Trot Nixon hits an RBI double at Fenway Park in 2006. (Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
BOSTON (WBZ-AM) -- Trot Nixon spent ten years in a Red Sox uniform. He was a member of the organization from the time he was a seventh-overall pick in 1993 all the way through 2006, before eventually retiring a decade ago. He's the original Dirt Dog, a World Series champion--and he spoke to WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Adam Kaufman Friday about his career, the rivalry with the Yankees, and his throwing out the first pitch at Friday night's game.
The Red Sox and Yankees have only met in the playoffs three times ever--and Nixon was a part of all of those series, in 1999, 2003, and 2004.
"The rivalry has always been there," he said. "They've played each other 19 times this year, so none of that phases them. Just go out there and enjoy the moment, and let your God-given ability take over out there on the field. It's gonna be a battle. It's five games, I'm sure a lot of people would rather it be a seven-game series. Obviously, it's important to get it off to a good start, but this is baseball. Whatever the Yankees did, whatever the Red Sox did during the regular season is over. Batting average is back down to zero. We gotta generate runs, obviously you gotta go out there and make the pitches that you want to and I know we can, and play defense."
Kaufman and Nixon also talk about Nixon's collection for families impacted by Hurricane Florence, whether or not Boston's record-breaking season would be a failure without capping it with a championship, whether Mookie Betts or J.D. Martinez is the AL MVP, and other topics in the full interview below.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Adam Kaufman (@AdamMKaufman) reports