A final tug for Garciaparra

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Farewells have not come easily for the Red Sox in recent seasons, the departures of Pedro Martinez, Manny Ramirez, Johnny Damon, and other notable players tinged with far more rancor than nostalgia.
Nomar Garciaparra, one player whose departure was particularly painful, asked for the chance to do it again and the Red Sox granted that wish yesterday, signing their former star shortstop to a one-day contract before he announced his retirement from baseball.
“Nomah’’ was back where he started, all forgiven if not forgotten.
“I was getting choked up then and I’m getting choked up now. I’ve got the chills,’’ said Garciaparra, who has taken a position with ESPN. “To be able to have that dream come true, I really can’t put into words, because of what this organization has always meant to me.’’
“Welcome home,’’ team president Larry Lucchino said.
Smiling and sentimental, Garciaparra arrived at City of Palms Park with his father, wife, and twin daughters to bring closure to his career.
“I always said I truly wanted that to be the last uniform I ever put on,’’ he said. “Today I get to do that, and that’s why it’s so important to me.’’
Garciaparra’s retirement was announced to the crowd before the exhibition game against Tampa Bay. Wearing a home jersey with No. 5 on the back, Garciaparra threw out the first pitch to his former Georgia Tech and Red Sox teammate Jason Varitek.
“Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty special player,’’ said Varitek.
“I don’t want to speak for the man. But I know his heart has been here since he left. It was never easy for him not to be here. He’s such an instrumental part of this organization and the things this organization has achieved.’’
Garciaparra made his announcement flanked by Lucchino and general manager Theo Epstein, team officials with whom he often feuded. But when Garciaparra’s agents approached the Sox with the idea of a one-day signing, approval was swift.
“Nomar was such a central figure in everything good that has happened to the Red Sox,’’ Epstein said. “It’s appropriate. This is a little bit of a fairy-tale end. In life there is some adversity and conflict, but in the end people can come together and recognize what they meant to one another.’’
Garciaparra spent parts of nine seasons (1996-2004) with the Sox. A six-time All-Star, he was the 1997 American League Rookie of the Year, won two batting titles, and finished in the top 10 of the MVP voting five times.
Garciaparra talked hitting with Ted Williams, started the 1999 All-Star Game at Fenway Park, married soccer superstar Mia Hamm in 2003, and was at the crux of a debate that captivated baseball: Was he, Derek Jeter, or Alex Rodriguez the best shortstop in the game?
“It was a very good debate, and I put Nomar up there, definitely,’’ Tim Wakefield said. “He was great offensively, great defensively, and most importantly to me, a great teammate.’’
But the relationship between the Sox and Garciaparra started to sour after Jeter and Rodriguez signed lucrative 10-year contracts prior to the 2001 season. Garciaparra also resented that two teammates, Martinez and Ramirez, were making more than he was and voiced his frustration. His image, once pristine, became damaged, and tensions simmered with the media.
The Sox offered Garciaparra a four-year, $60 million contract extension during a spring training meeting in 2003. Garciaparra and agent Arn Tellem countered by seeking an $8 million signing bonus as well. The Sox refused and negotiations dragged on.
Following that season, the Sox opened talks with the Rangers about a trade that would bring Rodriguez to Boston for a package of players headed by Garciaparra. When news of the possible trade broke, the shortstop announced he wanted to stay in Boston. Tellem exchanged barbs with owner John Henry and fans took sides.
The trade to Texas fell through, as did a deal that would have sent Ramirez to the Rangers for Rodriguez. Still with the Red Sox, Garciaparra opened the 2004 season on the disabled list and did not return to the lineup until June 9.
Convinced that a disgruntled Garciaparra would sit out much of the remainder of the season, then leave as a free agent, the Sox traded him to the Cubs July 31. The four-team, eight-player deal brought shortstop Orlando Cabrera and first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz to Boston.
The trade infuriated a large segment of the fan base. But with Cabrera and Mientkiewicz playing key roles, the Sox went on to win their first World Series since 1918.
As he reflected on those times, Garciaparra said, he was rooting for the Sox.
“When I was there, I always realized there was something bigger than us as players,’’ he said.
“These people that had bled, cried tears, and cheered over the years. Winning a World Series in Boston is more than an individual player winning a World Series — it was winning a World Series for these people.’’
Garciaparra stayed with the Cubs through the 2005 season, then spent three years with the Dodgers and last season with the Athletics. He was never the same player he was in Boston.
Retirement, he said, arrived without regrets.
“I remember looking at my wife and going, ‘My tank is empty, it truly is,’ ’’ said Garciaparra, 36. “That, for me, is an absolute thrill to be able to say that.’’
Lucchino indicated that a ceremony honoring Garciaparra would be held at Fenway Park this season. Epstein also opened the door to Garciaparra returning as a spring training instructor.
“It’s how it’s supposed to happen,’’ said Wakefield. “He was a Red Sox for a long time, and he’ll always be remembered as a Red Sox. This is a great thing for everybody involved.’’