NEW YORK – A few years ago, his name was synonymous with the great shortstops of baseball. Nomar Garciaparra had one of the league’s highest batting averages and followed in the footsteps of Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski as the focal point of Red Sox Nation. Then the injuries happened and Garciaparra was eventually shipped away from Fenway Park to the Chicago Cubs on July 31, 2004 – only months before his former team broke their curse.
Garciaparra now has to deal with the Curse of the Billygoat and it showed when he had a rocky start this season, spending time on the disabled list with a ruptured tendon in his groin. In only 97 at bats the shortstop is batting .247 with two homeruns and eight runs batted in. When he was in New York a few weeks ago Sports Day caught up with Garciaparra and he was kind enough to answer a few questions.
Chicago Sports Day: After being injured so much in the past few seasons, how does it feel to be back on the field?
Nomar Garciaparra: It’s awesome. It’s been a long road and some long days. It’s just good to be out there playing.
CSD: Was it tough being injured and playing not up to what your standards were?
NG: It was frustrating not playing. When I came back last year I played well, but betting a freak injury, I just have to keep moving on.
CSD: Do you think you are completely healed now?
NG: Well not completely healed. When you have surgery, it takes time to completely heal, but I have gone over a lot of obstacles. I want to see what I can do.
CSD: What is the difference playing in Chicago and playing in Boston?
NG: I don’t know the differences. The similarities are the fans are passionate; they support their teams; and a great ballpark with a great history. There are definitely some similarities between them.
CSD: How more difficult is it playing all the day games with the Cubs?
NG: The day games are different. I don’t know if they are more difficult, but it is definitely a different game, because you have to bounce back every day and get all your rest. Then when you are on the road playing the night games, you sleep gets kind of thrown off. But it’s not a bad thing, if you want to sit down and have a decent dinner. So there are plus and minuses for sure.
CSD: Last year when the Red Sox won the World Series, did you have any regrets that you were not part of it?
NG: Part of me felt like I was there. A lot of those guys were calling me all the time and I was supporting them. They definitely included me in everything and I was happy.
