Sorting out draft orders ahead of the NFL season has been an annual (and often elaborate) tradition at the end of every summer, with the Red Sox chipping golf balls off the Green Monster last season in order to determine the draft order. This time around, the Red Sox called upon Varitek to be the primary determinant in their fantasy football fortunes. As captured on video by Tim Healey of The Boston Globe, Varitek mapped out Boston's draft order by taking batting practice at Fenway.
The walkout, which union leaders say is the first in Fenway Park's 113-year history, follows more than a year of contract negotiations and months of escalating frustration over pay, job security, and automation.