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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Nomar is one of the few non-assuming professional athletes today who works hard on the field, and gave back to the community that supported him. While the Red Sox may have improved defensively, we have lost someone who, in this day and age full of professional sport egomaniacs with legal issues, is a true rarity. Nomar gave his all to the Red Sox, and to its fans, for this I would like to say "Thank You, Nomar!"

DL, Londonderry, NH

Red Sox Nation Southeast chiming in here. I'm truly sad to see Nomar go. I seriously have a pit in my stomach that's not going away anytime soon. I'll miss old #5. He was as much a part of the Fenway landscape as the Green Monster even. Despite all of the off-season craziness, I still think Nomar enjoyed being a Red Sock. Man, I'm just bummed.

Mark , Columbia, SC

I am most definatly going to miss Nomar. He's been my favorite player sense his rookie year. (the first month I bought a pack of baseball cards, and got a Nomar rookie card and loved him ever sense and the next year got an autographed baseball from him at a game) I know the reports all said Nomar was never happy this year in Boston, but i believe that is because the media blew some certain problems with him way out of proportion. I was watching ESPN news when they first announced it... and i was in complete shock. First thing i did was call my father, he thought it was one of my jokes. Then i could not imagine Nomar in a Cubs uniform, nevermind any other than a Red Sox one. The reality still has not set in, and probally won't for a while. I think the ultimate shock would come facing him in the World Series. I know we have aquired Orlando Cabrera but he is going to be a free agent at the end of this year, as is Nomar. So what was the purpose? Is Theo more confident he can sign Cabbria then Nomar? Is there any chance that Nomar could sign here at the end of the season? I know Nomar plays this great game with all his heart, and i still believe after everything that happend this year, his heart still remains in Boston. And even in his "goodbye" interview he said that the door was open. Red Sox fans may not want him right now... but I am confident they will miss him. And if he does not resign here next year, give it two years and every single Red Sox fan across the country would give anything to see Nomar in a Red Sox uniform playing in Fenway once more. I know i would even next year. I feel that Nomar represents the RedSox, and that even if we win a world series this year, or in the next few years... it will still be bitter-sweet without the icon of the redsox for so long (especially if we win it against his team).

Alex, Warwick

While no one (but Nomar) can be absolutely certain whether or not he would have been back after this season, it is important for all the OVER emotional Red Sox fans to remember that it was NOMAR that kicked off the series of events that led to this. The owner that gives Nomar more than the $15 per year the Red Sox offered and Garciaparra rejected is the only idiot. Nomar and his dimwit agent paved their own road out of Boston. Garciaparra could have finished out his career in Boston and cemented himself as one of . . . if not the biggest name . . . in Boston sports history. He could have had one of those special careers, like Yaz and Williams. But Nomar overshot the market and then sulked. See ya pal. I'll take two Gold Glove infielders who care. In case anyone has lost count, that's THREE Gold Glovers that will be starting in the infield . . . can anyone remember that happening in Boston? In addition to having more range than Nomar at Short . . . Cabrera is an above average offensive player with moderate speed. He can hit 40-50 doubles in Fenway . . . just like that other guy. He is capable of hitting .300 (and has). Mienkiewicz is the first legitimate defensive firstbaseman in Boston since . . . I'm not sure I'm old enough to remember, and I'm 33. And his stick in not nearly as bad as some obtuse Bostonians are making him out to be. I've seen this guy play since he was in Double-A New Britain. He is a solid player who brings a no-lose hard nosed attitude . . . more like a Nixon and less like a . . . Nomar. Oh the sacrilege! Kudos to Theo and the Trio for making another sound baseball move and not pandering to the ignorant masses. What would you rather have? Nomar for two gold glove starters, or a pouting Nomar for two draft picks? Wake up dummies . . . that was the choice the Sox had. Upgrading the infield the way they did is tantamount to adding a quality arm. It makes no sense bringing Randy Johnson or any othe rpitcher, when you have a siv for an infield. Learn your baseball before you open your mouth people!

John , New London, CT

I just started to follow this team last year towards the end of the season. I'm from Maryland, so I've rooted for Baltimore and have hated the Yankees since I was a kid. And since the Boston Red Sox seemed to be the only team worthy of challenging the Yankees, I jumped on the bandwagon in 2003. I have not followed the team for very long and will not pretend to have the bond with Nomar and the Boston Red Sox that the majority of you had. But he was the face of the club and a great player. I am shocked and surprised that I am as upset as I am for the front office to trade him away. He should have finished his career with the Red Sox. I am not a general manager, but personally I think that the team was doing fine. They were tied for the wild card lead (I think). And I am torn now because a part of me almost wants to root against them for doing this and a large part of me wants them very much to win the World Series. But I wanted it to be with Nomar. I wish him the best of luck in Chicago

David, Upper Marlboro

In the end the Sox got less than they should have for a Nomar who was sure to leave. Though the deal came today the trade was already made by the Boston press this spring. Throughout the entire year WEEI and the entire sports entourage who "cover" the Sox here have created a self fulfilling profiecy of an unhappy, uncommited Nomar by riding and criticizing his every move or failed move, attributing his entire life (including the end of his Nomar bowl) to the belief that he wanted out of Boston because of the A-Rod deal. I'd like to believe he had tried to put it behind him, but the inability of Boston to let a story move on eventually pushed the final button on a man who just wanted to play baseball. Theo did the best he could but Nomar was destined to leave this spring and the entire league knew it. Its a shame we here can't treat our players with a little respect and breathing room occasionally, letting them tell us how they feel rather than us telling them how they feel, maybe we could keep one or two. Thanks Boston press, maybe you can chase some more players away. Although Francona seems your next target.

Spencer, Uxbridge

It's very easy to get emotionally attached to players, especially ones like Nomar who play with such intensity between the lines. But at the same time people have to keep in mind that it is a business, and that players can and should be traded if it improves the team. But in this case, I think it's very hard to argue that the team has been improved. Has the defense been improved that much? Defensively, Cabrera is a marginal upgrade at shortstop, but Garciaparra has a pretty darn good glove to begin with (despite the rust he's shown since coming off the DL). And is defense such a critical factor at the first base position? Mientkiewicz is a .240 hitter - fifty points lower than Kevin Millar, a guy who was being eaten alive by critics for his lack of production just two weeks ago. While defense has admittedly been a problem, it's not the biggest concern facing the team. Their inability to drive in runs in key situations (think men in scoring position) has killed them all year long. And by dealing Garciaparra, you've left Manny and Ortiz with the responsibility of driving in all the team's runs this year. Garciaparra afforded both those guys protection in the lineup. Now teams are going to be more willing to pitch around those two to go after the rest of these defensive stalwarts in the lineup. So while Nomar did have a poor second half/postseason last year, he has historically been a good clutch hitter and an above average fielder. I don't understand why they would deal him without receiving some sort of star player (Johnson/Clement?) or prospect in return. How did Nomar's trade value drop so significantly in the past few months? It seems to me that Theo and the rest of the front office is mailing it in for the rest of the season. Nixon, Varitek and Mueller aren't playing well enough (or at all) to make this team a serious contender for the AL pennant. I think it's clear that Theo is starting to think toward the future... it's worth noting that there is not one player in the current lineup that came up through the Red Sox farm system. If it is time to rebuild, that's fine. But don't try to sell this deal to the fans as though its some sort of attempt to make the team better for some sort of World Series run, because it sure as hell isn't gonna happen this year. And sadly, even though I'm only 23, I wonder if it will ever happen in my lifetime.

Rob, Medford

I think it's amazing how hypocritical baseball fans are, especially Red Sox fans. The previous management was roasted for allowing Clemens and Vaughn to leave with nothing in return. Now fans are blasting management because the got something for Nomar who 1) was obviously not coming back after this year and 2) didn't want to be here for the last two months of the season. I think Nomar is a great player but like most of the players today he lets his agent run his career and his life. He turned down a 4 year 60 million dollar offer last spring. He won't get that in free agency. How much money was the club supposed to offer him? Are they supposed to sign Nomar and not sign Varitek and Martinez. Red Sox fans are clowns.

Larry, Foxboro

great trade,if nomar spent more time concentrating on hitting the ball then screwing with his gloves they may have beaten the yanks last year,good by good riddins

joe, hull,mass

A great idea. Right up there with trading the Babe & the Rocket. The Curse is so subtle; it seems to affect both fielding & the front office.

Peter Devine, Mt. Vernon, Maine