Full name: Jason A. Varitek Born: 04/11/72 Birthplace: Rochester,MI Height: 6'2" Weight: 235 Position: C Bats: Switch Hitter Throws: Right College: Georgia Tech MLB Debut: 09/24/97
			.273
			.265

				G		AB		R		H		2B		3B		HR		RBI		TB		BB		SO		SB		CS		OBP		SLG		AVG
		YTD		142		451		63		123		31		1		25		85		231		51		106		3		2		.351		.512		.273

2002 Highlights:
Hit a HR (off C. Carpenter) on Opening Day 4/1 vs. Tor. (3-3, 2 R, 2 RBI 2 BB)...Was his first Opening Day HR...Threw out two batters to end games: A. Soriano on 4/13 vs. NYY in 9th inng. (Sox 7-6 win) and L. Ugueto on 5/19 vs. Sea. in the 9th inng. (Sox 3-2 win)...Matched a career high with 4 hits on 4/21 (2nd G) at KC (4-5 w/R, 2 2B, 3 RBI)...Hit .318 (21-66) w/4 2B, 2 HR, 9 RBI in 17 games in April...Had 12 RBI over a 12 game stretch from 4/21-5/8...Had 5 RBI on 5/8 at Oak. (3-5 w/HR, 5 RBI)...His most since recording a career-high 8 RBI on 5/20/01...Hit a career high 3 doubles on 5/12 at Sea...Hit 2-run HR vs. CWS on 5/20 (8th inng., off K. Wunsch)...Scored 3 R matching a career high...Started at DH for the first time in 2002 on 7/24 vs. TB (2-4 w/RBI)...Finished July hitting a team-high .360 (31-86) w/17 R, 7 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 11 RBI in 25 games...Had a career-high 16-game hitting streak from 7/14-31, hitting .400 (24-60) w/5 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 7 RBI...It was the longest hitting streak by a Red Sox catcher since C. Fisk hit in 16 straight games to end the 1977 season (9/15-10/1/77)...Hit a solo-HR on 9/9 at TB (off T. Sturtze)...It was his 1st HR since 7/30 at Ana., a span of 30 games (106 AB)...26 of his 61 RBI came with 2 outs incl. 18 from 7/2...Threw out 28% (31-112) of base runners attempting to steal...Started 121 G as catcher...Hit 5th in the order 23 times, 6th 29 times, 7th 54 times, 8th 14 times and 9th 2 times...Caught in 127 G (3rd in A.L.) w/121 GS (4th in A.L.), 912 PO (2nd on Sox all-time) and 970 TC (2nd in A.L. and on Sox all-time)...4 E in 970 TC for .996 pct., 2nd best for Sox all-time.

Career:
Entering 2003, he has caught in 521 G, 7th all-time for Sox...Has a .992 fld. pct., 2nd for Sox behind Tony Pena (.994)...Ranks 4th on Sox w/3,544 PO.

Personal:
Was originally Minnesota Twins first-round selection (21st overall) in 1993 June draft, but did not sign...Mariners first round pick (14th overall) in 1994 June draft...Attended Georgia Tech where he was a teammate of Red Sox SS Nomar Garciaparra and ex-Sox OF Darren Bragg...Three-time All-America selection at Georgia Tech...Named Baseball America's College Player of the Year for 1993 and was also selected to that publication's "All-Time College All-Star Team"...He's the only player in Georgia Tech baseball history to have had his number retired (#33)...Named one of Georgia Tech's 50 Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century; the only other baseball players on the list were Nomar Garciaparra and Kevin Brown...Continues to hold most of Georgia Tech's offensive records...Played on Team USA in 1992 and took part in the Olympic Games at Barcelona...Graduated from Lake Brantley H.S. (Longwood, FL) in 1990 where he was primarily a third baseman...Has participted in several "Sox Talks" to Boston youths throughout the area over the last four years..Has participated in Polaroid Clinics at Fenway Park, speaking to Little Leaguers and H.S. players about the fundamentals of baseball.