NOBODY ELSE IS GOING TO SAY IT, SO I WILL

Jason Varitek is one of the best catchers in the game. His offensive numbers might not be good this year, but when it comes to the fundamentals of catching (which includes working with pitchers especially young pictchers, signal-calling), he's just the best. Clearly, you don't understand the importance of having a good signal-caller behind the plate. The Players themselves had a lot to do with deciding who goes to the All-Stars this year, and they obviously thought Jason Varitek deserved it.

So I guess Brian Schnieder, Pudge, and all the Molinas deserve to be in it too because they're great catchers.....thing is though, they're better catchers and they all hit over .218

Victor Martinez Deserves it more than varitek

The reason Jeter deserves to be on the team is that he is a "Star". The reason he doesn't is that for those of us who believe merit should be met with the recognition of such honors as the All-Star Game, Jeter's performance thus far is less than satisfactory. HOWEVER, the inclusion of Varitek based on the merit ideal is far more glaring than that of Jeter. No one wants to see a catcher who hits .218 play in the ASG. Varitek's performance is below average thus far. Jeter's is average (your words). Therefore, 'Tek is the bigger chunk of ree-donk-ulous-ness.

Hey, We are talking about 2008 All-Star. For you to say Pudge, Schneider has been better than Tek this year in catching is absurd. Tek has worked with the most new young pitchers the first half of this season and tied the record for the most no-hit games caught this season. So Sorry, V-tek is still the All-Star Choice. The only person I can make a case for is Pierzynski. Then, maybe because a lot of players don't like him that much.

So if you bat near .200 and catch young players that makes you an All-Star? V-Tek happens to have the lowest batting average for an All-Star all-time. And the Sawx aren't even in first, stop praising him.

That doesn't really make any sense. Daisuke (28) is not a young pitcher in the same way Lester (who is 24) is. Neither is Beckett (28). Varitek is incapable of catching Wakefield (41) who also is not young. The bullpen isn't young. Timlin is 41, Okajima is in his 30s. . . . Now if you want to just say he has been the pulse of the best team in baseball for the last couple of years and deserves some slack for that, then I think you have a more arguable position. Though, like I said, I prefer a more merit-based approach.
Also, I'm not sure the All-Star pitching staff needs to be managed.

Well does being really hot count?

Valid question... Im going to have to go with yes due to my massive man-crush on varitek.

That being said ive always loved Mirabelli. He gets 1 in 5 games and always come ready to play.

But ya, Varitek's pretty damn hot.

Thank you, Jeter is the most overrated player in the game by far. The media is all on his jock for no reason. He usually hits for a high average, but that's it. People hit for better average and more homers than him but playing in NY makes him great, to the media at least. He's the captain of a underachieving Yankees team

Perception versus reality time. Perception: Jeter is overrated. Reality: Do a little looking around. Observe the sheer quantity of pundits who say that Jeter is overrated. Now try to find one person of journalistic merit who will rate Jeter as a top defensive shortstop, despite the fact that his career FP is .975 (Cal's is .977, Ozzie's is .978).
Jeter earns high marks as an offensive player because in his position, traditionally anemic at the plate, has few players as consistent as he. Jeter's career BA is .316. he has almost 200 home runs. He has a .309 career playoff average (in far more games than other SS). Still, he gets slammed. How can he be overrated when he is constantly devalued?

Well, I never said Jeter wasn't good. He is good, very good. The media just makes him out to be one of the greatest of all time for any position and talk about his leadership and how to keep all the stars on NY in check. No one calls out his "leadership" when things aren't going well. This year, his fielding percentage is .981, above his norm, but still 8th in the MLB. And if you go by Sabermetrics, Jeter was the worst fielder at any position from 2002-2005 although many view him as a defensive wizard when he is no better than half the starting SS in the league. His hitting is good with his .316 career average, but there are players who are better who get less media attention. Perhaps the way the media makes him out to be may be unfair, but he is not as good as many people perceive him to be.

And you must admit he doesn't deserve to be an all-star this year

Actually I think he deserves the number two spot. I am working on a post that says why. Read it if you get a chance. I think calling a guy "the most overrated" when he is producing at his position is too strong of a statement.

Jose Molina is more deserving than Varitek!
Maybe you should be screaming at the fans who elected a DH who hasn't played in a month and didn't hit the month before that!

really, before Papi got hurt, I recall top five hitter in a few categories that month of May, after beginning season in slump...hmmm, have to get the stats for the month your referring to...plus the guy has a bad knee still bothering him...we'll see in time

It wasthe palyers that voted Varitek in not the fans or the media. I think the guys that play around him probably have more of a clue than any of us Yahoo's

Did anyone even notice that the whole point of this article was that Jeter was LESS deserving then Veritek? .......guess not.

Haha. So true. I wouldn't say less deserving than Varitek, but Jeter still didn't deserve to be an All-Star. It looks like an All-Star team made by ESPN. All the all-star starters except I think 3 are Yankees/Red Sox when it's obvious there were better choices.

I didn't miss it. My comment got a negative nod by someone even though I addressed the issue.

JTek getting old, but the ol' man handles a staff well(cliche) and will keep him in league for a few more years....some team, a handful of them would want him if Sox don't...bat speed decline rapid this year, but Sox really don't need a lot of catcher production on Offense or do they(Ortiz out)?...Allstar?, hell no this year and Jeter is the better All-star and more deserving