By BRENDAN MCGAIR

Sports writer

The Red Sox and Yankees might claim to be different, but for the sake of this discussion, both are passengers on the same freighter. The Bostonians and New Yorkers are in the same pickle: hanging on to aging catchers with no clear-cut solution waiting in the wings.

Both sets of fans can put bitter disagreements aside for this: Jason Varitek and Jorge Posada aren’t getting any younger. There will soon come a point when these long-time Iann“rocks” give way to others.  To further illustrate the proverbial page is on the verge of being turned, both all-stars are 36 (Posada turns 37 by season’s end). Expecting Varitek and Posada to continue playing at a high level seems is, putting it mildly, unrealistic.
Heck, even Carlton Fisk knew enough to pack up his shin guards and chest protector, though the Hall of Famer kept borrowing from Father Time until age 44.
Boston and New York have long demonstrated they will go to great lengths to satisfy their needs. In this case, though, don’t be shocked if baseball’s answer to the Montagues and Capulets end up targeting the same bounty.
Jose Contreras, Part Deux? Not quite but it could be interesting to see what kind of bidding war ensues for a backstop currently begging for a shot to play on a daily basis.
Think Chris Iannetta wouldn’t fit in with either the Yanks or BoSox? The ex-St. Raphael Academy standout would instantly provide both franchises a fresh shot in the arm at a position that is crying out for it.
What makes this an even more enticing proposition is Iannetta’s current status with the Colorado Rockies. Currently the 25-year-old (note the age) is saddled in a backup role behind Yorvit Torrealba.
Torreabla takes the field every night knowing he has the luxury of a multiyear pact tucked away in his back pocket. Colorado re-upped him last November to the tune of two years and $7.25 million.  The Rockies didn’t hand out that type of dough for someone to play second fiddle.
Not too long ago, Iannetta was branded the Rockies’ “catcher of the future.” He was heralded the best catching prospect the Colorado organization had ever produced. He was destined to become a Mile High fixture.
These days Iannetta is lucky to see his name appear on manager Clint Hurdle’s lineup card every four or five days. The only time he met the criteria of a surefire thing was April 19, one night Colorado removed from going long into the night/early morning (22 innings, all caught by Torrealba) with San Diego.
The thing is that Iannetta has fared exceptionally well despite his low volume of work. He checks in (through Saturday’s action) at with a .324 average along two home runs and six RBIs. He even displayed some versatility, trading his catcher’s mitt for a third baseman’s glove after injuries caused the Rockies to reshuffle the infield last week.
Making his first appearance at the hot corner since his days in the collegiate summer league ranks didn’t phase Iannetta the slightest bit; he slugged a homer and scored the eventual winning run (on a balk) in a 3-2 Rockies win.
But you have to wonder if being an extra is gnawing away at him. It seems Iannetta is still paying for struggling the first three months of last season, when his average barely remained above .200. That opened the door for Torrealba, who has never looked back, nor given the Rockies a reason to give Iannetta another crack.
At the St. Raphael-Woonsocket baseball game last week, one of Iannetta’s former coaches made the following remark, “He’s the type of kid who needs to play every day.” Iannetta is known for being his own harshest critic, so imagine going “ohfer” and having to stew about it on the bench for a couple days.
If Iannetta is going to fulfill his desires, it might have to unfold in another city. The Rockies have too much money invested in Torrealba, and Iannetta simply has too much upside to be considered solely a backup.
Which brings us back to the Red Sox and Yankees.
Boston’s situation is a smidge more complicated due to Varitek being in the final year of his contract. Clearly the Red Sox will make an effort to retain Captain Varitek, but since he’s a client of super agent Scott Boras, be prepared for the price to be driven skyward. That might result in a divorce no Sox fan wants to envision.
In the Yankees’ case, they are still on the books for three years and roughly $40 million with Posada. The “dead arm” issues that have plagued him this season make him a likely candidate to make a switch to first base, given New York is set to remove Jason Giambi from the payroll.
Since the Red Sox and Yankees are in the market for a young starting catcher, and Iannetta is dying for a shot to be “the man,” it appears a win-win for all parties involved. What type of package it would take to land Iannetta, a player not eligible for free agency for a few years, is better served for another time. For the record, the Yankees might own the upper hand since there’s still some residual friction from four summers ago, when a three-way trade involving the Red Sox and Rockies dried up at the 11th hour (Colorado claimed Boston was the culprit behind the collapse in a deal that would have sent Kelly Shoppach west).
Being consumed about the present, i.e. checking the standings to see where the other is positioned, has always been a chief concern for the Red Sox and Yankees. It’s time, however, to start thinking hard about finding suitable heirs for Varitek and Posada.
It’s time to tussle over Chris Iannetta.