FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Longtime Boston shortstop Nomar Garciaparra will announce his retirement from baseball on Wednesday morning, signing a one-day contract with the Red Sox in order to retire as a member of the team.

Nomar Garciaparra
Nomar Garciaparra
#5 1B, SS, DH

CAREER STATS

* GM 1434
* HR 229
* RBI 936
* R 927
* OBP.361
* AVG.313

Upon his retirement, Garciaparra will join ESPN as a baseball analyst. He will be seen primarily on Baseball Tonight but will also serve as an occasional game analyst.

"After years of enjoying the privilege of playing this great game wearing Red Sox, Cubs, Dodgers, and A's jerseys in front of truly amazing fans, today I've decided to end my playing days," Garciaparra said in an ESPN news release. "I've been blessed to have had a long career as a player and feel fortunate to continue this great journey as a member of the ESPN team."

Garciaparra will make it official at a 10:30 a.m. press conference the Red Sox have called at City of Palms Park.

The 36-year-old Garciaparra spent the first nine seasons of his 14-year career in Boston, where he developed into a fan favorite, a perennial All-Star and the best shortstop in team history. He won the American League Rookie of the Year Award in 1997 and won batting titles in back-to-back seasons in 1999 and 2000.

His career average with the Red Sox stands at .323, with 178 homers and 690 RBIs.

Garciaparra was famously traded to the Chicago Cubs by general manager Theo Epstein at the trade deadline during the 2004 season, a move that resulted in the addition of Doug Mientkiewicz and Orlando Cabrera, who helped to spark the team to its first World Series title in 86 years.

Garciaparra re-signed with the Cubs in 2005, but injuries limited him to just 62 games that season. He played with the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2006-2008 and was a part-time player with the Oakland Athletics last season.

He currently resides in Los Angeles with wife Mia Hamm and their twin daughters.



He probably could have no brainer Hall of Famer if he wasn't destroyed by injuries from the Cubs onward basically. Always did love to watch him play. His 10 most similiar players according to baseball reference include Aramis Ramirez, Brett Boone, Mike Lowell and Joe Gordon who is the only HOF on the list.

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Team Cutler.

roids.

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I hate him just because he helped make Jimmy Fallon famous.

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I agree with this, but back before he got hurt the first time, he was fun as hell to watch hit.

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If not for steroids, which he probably would say he took for injuries, his stats wouldn't look so good.

oh good god...

Thanks to the MLB Network that channel doesn't exist in my world.

Speaking of the MLB Network, has anyone been watching the 30 clubs in 30 days series? Dan Plesac and John Hart are OUTSTANDING.

/checks watch

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100% agree.
He never came back from that wrist injury, which is the most devastating injury a hitter can suffer.

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“Mmmm. Move over, eggs. Bacon just got a new best friend - fudge.”

I will remember Nomar for having one of the most painful looking injuries I have ever seen. The at-bat when he tore his groin made me grimace for days.

Most painful looking Chicago athlete injury: Robin Ventura broken ankle. owwww

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Moises Alou's broken and dislocated ankle as he rounded first base almost made me throw up.