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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I feel the same when Ray Bourque left town. I now have a national league team. Go Nomar! I'll miss you.

mike, atlanta

"Who the heck are these two guys? I would have rather they traded Nomar for Carl Everet. " -- This was an actual response? What is all the anger for? A guy past his prime, who no longer wanted to be part of the Red Sox, who was GONE (with nothing in return) at the end of the season, who sat out the biggest game of the year to date. In exchange the Sox get two gold glovers. Defense has NEVER been a focus of any Red Sox team I've watched, just as pitching has long been missing. Foulke, Schilling, Pokey, Cabrera and Minky. Think Theo knows where games are won and lost? This is a good move for this year and for the next 2-5 years. Cabrera is a defensive upgrade by a lot and is a guy who should hit .275 with 15 HR and 85RBI for the Sox. Minky also a 2-time .300 hitter (neither are the .250 hitters they've shown this year). Focus on the positives and the reasons for the deal, not on the short-attention-span details of this year's stats. I'm more upset that Matt Murton is part of the deal. Overall this improves this Red Sox team.

Bob, Scituate

Theo, Thanks for ruining the summer. When do the PATRIOTS start?

Rey, Rockland

News Flash- when a person doesn't want to be with you, you do sever ties and go separate ways. When a baseball player doesn't want to play for his team anymore, HOWEVER, you don't trade him for scrubs. You ride that horse till the end of the season. What about, I don't know, spending the next 2 months convincing Nomar he should stay? What if the team wins, and Nomar gets officially beatified? Think he'd walk then. But hey, he was going to leave. And clearly his skills are declining, cause he only was hitting .320. Of course, this is New England, where everyone's head is up a certain orifice. If I was playing for the Red Sox, I'd want to go too. Let's Go Cubbies.

Tim, East Longmeadow

Nomar is quoted as saying if he had his way, he'd still be wearing a Red Sox jersey .... then Bob Lobel reports that Nomar this week told the team his heel was sore and he'd be going on the DL in August. When Larry L. told him that a trade to the Cubs was being discussed, and he had to disclose the condition of his heel, Nomar says "it's fine, NOW!". What a bunch of BS this guy has been the past year.... telling everyone he wants to stay here, but then not signing a deal that would have kept him here. Now does everyone still believe his early season injury was %100 legit? Sure he's an awesome player, but he's not giving the team %100 and he hasn't for a while.

Rich, Newport RI

The Red Sox have always been slow on the basepaths and middle-of-the-road defensively. This deal brings two players who steal bases! Dave Roberts as a lead-off man is incredibly unsettling to opposing pitchers. Sure Nomar was a great personality, but think of the new team identity that can rise out of this trade; a fast, exciting team, the likes of which Boston hasn't ever fielded.

Joe, Dover

The Sox are in transition. They are going from the Olde Town Team to the New York Yankees. They want to win at any cost. I remember those Yankee teams of the seventies and how Georgie Boy went through managers and superstars like paper napkins. This is where the Sox are now. They are trying to find their identity as a team that will do what ever it takes to win. But, at what cost? They drew first blood by trying so hard to get A-Rod last winter. Did they ever try that hard to re-sign Nomar? The Sox may end up becoming the Yankees in the years to come, but they will have had to sell their soul to accomplish this. They have already made that down payment by trading Nomar Garciaparra. All of Redsox Nation wishes Nomie the very best. He was a class act and one of the best ever.

Arthur, South Egremont

Good riddance...I felt for Nomar a fe months ago, but he has been nothing but a whining, destraction to the team the past few weeks. The reality is under pressure, Nomar has not delivered.

J. , Boston

Think Theo has ever heard of Danny Cater?? Probably not, he's too young, not only to remember Cater, but for the GM job. Hopefully the new players will get some ear plugs, they are going to need them the minute one of them makes an error or strikes out with men on base. The fact that the Sox could get so little in return only proves that they should have pursued trading Nomar in the past off season after the A. Rod deal fell apart. This trade is a big step down from M Ordonez for Nomar and Williamson. Do the Sox really need another good field no hit SS (Pokey) and 1B (McCarthy) and speedy no hit OF (Kapler)?. I hope this deal finally brings some media scrutiny to the Sox brain(less) trust because they've gotten a free pass for far too long.

dave, Manchester, NH

Sad day in Red Sox Nation. I can't believe I will no longer see Nomar at shortstop. I think the Red Sox should have done all they could to keep Nomar in Boston. Its a sad day. I can't see how this trade is going to make the team better. The heart and spirit of the team is truly gone. Gerri, Rhode island.

Gerri , Warwick, RI