Nomar Garciaparra facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nomar Garciaparra |
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Garciaparra in 2010
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| Shortstop | |||
| Born: July 23, 1973 Whittier, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| August 31, 1996, for the Boston Red Sox | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 4, 2009, for the Oakland Athletics | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .313 | ||
| Home runs | 229 | ||
| Runs batted in | 936 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Anthony Nomar Garciaparra (born July 23, 1973) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) player. He is now a sports analyst for SportsNet LA. Nomar played as an shortstop for the Boston Red Sox for nine seasons. He also played for the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Oakland Athletics. He played shortstop, third base, and first base.
Garciaparra is one of only 13 players in MLB history to hit two grand slams in a single game. He is the only player to do this at his home stadium. He was a six-time All-Star. In 1997, he won the AL Rookie of the Year award. He also won the AL Silver Slugger Award as a shortstop that year. In 2001, he had a wrist injury. This was the first of many injuries that affected the rest of his career. Nomar was known for his great hitting. He had a lifetime batting average of .313. In 2000, he batted .372, which was the highest for a right-handed batter since World War II. He won the AL Batting Title in 1999 and 2000. He was the first right-handed batter to win two titles in a row since Joe DiMaggio.
Contents
Early Life and College Baseball
Nomar Garciaparra was born in Whittier, California. His family is of Mexican-American background. He went to St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, California. His middle name, Nomar, is his father Ramon's name spelled backward. When Nomar was a boy, his father taught him not to strike out. He gave him 25 cents for each hit in tee ball. He also fined him 50 cents for every strikeout. When Nomar was 13, his father had him practice against a college pitcher. This pitcher could throw very fast, about 90 miles per hour. Nomar hit solid line drives on his second and third pitches. As a boy, Nomar was called "No Nonsense Nomar." This was because he was very careful and worked hard as an athlete.
The Milwaukee Brewers picked Garciaparra in the 1991 draft. But he decided not to sign with them. Instead, he went to the Georgia Institute of Technology. There, he played college baseball for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. In 1994, Nomar helped the Yellow Jackets reach the College World Series title game. They lost to Oklahoma. Garciaparra was an Atlantic Coast Conference All-Star. He was also a first team All-American twice, in 1993 and 1994. In his last season at Georgia Tech, he batted .427. In 1992, Garciaparra played for the United States Olympic Baseball team. They competed in the Summer Olympics in Barcelona. In 1993, he played summer baseball for the Orleans Cardinals. This team was part of the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL). Garciaparra batted .321 and helped Orleans win the league championship. He was added to the CCBL Hall of Fame in 2002.
Professional Baseball Career
Starting in the Minor Leagues
After college, the Boston Red Sox picked Garciaparra in the first round of the 1994 draft. He joined the Red Sox's minor league system. He started his professional career in Class A Advanced with the Sarasota Red Sox. He played in 28 games and batted .295. He also hit his first professional home run. In 1995, Garciaparra moved up to the Double-A Trenton Thunder. He played in 125 games, batting .267 with eight home runs. He also stole 35 bases and gained experience as a shortstop. After the 1995 season, Garciaparra worked hard to add 15 pounds of muscle. In 1996, he played for the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox. He batted .343 with 16 home runs and 46 RBI in just 43 games. This strong performance led to him being called up to the Major Leagues.
Time with the Boston Red Sox (1996–2004)
Early Success and Rookie Year
Garciaparra played his first Major League game on August 31, 1996. He was a defensive replacement against Oakland. His first MLB hit was a home run on September 1 against pitcher John Wasdin. In that game, Garciaparra had three hits. He finished 1996 batting .241 with four home runs and 16 RBI.
In 1997, Garciaparra had an amazing rookie season. He hit 30 home runs and had 209 hits. This was a new record for a Red Sox rookie. He also drove in 98 runs, setting an MLB record for RBIs by a leadoff hitter. He batted .306 and had a 30-game hitting streak. This was an American League rookie record. Garciaparra also stole 22 bases and led the league with 11 triples. He was named Rookie of the Year by a unanimous vote. He also took part in the Home Run Derby and his first MLB All-Star Game. He won the Silver Slugger Award for AL Shortstop. Red Sox fans loved him and called him "NO-mah!"
MVP Candidate and Batting Titles
In 1998, Garciaparra signed a five-year contract with the Red Sox. He usually batted third or cleanup in the lineup. He finished the season with 35 home runs and 122 RBI. He was the runner-up for the AL MVP award. His batting average of .323 was sixth best in the AL. He and teammate Pedro Martínez helped the Red Sox reach the postseason. They lost to the Cleveland Indians in the 1998 American League Division Series. But Garciaparra played very well, batting .333 with 3 homers and 11 RBI.
Garciaparra continued to shine in 1999. He won the batting title by hitting .357. He hit .400 against left-handed pitchers. He had 27 home runs and 104 RBI in only 135 games. On May 10, he hit three home runs, including two grand slams. He drove in 10 RBI in a game against the Seattle Mariners. He was named an MLB All-Star. He started at shortstop and batted second in the game, which was held at Fenway Park in Boston. He again led the Red Sox to the postseason. They beat the Indians in the 1999 American League Division Series. Garciaparra hit .417 in the four games he played. He became the first MLB player to get a hit and score a run in his first five postseason games. Against the New York Yankees in the ALCS, Garciaparra hit .400 with two home runs. However, the team lost the series. After the season, he finished seventh in MVP voting.
The year 2000 was another great year for Nomar. By the end of June, his batting average was .396. He even batted .403 as late as July 20. He finished the season with a .372 batting average. This was the highest for a right-handed batter in the post-war era. Garciaparra easily won the American League batting title. He was the first right-handed batter to win two titles in a row in the AL since Joe DiMaggio. He also hit 21 home runs and drove in 96 runs. Even with his strong play, the Red Sox did not make the postseason in 2000.
Injuries and Trade
In February 2001, Garciaparra was on the cover of Sports Illustrated. The headline called him "baseball's toughest out." Soon after, Garciaparra hurt an old wrist injury. He had to start the season on the disabled list. He did not play his first game until July 29, 2001. He hit a memorable home run in that game. But by the end of August, his wrist bothered him again. Garciaparra missed the rest of the season because of the injury. He only played in 21 games, batting .289 with 4 homers and 8 RBI. Many people believe this wrist injury changed his career path.
By the start of the 2002 season, Garciaparra had recovered. He batted .310 in 2002, hitting 24 home runs and driving in 120 runs. His 56 doubles led the league. On July 23, his 29th birthday, he hit three home runs and drove in eight runs. On September 2, Garciaparra got his 1,000th hit in his 745th game. He was the fastest Red Sox player to reach this milestone. Garciaparra was chosen for his fourth MLB All-Star Game. He played in 156 games, which was his career high. However, the Red Sox did not make the postseason.
Before the 2002 season, new owners bought the Red Sox. Garciaparra's agent and the Red Sox tried to agree on a new contract. They agreed on a four-year, $60 million deal. But they could not agree on an $8 million signing bonus Garciaparra wanted. So, Garciaparra started the 2003 season without a new contract. In 2003, Garciaparra had another good All-Star season. On April 20, he hit a walk-off home run to win a game for the Red Sox. He batted .319 in the first half of the season, earning another All-Star selection. He finished the season batting .301. He hit 28 home runs, his most since 1998, and drove in 105 runs. He played in 156 games again. The Red Sox returned to the postseason for the first time since 1999.
Garciaparra's hitting slowed down in September 2003. This continued into the postseason. He batted .300 in the 2003 American League Division Series against the Oakland Athletics. The Red Sox won that series. They then faced the Yankees in the ALCS. Garciaparra batted only .241 in that series. He did get a key hit in Game 6, which helped the Red Sox rally. But the Red Sox lost Game 7 and the series.
After the 2003 season, the Red Sox thought about trading Garciaparra. This made him and his agent upset. He returned to Boston for the 2004 season. His contract was ending, and it seemed he was not happy with the team.
The 2004 season began with Garciaparra's future in Boston still unclear. He also had an Achilles' injury that kept him out until June. When he returned, Garciaparra hit well, batting .321. But his defense was not as good, likely because of his injury. The team's General Manager, Theo Epstein, wanted to improve the team's defense. Garciaparra's injury also meant he needed frequent days off. On July 31, 2004, the Red Sox traded Garciaparra. He finished his Red Sox career with a .323 average, 178 home runs, and 690 RBI. The Red Sox went on to win the 2004 World Series.
Time with the Chicago Cubs (2004–2005)
On July 31, 2004, Garciaparra was traded to the Chicago Cubs in a four-team deal. He thanked Red Sox fans before leaving for Chicago. He wore jersey number 8 at first, then switched to number 5. He drove in three runs in his first three games as a Cub. He continued to deal with his Achilles' injury. In 43 games with Chicago, he hit .297 with 4 home runs and 20 RBI. For all of 2004, he had a .308 average, nine home runs, and 41 RBI.
The Cubs did not make the playoffs in 2004. Meanwhile, the Red Sox won the 2004 World Series. Garciaparra's former teammates voted to give him a World Series ring. They also gave him part of their playoff bonus.
After the season, Garciaparra did not get the long-term contract he wanted. His injury was a big reason. He signed a one-year deal for $8.25 million to stay with the Cubs. In 2005, a torn groin muscle put him on the disabled list for over three months. At that time, he was hitting only .157. On April 23, 2005, a newspaper columnist suggested his injuries might be from steroid use. Garciaparra "flatly denied" using steroids and called the idea "ridiculous." He returned to play on August 5, 2005. He started raising his batting average quickly. When the Cubs' regular third baseman got injured, Garciaparra offered to play third base. He had mostly played shortstop in his career. Garciaparra finished 2005 with a .283 average, nine homers, and 30 RBI. He became a free agent again.
Time with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2006–2008)
In 2006, Garciaparra signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. This was near his childhood home in Whittier. It was another one-year deal. He hoped a good season would lead to a longer contract. The contract was worth $6 million. Former Red Sox players Bill Mueller and Derek Lowe, and former manager Grady Little, were also with the Dodgers. Nomar kept his number 5 jersey. He moved to first base, as the Dodgers had signed Rafael Furcal for shortstop.
Garciaparra was healthy for a long time, the first since 2003. He started hitting well again. On June 6, he hit a two-run home run against his former teammate Pedro Martínez. On June 9, his batting average was .370. On June 25, he hit his 200th career home run. By the MLB All-Star Break, Nomar was tied for the lead in batting average among all MLB infielders. He had a .358 batting average, 11 home runs, and 53 RBIs. He also had a 21-game hitting streak. He was chosen for his sixth All-Star selection. This was his first All-Star appearance since 2003.
Nomar played first base well, making only one error in his first 588 innings. He finished the season with four errors. His batting average dropped to .303 by the end of the season as injuries returned. But he made important hits for the Dodgers during their playoff race. On September 18, he hit a game-winning, two-run walk-off home run. Six days later, on September 24, Garciaparra hit a game-winning grand slam. The Dodgers won their last seven games and made the postseason. For the season, Garciaparra batted .303 with 20 home runs and 93 RBI. He struck out only 30 times in 122 games. On October 7, Garciaparra was named the National League's Comeback Player of the Year for 2006. The Dodgers were swept by the New York Mets in the 2006 NLDS. Garciaparra batted .222 in the series. On November 20, 2006, the Dodgers signed Garciaparra to a two-year contract worth $18.5 million.
In 2007, Garciaparra started strong, batting .307 in April. But he did not hit many home runs. On June 25, 2007, Garciaparra moved from first base to third base. This was to make room for a new player. He missed time in August and September due to injury. He played in 121 games, batting .283 with 7 home runs and 59 RBI.
In 2008 spring training, Garciaparra hurt his hand. This made him start the season on the Disabled List. He returned on April 16, but got another injury nine days later. He came back on July 4, playing shortstop for the first time since 2005. On August 1, Garciaparra was placed on the DL again. He had sprained his knee on July 27. He returned on August 12. On August 13, he hit a walk-off home run against the Philadelphia Phillies. He played more at shortstop in 2008 than any other position. But by September, he was back at first and third base. He was also used as a pinch hitter. He hit .264 for the year, with 8 home runs and 28 RBI. He played in only 55 games. The Dodgers lost to the Phillies in the 2008 NLCS. Garciaparra batted well, hitting .429 in the series.
Time with the Oakland Athletics (2009)
On March 6, 2009, Garciaparra signed a one-year deal with the Oakland Athletics. He wore number 1 instead of his usual number 5. Later, he switched back to number 5. In his final season, Garciaparra batted .281 with three home runs and 16 RBI. He played in 65 games with Oakland.
Career Statistics
In 1,434 games over 14 seasons, Garciaparra had a .313 batting average. He had 1,747 hits, 927 runs, 370 doubles, 52 triples, 229 home runs, and 936 RBI. He also had 95 stolen bases and 403 bases on balls. His on-base percentage was .361, and his slugging percentage was .521. He finished his career with a .975 fielding percentage. In 32 postseason games, he batted .321 with seven home runs and 24 RBI.
Life After Baseball
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On March 10, 2010, Garciaparra signed a one-day contract with the Boston Red Sox. This allowed him to retire as a member of the Red Sox. Garciaparra then joined ESPN. He worked as an analyst for Baseball Tonight and some Wednesday Night Baseball games. He also became a lead analyst for ESPN's coverage of the College World Series.
On May 5, 2010, the Red Sox held "Nomar Garciaparra Night." They honored him before a game. He was given two official seats from Fenway Park. One had his number 5, and the other had Johnny Pesky's number 6. Garciaparra threw out the first pitch that night to his former teammate, Jason Varitek.
On December 2, 2013, the Los Angeles Dodgers announced that Garciaparra would join their broadcast team in 2014. He worked as a pre- and post-game analyst for Dodgers TV broadcasts. He also called some road games on the radio. A few months into the season, he moved to the TV crew.
On February 5, 2014, it was announced that Garciaparra would be inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame. He joined former pitchers Pedro Martínez and Roger Clemens, and announcer Joe Castiglione.
In a rare non-sports appearance, he had a small role on an episode of Saturday Night Live in 2000. The show had sketches about two Red Sox fans who loved "Nomah."
In 2016, he lived in Whittier with his family. He was doing commentary for Dodgers broadcasts. By 2020, he and his family were based in Manhattan Beach.
Personal Life
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Nomar's younger brother, Michael, was also drafted by a baseball team in 2001. He played in Minor League Baseball until 2010.
On November 22, 2003, Garciaparra married Olympian and World Cup Champion soccer star Mia Hamm. They have twin girls, Grace Isabella and Ava Caroline, born on March 27, 2007. Their son, Garrett Anthony, was born in January 2012. Hamm and Garciaparra first met at a promotional event in Boston in 1998. Hamm was impressed by his passion for sports. They stayed in touch as friends and later started dating.
Garciaparra is known for his special routine when he is batting. He adjusts his batting gloves and taps his toes before each pitch.
On October 7, 2005, Garciaparra and his uncle helped save two women. The women had fallen into Boston Harbor outside his home. Garciaparra jumped into the water and rescued them.
In November 2014, Garciaparra became an investor in Los Angeles F.C., a soccer team. In 2022, LAFC won the MLS Cup. This made Garciaparra an MLS champion as a part-owner.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball hitters with two grand slams in one game
- List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
- List of Major League Baseball batting champions
- List of Major League Baseball doubles records
- List of Major League Baseball annual doubles leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual triples leaders
- List of Major League Baseball single-game hits leaders
