to the mound to stall for time, or at least that's what I thought I saw. The result was out number three.

Well maybe I have just been seeing things, I don't get to catch all of the games