Home Run Trot
by Mike Ashmore

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Before he was Trot Nixon, starting right fielder on the 2004 World Series Champion Boston Red Sox, he was Trot Nixon, struggling outfielder for the Trenton Thunder.

The Red Sox sent the 21-year-old Nixon, their first round pick in the 1993 draft, to their then Double-A affiliate in August of 1995. He was coming off a successful season in Single-A Augusta, where he hit .303 with five home runs and 39 RBI in 73 games.

Clearly, things didn't come so easily in his first shot on the next rung of the minor league ladder.

He hit just .160 during the final month of the season, the first level where he couldn't hit consistently in his then-fledgling career.

"It was a good opportunity, I had a good time that year," said Nixon, now a Cleveland Indian, before a recent game in Washington.

It was the opportunity he got the following season that he made the most of, hitting .251 with 11 home runs and 63 RBI, helping lead the team to their second consecutive playoff appearance.

"The organization put some pretty good teams out there for the most part," he said.

"We had some competitive teams that made it to the minor league postseason. It was a lot of fun to experience that and continue to grow as a professional baseball player."

Following the Eastern League playoffs, Nixon reluctantly was called up to the big leagues straight out of Double-A, "talked into" going up there after not feeling like he'd earned the opportunity.

"It's something that I was fortunate enough to negotiate in my contract when I was drafted," he said.

"I wasn't going up there to play every day. I got to play in one game and got thrown into another. But there were people up there like (Thunder manager) Ken Macha, so it almost forced me to do it."

Following two seasons at Triple-A Pawtucket, Nixon finally stuck as a regular big leaguer in 1999, and played in 982 games for the Red Sox until signing with Cleveland as a free agent this season.

But for as long as he lives, he'll always be asked about what it was like to bring Red Sox nation their first World Series in 86 years.

"I got the opportunity to live out one of my dreams, and also fulfill the fans dreams to win a championship in the Boston area," said Nixon, now 33.

"I'd heard all the things about the curses and this and that, so to be able to be on a team that was able to come back the way we did in the ALCS against the Yankees and then go into the World Series and take four games in a sweep of St. Louis, it was something special. I was glad I was able to be there when the curse was broken."

Even after years of dealing with the scrutiny of playing in Boston, Nixon insists that his first season with the Indians hasn't changed anything.

"Baseball is baseball," he said.

"We're having a good year this season, and the fact that I'm not in a Red Sox uniform any more, it doesn't bother me. I'm just glad to have the opportunity to play."

Now 11 seasons and one World Series ring removed from wearing a Thunder uniform, one thing's for sure. Trot Nixon will never forget the Trenton faithful.

"In some minor league parks, you don't get that much support," Nixon said.

"But we got a tremendous amount of support in Trenton."

All media files and information are property of Mike Ashmore and may not be copied, transferred or used outside this web site without permission.  All media outlets are not affiliated with MikeAshmore.com in any way.  Site is best viewed using Microsoft Internet Explorer.