Trapped In a Dream World

I am getting sick of hearing this...

The Red Sox traded Nomar for another shortstop because Nomar was no longer a five-time All-Star. The Nomar of old (’99, ‘00) did not enter the 2000s and was lost forever when he underwent wrist surgery that still affects him to this day. His penchance for swinging at the first strike was made bearable when his statistics showed that he had a .372 AVG with a .434 OBP. That is the Nomar I know and love.

Let me back up. Nomar was the lovechild of Boston up until 2002. He underwent wrist surgery in 2001, but we still were full of love for Nomar. In 2002, he had an off year by his standards. We are still waiting for his off-years to stop. He hit .310/.352 in 2002, and his OBP was no longer acceptable because his average was way down. His slugging % also took a nosedive, from which it has yet to recover. The evidence is unassailable - the wrist surgery turned him from a shortstop you could contend was better than A-Rod to one jockeying for #2 status with Jeter, Renteria, and Tejada - a battle Nomar would lose.

I keep hearing this crap that the wrist injury made Nomar a shadow of his former self. Just because he isn't hitting .370 or .350 every single year it means he is washed up or not acceptable. If you honestly think Nomar is a shadow of his former self because he isnt hitting .370 then you have to be about the dumbest person on this planet. Sammy Sosa has gotten the same treatment. If he isn't hitting 60 HR's a year then something is wrong and he must be in decline.

People have peak years and then generally level off. That is the way it goes in baseball. The writer answering these questions acts like a .300 BA, .350 OBP, 20-30 HR's and 100-120 RBI's a year from a SS are some how not good enough. Well not good enough for Boston fans.

I just find it incredibly stupid to say because Nomar isn't hitting .370 it is an off year. I mean geez, I guess after Joe Dimaggio hit .380 in 1939 the rest of his career was an off-year. Poor guy he could of been great if he only maintained that .380 batting average. And then that guy Mickey Mantle hit .365 in 1957. Poor guy couldn't keep it up, would of been a hall of famer. And what about that poor bastard Ted Williams who hit .406 in 1941. To live up to that? To bad the rest of his career was an off-year he could of been truely something.

I know I am going over the top, Is Nomar as great as those guys? No. Not many people are. The point is you should never focus on a players best season and expect that year in and year out. No one can do it, and your setting yourself up to be let down each and every time. Those guys were great at their postions in that era, Nomar is great at his position in this era, just enjoy it!