Nomar Garciaparra retires as a Red Sox
Posted on March 10, 2010
Filed Under 2010 Season | 1 Comment
It’s been almost 7 years and 2 World Series championships since the last time Nomar Garciaparra donned the uniform of the Boston Red Sox. That all changed today as the team signed him to a 1-day minor league contract so that he could retire as a member of the club that brought him to the big leagues all the way back in 1996.
Personally speaking, I know that Nomar was the brightest spot on a team that hovered slightly above the .500 mark for a handful of seasons. My dad’s generation looked at him as the best thing to come out of the farm system since Roger Clemens. My generation looked at him as someone who could possibly take the bad taste of Roger Clemens out of our collective mouths. Nomar didn’t disappoint as he slugged his way to the 1997 Rookie of the Year award and a few top 10 MVP finishes. Like most good things it eventually came to an end as he was booted out of town after turning down a ridiculous contract and being labeled as a cause of some clubhouse conflict. Red Sox fans were furious but all was forgiven on October 27th, 2004.
Anyway, the big question remaining now is whether Garciaparra should be elected into the Hall of Fame. Just for arguments sake, this is how he would stack up against other HoF shortstops if he DID make it in:
Batting AVG: .313 (3rd)
On-Base %: .361 (T-9th)
Slugging %: .521 (1st)
Hits: 1,747 (18th)
Home-Runs: 229 (4th)
RBI: 936 (10th)
His career wasn’t as long as most guys in the Hall but his numbers stack up and show that he dominated for a solid decade. I guess we’ll find out in a few years but for now, let’s check out some quotes from today:
“From the first day I had the thrill of putting on a Red Sox uniform and playing in front of all the great fans at Fenway Park, I have felt at home in Boston” – Nomar Garciaparra
After being told that Nomar didn’t cry at his press conference, a reporter asked Dustin Pedroia if he would cry when he retired and he responded with: “Legends don’t cry.”
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I LOVE LITTLE DUSTY SO MUCH. adorbs