Breaking up is hard to do: though once it seemed Nomar Garciaparra and the Red Sox would live happily ever after, their relationship has eroded to the point that staying together seems unlikely

Sporting News, The, August 2, 2004 by Michael Silverman

The kids of New England are not handling this well at all. Love is not supposed to have an expiration date, but a trail of clues too numerous and obvious to ignore make it clear the once rock-solid marriage between Nomar Garciaparra and the Red Sox has soured. It has been a decade since the wiry shortstop was drafted by the Red Sox and more than six years since they entered into a long-term contract, one which seemingly would be renewed into eternity without any of the usual hassles and catfights that accompany the departures of too many Red Sox superstars.

Revered by the Red Sox fan base, Garciaparra was--and still is--a New England sports icon. He might not have achieved Ted Williams-Larry Bird-Bobby Orr status but, boy, "Nomah" is very close.

Poke around just a little, however, and you'll find that the union between Garciaparra, 31, and the team has disintegrated. For fans of this storied franchise, it's like finding themselves on a Hollywood set and realizing that the beautiful brick-and-mortar house they thought Garciaparra and the Red Sox have been living in really is just a facade of painted Styrofoam.

With Garciaparra set to become a free agent after this season, few expect him and the Red Sox to renew their vows. Damage from failed contract negotiations in the spring of 2003, fallout from the Red Sox's failed pursuit of Alex Rodriguez in the offseason and a mutual distrust have left Garciaparra and the Red Sox together at work, but in separate bedrooms at home.

There even were murmurs about trading Garciaparra before the July 31 non-waiver deadline, but they had quieted by last week, and it looked as though their household will remain intact for the rest of this season. Before making his expected foray into the free-agent market, Garciaparra needs to show he is recovered from an Achilles' injury that sidelined him for the season's first nine weeks. To have a shot at the post-season, the Red Sox need the healthy production of a player who remains one of the game's top-hitting shortstops.

But once October has come and gone, no one is betting against a split-up. Given how fundamentally decent and polite each side has been, they probably will give it another go at the negotiating table, more than anything else, just to say they tried. Then they'll bid adieu to each other.

The kids may not like it, but sometimes, the adults have to do what's best for themselves.

Problems surfaced years ago

Pinpointing the first crack in the foundation is impossible, but when Garciaparra was hit on the right wrist by a pitch from Al Reyes on September 25, 1999, it set in motion a chain of events that hasn't stopped. Garciaparra won back-to-back batting titles in 1999 and 2000 but in the spring of 2001, the wrist flared up severely and surgery was required. Returning to action too soon in late July, Garciaparra wound up playing in just 21 games that season. Over the next two seasons, he drove in more than 100 runs and hit 24 and 28 home runs, respectively, but his batting average dipped and his errors total rose. The club picked up costly options on his contract the past two seasons and even offered a four-year, $60 million extension in the spring of '03.

But the more club executives evaluated the on-field return on their investment in Garciaparra, the more grateful they became he had not accepted their offer. It also was becoming clearer that the club was not impressed with Garciaparra's public demeanor off the field. Even if he was smiling, albeit bland in front of the camera, Garciaparra and his sometimes prickly "I want to be alone" act put off the Red Sox.

When the team discovered in the offseason that Rodriguez was open to being traded to the Red Sox, it pursued the deal as a way to get rid of Manny Ramirez, with whom the team was even more disenchanted. The subsequent proposed trade of Garciaparra to the White Sox for outfielder Magglio Ordonez was more fallout than driving force, but few tears were being shed on Yawkey Way at the thought of a future without Garciaparra.

"The trade for A-Rod was not about Nomar, it was about Manny," says one club source, who adds, "I don't think we would have even thought of trading him if his demeanor in the first place hadn't been 'I don't want to be here.'"

The Red Sox's gambit for Rodriguez, however, was a flop, and Garciaparra was ticked off. The club's reduced offer to Garciaparra--four years, $48 million--didn't help matters.

While on a Hawaiian honeymoon last December with soccer star Mia Hamm, Garciaparra called a Boston sports talk show to express his hurt. His agent, Arn Tellem, and Red Sox owner John Henry got into a nasty spat about each other's conduct before each quieted down. Then Rodriguez went to the Yankees, and Garciaparra and the Red Sox had to learn to live with each other again.

"It's like your wife says, 'I'm trying to get rid of you for a new husband: (Pause) 'Damn it! I couldn't find anybody in time. I thought I had one, but you know what, on second thought, we couldn't come to terms,'" Garciaparra was quoted in May by the Boston Globe. "'Darn it" (another long pause) Um, I want you back now. I want you back now to take care of our kids. We're all right, right? OK, good. Everything's cool, right? I know I said you were a bad husband, but I didn't mean it.'"