Jul 21
C Jason Varitek has been suffering through the worst slump of his baseball career, but manager Terry Francona indicated he has no plans to start pinch hitting for his captain in late-inning situations. Varitek did hit only his second home run in his last 42 games during a Monday night win over the Mariners, and Francona hopes it's the beginning of Varitek's long climb back to offensive respectability. "I think in the long term it will pay off, whether you're calling it patience or confidence," Francona said. "I don't think it will help us get to where we are if we (start pinch hitting)."
