Another One Bites the Dirt

The Dismantling of the World Series Champions
Continues in Boston ...

Wakefield, 'Tek, Manny, Big Papi, Schilling, Timlin, and Mirabelli are the Only Core Members Left from the 2004 World Champion Would-Be Dynasty

Well, it's all over but the tears.

The awful news that's been looming for six months has finally arrived. Trot Nixon is no longer a member of the Boston Red Sox. Another one bites the dust.

Ownership has failed Trot and failed the Nation. Come to think of it, the fans have failed Trot as well. I was astounded and ashamed that there wasn't more of a hue and cry about Theo and Co.'s abandonment of him since it became evident last season that they would let him go or when he wasn't offered arbitration. This is the one guy who was truly the heart and soul of the ball club, a career-long Boston product... until now.

He played with grit and honor and he cared about the team. He never drew undue attention to himself, he supported teammates and they supported him. He played clean but his uniform got dirty. He was the exemplar of a Dirt Dog. He got ejected from a game for grousing at the ump while on the disabled list.

Sure, he should have flown to spring training in '04 instead of driving his truck and wrenching his back upon arrival and missing half the season. Sure, he was on the DL too much the last few years. But unlike bigger names that pretty likely feigned injury because they lost interest at the end of last year, Trot would have played if he could have.

And even in partial seasons, he produced when he was on the field. But more importantly, he played the right way, he upheld the standards of the team, he was a link to the past, he was a character, he was a fan favorite... and now he's gone.

Let's see how many games JD Drew actually plays over the next few years and see if his eventual contract fee will be worth his performance.

Trot Nixon is a guy who should have been a lifelong Red Sox, he should have moved directly to the coaching staff upon retirement and someday should have managed the Olde Towne Team.

When will this ownership and this general manager learn that players are not just interchangeable parts to be plugged into a machine that will then spit out success? Fans follow a team because they get attached to the players and those players play and fight the good fight on behalf of us.

One of the best has left the building. And we're all less because of it. -- Mark Huntley, Red Sox Nation In NYC