Pedroia Back To Top Dog Leadership Position
A healthy Dustin Pedroia is a very good thing for the Boston Red Sox. Conversely, Pedey is simply making the rest of the league miserable whenever he shows up to the park.
May 14, 2013; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia (15) misses a ground ball during the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
After a lapse in leadership in 2012 – publicly sniping with then manager Bobby Valentine and sporting a sub par (for him) slashline of .290, .347, .449, .797 – Pedroia is back in fighting form in 2013.
As of Friday night’s tilt against the Twinkies in Minneapolis, Pedroia’s slashline was a gaudy .340, .429, .421, .851. Among MLB players, he is eighth in average and sixth in on base percentage. True, his pop hasn’t been present this year – a bizarre single home run after averaging 13 per year in his first six seasons – but in all other regards the guy has been killing it.
He leads all second basemen in batting average, on base percentage and walks (25) and is in a five way tie with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage.
Then there are intangibles. His intensity, never say die attitude and gritty dirt dog playing style have not abated throughout his career and 2013 is no different.
The Red Sox have had plenty of good second basemen over the years; Mike Andrews, Jerry Remy, Marty Barrett, Billy Goodman and Jody Reed. With the exception of the great Hall of Famer Bobby Doerr, none of them could hold Pedey’s jock.
We have been spoiled by his consistently superior play. Don’t take it for granted. Relish his time on the field and savor the level of excellence he achieves day in and day out. Boston has him under contract through 2015 when he will turn 32. At this rate and given good health, Pedroia should be able to finish his career in Boston and be paid handsomely to do so.
Bobby Doerr’s Career Stats:
Played for Boston: 1937-1944, 1946-1951 (13 years)
Boston Stats: 1,865 G, .288 BA, 223 HR,1,247 RBI, 2,042 H, 1,094 R, 381 2B, 809 BB
Dustin Pedroia Career Stats to Date:
Played for Boston: 2006-Present (6.25 years – almost exactly 1/2 of Doerr’s career)
Boston Stats: 897 G, .304 BA, 91 HR, 426 RBI, 1079 H, 586 R, 255 2B, 374 BB
Pedroia’s Projected Stats (over the same 13 year career)
1,570 G, .289 (based on 5% drop in average in last half of career), 159 HR, 746 RBI, 1,888 H, 1,026 R, 446 2B, 655 BB