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Sox Therapy — Where Thinking Red Sox Fans Obsess about the Sox Monday, February 01, 2021Thanks For the Memories Dustin PedroiaHe arrived with a reputation. He was too small yes, but he was brash. He had a confidence bigger than his body, he wasn’t smart enough to know he was too small to hit home runs, he didn’t have an arm strong enough to play shortstop, he wasn’t especially fast. But everywhere he went, Arizona State, Sarasota, Augusta, Portland and Pawtucket he performed well. He was the front line for more than a few stats vs. scouts battles. The end result was not whether the stats or the scouts won but that the Boston Red Sox and their fans won. If you are a Sox fan you almost certainly love Dustin Pedroia. I won’t lie, the dude will forever be one of my favorites. He was a joy to watch play day in and day out when he could. He became a genuine star winning rookie of the year in his first year and MVP in his second. He was absolutely integral to two World Series titles. His game seven performance against the Indians in 2007 was epic, the game one homer in the World Series and he started game seven in 2008 the right way with a first inning homer. Pedroia never lost that brashness though like so many athletes he learned to tone it down a bit. That doesn’t mean he became quiet, just more reserved as most of us do as we age. I remember his postgame interview after game six against the Cardinals in 2013 when he talked about the joy of seeing his younger teammates celebrate the victory and just standing back and soaking that part of the experience in. He sounded more like a parent than a teammate. Pedroia was somewhat rarely for a second baseman a legit five tool player. He could hit for average, he demonstrated decent power as middle infielders go, his throwing arm while probably not sufficient for shortstop became an asset at second base and his glove was velcro. Pedroia was the guy Sox fans wanted the ball hit too in a key spot and while not fast he was quick enough and a smart base runner and adept base stealer. Later in his career he maybe didn’t quite realize he had lost a step but as a Sox fan that was part of his charm. His innate stubborness and self-belief (“ask Jeff Francis if he knows who I am!” and “laser show!”) were part and parcel of the Dustin Pedroia legend. Hell he gave Don Orsillo a new line to use “La Luna!” for his homers then went out and had a three homer game in Colorado in 2010. With Pedroia it wasn’t just the performances or the brashness it was the style and the emotion. I remember so distinctly his leap into the air on Gomes’ three run homer in the 2013 World Series or the way he seemed determined to fling his body to the ground on ground balls or the play in Texas when he contorted his body to grab a ricocheting throw and throw behind the runner at first to get a key out in Texas. Maybe most Pedroiaesque of all was a game in Houston where he was angry with the home plate umpire and barked a bit. He then lined a single to right and as he ran down the line he turned and screamed at the home plate ump. Childish? Probably. Funny as hell? Oh yeah. As I think about it Pedroia has a Larry Bird quality to him. Obviously not the superstar Bird was but like Bird people got so hung up on what he couldn’t do that they neglected what he could do. Eventually he won everyone over. Sox fans loved him, fans of other teams hated him but as Keith Primeau said in a playoff series against the Bruins “they don’t boo you if you aren’t any good.” I love Dustin Pedroia. He’ll always be on the Jose short list in a way few players are and I make no apologies for that. He was a great player and he played with a visible passion. He announced his retirement today (I assume with a fairly sizable payout) and while I suspect there will be discussions of Hall of Fame candidacy and the like I couldn’t care less about that stuff. I loved watching him play and I will miss him but the memories he made for me and so many Sox fans will live forever. Jose Needs an Absurd Ukulele Concert
Posted: February 01, 2021 at 11:20 AM | 16 comment(s)
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1. jacksone (AKA It's OK...) Posted: February 01, 2021 at 12:54 PM (#6003133)IIRC, for awhile there(like 40-50 games type of thing) didn't he have some Ruthian numbers when batting cleanup?
From there, it was just year after year of excellence. Gold glove defense and very good offense, and just an all-around terrific talent to watch on a daily basis. Sure, some people got carried away and compared him to Derek Jeter, even said he was better than Jeter. (Let's not sit around and point fingers about who did these silly things, Google boy.)
In the end, I think it's safe to say that Pedroia had as good or better of a career than any of us could have hoped for. Sure, his career got cut short at age 33 by a dirty slide from a jerkface-dirty-slider-swing-follower-through-basher-foot-stepper-onner-at-first-baser. But really, what did everyone think the Muddy Chicken had left in him? He had missed 27 games in 2014 and 59 games in 2015. He was a small guy playing second base, a position known for cutting careers short (although that's in dispute).
Dustin Pedroia, a teeny tiny little man, played an amazing second base for the Red Sox from 2007 to 2017. He racked up 51.6 WAR during his career, more than 1,800 hits, almost 400 doubles, won 4 gold gloves, took home an MVP and a Rookie of the Year, and played an important role on two world championship teams. I don't know if that gets him into the Hall of Fame, but like my friend Jose, I'm not sure I really care. He was a great player and a joy to watch. Thank you, Dustin Pedroia.
Unforgettable. Definitely one of those players who it is easiest to appreciate when they are on your team and you get to see their greatness manifest every day in so many different ways, some big and some small. Probably annoying as hell to play against, too.
HOFer in our hearts, anyway. That's what matters.
It'll be interesting, for sure.
For many of us, I think, the grieving over the end of Pedroia’s career ran its course years ago. This is just a paper transaction. It’s like we can finally do what the wife has been after us to do, take the book off the nightstand and put it back on the bookshelf where it belongs, in a position of honor alongside those other great books. On my bookshelf I shelve Pedroia next to Francona.
A little disappointing but not surprising that he wasn't exactly likely to be a HOF lock regardless of the injury.
For me - the Clay no-hit play, a ridiculous opposite-field Fenway homer on a Sunday afternoon once v TB, the Game 3 2013 WS play was insane as well as his 07 and 08 season, and just his general awesome play at second
I really thought he was a sure-fire bet for 3000 hits and the HOF 4 years ago.
Loved watching him dearly.
Hope you are all well these days, miss you all like sleep.
Take care
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