The Sox have shipped Nomar to the Cubs in a four-team deal and ended up with shortshop Orlando Cabrera and first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz. Are the Sox better off?

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If this was just a straight deal without future contracts to consider, then it would not be a good trade for the sox. Nomar is a far superior player than both Cabrera and Mientkiewicz combined. But, knowing that it was highly unlikely Nomar would be re-signed after the season with the Sox, the deal is a smart deal. The Sox got two great fielders/ average hitters, which is better than nothing (which would have been the case had they not traded Nomar before the end of the year and let him walk). All in all, doesn't seem great right now, but its a smart move. If I was a Cubs fan I would think it is the deal of the century for them.

Gregg, Charlestown

Yes the Red Sox are better now!! Defense wins championships baby. All those ground balls derek lowe makes will now turn into outs instead of little dribblers hit in the holes and if derek lowe is happy hes mid might be halfway normal and we get more wins and motivation

Kevin, Mansfield, MA

Nomar - on the way out and he never smiled ... somehow (wrist/achillies/attitude) Boston was robbed on a top 20 all-time player Nomar is not /will never be a leader If both Cabrera & Minkie hit .280 it's a good deal for Sox. Sends message to Pedro, Varitek, etc - not afraid to deal / let you go Poor Gabe Kapler, his time is cut. Shouldn't have had to add Murton. Adding Roberts is HUGE - pinch runner - defenisve OF in close games. Trot must be out for the year. This makes them a "more -NL" type of club If they make the wild card, it's agood deal

G Hamilton, JP, MA

Redsox turned a bad situation into a positive one. They traded a great player that was going to walk away in October without anything to show for it, in return for two really good players. I especially think Cabrera will be a very good player for them for a long time, if they keep him. Theo spoke the truth, the Sox defense had been terrible. This should help. Good trade.

Geoff , Forest Hill, WV

Hate to lose him, but after this year you would get nothing for him, in return next year At least they moved him to the National League. The Cubs will love him. A class act. Go Cubies go. A great place for him to go.

Don, Peabody, Ma.

I'm extremely disappointed in the trade of Nomar. I would have preferred to keep him for the rest of the season despite the risk of losing him to free agency. With all due respect to the players that were acquired today and management's opinion that the defense has been significantly upgraded, the Sox really got shortchanged in this deal. I realize that they were not operating from a position of strength during negotiations, however it appears that they took what they could get. Let us not forget how close the Sox got to making the WS last year. I will be extremely surprised if the Sox make the playoffs. I'd grade this deal an "F".

A., East Longmeadow

Theo Epstein is a HACK. Cashman gets rid of a headcase and gets a 21 game winner. Theo gives away the heart of the Red Sox for two warm gloves. This Yankee fan says, "THANKS THEO" for trading away the only Red Sox player I feared with a bat in his hands and the game on the line.

Paul, Albany

I am crushed they traded Nomar. He is New England. The guys upstairs needed to do more to resign him ASAP... Although Cabrera is a great SS and Mientkiewicz is a quality 1B, trading Nomah takes the heart away from the fans... We got no pitching help either besides Terry Adams. Would the Yankees ever trade Jeter? No... they'd slap a Captain's C on him and give him a huge contract to keep him because they know he works hard and is the heart of their team... Nomar was ours... I now know how the Red Sox Nation felt when Fisk was signed by the White Sox... we'll all live, but it hurts.

Thomas, State College, PA

Only time will tell. Hard to believe he's gone, but it seems that his days were numbered here and that he was no longer happy. It could have been a drag on the team. If only we had a manager that we could be confident would know how to put all the (new) pieces together -- that's my major concern. One does not have to have an all-star at every position to win (see Marlins, Angels, Diamondbacks last three years) but my gut feeling is that this season may be over. Maybe it wasn't such a good trade after all. Too bad we don't have a manager that could have convinced his shortstop to be a good sport, and strive for a championship this year before going on his way. The more I write this , the more I get that "Bucky...Buckner... Boone..." feeling in my stomach. Hopes were so high this year but it seems to be falling apart...better (easier!!) now than in October.

ron, long island

You try to get to the playoffs by fielding the best team. If you can't get a better player than Nomar, therefore you do not trade him. Anybody who claims you HAVE to get something back for a guy who *maybe* (and Gammo- yes I know it is Gammo- said Nomar was more likely to resign now than ever) won't resign, has the baseball sensibility of a common European. Maybe. You don't trade just because you want something back (and Cabrera and Good Luck Spelling His Name are going to be free agents too). You do what you can to win. And trading an elite player for two guys who can't hit (one of whom has only hit once in his life) is an awful trade, no matter how you try to pretend it's not. Good luck Red Sox. You'll need it more than Nomar will.

Tim, Springfield