a lineup w/o #5

its like how people say you always remember where you were when such and such happened. i remember where i was when we traded nomah garcia parah, though i guess it was only a couple days ago.

i don’t know what i think of this nomar trade. i guess i’m happy. i guess i feel good for him. i guess i knew it was coming. but i know we’ll miss him.

what i do know is that we had one hell of a shortstop for 8 years. how many times did we watch him go deep in the hole and come up throwing for an impossible out at first?

for 8 years we had one of the best batters in the league, some say the best. how many 30 game hit streaks or close to it did he have? something like a .330 lifetime average? .360 & .370 just a few years ago? .360 for the month of july this year?!

but i know about the problems in the clubhouse this year. i know that he was not happy. the guy hasn’t smiled in months. his teammates say he just hasn’t been himself lately. he had to think his days in boston were coming to an end. we all knew there was still bitterness from the pre-season trade talks. after keeping him in the dark, going behind his back trying to sign a-rod to fill his place, then telling him we love him and want him to stay? management knew it was time for him to go. his team knew it was time for him to go. his fans knew it was time for him to go. and he definitely knew it was time to leave.

but doesn’t this always happen to us, especially recently? roger clemens, mo vaughn, wade boggs, tony clark? why do they all leave frustrated? why do we feel the need to raise these incredible players, then just trade them away for nothing? and why do they always end up with the yankees? don’t even think for a second nomar won’t be with the yankees next year. i mean the yankees didn’t need a shortstop last year yet they picked up a-rod, an all-star shortstop and put him at third base. they won’t need a shortstop next year, but they’ll pick up nomar and put him in right field or some bullshit, just to make us cry.

and what about his injuries? obviously he’s not back to 100% just yet. obviously we need someone who is 100% right now as we gear up for the playoffs. obviously we could get a better price for him while he’s playing rather than injured or during the off-season.

but i’m happy for the cubbies, i really am. he went to a good team and a good city. he looks like he’s happy and i’m glad to see him smiling again. they’ll root for him, give him a million standing ovations as he makes impossible plays and finishes this year batting like .400 with 0 errors. they’ll laugh and finally get used to his body movements before he steps to the plate. they'll tell that catcher of theirs to give his number up to the new star of the team. they'll probably call him by his real name for the first time in 8 years. they’ll take care of him, maybe even win the world series against us this year. then they’ll give the yanks a call in january and get about a billion dollars for him just because that's what always happens, also because the yankees suck, more like especially because the yankees suck.

but make nomah doubt about it, he’ll surely be missed.