Red Sox put faith in Vegan

James Yodice

Monday, March 31, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

IF Nomar Garciaparra is, in fact, Major League Baseball's next great shortstop prodigy, you can be guaranteed of two things -- he didn't read those words in a newspaper and he didn't hear anybody speak those words on a television.

Out of sight, out of mind.

"I don't believe in any of that," said Garciaparra, 23 and already media savvy beyond his years. "You just go out there and keep doing what you're doing. Everyone has their own games, and you go from there."

And there it is, really, everything boiled down to a few well-chosen words. The new shortstop of the Boston Red Sox -- a two-year resident of Las Vegas -- knows full well the eyes of New England are going to be fixated on him. That he cannot control.

Just what tone those collective glares generate, however, is entirely dependent on Garciaparra and how he pans out.

"You just have to try to go out and learn something every day," said Garciaparra, a Southern California native who moved to Las Vegas' Summerlin area in 1995. "You adjust all the time. I don't really pay too much attention to (people's expectations)."

Certainly, the intention of Red Sox management was unwavering -- they handed over the job and all that it entails -- to Garciaparra about a month ago. So committed to Garciaparra is Boston that it asked the incumbent, John Valentin, to move to second base to make way for the youngster.

And so committed to shortstop was Valentin that he staged a two-day walkout in protest. He returned, was fined and Garciaparra said the two work beautifully together in the middle of the Boston infield.

"We've been working great," said Garciaparra, who had two hits Sunday night in an 8-7 win over the New York Mets at Cashman Field. "John is an outstanding individual, a class act all the way. It's fun when you play next to an outstanding athlete like that."

Garciaparra attended Whittier High School before beginning a college career at Georgia Tech. Boston made Garciaparra its first-round draft choice in the June 1994 amateur draft, and the 6-foot, 165-pound talent has since made a meteoric rise through the organization's farm system.

He's been rotating off-season homes the past three years. He gave Florida a try, but it wasn't the right fit. It wouldn't even be fair to say Las Vegas is the right fit.

"Actually, this past off-season is the most I've been able to stay here," said Garciaparra, who adds with a laugh, "two weeks."

Today, Boston finished up its spring training schedule with an afternoon matinee with the Mets. The Red Sox board a bus for Anaheim immediately following the game at Cashman Field to begin a series with the Angels on Tuesday night.

In addition to the burden of his position, Garciaparra is Boston's leadoff hitter.

"As you keep playing," he said, "you get more and more accustomed to playing at a big-league level. You're up against players with experience and ability, and that's just something else to learn."

Boston enters the season having to overcome both the Yankees and Orioles in the American League East -- and the Red Sox must also deal with the loss of Roger Clemens and the addition of new manager Jimy Williams.

"We're all optimistic and positive," Garciaparra said. "We're all excited."

Red Sox-Mets highlights

* POWER SURGE: In the first four games of Big League Weekend, two home runs were hit -- both by San Diego's Steve Finley. But in Sunday night's 8-7 Boston win over the New York Mets, there were five homers. Edgardo Alfonzo, mounting a late charge to usurp playing time from Carlos Baerga at second base, was 4-for-4 with two home runs. Carl Everett and John Olerud also homered for New York, while Reggie Jefferson supplied Boston's only shot.