Nomar returns to Fenway tonight

Well, well, well. Nomar returns to Boston for the first time since the 2004 trade. He turned down a 4 yr $60 mill. contract that spring. Never mind the $60 mill, has he made even $15 mill in total since he left?

The greatest combination of talent and hustle I have ever, ever seen. Back-to-back batting titles, a tremendous base runner and a howitzer for a throwing arm.

What a joy to watch. I met him once in Florida, and he was a great, great guy. The only player I ever saw who actually applauded the fans.

The 2004 World Series rang hollow with me because Nomar was not on the field. He was my all-time favorite.

Welcome back, Nomar. You are the best!

Nomar has always been my favorite Sox player. I hope he gets a beautiful welcome, and a big standing O, just like we gave to Pedro, Trot, Low, etc.. And then I hope he strikes out.
Sorry, Nomar.

Wouldn't it be great for Nomar to stay in town and Oakland take Lugo back with them! Ohhhhhhhhhhhh Yesssssssssss!!!!!!!

nice bunt nomar...

Nomar will always be one of the Greatest ever to wear the RedSox Jersey! I hated it when they traded him..Injuries and age have forced him to be what he is now, an average player..But, back int he late 90's, he was the best Shortstop int he game, better than Jeter and he was the heart and soul of the Sox..He was Bird, Brady, Orr and Williams in his era....Long live NOMAHHHHH.....

You mean he's not on the disabled list?

I hope that Nomah hits a Homah late in the game to trim the A's deficit to 6 runs....then gets to be interviewed by Heidi Whatley.

My favorite memory is when Nomar was traded and the Sox turned around the 2004 season and won the World Series for the first time since 1918!

Being at the game where he belted 2 grand slams and a home run is something I will never forget. I'll be there tonight to see my Nomar back at Fenway!

One thing about Nomar, he never tweeted from his honeymoon.

People often want to remember the bad ending of Nomar in Boston but the reality is when the Red Sox were struggling to stay playoff contenders there was Nomar in the early 2000's. It was Nomar and Pedro. Nomar was an icon and the face of the franchise. He helped keep the Red Sox relevant. I hope the fans understand what Nomar did for Boston and give him a rousing ovation tonight.

WE'VE WON TWO WORLD SERIES SINCE THIS CANCER LEFT THE TEAM! ANY QUESTIONS?

I am actually the girl with the Happy Birthday Nomar poster in the picture posted in the gallery today from the game in July 2002 when he hit three home runs in back-to-back innings. This picture is framed in my apartment and I hope to someday get it signed by Nomar himself. I am heading to tonight's game to welcome back an old friend. Say what you want, but Nomar was always a class act and great to his fans. I have missed watching him play and cannot wait to see him back in Fenway tonight!

He was a jerk. I worked there and saw it first hand. He would sign autographs for kids -as long as a camera was filming, camera would leave, and he would basically say screw you kids, I'm done. Hope people remember he cried his way out of town and quit on us too.

Biggest quitter of all time...

Biggest quitter of all time...

I'll never forget my friend and I scoring 3rd base-side box seats in '03. Every time NOMAHHHH stepped into the batters box my friend would yell "OVERRATED!!!"
Eliciting major stink eye from everybody in our area and causing me to slouch lower and lower in my seat. Nomar had to be able to hear him. Everyone else did.

Nice guy, but if he stayed in Boston the SOX would still be looking to break the curse.

STEROIDS...STEROIDS...STEROIDS

STEROIDS...STEROIDS...STEROIDS

I'm sure Lou Merloni is swinging a bat being overjoyed with Nomah's return.

Welcome back Nomar. I would love to see the Sox produce a Pedro-like welcome back video...but I suspect those things went west with Dr. Steinberg. Either way, I'm busting out my old #5 jersey and can't wait to welcome you back tonight. You were like nothing we had seen for those late 90s years.

Welcome back Nomar. I would love to see the Sox produce a Pedro-like welcome back video...but I suspect those things went west with Dr. Steinberg. Either way, I'm busting out my old #5 jersey and can't wait to welcome you back tonight. You were like nothing we had seen for those late 90s years.

My favorite No"arm moment was when they shipped in out of town!

It is called addition by subtraction...they won the WS!

My favorite Nomar memory? Easy! It's O-Cab holding up the World Series trophy!

nevah hurd ovim!

Nomar was the first Sox player I ever idolized, and he is an icon from my childhood that I'll never forget. Watching him play taught me to love the game. The day he was traded my dad, who taught me everything I know about the Sox, asked me, "You have to decide, are you a Red Sox fan, or were you just a Nomar fan?" Needless to say, I mourned my loss, but stuck with the Sox and have loved every minute since. But I have never loved a player like I loved Nomar, and probably never will again. I can't wait to see him tonight at Fenway, and I will stand up and applaud him for being one of the greatest in Sox history.

A lot of pluses and minuses with Nomar. He WAS a great ball player in the days with the Red Sox. He WAS an all around great ball player who WAS a fan favorite. No question about it. But that changed, and so did his attitude about playing for the team. I don`t think their was any way the Sox could have gone and won the World Series in 2004 with Nomar still on the team. Trading him was a smart move and I`m glad Theo had the gonads to do it. Forgetting what he once meant to our team would be a mistake. But t would be an BIGGER mistake if we don`t recognize that him not being on the team any longer was a very smart move. Applaud

My favorite moment was seeing Nomar Garcia"pop-up"parra sitting in the dug-out asking not to play while Derek Jeter was jumping in the stands, face first to catch foul balls to win games. It was at that moment I knew everyone, including the Bosox management, would see this guy for who he really was, an oft injured prima donna who felt he was much better than he really was. Good riddens. I hope he is enjoying California becuase that is what he wanted instead of a World Series Trophy. I hope everyone just sits on their hands for this bum.

Right on poster#s 3 and 4. I hope the fans show him the love he deserves from the old days. As for the poster who said the WS win was tainted because he was absent, think about how it would have happened in 03 instead, WITH NOMAR, had he gotten one single stinking hit. I still swallow my tongue every time I think of the number of whiffs he had. He was frighteningly bad.

Welcome back Nomar! He was always a class act, watched him play a zillion times, met him, he signed things for me and my kids, ALWAYS,ALWAYS, signed things for kids and fans before a game, you could count on Nomar to be there signing! I miss that, to kids that was a huge thing! I'm sure the highlight of their Fenway trip. Hope he gets a warm welcome back! And hey if you're not a fan, at least give him credit for all the charity work he did, remember the Nomar Bowls? Those bought many a computer etc. for kids to use! Hope I get to see you Wednesday night Nomar, I'll be wearing my signed jersey with pride!

My favorite Nomah moment? When Nomie needs a mental health day at Yankee Stadium during a pennant race while Jeter breaks his face in the stands trying to catch a foul ball. Thanks Beautiful!

My Nomar memory is when he sat out an important game against the Yankees while Jeter was diving into the stands to make a catch. Good player but a spoiled whiner, and the Sox were right to unload him. But, the Sox should have kept Orlando Cabrera.

Nomar was one of my favorite players once. But over the years here something happened to him turning him from a hustling player to a entitled jerk who quit on the team because he wasn't offered more money then Derek Jeter. I also highly suspect because of the change in his body, strange injuries and personality change that he was on the juice as well. One of the best moves the team made was to rid themselves of this club house cancer.

I remember seeing this guy sit on the bench, by himself, in 2004 at Yankee Stadium while every other member of the team stood together atop the dugout stairs. Just a prelude to what was necessary - trading for Orlando Cabrera and helping the team win it's first World Series in 86 years. Still can't believe that he was awarded a World Series ring.

How do I remember Nomar? As a terriffic player who became full of himself (and steroids - witness the Sports Illustrated cover) who pulled a Manny style hissy fit and refused to play in a big series against the Yankees. I hope the door hit him on his way out of town. Tonight? The fans are mostly sheep who will give him a standing O. Short memories, too many beers and too few brain cells... He FORCED the Red Sox to make the trade people by acting like a first class jerk. He's sided with Manny (that should tell you all you need to know) and dared the Sox to trade him. Then he acts shocked. He was useless in Chicago and useless in LA. Now the A's can have their fill of him

.

in LA

Can't figure out the haters here. He was stupid to turn down the contract offer , yes, but lets remember the all out hustle he gave to us in his prime....NOMAH!!

A tip of the cap and a 5 on my back....

I think Nomar got a raw deal in Boston......"Hey Nomahhhh hit one off the monstahhh!!!"

I hope he gets the damon treatment. Though he won't be dumb enough to smile and wave to the crowd during the boos. Damon needed his his hearing checked..

I remember Jeter diving three rows deep into the stands trying to make a play while Nomar sat, pouted, and refused to enter the game as a pinch hitter. Best trade ever!

Nomar-

Jesus may love you, but I don't
God may forgive you but I won't
You sat on your can while Jeter dove in the stands.
God may forgive you but I won't; I won't even try

(with apologies to Irene Diment)

Nomar is a jerk!!! My little league team (14 kids total) had the opportunity to go fenway and watch the sox take batting practice. At the batting practice Damon,Pedro, Trot, Varitek, even Manny came over and signed autographs for this small group of kids (NO Cameras were around), The kids then pleaded with Nomar to come over for a few minutes, he shrugged them off and said I don't have time! Keep in mind thisis when Nomar was in his "Steriod" Prime! Ever since then I hated him! Go Sox, Boo Nomar he is a quiter, baby, and phony!

Doesn't anyone remember the Sports Illustrated cover and the freakish size he put on? Does anyone still believe he did that "naturally"? His physical breakdowns are consistent with PEDs. I just want to know if his name is on the list of 104.

Nomar's departure left character questions, but I'm not stupid enough to believe everything I read at the time either. I do know he gave everyhting for those Sox teams and after carrying them for years he should be given a heros return. He was one of us. The year before his contract came up he batted.301/28/105 with 198 hits, All Star and .350 on '03 post season. Yeah, he wanted more money. He didn't quit on the fans, he had issues with his boss.

This current administration seems to try to turn the fans against people they trade. Nomar included. Manny included.

Remember the talk from Teddy Ballgame about how Nomar would break .406? Remember when he was a better ballplayer than Arod/Jeter?

He hustled to first even on clear outs/grounders. He applauded the fans at home.

To me, he was as tragic as Conigliaro with that wrist injury...never was the same after that

(either that or he was on steroids...that could always be a possibility)

In reality he was a hell of a leader, he showed Manny how to quit.....Quitter!!!!
I'll never forget that game when he was sitting on his hands in the dugout and Jeter was showing everyone in Baseball how a real leader plays the game - diving face first into the stands. I wish we had won the Series after the Manny trade to show how easy it is to trade fat heads.

GREAT PLAYER......GREAT STYLE...... I LOVE THE WAY HE DOES IS
GLOVE THING BEFORE HE HIT A HOME RUN..... WELCOME BACK
NOMAR...YOU HAVE BEEN MISSED...

yes, nomar left town in a bad way, but as they say: "everything ends badly, otherwise it wouldn't end". but he brought SO much to sox. Look at some old footage even from the late 90s, the park was half empty! he helped bring the sox back to life. he's the reason why i became a sox fan. i say - WELCOME BACK NOMIE!!!!

Show some class for a change, Red Sox fans - give Nomar his due.

Steroids and greed killed Nomar. When you compare him to Jeter, Jeter is the one who has been consistent thru the years. Nomar has fallen off the map. But I will still applaud tonight. I loved watching him play.

Nomar, along with Pedro, meant everything to me during my childhood. Watching Nomar lead the team into the postseason in '98 and '99, as well as starting in the All-Star Game at Fenway in '99, was awesome.
I remember adjusting my batting gloves and tapping my toes during every at-bat during my Little League years just because Nomar did it. I also remember following his every at-bat during the summer of 2000 to see if he could hit .400 (he was hitting .400 in late July before falling all the way to .372).
Even though that era will be rembered as the steroid-era, I'll always remember it as the time I really became a fan of the Sox, thanks in large part to Nomar.

My Nomar memory is coming back from Montreal the Labor Day that he first came up to the Sox from the PawSox... I am just barely getting Joe Castig's voice through the fade and static... I hear Joe talking about this kid Garcia? No, it's Garciavega? What? But the crowd is loving the kid, Castig is excited about him, and I made sure to catch the next game on TV after I got home....

Nomar was a great part of some of those millenium-era teams. He was fun to watch, and had some real clutch hits. I'll be cheering tonight.

favorite memory, besides his inside the park HR against the Blue Jays,...

Game 5 of the 1999 ALDS vs Cleveland... intentionally walked twice only to have Troy OLeary hit homeruns. Then as McCarver said, them being shamed into pitching to him, and he hits a screaming double to score more runs.

Unfortunately the memory that comes to my mind in conversation involving Nomar was one of the last impressions he made while being a member of the local nine, the scene was Yankee stadium, I recall a shot from the camera when all of the players were on the top step of the dugout, except for Nomar which was seated on the bench, that scene removed any doubts I may have had that Nomar had quit on his teammates and the Bosox.

It will be a welcome sight to see him in Fenway. What none of the stories or "Nomar recaps" are stating is why he was traded and his stats since he left the Sox in 2005. Injuries were becoming an issue and the Sox were not sure if he would be able to handle the workload on the field. Hence, the trade occurred.

As we see from his stats and his times on the DLs since 2005, his injuries did impact him tremendously. Nomar is finally starting to really take hold of his Strength and Conditioning Programs on and off-season. I would welcome a healthy Nomar back anytime, and I believe that the Sox would too.

Nomar is a bum. I think some of the people on this board forget how much professional athletes are paid. All his success went out the door when he threw in the towel in 2004. Although time has passed, I hope Fenway boos him back to Oakland.

nomar was a juicer. i happen to watch him play in the minors just before he was brought up. bad attitude. obvious he thought that he should have been up with the big club sooner. over the years i couldn't get this out of my mind and would tell people to watch out when things don't go his way. how prophetic. well he cost himself a ring or two and many millions of dollars. he is a great example of what not to do and how not to act.

I'm sure the fans will applaud him tonight.

I guess none of them read what he had to say about the Red Sox when his fellow quitter Manny joined him with the Dodgers.

F U Haters. I LUVED Nomie and his gorgeous buff bod! I'll give him more than an ovation anyday!

PBSurfer, you're kidding right? I see guys his size with more muscle at the PB 24 Hour Fitness. That picture does NOT show ridiculous muscle size.

Nomar had the world in his hands in Boston and he did nothing but alienate himself. He should have played 15 years in Boston, been the Captain and won a few championships. Instead he's a shell of what he used to be and has to settle for one year contracts. Nevermind the money he cost himself turning down $60 million. I wrote him off the day he wouldn't play against the Yankees. Never respected him again.

I loved Nomar when he was here and I continue to root for him as he plays on. I know that the Fenway Faithful with give him the standind O that he so truly deserves! I believe that he did more good than bad as a Red Sox member.

I'll never forget sittin on the beach in Cape Cod, and hearing this guy listening to the Sox on the radio yell "Nomah just hit an inside the parkah"!!!
I loved him, and was really conflicted when rumors swirled before his being traded. I was against it; but agreed it was the right business thing for the Red Sox to do. His #5 was my first jersey. Hell, my alarm code is nomar5!
I've missed him - but we would NOT have won in '04 with him. I'll give him the clap tonite!

I remember, among many memorable moments:
A) Nomar was the only Red Sox to come out of the dugout to salute the fans after the Indians bounced them in the '98 ALDS (Eck coughed it up to Justice)
B) The ovation he got at the '99 All-Star game.

Sorry you couldn't have been here in '04, Nomie. You were the only reason to watch the Sox in '97 and gave us countless highlights during your time here. Welcome back!

The professional transition which Nomar underwent during his tenure in Boston has a remarkably similar ring, in my opinion, to that of Carlton Fiske. Both arrived on the scene at Fenway as tremendously talented, extremely competitive young players who seemed to be mature beyond their years and experience. While both were respectful of the veteran stars around them, primarily Yaz with Fisk and Vaughn/Clemens with Nomar, neither seemed intimidated by them nor unwilling to step up and take leadership roles along side the established stars on their respective teams. However, as both of their careers moved into the "prime years," distractions with management, media, coaches, and contracts surfaced which ultimatedly led to irreconcileable differences and ultimately a one-way ticket out of town. One major difference between these two players was that Nomar arrived as a "can't miss" prospect who would have been drafted by every team in baseball had the Sox not grabbed him in the first round. Fiske, on the other hand, was a virtually unknown player at the University of New Hampshire who was not drafted by anyone until the Red Sox picked him as a late round "nothing-to-lose" selection. When Fiske and his attorney took advantage of a clerical error by Sox management in mailing him his contact a day late, Fiske left town for Chicago leaving behind his appreciation for the organization which had given him his only chance

All you Jeter lovers, make me sick. He basically caught that ball in fair territory and then continued running into the stands to make it look good. Go watch the replay. Nomar was a stud and then injuries set in and was traded. Simple as that. Not really sure why all the hostillity towards him. He always appreciated the fans.

I was a huge Nomar fan. Turned out all that hustle was a hustle on the fans. We liked him too much. We liked Manny too much. We liked Roger too much. We ruined them. They thought they were Gods who lived without consequences. There aren't many consequences, but one is that we can say F you!

Nomar: what a greta [player for the Sox.

My daughter and I saw a Sox game in 2001 or 2002, and as a softball playing shortstop she was a big Nomar fan (even though she liked the Yankees.) We stayed after the game and drifted down near the field on the 3rd base side, hoping that any player would come out, when out comes the Big Star Nomar! He graciously signed autographs for bunch of kids. My daughter was next and held out her own many-games-used glove and he takes it, smiles, puts the darn thing on for a second, smacks the pocket, takes it off, signs it and hands to back to my kid. The touch of putting the glove on bowled my kid over; her hand was in the same glove that Nomar had handled!!!! I was a very appreciative parent, and MLB gained a devoted female fan for life. Classy guy.

I think some fans are taking Nomars worst moment (the day he sat out) and defining his entire career by it. I would not want my career to be measured based soley on my worst day/time. He did some unbelievable things here in Boston, including trying to play hurt...something he was not willing to do in later years. I hope he is treated warmly but everyone is entitled to their opinion...

nomar couldn't carry jeter's jockstrap

Like everyone of us, it seems he's had "good days, and bad days"...I guess I've put most of the negative stuff behind----for now, I only remember his hustle. Welcome once again to Boston...here's hoping you don't do any damage to the sox this week....we're already down to one game over the Yank's.

Welcome back to Boston Nomar!!

I would only welcome him back if he apologized for how selfish and immature he acted toward the end of his days in Boston. Otherwise, I just put him in the Manny, Pedro, Clemens camp - selfish primadonna. Pedro may have been the only one fo the four not on the juice, but he was a classless, immature punk.

I stopped watching the Red Sox after 86. I didn't watch them until Nomar came on the scene. Up until the wrist injury he was one of the best hitters I had every seen. And was great in the field. He was a joy to watch.

Then he got hurt and has never been the same. Would not be surprised if he was on the juice.

Thanks Nomar for bringing me back to the Red Sox and for the great memories. And thanks for leavning and giving us a world series.

My favorite Nomar moment was seeing his reaction after the final out of game 4 of the ALDS vs the A's.

The Sox were facing elimination and needed to come from behind late in the game at Fenway to win and foce a deciding game in Oakland. Which of course the Sox won and led to the amazing series vs the Yankees where they ALMOST HAD 'EM!

There's a video of Nomar. He didn't make the final out but he let out a victory sceam that said everything from "We did it" to "Thank you" to "Let's get 'em in Oakland!!!!"

It gives me chills when I see it b/c that was exactly how I was feeling at that time. He was so passionate and loved playing in Boston b/c of the passion we have for our sports.

Here is a bold statement ... When they were ALL in their primes. Nomar was a better shortstop & overall ball player than A-Rod and Jeter. IN THEIR PRIMES!!!

Welcome back NOMAHHH!!

All you posters going on and on about Jeter's supposed hustle to make your "point" about Nomar's behavior make me laugh. Like you're not the same classless losers who scream "Jeter s^%$s!" when he's in town. Steriods or not, Nomar was never the same after that wrist injury, Before that, he was one of the reasons some of you fair weather fans started watching the Sox again, after that long drought in the 90s. So cut the crap and stop invoking a Yankee to make your point about someone who was a Red Sox for almost 7 years.

I always remember driving back to Mass from New Hampshire in, I think, 1999 and listening to the game. Nomar had an outrageous game with something like 10 rbi's... I just remember thinking how lucky we were as fans to have such a special player in our midst to watch. Welcome back Nomar and I, too, hope you finish your career in Boston (with another ring!)