I hate to compliment the New York Yankees arch rivals, but the Boston Red Sox did a nice thing for Nomar Garciaparra, who officially retired from baseball today. Boston signed Nomar to a one-day minor league contract, which allowed him to retire with the Red Sox, the team he achieved most of his success with.
The Red Sox and Nomar didn't exactly part on the best terms, with the then-shortstop sitting out an epic game against the Yankees in July 2004 in which Derek Jeter dove into the stands after catching a popup, leaving him bloodied and bruised. A few weeks later, Nomar was traded to the Chicago Cubs. But the Red Sox treated Nomar badly, as Jeter himself noted in the only time I can ever recall him even remotely criticizing another organization, by floating his name in trade talks involving then-Texas Rangers shortstop Alex Rodriguez.
But all is apparently forgiven. Nomar thanked Red Sox owners and officials for allowing him to retire as a Red Sox. "To be able to have that dream come true, I really just can't put it into words," he said, choking back tears during a news conference. "To be able to say I came back home and to be back to Red Sox nation is truly a thrill. It's good to be back."
Red Sox President and CEO Larry Lucchino welcomed Nomar back. "It gives us enormous pride to recognize the respect you have for the organization, the connection you feel to the organization, the connection you feel to our fans and to Fenway Park. I'm here to tell you the feelings are mutual. When the history of the Boston Red Sox is written again, there will be a very large and important chapter devoted to Nomar Garciaparra."
Very classy, indeed!
The Red Sox and Nomar didn't exactly part on the best terms, with the then-shortstop sitting out an epic game against the Yankees in July 2004 in which Derek Jeter dove into the stands after catching a popup, leaving him bloodied and bruised. A few weeks later, Nomar was traded to the Chicago Cubs. But the Red Sox treated Nomar badly, as Jeter himself noted in the only time I can ever recall him even remotely criticizing another organization, by floating his name in trade talks involving then-Texas Rangers shortstop Alex Rodriguez.
But all is apparently forgiven. Nomar thanked Red Sox owners and officials for allowing him to retire as a Red Sox. "To be able to have that dream come true, I really just can't put it into words," he said, choking back tears during a news conference. "To be able to say I came back home and to be back to Red Sox nation is truly a thrill. It's good to be back."
Red Sox President and CEO Larry Lucchino welcomed Nomar back. "It gives us enormous pride to recognize the respect you have for the organization, the connection you feel to the organization, the connection you feel to our fans and to Fenway Park. I'm here to tell you the feelings are mutual. When the history of the Boston Red Sox is written again, there will be a very large and important chapter devoted to Nomar Garciaparra."
Very classy, indeed!
Thanks to Dlz28 via en.Wikipedia for the photo.
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