azdad1978
Championship!!!!
By Scott Bordow, Tribune Columnist
The question comes, like it always does, and Dustin Pedroia answers it, like he always does.
With an edge in his voice that says he’s tired of people focusing on what he isn’t instead of what he is.
"You don’t have to be any kind of size to play this game," he says. "I’ve pretty much already proven myself. That’s a hurdle others have to overcome."
The list of skeptics is growing shorter every day.
After a stellar baseball career at Arizona State, Pedroia, now playing for the Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League, had a successful first summer in the Boston Red Sox minor league system.
He hit .336 with two homers and 14 RBIs in 30 games for Class A Sarasota, Fla., then was promoted to advanced A ball in Augusta, Ga., where in 12 games he hit .400 with one homer and five RBIs.
Pedroia had 19 extra-base hits and only seven strikeouts in 157 at-bats. He didn’t commit an error.
Put up those statistics, and no one cares that you’re 5-foot-8 and 180 pounds.
"He plays a lot bigger than he is," said Ben Cherington, Boston’s director of player development. "His size has not been a detriment to his performance. He knows the game well enough."
Glance at the numbers Pedroia compiled at ASU, and you have to do a double-take.
He hit .404 as a sophomore, .409 as a junior. In those two seasons he struck out a combined 24 times. His on-base percentage his junior season was a ridiculous .515.
Yet, Pedroia lasted until the second round of last June’s amateur draft because of his size. Too many scouts didn’t see a kid that plays the game like Pete Rose.
Their computer printout read 5-8, 180, and that was that. Never mind that Anaheim Angels shortstop David Eckstein is having a solid major league career even though, at 5-7 and 165 pounds, he’s a Lilliputian compared to Pedroia.
ASU coach Pat Murphy understood why Pedroia was the 65th pick overall. The first round of the draft is reserved for potential impact players, and an undersized infielder doesn’t fit the criteria.
But he won’t buy for a second that there were 64 better players in the country than Pedroia.
"It’s well-documented that anybody that’s been around Dustin as a coach believes in him," Murphy said. "He’s just a winner. He’s an old-school player who plays the game the way it’s supposed to be played.
"I don’t think general managers or player development people will appreciate him most. But managers will and teammates will because he’s a winner. He makes your team better."
Some collegiate players have trouble adjusting to professional baseball. They’re playing every day instead of three or four times a week, and the wood bat isn’t as potent a weapon as the aluminum bat.
Pedroia, however, settled right in. When you play the game right, baseball is baseball, at any level.
"He’s got an advanced idea of how to play the game both offensively and defensively," Cherington said. "As an offensive player, he understands who he is. He understands his limitations. He’s a very selective hitter who swings at strikes.
"Defensively, he’s sort of similar. He’s an instinctive player who reads hops very well, positions himself well and just makes the plays."
Cherington said the Red Sox have yet to decide where Pedroia, 21, will play in 2005. Class AA is a possibility if Pedroia acquits himself well in the Fall League.
One thing is for sure, Cherington said. Pedroia will make it to the major leagues, whether it’s as a shortstop, second baseman, or, as Scottsdale manager Ivan DeJesus suggests, a utility man.
"Everybody has limitations," Cherington said. "Some are physical. Some are mental. He’s not as big as other people. But he knows how to put himself in position to be successful. That makes up for whatever physical limitations he has."
Frankly, Pedroia doesn’t care what others think. If he did, he might have given up on his dream long ago.
And as long as he continues to fill up a box score, his size won’t matter.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=29361
The question comes, like it always does, and Dustin Pedroia answers it, like he always does.
With an edge in his voice that says he’s tired of people focusing on what he isn’t instead of what he is.
"You don’t have to be any kind of size to play this game," he says. "I’ve pretty much already proven myself. That’s a hurdle others have to overcome."
The list of skeptics is growing shorter every day.
After a stellar baseball career at Arizona State, Pedroia, now playing for the Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League, had a successful first summer in the Boston Red Sox minor league system.
He hit .336 with two homers and 14 RBIs in 30 games for Class A Sarasota, Fla., then was promoted to advanced A ball in Augusta, Ga., where in 12 games he hit .400 with one homer and five RBIs.
Pedroia had 19 extra-base hits and only seven strikeouts in 157 at-bats. He didn’t commit an error.
Put up those statistics, and no one cares that you’re 5-foot-8 and 180 pounds.
"He plays a lot bigger than he is," said Ben Cherington, Boston’s director of player development. "His size has not been a detriment to his performance. He knows the game well enough."
Glance at the numbers Pedroia compiled at ASU, and you have to do a double-take.
He hit .404 as a sophomore, .409 as a junior. In those two seasons he struck out a combined 24 times. His on-base percentage his junior season was a ridiculous .515.
Yet, Pedroia lasted until the second round of last June’s amateur draft because of his size. Too many scouts didn’t see a kid that plays the game like Pete Rose.
Their computer printout read 5-8, 180, and that was that. Never mind that Anaheim Angels shortstop David Eckstein is having a solid major league career even though, at 5-7 and 165 pounds, he’s a Lilliputian compared to Pedroia.
ASU coach Pat Murphy understood why Pedroia was the 65th pick overall. The first round of the draft is reserved for potential impact players, and an undersized infielder doesn’t fit the criteria.
But he won’t buy for a second that there were 64 better players in the country than Pedroia.
"It’s well-documented that anybody that’s been around Dustin as a coach believes in him," Murphy said. "He’s just a winner. He’s an old-school player who plays the game the way it’s supposed to be played.
"I don’t think general managers or player development people will appreciate him most. But managers will and teammates will because he’s a winner. He makes your team better."
Some collegiate players have trouble adjusting to professional baseball. They’re playing every day instead of three or four times a week, and the wood bat isn’t as potent a weapon as the aluminum bat.
Pedroia, however, settled right in. When you play the game right, baseball is baseball, at any level.
"He’s got an advanced idea of how to play the game both offensively and defensively," Cherington said. "As an offensive player, he understands who he is. He understands his limitations. He’s a very selective hitter who swings at strikes.
"Defensively, he’s sort of similar. He’s an instinctive player who reads hops very well, positions himself well and just makes the plays."
Cherington said the Red Sox have yet to decide where Pedroia, 21, will play in 2005. Class AA is a possibility if Pedroia acquits himself well in the Fall League.
One thing is for sure, Cherington said. Pedroia will make it to the major leagues, whether it’s as a shortstop, second baseman, or, as Scottsdale manager Ivan DeJesus suggests, a utility man.
"Everybody has limitations," Cherington said. "Some are physical. Some are mental. He’s not as big as other people. But he knows how to put himself in position to be successful. That makes up for whatever physical limitations he has."
Frankly, Pedroia doesn’t care what others think. If he did, he might have given up on his dream long ago.
And as long as he continues to fill up a box score, his size won’t matter.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=29361
