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December 14, 2011

Shoppach returning, may replace Varitek

The Associated Press

BOSTON - Kelly Shoppach and the Boston Red Sox agreed to a $1.35 million, one-year contract Tuesday that brings the free-agent catcher back to his original team.

The move likely ends Jason Varitek's 15-year tenure behind the plate in Boston.

Shoppach, 31, batted .176 with 11 homers and 22 RBI in 87 games last season, his second with Tampa Bay. But he showed a strong arm on defense, throwing out 36.6 percent of runners trying to steal.

The Red Sox drafted Shoppach in the second round in 2001 and traded him to Cleveland in January 2006. He hit 21 homers for the Indians in 2008 and is a .224 career hitter.

Shoppach joins Jarrod Saltalamacchia behind the plate in Boston. Saltalamacchia teamed last season with Varitek, 39, now a free agent. Varitek batted.221 in 68 games and threw out 14 percent of attempted base stealers.

 

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