Trot Nixon

Christopher Trotman "Trot" Nixon (born April 11, 1974 in Durham, North Carolina) is a Major League Baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent. He is best known as a member of the Boston Red Sox from 1996 to 2006. He was drafted by the Sox in the 1st round of the 1993 Major League Baseball Draft, and was the seventh pick overall. He bats and throws left-handed.

Trot had a career-best year in 2003 when he batted .306 with 24 doubles and 28 home runs. In game 3 of the American League Division Series, Nixon was called from the bench as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the 11th. With the Red Sox facing elimination, Nixon lined a two-run homer over the center field wall for a 3-1 Boston victory.

During the 2004 season, Nixon was unavailable for several months due to a herniated disc and a tight thigh muscle. Upon his return, he generally worked as the starting right fielder throughout the regular and post-season. In the deciding game of the 2004 World Series, Nixon hit a two-out, two-run double off the right field wall at Busch Stadium in St. Louis in the top of the third inning to give Boston a 3-0 lead. Those were the last runs scored by either team in that game as the Red Sox swept the Cardinals for the team's first World Series title in 86 years. For the series, Nixon batted .357 and drove in three runs. He also endeared himself to Sox fans by briefly wearing a mohawk hairstyle, one of the many unconventional and bizarre hairstyles sported by the Red Sox over the course of the 2004 season. Nixon also served as the considered inspiration for the expression "Boston Dirt Dogs". The signature is that of a "scrapper", a player who hustles and isn't afraid to get dirty to win a game. Loved by Boston's fans, Nixon is known for an extremely volatile temper and steadfast dedication to his teammates.

In August 2005, while officially on the disabled list, Nixon remained in uniform and in the dugout with the rest of the team during the game. When teammate Gabe Kapler (who often acted as Nixon's right field replacement) hit a long fly ball off of the Green Monster, the umpires ruled it a double. Nixon leapt off the bench and argued with such passion that Kapler's hit had been a home run (television replays confirmed that the hit had landed above the home run line, and thus should have been ruled a two-run homer) that he was ejected from the game.

On October 1, 2006, with two outs in the fifth inning of the final game of the season, manager Terry Francona replaced Nixon in right field with rookie David Murphy. Knowing Nixon might be playing his final game with the Sox, the fans delivered a grateful ovation to Nixon as he ran off the field.

Following the 2006 season, Nixon was not offered salary arbitration by the Red Sox as the team pursued and eventually signed free agent J. D. Drew, coupled with the fact that Boston had a fourth outfielder, Wily Mo Peña, on the roster.

In January 2007, Nixon signed a one-year, $3 million dollar contract with the Cleveland Indians. Instead of going with the number 7, which he wore during his entire career in Boston, Nixon chose to wear number 33. The decision was made in part by his son Chase, who chose the number based on the fact that Nixon would turn 33 years of age that April.

In February 2008, he signed a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training with the Arizona Diamondbacks and was subsequently sent to their Triple-A affiliate the Tucson Sidewinders. On June 13, 2008, Nixon was acquired by the New York Mets from the Diamondbacks for cash considerations and a player to be named later. The Mets acquired him to take the place of injured outfielder Moisés Alou. He was added to the Mets roster on June 15, replacing outfielder Chris Aguila who was designated for assignment. The same day he was activated, Nixon started in right field against the Texas Rangers. However, he would finish the season on the disabled list.

On December 18, he signed a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers with an invitation to spring training. He did not make the major league roster, and was released on March 25.