Capping off Sox career?

Tina Cervasio, the NESN reporter, gestured at the Red Sox cap sitting atop a box of Trot Nixon's belongings, the cap so discolored by dust and clay and grass stains to make its age indeterminate. What happens, she asked, when a dirt dog no longer needs his cap?

``It goes to my dad," said Nixon, referring to the kidney surgeon in North Carolina, Dr. William Nixon, who had once caught Catfish Hunter, the Hall of Famer, and was so instrumental in the grooming of his son as a ballplayer. ``He gets 'em after every year. He's got 'em all lined up. He washes them.

``They'll have some remnants of the rosin that was on there and so forth. But I think he'd much rather wash it than have to smell it after about a month, being in a bag. Honestly, it stinks. Actually, a couple of 'em I had, they had mold on them."

Nixon's final appearance in a Red Sox cap may well have come during yesterday's rain-shortened 9-0 victory over the Baltimore Orioles in a season finale that started after a 3-hour-23-minute delay and was finally brought to a halt at 7:46 p.m. after five innings and another 41-minute delay.

In an unscripted moment, manager Terry Francona, afraid the weather might rob him of his chance to offer a proper goodbye, sent rookie David Murphy to right field to take Nixon's place with two outs in the top of the fifth inning. While Nixon jogged back to the dugout, the hardy remnants of a sellout crowd of 35,826 gave him a stirring send-off after 14 seasons in the Sox organization, the last eight in a big league uniform.

``He's a loyal, deep, strong human being that I have a tremendous respect for," said Gabe Kapler, who has the locker next to Nixon's and yesterday played alongside him in center field. ``It was hard to watch without getting emotional, him walking off the field today, for no other reason than he deserves to be recognized, not because he is or is not coming back to Boston but because he means a whole lot to a lot of people."

For the same reason, Francona had batted Nixon leadoff yesterday. With his wife, Kathryn, and two sons, 4-year-old Chase and 2-year-old Luke (who didn't know his birthday yesterday was such a bittersweet occasion), sitting behind home plate instead of in the family section, Nixon on his first at-bat stepped out of the batter's box, lifted his helmet, and waved it toward the fans on both foul lines as they demonstrated their affection.

``I'm not used to doing that kind of stuff," said Nixon, who becomes a free agent this winter and is not expected to be re-signed. ``It probably looked bad.

``I heard so many great things, I can't thank those fans enough," he said. ``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."

In this, the final damp hours of what general manager Theo Epstein -- in a postgame media gathering -- succinctly termed ``an imperfect year," the Sox finishing with an 86-76 record, it was a time for partings, some that may only be temporary. Mark Loretta, the second baseman imported from San Diego whose late-season slump while battling a quadriceps injury cost him a .300 season, homered over the Monster in the fourth inning, hastily pointing heavenward as he crossed the plate in good-natured parody of David Ortiz, who fouled out and walked twice to bring a quiet end to his season of superb slugging, during which he tied Babe Ruth's American League mark with 32 home runs on the road en route to a league-leading and team-record 54 and AL-best 137 RBIs.

Loretta, like Nixon a free agent, said that despite speculation he will be replaced next season by Dustin Pedroia, there's a 50-50 chance he'll be back in 2007.

``I think there are a lot of moving pieces that will factor into that decision in terms of the club," Loretta said. ``We'll see. We'll be in communication. We've had a little bit of discussion about that. I think the club is going to explore a lot of options regarding free agency. It's not as simple as `let's get a deal done now.' I think what they're doing now is going through a mock offseason, going through 8 or 9 or 10 scenarios and I'm sure my name pops up in a few of 'em.

``Even though I was here only one year, it was an experience. If it is my only year, that will stay with me forever, that's for sure."

Devern Hansack, who has been here barely long enough for anyone to know his name -- his contract was purchased Sept. 19 from Double A Portland -- lent drama to the soggy proceedings by holding the Orioles without a hit in his first big league win. In 1991, Major League Baseball changed its rules and mandated that a no-hitter must go at least nine innings, so the 28-year-old Nicaraguan did not get credit for a no-no. But it did go into the books as a complete-game shutout, the first by a Sox pitcher since Pedro Martínez blanked Tampa Bay Aug. 12, 2004.

Perhaps there will be a place for Hansack in a Sox bullpen that will be looking for candidates, especially after Epstein made it official yesterday that Jonathan Papelbon will come to camp next spring as a starting pitcher.

Manny Ramírez, meanwhile, did not play yesterday, after homering the night before. Where will his place be in 2007? That's the question he posed to Hall of Fame reporter Peter Gammons in the Sox clubhouse before the game.

``Peter, where am I going to be next year?" he said as he strolled past Gammons.

``I think you'll probably be here," Gammons said.

Ramírez muttered an expletive -- in jest, in earnestness, who can say -- and walked away.

If Nixon is walking away -- and he even allowed how he'd one day like to come back here and finish his career, even as an extra outfielder -- he offered much different words to those who might one day wear the uniform in his place.

``If there are any ballplayers out there thinking about ever wanting to come here," Nixon said, ``I'd tell them it's probably the greatest atmosphere they'll ever play in, I don't care where they've played."