BoSox Injection
Fansided

Boston Red Sox best rookies in franchise history at each position

By Rick McNair

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 05: The sun sets behind Fenway Park during the second inning of the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Minnesota Twins on September 05, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 05: The sun sets behind Fenway Park during the second inning of the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Minnesota Twins on September 05, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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PORTLAND, ME – MAY 04: Dustin Pedroia #15 of the Boston Red Sox prepares for the game between the Portland Sea Dogs and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies while on a rehab assignment at Hadlock Field on May 4, 2019 in Portland, Maine. (Photo by Zachary Roy/Getty Images)
PORTLAND, ME – MAY 04: Dustin Pedroia #15 of the Boston Red Sox prepares for the game between the Portland Sea Dogs and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies while on a rehab assignment at Hadlock Field on May 4, 2019 in Portland, Maine. (Photo by Zachary Roy/Getty Images) /

Second Base

Another player who became an official ROY in Dustin Pedroia. Pedroia became instrumental in the 2007 quest for a World Series with his .317 average and that was just the beginning of a 14 year Red Sox career that may be at an end or maybe not? Never count Pedroia out.

As with Dropo, the impact of injuries has scuttled Pedroia’s late stages of his career and possibly cost the effervescent second baseball and noted trash talker the possibility of going to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Pedroia the player had all the components one looks for – hitting and defense at a top-level.

Honorable Mention:  Where is Bobby Doerr? Doerr’s first season was just 147 at-bats and a .224 batting average. If this was the greatest second baseman in team history that would be a different outcome so I go to a player whose first season was similar to Pedroia’s – Marty Barrett. Barrett hit .303, but what stands out is just 25 whiffs in 139 games.

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