The Captain Is Officially Back

The Red Sox named Jason Varitek Special Assistant to the General Manager on Thursday afternoon in an announcement made by his new boss, GM Ben Cherington.

In a statement released by the team Cherington said, “Jason was one of the most respected players of his era and will be a key voice as we move forward. He will be involved in a number of areas including Major League personnel decisions, evaluations, and mentorship and instruction of young players. We are fortunate to have him in this role.”

Varitek (pictured) was named captain of the team on December 24, 2004, the 18th player to hold that title. He has the Red Sox record with 1,488 games caught. He was a three-time All-Star (2003, 2005 and 2008), and was instrumental in the two World Championships won by the team in 2004 and 2007.