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By ERIC BENEVIDES Sports writer PAWTUCKET — There aren't any catchers listed among the top 15 prospects in the Boston Red Sox organization, but there are a handful of promising talents in their chain, starting with Pawtucket Red Sox catchers Dusty Brown and George Kottaras and continuing with Mark Wagner, Jon Egan, Tyler Weeden and Jon Still.
By ERIC BENEVIDES
Sports Writer
But with current Red Sox backstop and team captain Jason Varitek entering the final year of a four-year, $40 million contract and turning 36 later this month, there isn’t a clear-cut heir apparent to step into his position should he and the team part ways after this season.
That’s what makes this season an important one for Brown and Kottaras. As the Red Sox weigh their options at that position, both players will be under the microscope as they enter the season sharing the PawSox’s catching duties and looking to improve on their '07 performances and make a strong impression on the organization and Red Sox Nation.
"Everyone’s goal is to become a major leaguer,” said Brown at Tuesday afternoon's Media Day at McCoy Stadium. “Regardless of what the situation is in Boston, all we can do is go out, play hard, and see what happens. We can only control the things that we can control and the other stuff is out of our hands."
“(The organization) thinks a tremendous amount of both Brown and Kottaras,” said PawSox manager Ron Johnson. "I’m excited about them. You have two 40-man roster guys who both had their feet wet at Triple-A last season, and making sure we get them worked in is going to be probably one of my toughest situations.
"When Brownie’s catching, we could probably use George as a DH, and we can also get (Brown) in there (as a DH) sometimes. There’s going to be enough work for both of them.”
Both players concluded last season knowing that they still had work to do on a few aspects of their game, and during spring training and last month's exhibition schedule, the hard work they put into their offseasons was evident, as they made solid impressions at the plate and behind it.
"I feel like every part of my game just continues to improve," admitted Brown, who along with Kottaras, batted .313 (5-for-16) in Boston's exhibition contests. "I think I’ve done a very good job the past couple of years, but I need to just keep improving on every facet of the game."
"There's always room for improvement," added Kottaras. "I learned a lot about how to prepare myself and get ready for a game. Controlling the pitching staff and trying to get the best out of them is a big key, and so is having them have confidence in me behind the plate."
Most fans would think that the competition is a heated one between the two players, but Brown admitted that he and Kottaras are good friends who aren’t worried about their situation. During Tuesday’s Media Day, they were playfully wrestling in front of a couple of photographers.
“We joke around about (the competition), but we kind of know what situation we’re in,” Brown said. “I think it’s just an opportunity for us to get better from each other by that competition, but we get along great and we work together well.”
Kottaras, who two seasons ago, was the No. 2 ranked prospect in the San Diego Padres organization before he was traded to the Red Sox on Sept. 5, 2006 for veteran starting pitcher David Wells, endured his share of struggles in the early going of his first Triple-A season with the PawSox.
Kottaras headed into the All-Star break with a .196 average, but kicked off the second half with hits in 14 of his first 15 games, batted .318 in his final 31 games, and finished the season batting .241 with nine homers and 39 RBIs.
"When I went home for the All-Star break (in Markham, Ontario), my dad kind of set me straight,” the 24-year-old catcher said with a grin. “The first half of the season was kind of tough, but as soon as the second half started, I think I turned it around pretty well, and I’m trying to build off that (finish) this year.”
While Kottaras (a .275 hitter with a .368 on base percentage in five minor league seasons) bounced back offensively, he wasn't as sharp defensively. He made 10 errors in 83 games and threw out just 23 of 114 attempted basestealers.
Brown, who spent the bulk of last season in Double-A with the Portland Sea Dogs before starting eight games for the PawSox at the end of the year, fared very well defensively. The 25-year-old catcher (and Boston's 35th round pick in the 2000 draft) committed just five miscues in 69 games with the Sea Dogs and threw out 43 percent of would-be basestealers.
But offensively, he wasn’t as potent as Kottaras. He batted .268 in Portland, but in his eight games with the PawSox, he went 5-for-27 with 10 strikeouts.
Brown’s season continued in the Arizona Fall League as a member of the Mesa Solar Sox, He hit .273 in 15 games to earn a berth on the AFL’s Top Prospects Team, and after that, he received a spot on Boston’s 40-man roster.
“Going back to Arizona was just a chance to get more at-bats and work with a different pitching staff,” Brown said. “Every game and every team that I play on is just another opportunity to improve all the parts of my game, especially defensively and calling games against different hitters.”
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