Dustin Pedroia
Encyclopedia
Dustin Luis Pedroia (born August 17, 1983, in Woodland, California
) is an American
professional baseball
second baseman
with the Boston Red Sox
of Major League Baseball
. Pedroia has won several awards in Major League Baseball, including the 2007 American League Rookie of the Year and the 2008 AL MVP award. He also won a Silver Slugger
as a second baseman and a Gold Glove in 2008 and 2011. He finished second overall in the AL in batting average
in 2008. In addition to his offensive performance, Pedroia has been a major contributor to the Red Sox on the defensive spectrum.
Pedroia is listed by Major League Baseball and the Red Sox as 5' 9" (175 cm) and 180 pounds. In 2003 a USA Today
article gave his height as 5' 7" (170 cm), and when he was in college the NCAA and Arizona State University
gave his height as 5' 8".
. Pedroia batted .445 his senior year and was chosen as his league's most valuable player.
Pedroia attended Arizona State University
, where he was teammates with current Texas Rangers
second baseman Ian Kinsler
and current Los Angeles Dodgers
right fielder Andre Ethier
. Kinsler and Pedroia competed for the shortstop
position. Ultimately, Pedroia stayed at shortstop, while Kinsler ended up at second base before transferring to the University of Missouri
. In three years at ASU, Pedroia never hit below .347, and had a career average of .384, starting all 185 games. Furthermore, to help ASU recruit better pitchers, Pedroia relinquished the last two years of his athletic scholarship. He was named ASU On Deck Circle Most Valuable Player; other winners have included Ike Davis
, Willie Bloomquist
, Paul Lo Duca
, and Barry Bonds
.
, with the 65th pick overall. Pedroia, the eighth shortstop drafted, received a $575,000 signing bonus
.
In two years in the minors (2004–06), Pedroia batted .308 while playing second base and shortstop
.
. His defense in 2007 was solid, with six errors
and a fielding percentage
of .990. Early in the season, though, his batting average
was as low as .172 (on May 1); that average, combined with the hitting of teammate Alex Cora
, hitting .316 through the end of May, left Pedroia in a platoon
role. Pedroia's batting improved quickly, however: by June 18, his average was .322, aided by a 13-game hitting streak, and a five-hit game against the San Francisco Giants
on June 15, 2007. Because of that production, he was named American League Player of the Week for May 28 – June 3, 2007, and AL Rookie of the Month for May 2007. His most notable play of the season, though, may have been a diving stop in the seventh inning of fellow rookie Clay Buchholz
's September 1, 2007 no-hitter
.
Pedroia won the AL Rookie of the Year award, and was selected to the 2007 Topps Major League Rookie All-Star Team
.
batting .317 with 8 home runs and 50 RBI in 139 regular season games with the Red Sox. In the ALDS, Pedroia struggled, getting only 2 hits in 3 games against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
. Though Pedroia struggled in the lead-off spot for the Red Sox, Boston cruised past the Angels 3 games to 0 to advance to the American League Championship Series, where they met the Cleveland Indians
.
In the ALCS
, Pedroia heated up, batting .395. In the 7th game, Pedroia hit a 2-run homer into the Green Monster
seats in the 7th inning and had 5 RBI. He then hit a 3-run double in the bottom of the 8th to help the Red Sox secure the series and a spot in the World Series.
In the World Series
against the Colorado Rockies
, Pedroia was one of two rookies (with center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury
) starting for the Red Sox. These two rookies jump-started the Red Sox offense. In the Series' first at-bat, Pedroia hit the first pitch from Rockies ace Jeff Francis
over the Green Monster, making him only the second player (after Baltimore's
Don Buford
in 1969
), and the first rookie, to lead off the Series with a home run. In Game 3, with the Red Sox up 2-0, Ellsbury and Pedroia combined for 7 hits, 3 runs, and 4 RBI in a 10-5 Boston win. The Red Sox won Game 4 and swept the series for their seventh World Series title. Pedroia hit .278 with 5 hits, 1 home run and 4 RBI in the Series.
Pedroia ended the season with a .326 average with 17 home runs, 83 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases. He was tied for the MLB lead in hits with 213 and led the league in doubles (54), while leading the AL in runs scored (118), making him the first player to lead all three of those categories in the same season since Cal Ripken in 1983
. Pedroia came in second in the AL in batting average (.326) behind Minnesota Twins
catcher Joe Mauer
(.328), fourth in the AL in total bases (322), and seventh in the AL in extra-base hits (73). His 20 stolen bases in 21 attempts helped Pedroia lead MLB in stolen base percentage (.952). With only 6 errors following the season, Pedroia won the 2008 AL MVP (the first by an American League second baseman since Nellie Fox
in ) as well as the AL Gold Glove and Silver Slugger
award for second base. He is the 10th player in the history of the Red Sox to capture the AL MVP and the 8th player in AL history to win the MVP, Gold Glove, and Silver Slugger awards in the same season. Pedroia became only the third player in MLB history to win Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player in consecutive seasons joining Cal Ripken Jr. and Ryan Howard
. Fred Lynn
(1975) and Ichiro Suzuki
(2001) are the only players to win both awards in the same season.
. His sole hit was an RBI double that drove in Jason Varitek
in the 5th inning of game 4. He batted 2nd in all 4 games in the series, behind Jacoby Ellsbury
. Pedroia made one of the best defensive plays of the series with a diving throw to first base to retire Vladimir Guerrero
in the third inning of game 4. The Red Sox went on to win in dramatic fashion in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 4 again knocking the Angels
out of the playoffs.
The Angels contained Pedroia in the Division Series, but in the ALCS
against the Tampa Bay Rays
, Pedroia was red hot. In 26 trips to the plate in the ALCS, Pedroia collected 9 hits including three home runs and a double. However, his impressive line that included a .346 batting average and .731 slugging percentage wasn't enough to propel the Red Sox into the World Series
as the rest of the team struggled to a .234 batting average against the impressive Tampa pitching staff.
On December 3, 2008, Pedroia signed a six-year contract extension worth $40.5 million, in addition to a team option for 2015 worth $11 million. Pedroia announced on December 15, 2008 that he would play for the United States team in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.
He also recorded the first Major League hit in Citi Field history when he hit a bloop double down the right field line in an April 3 exhibition game
against the New York Mets
. He hit a home run in his first at bat of the 2009 season
. Pedroia was selected to the 2009 All Star Game on July 5.
Pedroia was selected to be the starting second baseman for the 2009 AL All Star Team
. The weekend prior to the game, however, he withdrew from the team. Pedroia stated that he wanted to stay with his wife, Kelli, who was experiencing pregnancy complications with the couple's first child. The same issue had caused him to miss a regular season game prior to the All Star break.
Pedroia achieved his first multi-home run game on September 9, 2009, against the Baltimore Orioles
.
For the second consecutive year, Pedroia led the American League in Runs Scored with 115 (2nd in MLB behind Albert Pujols who had 124 runs scored). He finished third in the AL / MLB with 48 doubles.
On June 24, 2010, Pedroia went 5 for 5, with 5 RBI, and hit three home runs in a game against the Colorado Rockies that the Red Sox won, 13–11, in the tenth inning
.
The next day, Pedroia fouled a ball off his foot in an at-bat versus the San Francisco Giants. MRI results the next day confirmed that he had a broken bone in his foot, and later was placed on the 15-Day Disabled List. Pedroia was so concerned about his fielding skills getting rusty (he was on doctors' orders not to put weight on his foot for two weeks) that he practiced fielding ground balls on his knees. On July 4, 2010, Pedroia was named to be a reserve player on the American League All Star team, but did not participate due to this injury, and had former Arizona State teammate Ian Kinsler
replace him on the roster.
Pedroia returned to the lineup on August 17 against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
, only to be put back on the DL after playing 2 games.
in 2011 as the best fielding second baseman in MLB.
, calling it a "dump" and a city which never embraced him. This generated backlash from his hometown and his family received death threats. Pedroia later clarified his comments saying he was only joking and his comments were taken out of context.
and Swiss (Maggia) heritage. Pedroia is the nephew of Eastern Michigan University
defensive coordinator Phil Snow
.
On January 9, 2009, Pedroia was named as the cover athlete of the baseball video game MLB 09: The Show
, and appeared in several commercials for the game.
On August 18, 2009 Dustin's wife Kelli gave birth to the couple's first child, a boy.
Dustin Pedroia is a fan of the NBA team, the Sacramento Kings
, and NFL team, the San Francisco 49ers
.
Woodland, California
Woodland is the county seat of Yolo County, California, located approximately northwest of Sacramento, and is a part of the Sacramento - Arden-Arcade - Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 55,468 at the 2010 census.Woodland's origins trace back to 1850 when California...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
with the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. Pedroia has won several awards in Major League Baseball, including the 2007 American League Rookie of the Year and the 2008 AL MVP award. He also won a Silver Slugger
Silver Slugger
The Silver Slugger Award is awarded annually to the best offensive player at each position in both the American League and the National League, as determined by the coaches and managers of Major League Baseball...
as a second baseman and a Gold Glove in 2008 and 2011. He finished second overall in the AL in batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
in 2008. In addition to his offensive performance, Pedroia has been a major contributor to the Red Sox on the defensive spectrum.
Pedroia is listed by Major League Baseball and the Red Sox as 5' 9" (175 cm) and 180 pounds. In 2003 a USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
article gave his height as 5' 7" (170 cm), and when he was in college the NCAA and Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
gave his height as 5' 8".
High school and college
Pedroia attended Woodland Senior High School in Woodland, CaliforniaWoodland, California
Woodland is the county seat of Yolo County, California, located approximately northwest of Sacramento, and is a part of the Sacramento - Arden-Arcade - Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 55,468 at the 2010 census.Woodland's origins trace back to 1850 when California...
. Pedroia batted .445 his senior year and was chosen as his league's most valuable player.
Pedroia attended Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
, where he was teammates with current Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
second baseman Ian Kinsler
Ian Kinsler
Ian Michael Kinsler is a Major League Baseball All-Star second baseman for the Texas Rangers.Despite having been drafted in only the 17th round out of college, Kinsler has risen to become a two-time All Star, and a member of the Sporting News 2009 list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball...
and current Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
right fielder Andre Ethier
Andre Ethier
Andre Everett Ethier , is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers.In 2009, Ethier hit six walk off hits , which was the most by any player in the Major Leagues since 1974. His four walk-off home runs tied the Major League record for most in a season...
. Kinsler and Pedroia competed for the shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
position. Ultimately, Pedroia stayed at shortstop, while Kinsler ended up at second base before transferring to the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
. In three years at ASU, Pedroia never hit below .347, and had a career average of .384, starting all 185 games. Furthermore, to help ASU recruit better pitchers, Pedroia relinquished the last two years of his athletic scholarship. He was named ASU On Deck Circle Most Valuable Player; other winners have included Ike Davis
Ike Davis
Isaac Benjamin "Ike" Davis is a Major League Baseball first baseman for the New York Mets. He and his father Ron Davis, who pitched in the majors for 11 years, are the 197th father-son combination to have both played in the major leagues.He led his high school team to three straight Arizona state...
, Willie Bloomquist
Willie Bloomquist
William Paul Bloomquist is a Major League Baseball utility player. He has played every position, aside from either of the battery positions, during his MLB career....
, Paul Lo Duca
Paul Lo Duca
Paul Anthony Lo Duca is a television personality and a former Major League Baseball catcher. Previously, Lo Duca played for the Los Angeles Dodgers , Florida Marlins , New York Mets , and Washington Nationals...
, and Barry Bonds
Barry Bonds
Barry Lamar Bonds is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. Bonds played from 1986 to 2007, for the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds...
.
Minor leagues
Pedroia was drafted by the Red Sox in the second round of the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft2004 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2004 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 7 and 8. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams...
, with the 65th pick overall. Pedroia, the eighth shortstop drafted, received a $575,000 signing bonus
Signing bonus
A signing bonus or sign-on bonus is a sum of money paid to a new employee by a company as an incentive to join that company. They are often given as a way of making a compensation package more attractive to the employee, e.g., if the annual salary is lower than he or she desires...
.
In two years in the minors (2004–06), Pedroia batted .308 while playing second base and shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
.
2007 season
Pedroia became the regular second baseman for the Red Sox in 2007 replacing Mark LorettaMark Loretta
Mark David Loretta is a retired Major League Baseball infielder. Loretta played for the Milwaukee Brewers , Houston Astros , San Diego Padres , Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers...
. His defense in 2007 was solid, with six errors
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
and a fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
of .990. Early in the season, though, his batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
was as low as .172 (on May 1); that average, combined with the hitting of teammate Alex Cora
Alex Cora
José Alexander "Alex" Cora is a Major League Baseball infielder. He played college baseball at the University of Miami.-Early career:...
, hitting .316 through the end of May, left Pedroia in a platoon
Platoon system
The platoon system in baseball is a method of designating two players to a single defensive position—usually one right-handed and one left-handed. Typically the right-handed half of the platoon is played on days when the opposing pitcher is left-handed and the left-handed player is played otherwise...
role. Pedroia's batting improved quickly, however: by June 18, his average was .322, aided by a 13-game hitting streak, and a five-hit game against the San Francisco Giants
2007 San Francisco Giants season
The San Francisco Giants are an American baseball team. Their 2007 season began with the team attempting to return to the post-season for the first time since 2003. New manager Bruce Bochy was hired to help the club improve on a 76 win season in 2006. Giants left fielder Barry Bonds entered 2007...
on June 15, 2007. Because of that production, he was named American League Player of the Week for May 28 – June 3, 2007, and AL Rookie of the Month for May 2007. His most notable play of the season, though, may have been a diving stop in the seventh inning of fellow rookie Clay Buchholz
Clay Buchholz
Clay Daniel Buchholz pitches for the Boston Red Sox of major league baseball. On September 1, 2007, in just his second major league start, he recorded a no-hitter against the Baltimore Orioles, becoming the third MLB pitcher since 1900 to throw a no-hitter in his first or second start...
's September 1, 2007 no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
.
Pedroia won the AL Rookie of the Year award, and was selected to the 2007 Topps Major League Rookie All-Star Team
Topps All-Star Rookie Rosters
This is a year-by-year list of the Topps All-Star Rookie teams. Note that players selected for a particular team appear in the following year's set release...
.
2007 American League Playoffs
Pedroia entered the 2007 American League Division Series2007 American League Division Series
-Cleveland Indians vs. New York Yankees:-Game 1, October 3:Fenway Park in Boston, MassachusettsIn Game 1, Boston starter Josh Beckett threw a complete-game shut out, allowing the Red Sox to win the opener...
batting .317 with 8 home runs and 50 RBI in 139 regular season games with the Red Sox. In the ALDS, Pedroia struggled, getting only 2 hits in 3 games against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
2007 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim season
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 2007 season was the franchise's 47th season since inception. The regular season ended with a record of 94–68 and the Angels winning the American League West division title for the sixth time...
. Though Pedroia struggled in the lead-off spot for the Red Sox, Boston cruised past the Angels 3 games to 0 to advance to the American League Championship Series, where they met the Cleveland Indians
2007 Cleveland Indians season
The Cleveland Indians' 2007 season saw the Indians win the AL Central title for the first time since 2001 and play for American League title before losing to the Boston Red Sox in seven games....
.
In the ALCS
2007 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Friday, October 12, 2007 at Fenway Park in Boston, MassachusettsIn Game 1, the Cleveland Indians took the lead when Travis Hafner hit a home run to deep right field in the first inning against Josh Beckett. Beckett retired the next ten batters in a row, finishing by striking out seven while...
, Pedroia heated up, batting .395. In the 7th game, Pedroia hit a 2-run homer into the Green Monster
Green Monster
The Green Monster is a popular nickname for the thirty-seven foot , two-inch high left field wall at Fenway Park, home to the Boston Red Sox baseball team...
seats in the 7th inning and had 5 RBI. He then hit a 3-run double in the bottom of the 8th to help the Red Sox secure the series and a spot in the World Series.
In the World Series
2007 World Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 24, 2007 at Fenway Park in Boston, MassachusettsThe Red Sox cruised to a blowout win in Game 1 behind ALCS MVP Josh Beckett, who struck out nine batters, including the first four he faced, en route to his fourth win of the 2007 postseason...
against the Colorado Rockies
2007 Colorado Rockies season
The Colorado Rockies' 2007 season started off with the team trying to improve on their 2006 record . They finished with a franchise record of 90 wins in 163 games and earned a playoff berth as the National League Wild Card team. The Rockies swept their first seven playoff games en route to winning...
, Pedroia was one of two rookies (with center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury
Jacoby Ellsbury
Jacoby McCabe Ellsbury ; born September 11, 1983) is an American professional baseball center fielder with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball....
) starting for the Red Sox. These two rookies jump-started the Red Sox offense. In the Series' first at-bat, Pedroia hit the first pitch from Rockies ace Jeff Francis
Jeff Francis
Jeffrey William Francis is a Canadian professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent.-Early life:...
over the Green Monster, making him only the second player (after Baltimore's
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
Don Buford
Don Buford
Donald Alvin Buford is a former Major League Baseball player. An infielder/outfielder, the switch-hitting Buford played for the Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles ....
in 1969
1969 World Series
The 1969 World Series was played between the New York Mets and the Baltimore Orioles, with the Mets prevailing in five games to accomplish one of the greatest upsets in Series history, as that particular Orioles squad was considered to be one of the finest ever...
), and the first rookie, to lead off the Series with a home run. In Game 3, with the Red Sox up 2-0, Ellsbury and Pedroia combined for 7 hits, 3 runs, and 4 RBI in a 10-5 Boston win. The Red Sox won Game 4 and swept the series for their seventh World Series title. Pedroia hit .278 with 5 hits, 1 home run and 4 RBI in the Series.
2008: An MVP season
1983 Baltimore Orioles season
The Baltimore Orioles season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Orioles finishing 1st in the American League East with a record of 98 wins and 64 losses...
. Pedroia came in second in the AL in batting average (.326) behind Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
catcher Joe Mauer
Joe Mauer
Joseph Patrick Mauer is a Major League Baseball catcher for the Minnesota Twins. He is the only catcher in Major League history to win three batting titles...
(.328), fourth in the AL in total bases (322), and seventh in the AL in extra-base hits (73). His 20 stolen bases in 21 attempts helped Pedroia lead MLB in stolen base percentage (.952). With only 6 errors following the season, Pedroia won the 2008 AL MVP (the first by an American League second baseman since Nellie Fox
Nellie Fox
Jacob Nelson Fox was a Major League Baseball second baseman for the Chicago White Sox. Fox was born in St. Thomas Township, Pennsylvania. He was selected as the MVP of the American League in...
in ) as well as the AL Gold Glove and Silver Slugger
Silver Slugger
The Silver Slugger Award is awarded annually to the best offensive player at each position in both the American League and the National League, as determined by the coaches and managers of Major League Baseball...
award for second base. He is the 10th player in the history of the Red Sox to capture the AL MVP and the 8th player in AL history to win the MVP, Gold Glove, and Silver Slugger awards in the same season. Pedroia became only the third player in MLB history to win Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player in consecutive seasons joining Cal Ripken Jr. and Ryan Howard
Ryan Howard
Ryan James Howard is a Major League Baseball first baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies. Nicknamed "The Big Piece", Howard stands and weighs . He bats and throws left-handed....
. Fred Lynn
Fred Lynn
Fredric Michael "Fred" Lynn is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Boston Red Sox , California Angels , Baltimore Orioles , Detroit Tigers and San Diego Padres .Fred Lynn was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in and to the College Baseball Hall of Fame...
(1975) and Ichiro Suzuki
Ichiro Suzuki
, usually known simply as is a Major League Baseball right fielder for the Seattle Mariners. Ichiro has established a number of batting records, including the sport's single-season record for hits with 262...
(2001) are the only players to win both awards in the same season.
2008 playoffs
Pedroia was hitless through the first three games of the 2008 ALDS2008 American League Division Series
-Tampa Bay Rays vs. Chicago White Sox:-Game 1, October 1:Angel Stadium of Anaheim in Anaheim, CaliforniaIn a re-match of last year's ALDS, starters Jon Lester and John Lackey were sharp early on, each tossing a couple of scoreless innings. The Angels finally got on the board in the third, when...
. His sole hit was an RBI double that drove in Jason Varitek
Jason Varitek
Jason Andrew Varitek is an American professional baseball catcher who is a free agent. After being traded as a minor league prospect by the Seattle Mariners, Varitek has played his entire major league career for the Boston Red Sox...
in the 5th inning of game 4. He batted 2nd in all 4 games in the series, behind Jacoby Ellsbury
Jacoby Ellsbury
Jacoby McCabe Ellsbury ; born September 11, 1983) is an American professional baseball center fielder with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball....
. Pedroia made one of the best defensive plays of the series with a diving throw to first base to retire Vladimir Guerrero
Vladimir Guerrero
Vladimir Alvino Guerrero is a free agent Major League Baseball right fielder and designated hitter.In , he was voted the American League MVP...
in the third inning of game 4. The Red Sox went on to win in dramatic fashion in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 4 again knocking the Angels
2008 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim season
The 2008 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim season was the 48th season for the franchise. The regular season ended with the Angels winning their seventh American League West division title and setting a franchise record for single-season wins...
out of the playoffs.
The Angels contained Pedroia in the Division Series, but in the ALCS
2008 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Friday, October 10, 2008 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FloridaBoston won a pitcher's duel on a sac fly by Jed Lowrie in the fifth and an RBI double by Kevin Youkilis in the eighth. Starter Daisuke Matsuzaka was nearly unhittable in Game 1 of the 2008 ALCS. He held the Rays hitless...
against the Tampa Bay Rays
2008 Tampa Bay Rays season
The Tampa Bay Rays' 2008 season, the 11th season in franchise history, marked the change of the team's name from the "Tampa Bay Devil Rays" to the "Tampa Bay Rays", as revealed on November 8, 2007. The change in name also came with a change in logo and uniforms, with new team colors of Columbia...
, Pedroia was red hot. In 26 trips to the plate in the ALCS, Pedroia collected 9 hits including three home runs and a double. However, his impressive line that included a .346 batting average and .731 slugging percentage wasn't enough to propel the Red Sox into the World Series
2008 World Series
The 2008 World Series was the 104th World Series between the American and National Leagues for the championship of Major League Baseball. The Philadelphia Phillies as champions of the National League and the Tampa Bay Rays, as American League champions, competed to win four games out of a possible...
as the rest of the team struggled to a .234 batting average against the impressive Tampa pitching staff.
2009 season
He also recorded the first Major League hit in Citi Field history when he hit a bloop double down the right field line in an April 3 exhibition game
Exhibition game
An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
against the New York Mets
2009 New York Mets season
The 2009 New York Mets season was a season in American baseball. It was the franchise's 48th season, and the team's first year at Citi Field, which opened on April 13 against the San Diego Padres...
. He hit a home run in his first at bat of the 2009 season
2009 Major League Baseball season
The 2009 Major League Baseball season began on Sunday, April 5, 2009 with the Atlanta Braves defeating the 2008 World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies 4–1. The regular season ended on October 6, extended two days for a one-game playoff between the Detroit Tigers and the Minnesota Twins to...
. Pedroia was selected to the 2009 All Star Game on July 5.
Pedroia was selected to be the starting second baseman for the 2009 AL All Star Team
2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 80th midseason exhibition between the all-stars of the American League and the National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 14, 2009, at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, the home of the...
. The weekend prior to the game, however, he withdrew from the team. Pedroia stated that he wanted to stay with his wife, Kelli, who was experiencing pregnancy complications with the couple's first child. The same issue had caused him to miss a regular season game prior to the All Star break.
Pedroia achieved his first multi-home run game on September 9, 2009, against the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
.
For the second consecutive year, Pedroia led the American League in Runs Scored with 115 (2nd in MLB behind Albert Pujols who had 124 runs scored). He finished third in the AL / MLB with 48 doubles.
2010 season
After MLB umpire Joe West made controversial statements regarding the speed of play between the Red Sox and Yankees, Pedroia responded by saying, "What he doesn't understand is that when we don't do well in these games against the Yankees, we get killed. If he doesn't want to do Red Sox and Yankee games, he should tell the umpires' union. Then when we're in the World Series, he'll be out of that assignment, too."On June 24, 2010, Pedroia went 5 for 5, with 5 RBI, and hit three home runs in a game against the Colorado Rockies that the Red Sox won, 13–11, in the tenth inning
Extra innings
Extra innings is the extension of a baseball or softball game in order to break a tie.Ordinarily, a baseball game consists of nine innings , each of which is divided into halves: the visiting team bats first, after which the home team takes its turn at bat...
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The next day, Pedroia fouled a ball off his foot in an at-bat versus the San Francisco Giants. MRI results the next day confirmed that he had a broken bone in his foot, and later was placed on the 15-Day Disabled List. Pedroia was so concerned about his fielding skills getting rusty (he was on doctors' orders not to put weight on his foot for two weeks) that he practiced fielding ground balls on his knees. On July 4, 2010, Pedroia was named to be a reserve player on the American League All Star team, but did not participate due to this injury, and had former Arizona State teammate Ian Kinsler
Ian Kinsler
Ian Michael Kinsler is a Major League Baseball All-Star second baseman for the Texas Rangers.Despite having been drafted in only the 17th round out of college, Kinsler has risen to become a two-time All Star, and a member of the Sporting News 2009 list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball...
replace him on the roster.
Pedroia returned to the lineup on August 17 against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
, only to be put back on the DL after playing 2 games.
2011 season
On June 29, 2011, Pedroia started a 25 game hitting streak, the most for a Boston Red Sox second baseman. On August 16, 2011, Pedroia was involved in throwing a triple play, started by Jed Lowrie. He won a Fielding Bible AwardFielding Bible Award
A Fielding Bible Award recognizes the best defensive player for each fielding position in Major League Baseball based on statistical analysis. John Dewan and Baseball Info Solutions conduct the annual selection process...
in 2011 as the best fielding second baseman in MLB.
Controversies
In an interview given to Boston, Pedroia criticized his home town of Woodland, CaliforniaWoodland, California
Woodland is the county seat of Yolo County, California, located approximately northwest of Sacramento, and is a part of the Sacramento - Arden-Arcade - Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 55,468 at the 2010 census.Woodland's origins trace back to 1850 when California...
, calling it a "dump" and a city which never embraced him. This generated backlash from his hometown and his family received death threats. Pedroia later clarified his comments saying he was only joking and his comments were taken out of context.
Awards and distinctions
- 2004 Golden Spikes Award Finalist
- 2004 First-Team Baseball America and USA Today All-American
- 2003 Pac-10 Co-Player of the Year
- 2003 NCAA Defensive Player of the Year
- Red Sox ML Base Runner of the Month (April 2005)
- Red Sox Minor League "Quality Plate Appearances" Award (June 2005)
- 2005 Post-Season Eastern League All-Star
- 2005 Red Sox Minor League Offensive Player of the Year
- 2005 Minor League News MLN FAB50 Baseball 2005 – No. 45
- 2006 Minor League News MLN FAB50 Baseball 2006 – No. 23
- 2007 American League Rookie of the Month-May
- 2007 American League Player of the Week (May 28 – June 3)
- 2007 Players Choice American League Outstanding Rookie
- 2007 World Series Champion (Boston Red Sox)
- 2007 American League Rookie of the Year
- 2008 All-StarAll-starAll-star is a term designating an individual as having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry...
Starter - 2008 AL Gold Glove Winner
- 2008 AL Silver SluggerSilver SluggerThe Silver Slugger Award is awarded annually to the best offensive player at each position in both the American League and the National League, as determined by the coaches and managers of Major League Baseball...
award - 2008 American League Most Valuable PlayerMost Valuable PlayerIn sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
Award - 2009 AL All-StarAll-starAll-star is a term designating an individual as having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry...
Starter - 2010 AL All-Star Reserve
- 2011 Fielding Bible AwardFielding Bible AwardA Fielding Bible Award recognizes the best defensive player for each fielding position in Major League Baseball based on statistical analysis. John Dewan and Baseball Info Solutions conduct the annual selection process...
- 2011 AL Gold Glove Winner
Personal life
Pedroia is of PortuguesePortuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
and Swiss (Maggia) heritage. Pedroia is the nephew of Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University is a comprehensive, co-educational public university located in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Ypsilanti is west of Detroit and eight miles east of Ann Arbor. The university was founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School...
defensive coordinator Phil Snow
Phil Snow
Phillip Snow Is the Defensive Coordinator at Eastern Michigan University. He attended Sacramento CC and Cal. State Hayward , where he received a Bachelor's in Physical Education...
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On January 9, 2009, Pedroia was named as the cover athlete of the baseball video game MLB 09: The Show
MLB 09: The Show
MLB 09: The Show is a baseball simulation video game developed by SCE San Diego Studio and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Portable systems. It belongs to the Major League Baseball game series on the PlayStation systems...
, and appeared in several commercials for the game.
On August 18, 2009 Dustin's wife Kelli gave birth to the couple's first child, a boy.
Dustin Pedroia is a fan of the NBA team, the Sacramento Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, and NFL team, the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
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