Nomar's Red Sox Exit

The news was stunning in its brevity:

“Nomar Garciaparra will sign a one-day minor league contract with the Boston Red Sox—and then announce his retirement from baseball—as a Red Sox player.”

A mixture of pride and sadness comes across Red Sox Nation as one of its greatest players ever—leaves the game in such a manner. No shame in the minor leagues, to be sure, but a somewhat inglorious end for a player who meant so much for so long to Boston fans.

I was shocked when he was traded away—and yet I had heard about Nomar’s grumbling and public dissatisfaction. “That chemistry thing” is important—and if Terry Francona saw (correctly) that such a trade could finally help Boston win a World Championship in 2004 (which it did), then in hindsight it was a necessary move. At the time, I was in favor of the move. No one player is ever bigger than the team.

Still…the idea that Nomar didn’t get to share in the euphoria following that 2004 Championship has to nag at him—and all those Sox fans who feel his consistently stellar play over the years earned him the right to a ring. I guess, technically, he received a World Series ring since he was released within the championship year. Nevertheless, it must have been a hollow feeling.

Boston fans know their baseball—and while they are not quick to forgive those who exit for dollars alone (just ask Johnny Damon), they are also appreciative of those players who work hard and exhibit a passion for winning, despite their turbulent episodes.

Case in point----check out this homemade video of Nomar’s return to Fenway Park as an Oakland Athletic player in July of last year. This is the crowd reaction to his very first at-bat in Fenway with another uniform on:





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syy5yng6Q_c

Classy.

And classy was exactly how Nomar retired the other day, expressing gratitude to the Red Sox organization, to the fans and to the notion that despite his journey away from Boston as a pro baseball player, he was, in his heart—always a Red Sox player.

The rumor is that Nomar will throw out the first pitch on opening day at Fenway this season. I, for one, hope that his role is a WHOLE LOT bigger.

I’d like to see Nomar start the game against the Yankees at short---and be the leadoff batter in the home half of the inning.

One more inning.
One more at-bat.
One more chance to display for the fans the kind of excellence and passion that made him one of the all-time Red Sox greats.

Is it prudent to do so from strictly a competitive perspective? Probably not, but the Red Sox should demonstrate that they are a team and organization like no other. Unlike the Yankees, who dump Hideki Matsui—the WORLD SERIES MVP immediately after winning a championship (completely classless), the Boston Red Sox can afford the possibility that Nomar will let one go through his legs into Left Field—and/or strikeout. The fortunes of the 2010 campaign will not turn on one error or a single at-bat.

Who knows? One might see Mr.Garciaparra make just one more eye-popping play—or see him hit just one more over the Green Monster.

Hell, even Yankee fans might like to see that.

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