"I've always had a recurring dream, to be able to retire in a Red Sox uniform," Garciaparra said at a press conference at City of Palms Park. "Thanks to Mr. Henry, Mr. Werner, Mr. Lucchino and Theo, today I get to fulfill that dream and retire as a Red Sox."
I wasn't sure how to feel about all of this. On the one hand being 22, Nomar was my first "favorite" player, as a matter of fact, Nomar remains one of my favorite players even after his departure. For the majority of his time in Boston, he was a warrior, everybody remembers the picture of Jeter going into the stands for a ball while nomar was on the bench, but Nomar WAS that warrior. Nomar, night in and night out put his body on the line without giving it a second thought, I remember that Nomar. I remember the Nomar that burst on the scene as a rookie in 1997, hitting 30 home, 98 RBI(s), 209 hits, 44 doubles, and a .306 average. He was named Rookie of the Year in a unanimous vote, competed in the Home Run Derby, and finished eighth in MVP voting. While in a Red Sox uniform for 9 years he gave us 178 home runs, 690 RBI(s), a .323 average, and two seasons batting over .350.
But there was also the Nomar that hated baseball, hated the spotlight, and he grew to hate the Boston Red Sox on his way out the door. He cried about the harsh media treatment, despite the fact the weak Boston media is very easy on all the superstars, and was very easy on him - most members of the media that it.
Boston's favorite curmudgeon Dan Shaughnessy said it best in his column, I hate to be the fly in the punch bowl here, but yesterday’s lovefest involving Nomar Garciaparra and the Red Sox was truly nauseating. If Nomar had been hooked up to a polygraph, the machine would have exploded. Once again Shaughnessy at his best.
Despite his short comings, six years later he came back to Boston, putting on the iconic red B cap for one last time. He brought to a close his career, ended the tension between himself and the fans, and once again made me a true fan. He wasn't an alcoholic, he never struck his wife, and he never commited a crime. He was generious and caring, he worked with charities. He wasn't hostile with the fans. (maybe a little at the end, but lucchino was pushing his out the door at the time.) He played eight seasons on Fenway green. He hit .357 and .372 in back-to-back seasons, and carried a .323 career average with the sox. He was one of the best hitters and draft picks, that the Red Sox have had. Chances are slim that he gets the nod for Cooperstown, Nomar's Baseball Reference page, But now that he retired here in Boston, he can be in the Red sox Hall of fame - hopefully.
Now lets see how he does as a baseball analyst, and a member of the same media he was despised.
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