rockin500
08-05-2004, 12:18 PM
By Paul Sullivan
Tribune staff reporter
August 4, 2004, 11:08 PM CDT
DENVER -- Nomar Garciaparra took a pass Wednesday when asked to comment on a claim by Red Sox owner John Henry that his agent talked him out of demanding a trade from Boston a week before the deal that brought him to the Cubs.
Garciaparra said he wants only to focus on his job and doesn't feel the need to respond to every allegation coming out of the Red Sox organization.
According to published reports July 25, Garciaparra's agent, Arn Tellem told general manager Theo Epstein that Garciaparra had planned to demand a trade that afternoon. Tellem allegedly talked him out if it.
"We knew from that that he didn't want to be [in Boston]," Henry said.
Tellem has denied the story.
Henry also said the decision to trade Garciaparra came after a terse conversation between the player and team President Larry Lucchino and that he hasn't spoken to Garciaparra about it.
"Larry called and gave me [Garciaparra's] number and told me of the conversation he'd had," Henry said. "Larry had a certain interpretation of it, and hearing it made me angry, so I didn't call."
Todd Walker, who played alongside Garciaparra with the Red Sox last year, defended his teammate as being misunderstood by the Boston media.
"I do know they're very negative up there, and anything negative they're going to write and talk about," Walker said. "Of course, that's a negative story. As far as the [Boston] front office is concerned, they have to a reason for everything that they do."
Garciaparra is reputed to be reclusive, but Walker said he got along with everyone in the Boston clubhouse.
"Everybody had a lot of respect for Nomar, and they loved him," Walker said.
Former Red Sox player Darren Lewis told Cubs manager Dusty Baker the same thing and said Garciaparra would be a fine addition to the Cubs clubhouse. Still, the bitter ending in Boston continues to drag on.
Copyright © 2004, The Chicago Tribune
http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-040804cubsbrite,1,4995916.story?coll=cs-home-headlines
Tribune staff reporter
August 4, 2004, 11:08 PM CDT
DENVER -- Nomar Garciaparra took a pass Wednesday when asked to comment on a claim by Red Sox owner John Henry that his agent talked him out of demanding a trade from Boston a week before the deal that brought him to the Cubs.
Garciaparra said he wants only to focus on his job and doesn't feel the need to respond to every allegation coming out of the Red Sox organization.
According to published reports July 25, Garciaparra's agent, Arn Tellem told general manager Theo Epstein that Garciaparra had planned to demand a trade that afternoon. Tellem allegedly talked him out if it.
"We knew from that that he didn't want to be [in Boston]," Henry said.
Tellem has denied the story.
Henry also said the decision to trade Garciaparra came after a terse conversation between the player and team President Larry Lucchino and that he hasn't spoken to Garciaparra about it.
"Larry called and gave me [Garciaparra's] number and told me of the conversation he'd had," Henry said. "Larry had a certain interpretation of it, and hearing it made me angry, so I didn't call."
Todd Walker, who played alongside Garciaparra with the Red Sox last year, defended his teammate as being misunderstood by the Boston media.
"I do know they're very negative up there, and anything negative they're going to write and talk about," Walker said. "Of course, that's a negative story. As far as the [Boston] front office is concerned, they have to a reason for everything that they do."
Garciaparra is reputed to be reclusive, but Walker said he got along with everyone in the Boston clubhouse.
"Everybody had a lot of respect for Nomar, and they loved him," Walker said.
Former Red Sox player Darren Lewis told Cubs manager Dusty Baker the same thing and said Garciaparra would be a fine addition to the Cubs clubhouse. Still, the bitter ending in Boston continues to drag on.
Copyright © 2004, The Chicago Tribune
http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-040804cubsbrite,1,4995916.story?coll=cs-home-headlines