Jason Varitek prepared himself to leave Boston. He'd never really done so when he was an everyday player -- when he hit free agency six years ago, he negotiated only with the Red Sox -- but the uncertainty around his situation with the Red Sox meant he had to start fielding offers from other teams.

"This, more than any time in my career, I had the most interest from other teams, that, in the same regard, they'd have a need for the same role and a need for the same type of thing -- and that it might not be here," he said.

But once Victor Martinez signed a lucrative four-year contract with the Detroit Tigers, a spot opened up for Varitek with the team with which he's played since 1997. Varitek was more than pleased to sign a one-year contract to return to the Red Sox as a backup.

"Did I hope for it? Yes, I hoped for it, and wished that it would happen," said Varitek, in the building during the Carl Crawford press conference for "Christmas at Fenway" festivities. "Did I necessarily think that, this go-round, that they may go in other directions? Yeah. I was excited that I didn't have to make that final decision."

Varitek hit .232 with seven home runs in an injury-shortened season a year ago. A foul ball off the bat of -- who else? -- Crawford broke his foot at the end of June, and he appeared in just five games in the final three months of the season.

But the injury had a silver lining: He went into the offseason feeling far less beat-up than usual. As with most of the rest of the injury-plagued Red Sox team, he'll be ready to go at the start of spring training in February.

"I had less healing time at the end of the season because I could take steps and walk down stairs straight," he said. "When I did that (in the past), I knew it was time to start to really train and really get after that. I was doing that after week one."

Unless Theo Epstein signs Russell Martin, a free-agent catcher linked to the Red Sox in reports, Varitek will back up Jarrod Saltalamacchia next season.

"That's not an easy thing to do, to be like a stalwart, for many, many years be the captain, and then be asked to handle a reduced role," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "His role didn't get reduced. He didn't allow it to be. He picked it up in other areas, whether it was helping out the other catchers or his teammates, and as much as we appreciated it, that's why we appreciate it, because it's not easy. He handled it with a lot of class and dignity."

"We really like everything 'Tek brings to the table -- his leadership, the way he handles the pitching staff, his mentorship of Jarrod Saltalamacchia, just everything he brings to this franchise," Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein said. "He's another guy who fits in to the work ethic and preparation and commitment to winning and the intensity. He's our captain, and it's wonderful to have him back in the fold."

Varitek hasn't yet met new pitching coach Curt Young. He expects the two will connect at some point after New Year's Day. But helping with the transition to Young from John Farrell will be at least as important a part of his contribution as whatever he does at the plate.

The same will go for Saltalamacchia, who had three months to get to work with Varitek and the Red Sox pitching staff last season. Saltalamacchia didn't exactly light the world on fire with his bat last season.

But the acquisitions of Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez ensure he won't have to.

"I don't think he would be put in that situation for him to be expected to carry the weight that Victor did," Varitek said. "Victor's special. He's special. Does it mean Salty might not be special? No, he can be special. But he doesn't have to."