This column originally ran in The Standard-Times on April 22, 2005.

By Nick Tavares

Ten years ago, who would you have guessed would become the class of the Red Sox organization?

In 1995 or '96, smart money would have been on Mo Vaughn or Nomar Garciaparra, then a September call-up. Roger Clemens was still here, but he looked like he was never going to be better than a .500 pitcher again.

Well, Vaughn and Clemens took off for greener pastures. Garciaparra stuck around and lived up to the hype, leading the resurgence of the organization. The fact that they're selling out every game without blinking now owes a great deal to the fans that Nomar brought back to Boston.

But none of them will make it to the finish line in Kenmore Square. Tim Wakefield will.

Wakefield, plucked off of the scrap heap by then-GM Dan Duquette, would last, and this week he got his come-uppance — a creative new deal that lets management keep bringing him back until he's had enough.

It's a testament to Wakefield's professionalism, respect for the game and understanding of priorities. He knows that his bread is buttered here. He didn't need to test the free agent waters; he didn't want a massive raise, a long-term, incentive-laden deal. He just wants to pitch where he's comfortable and where he's appreciated.

Crazy, eh?

Through his entire career here, he has done everything asked of him and experienced every high and low. He won 16 games in 1995 and 17 in 1998 while losing 15 in 1997. He saved 15 games for an arm-strapped bullpen in 1999, and then was left off the postseason roster.

He's shuttled back and forth from the bullpen to the rotation, shut down the Yankees in the 2003 ALCS, was on the wrong end of an Aaron Boone home run the same series, and finally on top of the baseball world last season.

Wakefield will likely retire a Red Sock. Vaughn followed Anaheim's money and his career turned into one long leg injury. Clemens decided to have a revival and is still a strike-out machine in Houston. And Nomar, well?

Anyone who saw Nomar double over in pain out of the batter's box Wednesday night knew that he was seriously hurt, and yesterday it was announced that he would miss three months — at least — with a torn groin muscle.

I tried to ignore the fan reaction to Nomar's trade to Chicago over the last year. Many Sox fans — not all, but many — seemed to relish his departure. Whether it was his performance in the 2003 playoffs or the skepticism over how he injured his ankle, the majority seemed to have an attitude of, 'Good, go to Chicago. We never even liked you anyway.'

Yesterday, the news of his injury was received with a sick delight by a lot among Sox Nation. There was a twisted glee over the fact that he turned down $60 million a few years ago and is now facing an injury that could forever hamper his career, or what's left of it.

Well, I can't throw Nomar under the bus that easily. For four years, he played like the second coming of Ted Williams, and in the rest of that time he was still a great hitter and a classy, albeit not always charismatic, player. The trade worked out for the team, but I still won't dismiss him as a player that easily.

In roughly that same time, Wakefield went about his business and pitched his heart out, and in a perfect world the stands would be littered with both No. 5 and 49 jerseys.

No. 5 is gone, but No. 49 is still around.

So if you're in the anti-Nomar camp, you may be better served to stop obsessing over his misfortune and appreciate the guy who's still here.

Take your hat off to Wake — he's everything a major leaguer should be.

Nick Tavares is a columnist for The Standard-Times. E-mail him at ntavares@s-t.com.

This story appeared on Page C1 of The Standard-Times on April 22, 2005.