Cartoon Rabbit As Role Model Bugs Shortstop’s Teammates

Spring training

Nomar Garciaparra remembers watching the cartoon when he was growing up, the one where Bugs Bunny would play all nine positions by himself against the Gashouse Gorillas.

Zipping around the field as a one-man team, the wascally wabbit made quite an impression on the future Boston Red Sox shortstop.

“He’s my idol because he took on a whole team by himself. That’s what I wanted to do,” Garciaparra said shortly after his elevation to the Red Sox infield created yet another controversy in the Boston clubhouse.

“I played everywhere when I was growing up. I loved playing every single position out there. I liked knowing what everybody was supposed to do.”

This nice, innocent story is Garciaparra’s way of saying he is just glad to have a position, any position, to play for the Red Sox this year. It didn’t need to be said that some of his teammates don’t have the same attitude.

Earlier this spring, when Garciaparra was selected starting shortstop and John Valentin was moved to second, Valentin lashed out at the team for failing to tell him earlier about a decision that had been made long ago.

Wil Cordero was upset because he wasted a winter trying to play second base, and now he will be in left field instead. Jeff Frye was nervous because he might not have a job at all, despite the fact that he’s the only one who both wants to and can play second.

And everyone else in a Red Sox uniform was wondering if they were in for a repeat of last fall’s disintegration of morale.

Nagy gets call

Charles Nagy, who started the All-Star game last season, was picked Friday to start for the Cleveland Indians on opening day.

“He was our No. 1 guy last year,” manager Mike Hargrove said. “He deserves it.”

Nagy was 17-5 with a 3.41 ERA last season, finishing fourth in the AL Cy Young Award voting. He was the losing pitcher in the All-Star game.

Ventura injures ankle

Chicago White Sox third baseman Robin Ventura dislocated his right ankle sliding into home plate during the White Sox’ 4-1 victory over Boston and was taken to a hospital for X-rays.

A White Sox spokesman said Ventura’s ankle was realigned. He was taken to Sarasota Memorial Hospital to check for a possible fracture.

Sims asks Seattle council to wait

Citing concerns over rising interest rates, King County Executive Ron Sims on Friday asked the County Council to delay a scheduled vote next week on the sale of $336 million in bonds for a new Seattle Mariners ballpark.