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Pedroia checks in

By Joe McDonald
Journal Sports Writer

Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia was named the 2007 American League Rookie of the Year yesterday and afterwards answered questions via a conference call from Arizona State University, where he starred for three seasons during his collegiate playing days.

He talked about proving all his doubters wrong. He spoke about what the honor means for him and his family. He discussed the World Series, the entire season and the Yankees. He was able, however, to downplay the fact that he played the final two months of the season with a cracked hamate bone in his left hand.

Pedroia said he doesn’t know exactly when the injury happened, but he knew something wasn’t right.

“I was flying out to right field a lot and my hand was killing me,” he said yesterday. “So I went in and had a MRI done.”

The hand specialist told him about the fracture and said it was possible to play with the injury, but it would be painful. He toughed it out and finished the season and was an integral part of the Sox’ World Series Championship.

Pedroia had surgery last week to remove the bone and he said he’ll be 100 percent ready for spring training.

Other than having this procedure, his life has been a hectic one since the Sox clinched their second World Series title in four seasons against the Rockies on Oct. 28 in Denver.

“It’s been unbelievable,” said Pedroia. “Anytime you win the World Series, I didn’t know what to think of it at first because everything went by so fast, but once you get home you miss your teammates. I’ve talked to pretty much all of them throughout the last week or two. We do the same thing every day for seven or eight months, and you get accustomed to that environment. When you get home you have some time off before workouts, but you definitely miss those guys you shared those special times with.”

Posted by Joe McDonald  at 7:56 PM | Permalink

Pedroia earns top A.L. Rookie

By Joe McDonald
Journal Sports Writer

Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia didn’t get much sleep Sunday night.

He said it had nothing to do with Monday’s scheduled announcement of the American League Rookie of the Year Award, but because he was busy moving into his new home in Chandler, Ariz.

Truth be told, Pedroia and his wife, Kelli, celebrated their one-year wedding anniversary on Sunday, and the couple had reason to rejoice again Monday when it was officially announced that Pedroia did, in fact, win the A.L. Rookie of the Year Award presented by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.

“It’s kind of been a dream come true this whole year,” said Pedroia. “You definitely want to make an impact your first year in the big leagues, and establish yourself as an everyday player – a good player. Once the season carried on I started to have some success and the only thing I cared about was helping the team win because that was our ultimate goal.”

The Red Sox wanted to win the A.L. East title and they did. They wanted to win the World Series and they did. Pedroia was a big reason why the club accomplished both feats and for that he was named to this honor.

“If you’re dedicated to team goals then individual goals will come later,” he said. “You’re going to play your best baseball trying to do anything you can to help your team win.”

Pedroia said after winning the World Series he didn’t give too much thought to the notion of possibly being named Rookie of the Year.

“I’m not too big on personal accomplishments,” he said via conference call Monday afternoon. “I just want to help my team win. There have been some great players to get this award and it’s been such a fun and exciting year for me and my teammates. I’m so happy for the people who stuck with me through this whole thing. . . It’s definitely a huge accomplishment.”

More to come. . .

Posted by Joe McDonald  at 3:36 PM | Permalink

Pedroia named A.L. Rookie of the Year (updated at 2:17 p.m.)

Dustin Pedroia, the little Boston second baseman with the big swing, easily topped Tampa Bay outfielder Delmon Young. Voting was done before Pedroia helped lead the Red Sox to the World Series title.

Ryan Braun won the NL Rookie of the Year award in one of the closest votes, while edging Colorado shortstop Troy Tulowitzki by two points in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

Pedroia received 24 of the 28 first place votes in balloting conducted by two writers from each of the 14 American League cities. He also received four second place votes and 132 total points and was the only player named on all 28 ballots. Outfielder Delmon Young of Tampa Bay was second with 56 points (3 1sts, 12 2nds, 5 3rds) with Kansas City pitcher Brian Bannister third with 36 points (1 1st, 8 2nds, 7 3rds). Boston righthander Daisuke Matsuzaka finished fourth with two seconds and six thirds for 12 points while lefthander Hideki Okajima received three third place votes. Voting is 5 points for 1st, 3 for 2nd, and one for 3rd.

Pedroia is the sixth Red Sox player to be named as the A.L.’s top rookie by the BBWAA, the first since Nomar Garciaparra in 1997. He is just the fourth A.L. player to win the award while playing the majority of his games at second base, joining Minnesota’s Rod Carew in 1967, Detroit’s Lou Whitaker in 1978, and Minnesota’s Chuck Knoblauch in 1991.

Pedroia batted .317 with eight homers and 50 RBI in 139 games with the Red Sox in 2007. His batting average was tenth highest in the American League and the best ever for a qualifying major league second baseman. Pedroia led all big league rookies with 39 doubles, ranked second with a .380 on-base percentage, and was third with 86 runs scored. He was also second among A.L. rookies with 165 hits, 49 multi-hit games, and 230 total bases.

Overall, he finished second on the Red Sox in runs and doubles and ranked third in batting average and hits. Pedroia ranked fifth among A.L. second basemen with a .990 fielding percentage, and his 132 starts were the most by a Boston 2B since 1967. He was the A.L. Rookie of the Month in May and the league’s Player of the Week for May 28-June 3.

Pedroia batted .283 (17-60) with two homers and 10 RBI in Boston’s 14 post-season games, including a .345 (10-29) mark in the ALCS versus Cleveland.

The Boston second baseman was also selected as the A.L.’s top rookie in the Major League Players Choice Awards voting and by The Sporting News. Pedroia, who now makes his off-season home in Chandler, Arizona, was the Red Sox’ second round selection in the 2004 First-Year Player Draft after an outstanding three-year career at Arizona State University.

-- ASSOCIATED PRESS AND BOSTON RED SOX

Posted by Art Martone  at 2:08 PM | Permalink