By the time Jason Varitek checked his messages on Thursday, he may as well have been the central figure in a Shakespearean work. First, Varitek was named in the Mitchell Report. Later, he wasn’t.

Confused? So is the catcher and captain of the Red Sox, who was included on a phony register that listed the names of dozens of major leaguers purportedly named in the Mitchell Report. The list was posted on reputable Web sites and even broadcast by media outlets until it was learned that “The List” was really no such thing at all.

In its entire history, never has baseball bore a greater resemblance to the hearings held by Sen. Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s.

“I’d like to know where it came from, no question,” Varitek said yesterday by phone when asked if he was aware of the false report. “From what I know now, I guess (bad information) had been passed around all morning. More than anything, you’re just concerned about how something like that could happen.”

Because of his size, Varitek admitted, he has continually had to deal with speculation about whether he has used performance-enhancing drugs during his baseball career. Former Red Sox manager Jimy Williams was among the many who often joked that Varitek’s legs were more like tree trunks than limbs.

That said, Varitek’s role in Thursday’s controversy was hardly unique. The group of falsely accused players included everyone from Albert Pujols, Johnny Damon, Julian Tavarez [stats] and Trot Nixon.

Varitek also admitted that he had spoken with his agent, Scott Boras, about trying to track down the original source of the story. The catcher gave no indication that he would pursue any legal action, but has been bothered by the witch hunt that the never-ending steroids scandal has caused.

“Passing judgment on anyone before (confirmation) is a very dangerous thing to do,” Varitek said. “I mean, how many times have we had to deal with questions about this topic? How many times have you had to answer questions about other people without really knowing, and then you’re the one thrown on a list? That’s why, when addressing questions about other people, I try to give them the benefit of the doubt.”

As for the events of Thursday morning, Varitek said family and friends left him voice messages telling him he was named in the Mitchell Report. Later, when it became clear those initial reports were inaccurate, Varitek said the same people called expressing relief.

Varitek declined to say he was angered by the entire series of events, though the Sox captain did express concern about how quickly the story gained traction.

“It raises a big question about how our society does things,” he said.

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An apology to Jason Varitek

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