The Boston shortstop would not discuss details of the contract negotiations with the Red Sox.

EASTON, Mass. (AP) – Nomar Garciaparra said attempts by the Boston Red Sox to land shortstop Alex Rodriguez, a move that would have sent Garciaparra to the Chicago White Sox, were “unfortunate,” but he wasn’t hurt by the team’s actions.

“I know baseball is a business. I’m not thinking about it, one way or another,” he said Saturday, between the morning and afternoon sessions of his annual hitting clinic for children at Stonehill College. “I’ve always said there are things in baseball you can control, and things you can’t. I’m focusing on what I can control, like getting ready for the upcoming season.”

Had the team acquired AL MVP Rodriguez from the Texas Rangers in exchange for outfielder Manny Ramirez, Garciappara would have been sent to the White Sox for outfielder Magglio Ordonez. But Garciaparra said none of the talk hurt him.

“What is there to be hurt about? I got married, I get to be with 500 kids today, teaching them baseball, there’s really nothing to be hurt about,” Garciaparra said.

One of the reasons the Red Sox went after Rodriguez is that Garciappara is in the last year of his contract and turned down the team’s offer of a four-year, $60 million deal, which was then reduced to a four-year, $48 million offer.

Garciaparra, citing a privacy agreement between his representatives and the team, refused to discuss details of ongoing contract negotiations.

“It’s really up to them right now,” he said. “The ball is kind of in their court. My focus is about having a great year, with a great team. My goal all along is to win a World Series. A lot of (the trade talk) stuff was unfortunate.”

The contract negotiations became embarrassingly public last month after Garciaparra’s agent, Arn Tellem, called Boston’s efforts to acquire Rodriguez a “slap in the face” to his client. Red Sox principal owner John Henry responded by revealing the rejection of the $60 million deal.

With the Ramirez-Rodriguez deal apparently dead, Red Sox ownership has since tried to assure Garciappara he is part of the team’s plan for the future.

The All-Star shortstop also said he harbors no ill-will toward teammate Kevin Millar, who said he would rather have Rodriguez on the team than Garciaparra.

“Kevin and I are fine,” he said. “We’re good friends. He told me he’s just going to buy me a lot of dinners.”

Ramirez is also happy to still be a member of the Red Sox, one of his agents told The Boston Globe. Ramirez talked to Henry during the Rodriguez negotiations to say he wanted to stay in Boston.

“He called John Henry and told him he didn’t want to be traded,” Miami-based agent Gene Mato said. “John’s been great with Manny. Manny likes him a lot. Manny doesn’t blame John for anything.”

Last season, Ramirez told teammate David Ortiz that he wanted to be traded, while his agent, Jeff Moorad, acknowledged that the Red Sox placed Ramirez on irrevocable waivers after the season in part to satisfy Ramirez’s desire to play for the New York Yankees.

Mato said Ramirez no longer feels that way and has been in touch with new manager Terry Francona.