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June 5, 2008
BY STEVEN KRASNER
Journal Sports Writer
BOSTON -- Dustin Pedroia is in your basic garden-variety slump, says manager Terry Francona of the second baseman's 7-for-49 (.143) 12-game skid that has dropped his average from .304 to .273.
"It's like all guys go through," said Francona. "He's trying too hard. It's the human nature part. It's a little bit of a lot of things."
Wednesday night's game had several of those "things" that seem to go hand-in-hand with a slump.
Pedroia lost a first-inning home run when umpires ruled his slicing drive down the right-field line was foul even though replays seemed to show the ball passed by the Pesky Pole on the inside, which would have made it a homer.
He walked in that at-bat, but in the third inning, plate umpire Paul Emmel called a high pitch a strike, to Pedroia's displeasure. And then Pedroia waved and missed the next pitch for a strikeout, barking at Emmel over his shoulder all the way back to the dugout. Pedroia ultimately went 0-for-3.
"He gets a little feistier, a little mad (during a slump) like everybody else, except Manny (Ramirez)," said Francona. "We know he's a good player. He'll get hot again. He'll find a hole and take a deep breath. But when he grabs his glove, we know he'll go out there and make a play that will help us win a game."
Posted by Steven Krasner 
at 3:33 PM | Permalink
