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?

Page 36

This was a great deal for the Sox! Look at the team numbers this year - the worst defense in the league (and Nomar contributed to this in the games he DID play) and the best ERA in baseball. They didn't need pitching, they needed defense and they got it. Orlando and Doug have the potential to have good batting numbers, and they will with better hitters hitting around them. Bottom line about Nomar - he was going to walk at the end of the year. Now we have something (Doug and Orlando) for what was going to be nothing. Believe in Red Sox Nation!

Liam, San Diego

Ahhhhhhh...this is terrible! My dad,a red sox fan and boston native since birth, has converted my brother and I into red sox fans. When my brother heard the news he began to cry. We called my nana who lives in boston and she and my aunt were also crying. I am so upset with the red sox management. No more chanting .NOMAHHHHSSS BETTTA!. This is a sad sad day. What is my brother suppose to do with his nomar jersey! The red sox have just given away many little girls and boy's favorite player!

sarah, arlington va

The only problem I have with the deal is why did we have to include Murton?? Nomar made his own bed, time to lay in it. He rejected the $60M / 4yr contract, which is more per year than he will get with the Cubs. AROD was Plan B, he was never Plan A, so if Nomar's feelings are hurt, TOO BAD!! As great a hitter as he is, his defense as ALWAYS been average at best and his attitude stinks!! I just don't know why we needed to add a solid prospect. Cabrera is better than his stats indicate this year, and both players have won gold gloves (WOW!! Defense, imagine that!!). Believe what you want, but Trot is done for the year, so Millar can platoon in Right with Kapler and platoon with Mientkiewicz at first as well. And Roberts is a great pick up as well. He had a great series when the Dodgers visited in June. Bottom line is that Nomar didn't want to be here, and he can say all he wants about the fans, but just like everyone else who has left, he is going to regret it!!

David, Plattsburgh, NY

As sad as I'm sure we all are, we have to realize that Nomar was gone at the end of the season. That is the only reason why this trade was necessary. You would never make this trade if Nomar had years left. Knowing he was walking, the Sox had to get something and there was one clear weakness in this years team...defense (68 errors - think of Millar during the NYY series at 1st base). Knowing that Pitching and Hitting are stabilizing (somewhat), the most obvious weak spot was defense. Even with the pitching improving, I would've like to have seen another starter, but the market didn't bear that so we had to look to defense. Better to get improved defense and give up some runs (remember, Nomar's been missing a game every 6 or 7 days thus decreasing his run output) than get nothing when he walks.

Tom, Brookline, MA

Yes, the Sox ARE better. Better off. Look, Nomar was gone in 2 months, and he was mailing it in. He was pissed about the ARod deal and has been angry and bitter to the point where he has NOT been part of this team. He basically declined to play against the Yankees on July 1st. The Yankees! That's a bad bad indication of where he is mentally. He has been done with the Sox for a while and that's not someone who is good for the team. I don't want a guy who is at 75% physically and 25% mentally...even if it IS Nomar. We lead the league in runs scored (and remember, Nomar has only played 37 games this year) and ERA...yet we have been a .500 team for a while, mostly because we are 3rd to last in the league in fielding. While Nomar is beautiful to watch play, Carbrera IS a defensive upgrade. Look it up. And while Cabrera's offensive numbers are down at the moment, he DOES play in Montreal where nobody is hitting .300 or better (their team batting average is .243) so he is certainly not going to see any good pitches. Last year, when he had great hitters around him (but still on a lousy team) his numbers were: .297 17 hr 80 rbi. Plus he stole 24 (out of 26 bases), had a .347 on-base percentage. Yeah, Nomar's power numbers are better but he does play half his games at Fenway and his on-base percentage is not as good. I'm not saying that I'm not going to miss Nomar or that he didn't contribute an incomprehensible amount to this team and city, but THIS year we did pretty well through a good chunk of the seaon without him. And it was apparent that he just wasn't with us when he DID return. And at this point and in this market, we were really not going to get anything more. I hope he find the love for the game again and hits .400 and wins a World Series. But after this past off-season, he was never gonna do it here.

Jamie, Boston

Hate to see Nomar go, but it had to be done. It didn't look like he was coming back next year anyways...too much frustration on both sides. I won't miss his first-pitch-swing outs. Not sure how I feel about these other guys. I would have preferred to see some pitching come aboard instead. And why do we still have Lowe?

Joe, Four Points

This year, it is questionable if the Sox are better or not without Nomar. Chances are, Nomar will be happy and more productive in Chicago and many people will say that Theo didn't get enough for him. The truth of the matter is that Nomar was not on board with this team and he was gone at the end of the season. Mientikewicz can contribute on this team this year and next and the addition of Cabrera keeps the Sox one of the favorites for this season. Hopefully the improvements in the defense and the removal of an unhappy star from the clubhouse can outweigh the loss of one of the better hitters to wear a Red Sox uniform.

Will, Durham

Poor deal, doesn't look like the Sox got equal value, (plus they had to give up a top prospect) only reason I can think of is that there is more worry about the Achilles than is being let on. Should improve the defense, but in a lineup devoid of clutch hitting can't see how a couple of .250 hitters will help.

Kevin, Westboro

Great move!! Now if only they can unload Ortiz & Ramirez for Placido Polanco.....

Rob, Boston

Based on the fact that we just traded a future Hall of Famer, this is the second worst trade in franchise history.

Ray, Tewksbury