Nomar Never Used Steroids

Cubs Shortstop May Be Cursed
But Don't Assume the Worst

He may hate Boston, and the Red Sox brass. He sat out "the Jeter game" when the Sox needed a win and stayed on the bench when everyone else was on the top step. His selfish contract whining was a distraction for the team. The nervous laugh is fake. He was nasty to writers and reporters on a regular basis. He's paranoid to the max. He spoke to us in empty cliches, "or whatever." He was mean to autograph seekers and fans behind the scenes. Idiot Arn Tellem cost him millions. API's Mark Verstegen probably ruined his body for baseball. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder? Sure. And a call was made to the scorer to question error No. 14 on July 20, 2003, a grounder that jumped up on him. His trade jumpstarted the Sox march to a World Series and he'll wince privately when he's presented with his ring as a reminder of his role. He swings at the first pitch too much and pops up a lot. He looked puffy, not pumped and jacked, on the SI cover. He can't explain the phantom day-to-day Achilles' injury that cost him 57 games for the Sox last season, and more in Chicago. He sounded silly whining about false positives, and suspicious in saying testing for steroids was not the answer. But Nomar Garciaparra is not a steroid user. He's telling the truth on this one.

Garciaparra Denies Steroid Use

Allegations carry chuckles and laughs for Nomar

"They're just a bunch of jealous, idiotic people out there. If they don't know [anything], they should keep their mouth shut, period." -- Jay Payton, Hartford Courant

Lenny Dykstra linked to steroids, gambling