Remember when there were only three shortstops?  (People so quickly forgot Omar Vizquel.)  Now only one remains at that position.

Nomar was loved.  He seemed a little crazy- his toe-tapping, glove tightening routine was so methodical that somehow it excused some of his less pleasant behavior- at least to those of us who watched him.  Eric Wilbur writes a beautiful piece about all of this, noting both the world of those who knew him, and how others who didn’t, like Wilbur’s young brother felt about a guy called Nomar.  Dan Shaghnessey writes an angry rant against the whole idea of bringing Nomar back as a ceremonial Red Sox player.

I was at the July 1, 2004 game.  It was a game like no other.  The only game, I think, in my entire life, where I can remember it nearly from start to finish.  Derek Jeter went face first into the stands.  Gary Sheffield played third base.  The Yankees lost the use of the DH, because they had to bring Bernie Williams, who had started at DH, to play center field.  Every Yankee on the roster played in that game. (Pitchers were used like in the National League after the loss of the DH.)  Every Red Sox position player took the field, except for one.  Nomar Garciaparra.  His team needed him- really.  But it was his walk year, and he had just come off the DL and he wasn’t risking getting hurt.  If you weren’t at this game, you may not remember what a big deal that was.  Remember, this is before the 86 year old “curse” had been broken.

Nomar was traded weeks later.

Wilbur is right.  Resigning Nomar so he could retire a Red Sox is only fitting.  Once he left behind his Red Sox uniform he realized how precious that world was.  He went to the Cubs, to the Dodgers but was always looked at like an interloper and a hanger on. He couldn’t have known how special he had it in Boston- not until he left.  Shaughnessey might be right that the event yesterday felt phony.  It needed a bit more honesty from Nomar.  I bit of a mea culpa for his part in quitting on his teammates on July 1 would have been in order.  But Wilbur also gets it right- the fans remember going to see Nomar and the excitement he brought when there wasn’t a lot to get excited about.  He was Mike Piazza for the Mets.  He was Ryne Sandberg for the Cubs.  The fans are happy he is back- and no matter what- that is the important thing.

Events

1941- The Dodgers announce that their players will wear batting helmets.  Helmets do not become mandatory in the NL until 1954, and 1959 in the AL.

1951 – J. Edgar Hoover of the FBI turns down an offer to become MLB commissioner.

1995 – Michael Jordan announces that he is giving up baseball and returning to the NBA.

Deaths

1956 – Early 20^th century player Solly Hoffman, owner of the fantastic nickname “Circus Solly”

1985 – Bob Nieman, who plaed for six organizations in his major league career and posted a 132 OPS+

Births

1966 – Relief pitcher Mike Timlin, who has a very unique middle name: August.

1000 piece Pennant Puzzle from TDC Games

Today’s Question:   We all know that Tony LaRussa, Bobby Cox and Joe Torre are in the top 5 of Managers in baseball history with the most wins, and that they are the three active managers with the most wins.  #14 on the All-time most wins list is also active.  Can you name him?  I will give you a hint, he has managed 5 teams- and one to a World Series.  He also had a pretty good playing career.

Coaches always point to the Paul O’Neils and the Kevin Youkilis’s of the world as to how much you should care. Apparently Joyce is not from that mold.  So how do you show you are serious?  That has been Joyce’s task this spring.