Red Sox catcher Kevin Cash made enough of an impression last season and this spring to win the backup role to Jason Varitek. Sox management said it was impressed by the 30-year-old’s defensive skills and knowledge of hitters.

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The Providence Journal / Bob Breidenbach

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Doug Mirabelli was penciled into the Sox’ lineup yesterday morning, but was a last-minute scratch. Then he was seen leaving City of Palms Park in street clothes. Not too long after that, the Red Sox announced the veteran backup catcher had been placed on unconditional release waivers.

It was a public changing of the guard.

There was a debate early in camp as to the direction the club would proceed with the backup catching position — which is more important than on most teams, since it involves catching Tim Wakefield’s knuckleball — and, after many meetings, it was decided Kevin Cash had proven himself worthy enough to handle the job.

General manager Theo Epstein said yesterday the staff felt certain Cash was prepared to do a better job, and not only as just Wakefield’s batterymate. According to the GM, Cash’s defensive execution has been exceptional. He can call a good game, throw, receive and block, says Epstein. What also helped Cash’s cause was his due diligence with advance scouting.

He’s not considered a prospect, especially at the age of 30, and even though management knew he handled the job well last season in Boston, Epstein wanted to make sure Cash still has the skills.

“The evaluation in camp was Cash was doing a lot of things right,” said the GM. “It was a tough decision, but the right choice for the club overall was Cash, or we wouldn’t have done it.”

Cash said he’s friends with Mirabelli and it was tough to see him disappointed yesterday, saying the veteran has been nothing but “super nice” since Cash arrived at spring training in 2007.

Still, baseball is a business and the Red Sox will do anything they can to improve their club. When Cash was recalled last August, he would sit in the dugout at Fenway Park and he would stay up at night, thinking about the incredible situation he was in, one that would end with a World Series championship.

Now, he’s hoping to have more of an impact this season.

After proving he could handle the backup role while working well with Wakefield late last summer, Cash came into camp ready to make an impact. He arrived in Fort Myers with an open mind because he knew Mirabelli had re-signed during the offseason. Management told him to have a good camp and maybe something would happen.

“For a guy in my situation that’s the best thing you can hear,” he said. “If they were to look at me and said, ‘We’re pretty much set, barring any injuries,’ that would have been a little disappointing, but they didn’t shut the door on me. They told me, ‘have a good spring,’ and fortunately for myself, it has worked out.”

Following a two-year stint in the Tampa organization, mostly spent at Triple-A Durham, Cash found himself second-guessing his future in the game. He started doubting himself.

“You only get so many opportunities, and I’ve definitely had my share of opportunities and haven’t made the best of them,” Cash said. “The [doubts] cross your mind because of your age and you’re not a 23-year-old prospect anymore. . . I’m ecstatic. Why would I want to be anywhere else? Everything has been incredible since the day I signed last spring.”

The day was neither incredible nor ecstatic for Mirabelli, whose career could be at an end.

“It was a tough decision to let Doug go,” said Epstein. “He’s done a lot for this franchise over the years, even though it’s been as a backup role. He’s had an impact that exceeded the role and certainly contributed to two championship clubs, so we have a lot of respect for him and it was tough to let him go today.”

Mirabelli, a career backup with a .231 batting average , signed a one-year contract with the Red Sox in January, with a base salary of $550,000, along with another $275,000 more in roster bonuses, $150,000 in conditioning bonuses and $1.25 million in performance bonuses based on games played and games started. Because of the timing of the decision yesterday, the Red Sox might only have to pay a percentage of that.

“We brought him in and told him how we felt, and why we felt that way,” explained manager Terry Francona. “It’s not a lot of fun for anybody. We’re trying to do the right thing for the organization. We have a lot of respect for what Doug has done.”

If Cash falters, then management feels that George Kottaras and Dusty Brown have been impressive enough in their development to be called upon.

“We have two young catchers who have had a really good camp,” said Francona. “Brown has done a great job maturing as a catcher. They are exciting for us as prospects.”

jmcdonal@projo.com