Thursday, March 11, 2010

Strange Yet Sentimental

So, I'm at work yesterday, in my store that caters to women, and the ladies I work with are all talking about how Nomar Garciaparra has just re-signed with the Red Sox. Since I have been blessed with an extra Y chromosome, my male sports dominance gene kicked right in, as is such in these situations.

"Did I just hear you say that the Red Sox signed Nomar today?", I asked incredulously, with even a slight chuckle.

"Yes. Didn't you hear?"

"Ah no, I didn't, " I said. And in my most condescending voice I said, "And I think you may have gotten the story wrong, honey. The Sox would never re-sign Nomar today."

Again, I chuckled. Chicks, I thought and I walked away giggling and shaking my head. I couldn't get to my computer fast enough to Google that one. I was shocked to find that they were right, sort of.

Breaking news out of Fort Meyers yesterday was indeed, that the Boston Red Sox had re-signed fan favorite Nomar Garciaparra.

"Nomar Garciaparra ended his MLB career where it began; with the Boston Red Sox. As one of the most beloved Sox in recent history, his desire to return to Boston to finish his career was granted earlier today when he signed a one-day minor league contract with the Red Sox and then announced his retirement from baseball as a member of the team he has always missed. He will transition to the broadcast booth as a member of the EPSN “Baseball Tonight” crew as well as an occasional game analyst."

Strange.

It is more than a well know fact that baseball is first a business, played by tough guys and tougher agents, it is law. The Major Leagues is not a game for the physically or mentally weak. It's either kill or be killed and that's why Scott Boras shark-types and self-centered machines like Manny dominate. It's a game that has been described as the game of "Money Ball". But this?

This is somewhat...strange but sentimental. And I'm not quite sure I get it. Yet, there they were, the Sox power that be, Lucchino and Theo, sitting next to Nomar, smiling. I guess in someways it is good for the game. Fans of Nomar's got their happy ending and so did Garciaparra, but it all seemed so contrived.

And for what? His happiness?

I doubt it. I think it has more to do with good press and PR for the team and keeping Nomar in the system. Call me a cynic, but I think the team might have learned a thing or two in the past few years about pissing off former players in hasty trades and not making good on them. It's as if they're not taking any chances.

Let's call it the insurance needed to guarantee that we go another 86 years curse-free.

10 comments:

Verdant Earl said...

Gee, remember when No-mah was a sure-fire HoF candidate around 2004? Before the Sawx traded him? There is no such thing a sure thing in baseball.

Scott Oglesby said...

Wow for once, I found someone even more cynical than me. While everything you said is completely true, I really do believe that he wanted to retire with the Sox. I know I hold huge sentimentality for the high school I played for, even though I mostly dislike the city now…

Heff said...

What Bizzaro planet are you on ? Women don't talk about stuff like that !

Jim said...

I'm with Scott. I think he was definitely hurt by the trade in '04, and the organization has enough heart to go through with this little gesture. Fisk felt the same way, I think, when the front office screwed up his contract negotiations and he went to Chicago . . . he regretted leaving, and is at games in Fenway all the time now. He entered the Hall with a Sox hat on.

XO

Deech said...

Candy, of course its contrived. In America, "In God We Trust" all others pay cash!

I was a huge Nomar fan! I am glad to see that he retired with the Sox but yeah, that was nothing more than a marketing publicity stunt to get the Red Sox fans to start talkin again.

Anonymous said...

Isn't Nomar about 300 years old by now? Is he going to run the bases in a walking frame or what?

(as a Yankees fan, I found that funny, sue me) :)

BeckEye said...

I can't hear that guy's name without hearing Jimmy Fallon screaming, "NOOOMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

BeckEye said...

Got cut off.

...AAAAAAH!"

Scope said...

Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought this kind of thing was fairly common in baseball. Don't celebraty wannabe's even do it? I remember Garth Brooks maybe?

Or am I thinking of "Brewster's Millions"?

Furtheron said...

Like you say more PR than anything else. However I don't understand Baseball - it's in my genes, I'm English. I doubt you understand rugby... however neither does my wife :-) You sure you aren't a very good drag artist ;-)