Favorite. Sox Player. Ever.

[9th inning, Game 6, 2003 ALCS, Sox up 7-6, 1 out, 1 on]

What wasn't to like? Yankee slayer. Gamer. The original "dirt dog". Played for one organization. Our organization. For his whole career. Put more pine-tar on his hat and helmet than any other player in the majors. Ever. Including the dead ball era. Game winning homerun in the Clemens-Pedro epic at Yankee Stadium in 2000. Eat it, Rocket. The guy was getting tossed out of games when he was on the DL. Batted .357 in the 2004 World Series. Batted .333 with 3 HR and 5 RBIs in the "oh so close" 2003 ALCS against the damn Yankees. Played hurt and his stats suffered. Played for the Sox. Loved the fans. And we loved him.

Farewell Trot. Goodbye number 7. Thanks for the memories.

After his final game in a Sox uniform:

"I heard so many great things, I can't thank those fans enough," Nixon said after his last game playing for the Red Sox last October. "Tipping the hat, blowing kisses here or there, that's not me. But maybe they pick up the paper tomorrow and read the fact it truly means a lot to me what they've done for me the eight years I've been here.

"I did care about this organization and did care about this town. This town has been unbelievable for my family and I, absolutely unbelievable." [Boston.com: Extra Bases]

I am ashamed that there hasn't been more outrage. Or at least something nice. They gave Johnny Damon a photo gallery of memories when he rolled out to the Yankees. But no more than a whimper for the Yankee killer? Nothing for the guy with dirt on his shirt, pine-tar on his hat, and you can't see the "B" on his helmet because there's a pound of pinetar on it? Nothing for him? Say it ain't so. The Herald had a nice article, but The Soxaholix were prepared for the blow. I guess we all were.

And now Trot, one of eight guys still on in Boston from the 2004 Championship team, is gone. Another byline on the Red Sox blog. An AP article at ESPN. Sure the writing was on the wall. We knew it was coming as early as late summer of last year. But it still stings. It still hurts.

Someone shoot me an email or give me a ring when Wily Mo Pena/J.D. Drew hits a pinch-hit homerun to save a postseason series. I'll be at the bar. Wondering what happened to that Championship team.

[An Open Letter to Trot | 2004: The Trot Nixon Show]

MP3: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - "Love Song No. 7"
MP3: Forward, Russia - "Seven"
MP3: Interpol - "Song Seven"