Boston Red Sox: Jason Varitek should be Alex Cora’s bench coach

Alex Cora will be able to name an entirely new coaching staff for the Boston Red Sox when he takes over, and his former captain should be his bench coach.

Jason Varitek is one of the most beloved Boston Red Sox players of all-time. He wasn’t a stud at the plate, but his leadership and ability to manage a pitching staff were second to none. Now, he should take the next step to become the team’s bench coach.

Varitek’s former teammate Alex Cora was named the Red Sox manager recently, and with every coach leaving Boston, there are tons of openings. Tek has made the list countless times from media and fans that want to see him one day manage the team, but he needs some experience first. Cora could give his former captain his first true coaching experience if he’s hired as Boston’s bench coach.

A lot of people will argue that the bench coach should be someone that already has a lot of experience, to be able to work with the younger Cora. I disagree though and think that experience can come from the pitching coach, first base coach, and third base coach. The bench coach spot can go to a younger inexperienced guy, who will gain knowledge as the season goes along. We also have to remember that Tek was not just your average player in the dugout. He’s smart and was a player, like Cora, that looked at the game a lot differently than your average player.

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Varitek would also be able to handle the stress that comes with coaching in Boston given his past experience here. He was on the team from 1998 through 2011, and he totaled a .256 average with 193 home runs and 757 RBI. Varitek was a career .994 fielder behind the plate and he earned a Gold Glove in 2005. He was the heart and soul of the 2004 Red Sox team that ended the Curse of the Bambino. delivering a World Series title to Boston for the first time in 86 years. He helped them win it all again in 2007. Varitek was meant to be a lifetime Bostonian.

Since retiring, Jason Varitek has assisted the Boston front office in multiple capacities. In 2012 Ben Cherington named him a special assistant to the general manager. Under Dave Dombrowski, he’s the special assistant to the president of baseball operations. Tek’s familiarity with the current front office staff would be greatly beneficial to Cora at the field level.

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So, do you agree that Jason Varitek should at least be in the running to become the next Red Sox bench coach? While we’re at it let’s just hire Pedro Martinez or Tim Wakefield to be the pitching coach as well. Let me know what you think on Twitter @CandCFansided!