Nomar Garciaparra
Encyclopedia
Anthony Nomar Garciaparra (icon; born July 23, 1973, in Whittier, California
) is a former Major League Baseball
player. After playing parts of 9 seasons as an All-Star shortstop
for the Boston Red Sox
, he played third base
, first base, and designated hitter
for the Oakland Athletics
, first base and third base for the Los Angeles Dodgers
, and shortstop
and third base for the Chicago Cubs
. He is one of 13 players in Major League history to hit two grand slams during a single game, and the only player to achieve the feat at home stadium.
for elementary school; for high school he attended St. John Bosco High School
in Bellflower, California
, where he excelled in football, soccer, and baseball, and had a 4.0 GPA. His teams won high school league championships in 1990–91, and he won the league MVP honors in 1991, his last year of high school. St. John Bosco High School retired Garciaparra's baseball jersey. St. John Bosco High School's Activities Office window is home to an area dedicated to Garciaparra's baseball career both at the school and with the Dodgers.
Garciaparra was originally drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers
in the 5th round of the 1991 draft
, but did not sign.
Garciaparra attended Georgia Tech
, where he majored in business management and helped the Yellow Jackets
reach the College World Series title game in 1994
(they would lose to Oklahoma
). Former Boston teammate Jason Varitek
was also a member of that team. He was an Atlantic Coast Conference
All-Star and a first team All-American twice in 1993–94. Garciaparra and Varitek were the first two Yellow Jackets ever to be two-time All-Americans, having been joined only by the Baltimore Orioles' Matt Wieters
. Nomar was also an academic All-American. While in college, Garciaparra played for the Orleans Cardinals
of the Cape Cod Baseball League
.
(1997
, 1999
, 2000
, 2002
, 2003
, 2006
). In 2001, he suffered a wrist injury, the first in a series of significant injuries that plagued the remainder of his career.
of the Red Sox
in following a successful career at Georgia Tech. He played in the Red Sox minor league system for three years (1994–Sarasota, –Trenton
, –Pawtucket
).
He made his Major League debut on August 31, 1996, as a defensive replacement against Oakland
. His first Major League hit was a home run off Oakland pitcher John Wasdin
on September 1. Nomar would then ultimately take Wasdin deep a record thirteen times over his career. Garciaparra is known for his idiosyncratic tic
s when batting. This habit includes an elaborate routine of glove adjustments and alternating toe taps on the ground prior to an ensuing pitch.
At the time, Boston's
starting shortstop was John Valentin
, who finished ninth in MVP voting in 1995
. By late 1996
, Nomar won the job. Garciaparra's talent was enough to displace Valentin, who was moved to second base
(then third base
) to make room for young Garciaparra, who batted .241 with 4 home runs, 16 RBI, and 5 stolen bases in his initial stint with the club near the end of 1996. As a rookie in , he hit 30 home runs and drove in 98 runs, setting a new MLB record for RBIs by a leadoff hitter and most homers by a rookie shortstop. His 30-game hitting streak set an A.L. rookie record. He was named Rookie of the Year in a unanimous vote, competed in the Home Run Derby
, and finished eighth in MVP voting. He also won the immediate admiration of Red Sox fans, who referred to him in Boston accents as "NO-mah!". His popularity in New England was reflected in the Saturday Night Live
"The Boston Teens
" sketches, where Jimmy Fallon
's character Pat Sullivan always wore a Garciaparra T-shirt and would repeatedly reference his admiration for him. Garciaparra even appeared in one of the sketches, where he was introduced as the boyfriend of Sully's sister (played by guest host Kate Hudson
).
He finished with 35 home runs and 122 RBI in 1998, and placed as the runner-up for AL MVP. Garciaparra then led the American League
in batting average for the next two years, hitting .357 in and .372 in 2000, finishing in the top ten in MVP voting both years. He is one of the few right-handed batters to win consecutive batting titles, and the first since Joe DiMaggio
. He hit safely and scored a run in the first five games of his post-season career (1998–99), and is joined by Ian Kinsler
(2010) as the only other player to start his post-season career in that manner.
In February of , Garciaparra appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated
, with the headline "A Cut Above... baseball's toughest out". The week after the issue hit newsstands, Garciaparra suffered a broken right wrist that would ruin his season and alter the trajectory of his career. He recovered by the start of the 2002 season
and drove in 120 runs while hitting a league-leading 56 doubles
. However, he had a difficult time playing as strongly defensively as before, and his batting average dipped substantially, though it was still an excellent .310.
, stressed on-base percentage on offense and strong defense, two areas where Garciaparra was about to decline precipitously from his pre-2001 levels. Still, Garciaparra recovered from an injury-filled 2001 season
to bat .310 with 24 home runs and 120 RBIs in 2002. The star shortstop was up for a contract extension following the 2004 season
and hoped for a deal before that deadline. Still considered one of the best shortstops in baseball, he hoped to receive salaries similar to peers Alex Rodriguez
and Derek Jeter
.
In , Garciaparra had a good season
in which he was second in the majors in triples, fifth in the AL in hits, and second in the AL in runs scored. Unfortunately, a September slump caused his batting average to dip to .301. He followed that with a poor post-season, contributing zero home runs, one RBI and ten strikeouts in 12 games against the Oakland Athletics
and rival Yankees
, who eliminated the Red Sox
in a seven-game series.
Meanwhile, new stars and cult heroes, led by David Ortiz
and Kevin Millar
, began to emerge in Boston
. Millar convinced almost all players on the roster other than Johnny Damon
and Garciaparra (whose wedding with Mia Hamm
followed the season) to shave their heads.
After the 2003 season, Red Sox management explored trading Manny Ramírez
to the Texas Rangers
for shortstop Alex Rodriguez
. However, the MLB Players' Union objected to Rodriguez's willingness to sacrifice a huge amount of his $250 million contract to facilitate a deal to Boston, and the New York Yankees then struck a deal with Texas to bring A-Rod (who gave up $14 million with union approval) to their team. The Red Sox then had covert trade talks involving Nomar with the Chicago White Sox
, but the subsequent agreement to trade Garciapara and other for a package centered around Magglio Ordóñez
quickly became public. Garciaparra thus returned to Boston for the start of the season in the final year of a contract signed in 1997, and it quickly became clear that he was enraged with the team and would not return to Boston after the season. After Boston was beaten soundly by the Yankees in a July series in New York, Boston decided to trade away Garciaparra.
to the wild card leading Chicago Cubs
. The Red Sox received Orlando Cabrera
from the Montreal Expos
and Doug Mientkiewicz
from the Minnesota Twins
. Nomar expressed his appreciation to Red Sox fans in a speech to media, and left for the Windy City
. At first, Garciaparra was assigned jersey number 8, because Cub catcher Michael Barrett wore number 5. A few days later, they switched numbers. The Cubs
led the wild card until mid-September, but finished the 2004 season with 89 wins and out of the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Red Sox
finally overcame the Yankees en route to a World Series
sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals
, after which Nomar's former teammates voted to give him a World Series ring. Curt Schilling
noted that if not for Nomar, the Sox might not have been in a position to win at all.
In the 2005 season
, a torn left groin forced him onto the disabled list
for more than three months. Garciaparra resumed play on August 5, 2005. Because Cubs regular third baseman Aramis Ramírez
was on the disabled list for the last few weeks of the 2005 season
, he volunteered to temporarily play third base, and Cub skipper Dusty Baker
agreed. Aside from his first game in the Majors, in which he played second base, he had played shortstop in all of his other Major League games up to that point in his career.
. Also with the team were former Red Sox players Bill Mueller
, Derek Lowe
, and manager Grady Little
.
While facing the New York Mets
on June 6, 2006, Nomar hit a two-run home run
on the first pitch he ever saw against former teammate and fellow Boston icon Pedro Martínez
. Coincidentally, Derek Lowe
was the starting pitcher for the Dodgers that day.
Though he was able to retain his original jersey number (5), he moved to first base, while the Dodgers signed Rafael Furcal
from the Atlanta Braves
to step in for the recovering César Izturis
at short. Healthy for the first extended period of time since 2003, he regained his offensive stroke, evidenced by a .370 batting average at one point, and by his remaining constantly productive. By the MLB All-Star Break
, Nomar was tied with Pittsburgh's Freddy Sanchez
for the lead among all MLB infielders and all NL
batters with a .358 batting average, to go along with 11 home runs and 53 RBIs, carrying a 21-game hitting streak into the break. The .362 average he held at the 2006 All-Star break was the second highest by a Dodger since they moved into Dodger Stadium
in 1962
with the only higher mark being held by Mike Piazza
.
He adjusted well to playing first base, having committed only 1 error through 588.2 innings played—a .998 fielding percentage
. He also was elected to the 2006 NL All-Star Team as the National League All-Star Final Vote
winner, receiving around six million votes. It was his sixth trip to the Midsummer Classic, and his first as a first baseman and as a Dodger. His .358 batting average steadily declined to just a hair over .300 by the end of the season. Despite Garciaparra's late season slump and injuries, Garciaparra did prevail in the clutch for the Dodgers during their playoff race with two walk off home runs. The first capped off one of the most amazing games of the season on September 18, when the Dodgers hit four consecutive home runs in the ninth inning against the San Diego Padres
to tie the game. After the Padres scored a run in the tenth inning, Nomar hit a walk off two-run home run in the bottom of the tenth to win the game 11–10. Six days later on September 24, Garciaparra hit a walk off grand slam against the Arizona Diamondbacks
to give the Dodgers a 5–1 victory with one week left in the regular season. Garciaparra's walk off home run against Arizona propelled the Dodgers to win their last seven games of the regular season, helping the Dodgers to make the playoffs.
On October 7, Garciaparra was named the National League's Comeback Player of the Year
for 2006. He received 72,054 votes.
On November 20, 2006, the Dodgers re-signed Garciaparra to a 2-year contract worth $18.5 million, keeping him with the team through the season.
On June 25, , Garciaparra volunteered to move from first
to third base
in order to make room for rookie James Loney.
During 2008 spring training
Garciaparra suffered a microfracture on his hand after a hit-by-pitch. This forced him to start the 2008 MLB season
on the DL. Rookie Blake DeWitt
held the job in the meantime. On April 16, he started his first game against the Pittsburgh Pirates
, only to suffer a strained left calf muscle 9 days later resulting in another trip to the DL. He returned July, 4th, 2008 playing shortstop for the first time since 2005.
Garciaparra was placed on the DL on August 1, 2008, solely to make room for Manny Ramirez, who had been acquired in a trade. He had sprained his knee in a contest against the Washington Nationals on a play in which Loney threw the ball into the dirt, forcing Garciaparra, who was covering third base, to go to his knees to save the ball, allowing Lastings Milledge
to slide into him spikes-first.
.
With the acquisition of Matt Holliday
from the Colorado Rockies
in the off-season, Nomar was not granted his usual jersey number 5 he has worn with every team throughout his career thus far (Garciaparra wore number 8 for the Chicago Cubs
for a few games before switching with Michael Barrett to wear number 5 again), so instead he wore number 1. Immediately after Holliday's trade to the St. Louis Cardinals
, Eric Patterson
was called up and then given number 5. Afterward, Garciaparra and Patterson switched numbers, with Garciaparra taking number 5 and Patterson number 1.
On July 6, 2009, Garciaparra returned to Fenway Park
for the first time since being traded by the Red Sox in 2004. Before the game he was met with tremendous support from the fans, press, and his former teammates. Before he stepped up to the plate for his first at bat, he was met by a lengthy standing ovation from the fans at Fenway, to which he tipped his cap and graciously clapped along with them. After grounding out, when passing the Red Sox dugout, he thanked his former team. In his second at bat, Garciaparra got the game's first RBI to yet another lengthy applause. Garciaparra was also present with the Athletics to see the Red Sox retire Jim Rice
's number. Rice was Garciaparra's hitting coach in the early part of his career in Boston.
as well as select Wednesday Night Baseball
telecasts. He has also been one of the lead analysts on ESPN's coverage of the College World Series
. In 2011, he contributes analysis for ESPN's coverage of the Little League World Series
telecasts.
On May 5, 2010, The Red Sox hosted "Nomar Garciaparra Night", honoring Nomar before a game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He was given two official seats from Fenway by Johnny Pesky
, one bearing Nomar's own no. 5, and the other bearing Pesky's no. 6.
Nomar threw out the first pitch on Nomar Day to his former teammate Jason Varitek
with his signature off-balance sidearm throw. The hometown crowd greatly appreciated the effort.
and World Cup
Champion soccer star Mia Hamm
. The couple have twin girls, Grace Isabella and Ava Caroline, who were born on March 27, 2007, in Los Angeles
.
Both he and Mia Hamm were on Olympic teams in their respective sports. Garciaparra was on the 1992 Olympic baseball
team, and Hamm was on the 1996
, 2000
, and 2004
women's Olympic soccer
teams.
Garciaparra is the cousin of Arturo Javier Ledesma
, a Mexican soccer player who currently plays for Guadalajara
. His uncle is legendary Mexican soccer goalkeeper, Javier "Zully" Ledesma. His brother, Michael Garciaparra
, is a baseball player, playing second base for the triple-A Round Rock Express
.
On the Kate Hudson
/Radiohead
episode on season 26 of Saturday Night Live
, Garciaparra cameoed in a "Boston Teens" sketch.
On October 16, 2005, Garciaparra and his uncle Victor Campos were alerted to the screams of two women who had fallen into Boston Harbor
outside his condominium. One of the women sustained injuries to her head after hitting the pier on her way in. Garciaparra quickly jumped into the harbor and saved both women, who were later taken to the hospital.
Whittier, California
Whittier is a city in Los Angeles County, California about southeast of Los Angeles. The city had a population of 85,331 at the 2010 census, up from 83,680 as of the 2000 census, and encompasses 14.7 square miles . Like nearby Montebello, the city constitutes part of the Gateway Cities...
) is a former Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player. After playing parts of 9 seasons as an All-Star shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
for the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
, he played third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
, first base, and designated hitter
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
for the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
, first base and third base for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
, and shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
and third base for the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
. He is one of 13 players in Major League history to hit two grand slams during a single game, and the only player to achieve the feat at home stadium.
Early years
Nomar's middle name (his first name is Anthony) is his father's name, Ramon, spelled backwards. Garciaparra attended St. Mary's of the Assumption School in Whittier, CaliforniaWhittier, California
Whittier is a city in Los Angeles County, California about southeast of Los Angeles. The city had a population of 85,331 at the 2010 census, up from 83,680 as of the 2000 census, and encompasses 14.7 square miles . Like nearby Montebello, the city constitutes part of the Gateway Cities...
for elementary school; for high school he attended St. John Bosco High School
St. John Bosco High School
St. John Bosco High School is a Catholic college preparatory school located in Bellflower, California, USA; conducted by the Salesians of St. John Bosco, San Francisco Province. SJBHS is named after Saint John Bosco and was originally founded as an elementary and intermediate boarding school by...
in Bellflower, California
Bellflower, California
Bellflower is a city in Los Angeles County, California, and is a suburb of Los Angeles. It was incorporated on September 3, 1957. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 76,616, up from 72,878 at the 2000 census....
, where he excelled in football, soccer, and baseball, and had a 4.0 GPA. His teams won high school league championships in 1990–91, and he won the league MVP honors in 1991, his last year of high school. St. John Bosco High School retired Garciaparra's baseball jersey. St. John Bosco High School's Activities Office window is home to an area dedicated to Garciaparra's baseball career both at the school and with the Dodgers.
Garciaparra was originally drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
in the 5th round of the 1991 draft
1991 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1991 Major League Baseball draft.-Supplemental First Round Selections:-Other notable players:...
, but did not sign.
Garciaparra attended Georgia Tech
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
, where he majored in business management and helped the Yellow Jackets
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets baseball
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets baseball team represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in NCAA Division I college baseball. Along with most other Georgia Tech athletic teams, the baseball team participates in the Atlantic Coast Conference...
reach the College World Series title game in 1994
1994 College World Series
The 1994 College World Series was played at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, NE from June 3 to June 11. The forty-eighth tournament's champion was the University of Oklahoma, coached by Larry Cochell...
(they would lose to Oklahoma
Oklahoma Sooners baseball
Oklahoma Sooners baseball is the NCAA Division I collegiate baseball team of the University of Oklahoma based in Norman, Oklahoma.The Oklahoma Baseball tradition is long and storied, with two National Championships in 1951 and 1994, along with numerous All-Americans...
). Former Boston teammate Jason Varitek
Jason Varitek
Jason Andrew Varitek is an American professional baseball catcher who is a free agent. After being traded as a minor league prospect by the Seattle Mariners, Varitek has played his entire major league career for the Boston Red Sox...
was also a member of that team. He was an Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
All-Star and a first team All-American twice in 1993–94. Garciaparra and Varitek were the first two Yellow Jackets ever to be two-time All-Americans, having been joined only by the Baltimore Orioles' Matt Wieters
Matt Wieters
Matthew Richard Wieters is a Major League Baseball catcher for the Baltimore Orioles. Wieters was drafted 5th overall in the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft. Wieters played college baseball for Georgia Tech, and his agent is Scott Boras. Wieters is a tall athletic hitter, standing 6 feet...
. Nomar was also an academic All-American. While in college, Garciaparra played for the Orleans Cardinals
Orleans Cardinals
The Orleans Firebirds are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Orleans, Massachusetts. The team is a member of the Cape Cod Baseball League and plays in the league's Eastern Division....
of the Cape Cod Baseball League
Cape Cod Baseball League
The Cape Cod Baseball League is a collegiate summer baseball league located on Cape Cod in the U.S. state of Massachusetts, in which many college baseball stars play during the summer. Many future Major League Baseball players have started there during their college years; MLB has provided...
.
Major League Baseball career
Garciaparra is a six-time All-StarMajor League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
(1997
1997 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1997 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 68th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 8, 1997 at Jacobs Field in Cleveland, Ohio, the home of the...
, 1999
1999 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1999 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 70th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball...
, 2000
2000 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2000 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 71st playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball...
, 2002
2002 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2002 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 73rd playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues that make up Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 9, 2002 at Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the home of...
, 2003
2003 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2003 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 74th midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues constituting Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 15, 2003 at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, Illinois, the home of the Chicago...
, 2006
2006 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2006 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 77th playing of the midseason exhibition baseball game between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 11, 2006 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh,...
). In 2001, he suffered a wrist injury, the first in a series of significant injuries that plagued the remainder of his career.
Boston Red Sox (1994–2004)
Garciaparra was a first round pick1994 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1994 Major League Baseball draft.-Compensation picks:-Other notable players:*A.J. Pierzynski , Minnesota Twins, 3rd round*Bobby Howry , San Francisco Giants, 5th round...
of the Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
in following a successful career at Georgia Tech. He played in the Red Sox minor league system for three years (1994–Sarasota, –Trenton
Trenton Thunder
The Trenton Thunder are an American Minor League Baseball team and are the Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees. The Thunder play in the Eastern Division of the Eastern League, and are the two-time defending league champions...
, –Pawtucket
Pawtucket Red Sox
The Pawtucket Red Sox are the minor league baseball Triple-A affiliates of the Boston Red Sox and belong to the International League...
).
He made his Major League debut on August 31, 1996, as a defensive replacement against Oakland
1996 Oakland Athletics season
The Oakland Athletics' 1996 season involved the A's finishing 3rd in the American League West with a record of 78 wins and 84 losses.-Offseason:*November 27, 1995: Buddy Groom was signed as a Free Agent with the Oakland Athletics....
. His first Major League hit was a home run off Oakland pitcher John Wasdin
John Wasdin
John Truman Wasdin is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball. He was born in Fort Belvoir, Virginia and raised in Tallahassee, Florida....
on September 1. Nomar would then ultimately take Wasdin deep a record thirteen times over his career. Garciaparra is known for his idiosyncratic tic
Tic
A tic is a sudden, repetitive, nonrhythmic, stereotyped motor movement or vocalization involving discrete muscle groups. Tics can be invisible to the observer, such as abdominal tensing or toe crunching. Common motor and phonic tics are, respectively, eye blinking and throat clearing...
s when batting. This habit includes an elaborate routine of glove adjustments and alternating toe taps on the ground prior to an ensuing pitch.
At the time, Boston's
1996 Boston Red Sox season
The Boston Red Sox season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Red Sox finishing 3rd in the American League East with a record of 85 wins and 77 losses.-Offseason:...
starting shortstop was John Valentin
John Valentin
John William Valentin is a former shortstop and third baseman in Major League Baseball. He played most of his major league career with the Boston Red Sox, with his final season being for the New York Mets. He batted and threw right-handed...
, who finished ninth in MVP voting in 1995
1995 Major League Baseball season
Due to the 1994 Major League Baseball strike which carried into the 1995 season, a shortened 144 game schedule commenced on April 25, when the Florida Marlins played host to the Los Angeles Dodgers.-Regular season:...
. By late 1996
1996 Major League Baseball season
*American League Championship Series MVP: Bernie Williams**American League Division Series*National League Championship Series MVP: Javy López**National League Division Series*All-Star Game, July 9 at Veterans Stadium: National League, 6-0; Mike Piazza, MVP...
, Nomar won the job. Garciaparra's talent was enough to displace Valentin, who was moved to second base
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
(then third base
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
) to make room for young Garciaparra, who batted .241 with 4 home runs, 16 RBI, and 5 stolen bases in his initial stint with the club near the end of 1996. As a rookie in , he hit 30 home runs and drove in 98 runs, setting a new MLB record for RBIs by a leadoff hitter and most homers by a rookie shortstop. His 30-game hitting streak set an A.L. rookie record. He was named Rookie of the Year in a unanimous vote, competed in the Home Run Derby
Home Run Derby
The Home Run Derby is an event played prior to the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. It is a contest among the top home run hitters in Major League Baseball to determine who can hit the most home runs. The event is currently sponsored by State Farm Insurance...
, and finished eighth in MVP voting. He also won the immediate admiration of Red Sox fans, who referred to him in Boston accents as "NO-mah!". His popularity in New England was reflected in the Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
"The Boston Teens
The Boston Teens
The Boston Teens are characters featured in a large number of sketches in the American television show Saturday Night Live.Denise "Zazu" McDonough and Pat Sullivan or "Sully" are a pair of Lexington, Massachusetts, teenagers in love. The sketches are presented in the format of home video footage...
" sketches, where Jimmy Fallon
Jimmy Fallon
James Thomas "Jimmy" Fallon, Jr. is an American actor, comedian, singer, musician and television host. He currently hosts Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, a late-night talk show that airs Monday through Friday on NBC...
's character Pat Sullivan always wore a Garciaparra T-shirt and would repeatedly reference his admiration for him. Garciaparra even appeared in one of the sketches, where he was introduced as the boyfriend of Sully's sister (played by guest host Kate Hudson
Kate Hudson
Kate Garry Hudson is an American actress. She came to prominence in 2001 after winning a Golden Globe and receiving several nominations, including a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, for her role in Almost Famous. She then starred in the hit film How to Lose a Guy in 10...
).
He finished with 35 home runs and 122 RBI in 1998, and placed as the runner-up for AL MVP. Garciaparra then led the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
in batting average for the next two years, hitting .357 in and .372 in 2000, finishing in the top ten in MVP voting both years. He is one of the few right-handed batters to win consecutive batting titles, and the first since Joe DiMaggio
Joe DiMaggio
Joseph Paul "Joe" DiMaggio , nicknamed "Joltin' Joe" and "The Yankee Clipper," was an American Major League Baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career for the New York Yankees. He is perhaps best known for his 56-game hitting streak , a record that still stands...
. He hit safely and scored a run in the first five games of his post-season career (1998–99), and is joined by Ian Kinsler
Ian Kinsler
Ian Michael Kinsler is a Major League Baseball All-Star second baseman for the Texas Rangers.Despite having been drafted in only the 17th round out of college, Kinsler has risen to become a two-time All Star, and a member of the Sporting News 2009 list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball...
(2010) as the only other player to start his post-season career in that manner.
In February of , Garciaparra appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
, with the headline "A Cut Above... baseball's toughest out". The week after the issue hit newsstands, Garciaparra suffered a broken right wrist that would ruin his season and alter the trajectory of his career. He recovered by the start of the 2002 season
2002 Major League Baseball season
The Major League Baseball season finished with the Anaheim Angels defeating the San Francisco Giants in Game 7 of the 2002 World Series.-Major league baseball final standings:...
and drove in 120 runs while hitting a league-leading 56 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
. However, he had a difficult time playing as strongly defensively as before, and his batting average dipped substantially, though it was still an excellent .310.
The end of Garciaparra in Boston
Before the season, a new ownership group purchased the Red Sox. The baseball operations staff, led by Theo EpsteinTheo Epstein
Theo Nathan Epstein is the President of Baseball Operations for the Chicago Cubs.On November 25, 2002, he became the youngest GM in the history of Major League Baseball when the Boston Red Sox hired him at the age of 28...
, stressed on-base percentage on offense and strong defense, two areas where Garciaparra was about to decline precipitously from his pre-2001 levels. Still, Garciaparra recovered from an injury-filled 2001 season
2001 Major League Baseball season
The Major League Baseball season finished with the Arizona Diamondbacks defeating the New York Yankees in a Game 7 of the 2001 World Series. The attacks of September 11 pushed the end of the regular-season from September 30 to October 7. Because of that, the World Series was not completed until...
to bat .310 with 24 home runs and 120 RBIs in 2002. The star shortstop was up for a contract extension following the 2004 season
2004 Major League Baseball season
* Playoff MVPs** Manny Ramírez ** David Ortiz ** Albert Pujols * All-Star Game, July 13 at Minute Maid Park: American League, 9-4; Alfonso Soriano, MVP-References:* *...
and hoped for a deal before that deadline. Still considered one of the best shortstops in baseball, he hoped to receive salaries similar to peers Alex Rodriguez
Alex Rodriguez
Alexander Emmanuel "Alex" Rodriguez is an American professional baseball third baseman with the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball. Known popularly by his nickname A-Rod, he previously played shortstop for the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers.Rodriguez is considered one of the best...
and Derek Jeter
Derek Jeter
Derek Sanderson Jeter is an American baseball shortstop who has played 17 years in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. A twelve-time All-Star and five-time World Series champion, Jeter's clubhouse presence, on-field leadership, hitting ability, and baserunning have made him a central...
.
In , Garciaparra had a good season
2003 Major League Baseball season
*World Series MVP: Josh Beckett**American League Championship Series MVP: Mariano Rivera**National League Championship Series MVP: Iván Rodríguez*All-Star Game, July 15 at U.S...
in which he was second in the majors in triples, fifth in the AL in hits, and second in the AL in runs scored. Unfortunately, a September slump caused his batting average to dip to .301. He followed that with a poor post-season, contributing zero home runs, one RBI and ten strikeouts in 12 games against the Oakland Athletics
2003 Oakland Athletics season
The Oakland Athletics' 2003 season involved the A's finishing 1st in the American League West with a record of 96 wins and 66 losses.-Offseason:...
and rival Yankees
2003 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees' 2003 season was the 100th season for the Yankees. The team finished with a record of 101-61 finishing 6 games ahead of the Boston Red Sox. New York was managed by Joe Torre. The Yankees played at Yankee Stadium. In the playoffs, they defeated the Boston Red Sox in 7 games in...
, who eliminated the Red Sox
2003 Boston Red Sox season
The Boston Red Sox' 2003 season included the Red Sox attempting to win the American League East division, the ALDS, and the American League.-Offseason:...
in a seven-game series.
Meanwhile, new stars and cult heroes, led by David Ortiz
David Ortiz
David Américo Ortiz Arias , known as David Ortiz, nicknamed "Big Papi", is a Dominican American professional baseball player who is currently a free agent. Previously, Ortiz played with the Minnesota Twins and Boston Red Sox...
and Kevin Millar
Kevin Millar
Kevin Charles Millar is an American former professional baseball first baseman and current analyst for MLB Network and New England Sports Network. Millar played college baseball at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, where he continues to reside in the off-season. Millar is the nephew of former...
, began to emerge in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. Millar convinced almost all players on the roster other than Johnny Damon
Johnny Damon
Johnny David Damon is an American professional baseball outfielder and designated hitter. From 2000–2008, he was third among active players in runs and seventh in hits and stolen bases . He is currently second among active leaders in triples , five behind Carl Crawford...
and Garciaparra (whose wedding with Mia Hamm
Mia Hamm
Mariel Margaret "Mia" Hamm is a retired American soccer player. Hamm played many years as a forward for the United States women's national soccer team and was a founding member of the Washington Freedom. Hamm has scored more international goals in her career than any other player, male or female,...
followed the season) to shave their heads.
After the 2003 season, Red Sox management explored trading Manny Ramírez
Manny Ramírez
Manuel "Manny" Arístides Ramírez Onelcida is a retired Dominican-American professional baseball outfielder. He was recognized for great batting skill and power, a nine-time Silver Slugger and one of 25 players to hit 500 career home runs. Ramirez's 21 grand slams are third all-time, and his 28...
to the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
for shortstop Alex Rodriguez
Alex Rodriguez
Alexander Emmanuel "Alex" Rodriguez is an American professional baseball third baseman with the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball. Known popularly by his nickname A-Rod, he previously played shortstop for the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers.Rodriguez is considered one of the best...
. However, the MLB Players' Union objected to Rodriguez's willingness to sacrifice a huge amount of his $250 million contract to facilitate a deal to Boston, and the New York Yankees then struck a deal with Texas to bring A-Rod (who gave up $14 million with union approval) to their team. The Red Sox then had covert trade talks involving Nomar with the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
, but the subsequent agreement to trade Garciapara and other for a package centered around Magglio Ordóñez
Magglio Ordóñez
Magglio José Ordóñez Delgado is a Venezuelan Major League Baseball right fielder. He has played for the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers . Ordóñez is six feet, one inch tall and weighs .-Professional career:...
quickly became public. Garciaparra thus returned to Boston for the start of the season in the final year of a contract signed in 1997, and it quickly became clear that he was enraged with the team and would not return to Boston after the season. After Boston was beaten soundly by the Yankees in a July series in New York, Boston decided to trade away Garciaparra.
Chicago Cubs
On July 31, 2004 (the MLB trading deadline), Garciaparra was the key player involved in a four-team deal that sent Nomar and Matt MurtonMatt Murton
Matthew Henry Murton is an outfielder for the Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan...
to the wild card leading Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
. The Red Sox received Orlando Cabrera
Orlando Cabrera
Orlando Luis Cabrera, nicknamed "O-Cab" and "The OC", is a Colombian-American baseball infielder.He won a World Series championship in 2004 with the Boston Red Sox. He has played for the Montreal Expos, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, Minnesota Twins,...
from the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
and Doug Mientkiewicz
Doug Mientkiewicz
Douglas Andrew Mientkiewicz is a first baseman who last appeared in the majors in with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He bats left-handed and throws right-handed...
from the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
. Nomar expressed his appreciation to Red Sox fans in a speech to media, and left for the Windy City
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. At first, Garciaparra was assigned jersey number 8, because Cub catcher Michael Barrett wore number 5. A few days later, they switched numbers. The Cubs
2004 Chicago Cubs season
-Offseason:* November 25, 2003: Derrek Lee was traded by the Florida Marlins to the Chicago Cubs for Hee Seop Choi and Mike Nannini .* December 2, 2003: Scott McClain was signed as a Free Agent with the Chicago Cubs....
led the wild card until mid-September, but finished the 2004 season with 89 wins and out of the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Red Sox
2004 Boston Red Sox season
The Boston Red Sox 2004 season was the 103rd Major League Baseball season for the Boston Red Sox franchise. Managed under Terry Francona, the team finished with a 98–64 record...
finally overcame the Yankees en route to a World Series
2004 World Series
The 2004 World Series was the Major League Baseball championship series for the 2004 season. It was the 100th World Series and featured the American League champions, the Boston Red Sox, against the National League champions, the St. Louis Cardinals...
sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals
2004 St. Louis Cardinals season
The St. Louis Cardinals 2004 season was the team's 123rd season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 113th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 105-57 during the season and won the National League Central division by 13 games over the NL Wild-Card Champion Houston Astros...
, after which Nomar's former teammates voted to give him a World Series ring. Curt Schilling
Curt Schilling
Curtis Montague "Curt" Schilling is a former American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He helped lead the Philadelphia Phillies to the World Series in and won World Series championships in with the Arizona Diamondbacks and in and with the Boston Red Sox. Schilling retired with a...
noted that if not for Nomar, the Sox might not have been in a position to win at all.
In the 2005 season
2005 Major League Baseball season
Click on any series score to link to that series' page.Higher seed had home field advantage during Division Series and League Championship Series.The American League champion had home field advantage during the World Series as a result of the AL victory in the 2005 All-Star...
, a torn left groin forced him onto the disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
for more than three months. Garciaparra resumed play on August 5, 2005. Because Cubs regular third baseman Aramis Ramírez
Aramis Ramírez
Aramis Nin Ramírez is an All-Star Major League Baseball third baseman for the Chicago Cubs.He started his professional career with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1998, before being traded to the Cubs in 2003. On November 12, 2006, Ramírez signed a five-year deal with the Cubs...
was on the disabled list for the last few weeks of the 2005 season
2005 Chicago Cubs season
The Chicago Cubs' 2005 season was the Cub's 133rd season. The Chicago Cubs finished 79-83 ,4th place in the NL Central. This was the first season for the WGN-TV broadcast pairing of Bob Brenly and Len Kasper.-Offseason:...
, he volunteered to temporarily play third base, and Cub skipper Dusty Baker
Dusty Baker
Johnnie B. "Dusty" Baker, Jr. is a former player and current manager in Major League Baseball, currently the manager of the Cincinnati Reds. He enjoyed a 19-year career as a hard-hitting outfielder, mostly with the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers...
agreed. Aside from his first game in the Majors, in which he played second base, he had played shortstop in all of his other Major League games up to that point in his career.
Los Angeles Dodgers
In , Nomar returned to his home town, signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers2006 Los Angeles Dodgers season
In 2006, the Los Angeles Dodgers looked to improve their record from 2005. The team switched General Managers from Paul DePodesta to Ned Colletti, and hired Grady Little as the new manager. The Dodgers were able to win 88 games...
. Also with the team were former Red Sox players Bill Mueller
Bill Mueller
William Richard Mueller is a former Major League Baseball third baseman. Mueller's playing career was spent with the San Francisco Giants , Chicago Cubs , Boston Red Sox , and Los Angeles Dodgers . He won the American League batting title in 2003, and helped the Red Sox win the 2004 World Series...
, Derek Lowe
Derek Lowe
Derek Christopher Lowe is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Cleveland Indians. He throws and bats right-handed. He is 6'6" and 230 pounds.-Early years:...
, and manager Grady Little
Grady Little
William Grady Little is a former manager in Major League Baseball. He managed the Boston Red Sox from 2002 to 2003 and the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2006 to 2007...
.
While facing the New York Mets
2006 New York Mets season
The New York Mets' 2006 season was the 45th regular season for the Mets. They went 97-65 and won the NL East. They were managed by Willie Randolph. They played home games at Shea Stadium. They used the marketing slogan of "The Team. The Time...
on June 6, 2006, Nomar hit a two-run home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
on the first pitch he ever saw against former teammate and fellow Boston icon Pedro Martínez
Pedro Martínez
Pedro Jaime Martínez is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He is an eight-time All-Star, three-time Cy Young Award winner, and 2004 World Series champion...
. Coincidentally, Derek Lowe
Derek Lowe
Derek Christopher Lowe is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Cleveland Indians. He throws and bats right-handed. He is 6'6" and 230 pounds.-Early years:...
was the starting pitcher for the Dodgers that day.
Though he was able to retain his original jersey number (5), he moved to first base, while the Dodgers signed Rafael Furcal
Rafael Furcal
Rafael Antonio Furcal , is a Major League Baseball shortstop who is currently a free agent.-Early career:...
from the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
to step in for the recovering César Izturis
César Izturis
César David Izturis is a Major League Baseball shortstop who is currently a free agent. He is the half-brother of shortstop Maicer Izturis, who plays for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Julio Izturis, who plays in the minor leagues in the San Francisco Giants organization.Izturis' greatest...
at short. Healthy for the first extended period of time since 2003, he regained his offensive stroke, evidenced by a .370 batting average at one point, and by his remaining constantly productive. By the MLB All-Star Break
2006 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2006 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 77th playing of the midseason exhibition baseball game between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 11, 2006 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh,...
, Nomar was tied with Pittsburgh's Freddy Sanchez
Freddy Sanchez
Frederick Phillip "Freddy" Sanchez, Jr. is a Major League Baseball second baseman for the San Francisco Giants. Sanchez has previously played for the Boston Red Sox and the Pittsburgh Pirates and the San Francisco Giants...
for the lead among all MLB infielders and all NL
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
batters with a .358 batting average, to go along with 11 home runs and 53 RBIs, carrying a 21-game hitting streak into the break. The .362 average he held at the 2006 All-Star break was the second highest by a Dodger since they moved into Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium, also sometimes called Chavez Ravine, is a stadium in Los Angeles. Located adjacent to Downtown Los Angeles, Dodger Stadium has been the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers team since 1962...
in 1962
1962 Major League Baseball season
This was the first 162-game schedule for the National League, as they added the Houston Colt .45s and the New York Mets to their lineup, as the NL returned to New York City, after a four-year absence...
with the only higher mark being held by Mike Piazza
Mike Piazza
Michael Joseph "Mike" Piazza ; born September 4, 1968) is an American former Major League Baseball catcher. He played in his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Florida Marlins, New York Mets, San Diego Padres and the Oakland Athletics....
.
He adjusted well to playing first base, having committed only 1 error through 588.2 innings played—a .998 fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
. He also was elected to the 2006 NL All-Star Team as the National League All-Star Final Vote
All-Star Final Vote
All-Star Final Vote is an annual Internet and text message ballot by Major League Baseball fans to elect the final player for each team that participates in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game after all other selections have been made and announced on national television. The first 33 players...
winner, receiving around six million votes. It was his sixth trip to the Midsummer Classic, and his first as a first baseman and as a Dodger. His .358 batting average steadily declined to just a hair over .300 by the end of the season. Despite Garciaparra's late season slump and injuries, Garciaparra did prevail in the clutch for the Dodgers during their playoff race with two walk off home runs. The first capped off one of the most amazing games of the season on September 18, when the Dodgers hit four consecutive home runs in the ninth inning against the San Diego Padres
2007 San Diego Padres season
The San Diego Padres' 2007 season began with the Padres' attempt to win a 3rd consecutive NL West title. After finishing 162 games in a tie with the Colorado Rockies for both the NL Wild Card and second place in the NL West, they were defeated in a tie-breaker which placed them third overall in...
to tie the game. After the Padres scored a run in the tenth inning, Nomar hit a walk off two-run home run in the bottom of the tenth to win the game 11–10. Six days later on September 24, Garciaparra hit a walk off grand slam against the Arizona Diamondbacks
2006 Arizona Diamondbacks season
The 2006 Arizona Diamondbacks looked to improve on their 77-85 record from 2005. They looked to contend in what was once again a weak National League West Division...
to give the Dodgers a 5–1 victory with one week left in the regular season. Garciaparra's walk off home run against Arizona propelled the Dodgers to win their last seven games of the regular season, helping the Dodgers to make the playoffs.
On October 7, Garciaparra was named the National League's Comeback Player of the Year
MLB Comeback Player of the Year Award
The Major League Baseball Comeback Player of the Year Award is presented by Major League Baseball to the player who is judged to have "re-emerged on the baseball field during a given season." The award was developed in 2005, as part of a sponsorship agreement between MLB and Viagra...
for 2006. He received 72,054 votes.
On November 20, 2006, the Dodgers re-signed Garciaparra to a 2-year contract worth $18.5 million, keeping him with the team through the season.
On June 25, , Garciaparra volunteered to move from first
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
to third base
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
in order to make room for rookie James Loney.
During 2008 spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
Garciaparra suffered a microfracture on his hand after a hit-by-pitch. This forced him to start the 2008 MLB season
2008 Major League Baseball season
The 2008 Major League Baseball season began on March 25, 2008 in Tokyo, Japan with the 2007 World Series champion Boston Red Sox defeating the Oakland Athletics at the Tokyo Dome 6–5 in the first game of a two-game series, and ended on September 30 with the host Chicago White Sox defeating the...
on the DL. Rookie Blake DeWitt
Blake DeWitt
Blake Robert DeWitt is an American professional baseball utility player with the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball.-High school:...
held the job in the meantime. On April 16, he started his first game against the Pittsburgh Pirates
2008 Pittsburgh Pirates season
The 2008 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the 127th season of the franchise. It was the first under new president Frank Coonelly, general manager Neal Huntington, and manager John Russell. Unable to improve on their 68 – 94, last place finish during the 2007 season, the Pirates have not had a winning...
, only to suffer a strained left calf muscle 9 days later resulting in another trip to the DL. He returned July, 4th, 2008 playing shortstop for the first time since 2005.
Garciaparra was placed on the DL on August 1, 2008, solely to make room for Manny Ramirez, who had been acquired in a trade. He had sprained his knee in a contest against the Washington Nationals on a play in which Loney threw the ball into the dirt, forcing Garciaparra, who was covering third base, to go to his knees to save the ball, allowing Lastings Milledge
Lastings Milledge
Lastings Darnell Milledge is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He was the youngest player in the National League during the 2006 season.-Early life:Milledge was born in Bradenton, Florida...
to slide into him spikes-first.
Oakland Athletics
On March 6, 2009, Garciaparra signed a one-year deal with the Oakland AthleticsOakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
.
With the acquisition of Matt Holliday
Matt Holliday
Matthew Thomas Holliday , nicknamed "Big Daddy", is an American Major League Baseball left fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals. Holliday was originally drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the seventh round of the 1998 Major League Baseball Draft.Holliday is a five-time All-Star and Silver Slugger...
from the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
in the off-season, Nomar was not granted his usual jersey number 5 he has worn with every team throughout his career thus far (Garciaparra wore number 8 for the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
for a few games before switching with Michael Barrett to wear number 5 again), so instead he wore number 1. Immediately after Holliday's trade to the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
, Eric Patterson
Eric Patterson
Eric Scott Patterson is an American professional baseball outfielder for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball. He has also played second base in the majors, which he predominantly played in the minor leagues...
was called up and then given number 5. Afterward, Garciaparra and Patterson switched numbers, with Garciaparra taking number 5 and Patterson number 1.
On July 6, 2009, Garciaparra returned to Fenway Park
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
for the first time since being traded by the Red Sox in 2004. Before the game he was met with tremendous support from the fans, press, and his former teammates. Before he stepped up to the plate for his first at bat, he was met by a lengthy standing ovation from the fans at Fenway, to which he tipped his cap and graciously clapped along with them. After grounding out, when passing the Red Sox dugout, he thanked his former team. In his second at bat, Garciaparra got the game's first RBI to yet another lengthy applause. Garciaparra was also present with the Athletics to see the Red Sox retire Jim Rice
Jim Rice
James Edward "Jim" Rice , nicknamed "Jim Ed", is a former Major League Baseball left fielder.Jim Rice played his entire career for the Boston Red Sox from 1974 to 1989...
's number. Rice was Garciaparra's hitting coach in the early part of his career in Boston.
Retirement
On March 10, 2010, Garciaparra signed a one-day contract with the Boston Red Sox to retire as a member of the organization. Garciaparra took a position at ESPN, contributing analysis for the program Baseball TonightBaseball Tonight
Baseball Tonight is a program that airs on ESPN. The show, which recapitulates the day's Major League Baseball action, has been on the air since 1990.-Air times:...
as well as select Wednesday Night Baseball
Wednesday Night Baseball
Wednesday Night Baseball is a live game telecast of Major League Baseball that airs every Wednesday night during the regular season on ESPN and is also available in high definition on ESPNHD...
telecasts. He has also been one of the lead analysts on ESPN's coverage of the College World Series
College World Series
The College World Series or CWS is an annual baseball tournament held in Omaha, Nebraska that is the culmination of the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, which determines the NCAA Division I college baseball champion. The eight teams are split into two, four-team, double-elimination brackets,...
. In 2011, he contributes analysis for ESPN's coverage of the Little League World Series
Little League World Series
The Little League Baseball World Series is a baseball tournament for children aged 11 to 13 years old. It was originally called the National Little League Tournament and was later renamed for the World Series in Major League Baseball. It was first held in 1947 and is held every August in South...
telecasts.
On May 5, 2010, The Red Sox hosted "Nomar Garciaparra Night", honoring Nomar before a game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He was given two official seats from Fenway by Johnny Pesky
Johnny Pesky
John Michael Pesky , nicknamed "The Needle" and "Mr. Red Sox", was a Major League Baseball shortstop, third baseman, and manager. During a 10-year career, he played in 1942 and from 1946-1954 for three different teams. He missed all of the 1943, 1944, and 1945 seasons while serving in World War...
, one bearing Nomar's own no. 5, and the other bearing Pesky's no. 6.
Nomar threw out the first pitch on Nomar Day to his former teammate Jason Varitek
Jason Varitek
Jason Andrew Varitek is an American professional baseball catcher who is a free agent. After being traded as a minor league prospect by the Seattle Mariners, Varitek has played his entire major league career for the Boston Red Sox...
with his signature off-balance sidearm throw. The hometown crowd greatly appreciated the effort.
Personal life
On November 22, 2003, Garciaparra married OlympianOlympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
and World Cup
FIFA Women's World Cup
The FIFA Women's World Cup is an international association football competition contested by the senior women's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body. The championship has been awarded every four years since the...
Champion soccer star Mia Hamm
Mia Hamm
Mariel Margaret "Mia" Hamm is a retired American soccer player. Hamm played many years as a forward for the United States women's national soccer team and was a founding member of the Washington Freedom. Hamm has scored more international goals in her career than any other player, male or female,...
. The couple have twin girls, Grace Isabella and Ava Caroline, who were born on March 27, 2007, in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
.
Both he and Mia Hamm were on Olympic teams in their respective sports. Garciaparra was on the 1992 Olympic baseball
Baseball at the 1992 Summer Olympics
Baseball had its debut as an official medal sport at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. Eight nations competed, with the preliminary phase consisting of each team playing every other team. Playoffs were then held, with the four highest ranked teams advancing...
team, and Hamm was on the 1996
Football at the 1996 Summer Olympics - Women's tournament matches
-Group E:-USA vs Denmark:-Sweden vs PR China:-USA vs Sweden:-Denmark vs PR China:-USA vs PR China:-Denmark vs Sweden:-Group F:-Norway vs Brazil:-Germany vs Japan:-Norway vs Germany:-Brazil vs Japan:-Norway vs Japan:...
, 2000
Football at the 2000 Summer Olympics
The football tournament at the 2000 Summer Olympics was the 20th official Olympic football tournament. A women's tournament was held for the second time.-Medal winners:-Venues:*Olympic Stadium, Sydney*Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney*Bruce Stadium, Canberra...
, and 2004
Football at the 2004 Summer Olympics - Women's tournament
-Seeding:-Group E:---------Group F:---------Group G:---------------------Knockout stage:-Quarter finals:-------------Semi finals:-----Bronze medal match:-Final:-Medalists:...
women's Olympic soccer
Football at the Summer Olympics
Association football, usually known simply as football or soccer, has been included in every Olympiad except 1896 and 1932 as a men's competition sport. Women's football was added to the official programme in 1996.-Early history:...
teams.
Garciaparra is the cousin of Arturo Javier Ledesma
Arturo Ledesma
Arturo Javier Ledesma Pérez is a Mexican footballer. He currently plays for C.D. Guadalajara as a defender.-Biography:...
, a Mexican soccer player who currently plays for Guadalajara
C.D. Guadalajara
Club Deportivo Guadalajara , is a Mexican professional football club based in Guadalajara, Jalisco. Guadalajara plays in the Primera División de México and is the most successful club in Mexican football, having won 11 First Division titles, 7 Campeón de Campeones and 2 Copa México...
. His uncle is legendary Mexican soccer goalkeeper, Javier "Zully" Ledesma. His brother, Michael Garciaparra
Michael Garciaparra
Michael Garciaparra is a minor league baseball second baseman who is presently playing for the Triple A Round Rock Express in the Houston Astros organization...
, is a baseball player, playing second base for the triple-A Round Rock Express
Round Rock Express
The Round Rock Express is a class Triple-A Pacific Coast League minor league baseball team in Round Rock, Texas, owned by RSR Sports and founded by Reid Ryan, son of Baseball Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan. The team is affiliated with the Texas Rangers, for whom Nolan Ryan serves as the president and...
.
On the Kate Hudson
Kate Hudson
Kate Garry Hudson is an American actress. She came to prominence in 2001 after winning a Golden Globe and receiving several nominations, including a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, for her role in Almost Famous. She then starred in the hit film How to Lose a Guy in 10...
/Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
episode on season 26 of Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
, Garciaparra cameoed in a "Boston Teens" sketch.
On October 16, 2005, Garciaparra and his uncle Victor Campos were alerted to the screams of two women who had fallen into Boston Harbor
Boston Harbor
Boston Harbor is a natural harbor and estuary of Massachusetts Bay, and is located adjacent to the city of Boston, Massachusetts. It is home to the Port of Boston, a major shipping facility in the northeast.-History:...
outside his condominium. One of the women sustained injuries to her head after hitting the pier on her way in. Garciaparra quickly jumped into the harbor and saved both women, who were later taken to the hospital.
MLB Stats
| Season | Team | G Games played Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,... | AB | R Run (baseball) In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured... | H Hit (baseball) In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice.... | 2B Double (baseball) In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice.... | 3B Triple (baseball) In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice.... | HR Home run In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process... | RBI Run batted in Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI... | BB Base on balls A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08... | SO | SB Stolen base In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate... | CS Caught stealing In baseball, a runner is charged, and the fielders involved are credited, with a time caught stealing when the runner attempts to advance or lead off from one base to another without the ball being batted and then is tagged out by a fielder while making the attempt... | AVG Batting average Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :... | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | BOS Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"... |
24 | 87 | 11 | 21 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 16 | 4 | 14 | 5 | 0 | .241 | .272 | .471 | .743 |
| 1997 | BOS Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"... |
153 | 684 | 122 | 209 | 44 | 11 | 30 | 98 | 35 | 92 | 22 | 9 | .306 | .342 | .534 | .875 |
| 1998 | BOS Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"... |
143 | 604 | 111 | 195 | 37 | 8 | 35 | 122 | 33 | 62 | 12 | 6 | .323 | .362 | .584 | .946 |
| 1999 | BOS Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"... |
135 | 532 | 103 | 190 | 42 | 4 | 27 | 104 | 51 | 39 | 14 | 2 | .357 | .418 | .603 | 1.002 |
| 2000 | BOS Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"... |
140 | 529 | 104 | 197 | 51 | 3 | 21 | 96 | 61 | 50 | 5 | 2 | .372 | .434 | .599 | 1.033 |
| 2001 | BOS Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"... |
21 | 83 | 13 | 24 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 1 | .289 | .352 | .470 | .822 |
| 2002 | BOS Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"... |
156 | 635 | 101 | 197 | 56 | 5 | 24 | 120 | 41 | 63 | 5 | 2 | .310 | .352 | .528 | .880 |
| 2003 | BOS Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"... |
156 | 658 | 120 | 198 | 37 | 13 | 28 | 105 | 39 | 61 | 19 | 5 | .301 | .345 | .524 | .870 |
| 2004 | BOS Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"... |
38 | 156 | 24 | 50 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 21 | 8 | 16 | 2 | 0 | .321 | .367 | .500 | .867 |
| 2004 | CHC Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National... |
43 | 165 | 28 | 49 | 14 | 0 | 4 | 20 | 16 | 14 | 2 | 1 | .297 | .364 | .455 | .819 |
| 2005 | CHC Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National... |
62 | 230 | 28 | 65 | 12 | 0 | 9 | 30 | 12 | 24 | 0 | 0 | .283 | .329 | .452 | .772 |
| 2006 | LAD Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming... |
122 | 469 | 82 | 142 | 31 | 2 | 20 | 93 | 42 | 30 | 3 | 0 | .303 | .367 | .505 | .872 |
| 2007 | LAD Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming... |
121 | 431 | 39 | 122 | 17 | 0 | 7 | 59 | 31 | 41 | 3 | 1 | .283 | .328 | .371 | .700 |
| 2008 | LAD Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming... |
55 | 163 | 24 | 43 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 28 | 15 | 11 | 1 | 1 | .264 | .326 | .466 | .792 |
| 2009 | OAK Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum.... |
65 | 160 | 17 | 45 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 16 | 8 | 28 | 2 | 0 | .281 | .314 | .388 | .701 |
| Career | -- | 1434 | 5586 | 927 | 1747 | 370 | 52 | 229 | 936 | 403 | 554 | 95 | 31 | .313 | .361 | .524 | .882 |
See also
- List of Major League Baseball hitters with two grand slams in one game
- List of top 300 Major League Baseball home run hitters
- List of Major League Baseball batting champions
- List of Major League Baseball doubles records
- List of Major League Baseball doubles champions
- List of Major League Baseball triples champions