Laser Show Forever
Thank you for every...Laser HitDouble Play TurnedHop at SecondFilthy JerseyElectric SoundbiteWorld Series Championshippic.twitter.com/Kq4x6Ra5n7-- Red Sox (@RedSox)February 1, 2021
Thank you for every...Laser HitDouble Play TurnedHop at SecondFilthy JerseyElectric SoundbiteWorld Series Championshippic.twitter.com/Kq4x6Ra5n7
Today is an especially sad day for me. I wasn't ready for this news. I was relaxing watching Netflix when an alert came on my phone from Ken Rosenthal. Could be anything right? Well, it was not what I was expecting. "Dustin Pedroia has announced his retirement."
Dustin Pedroia has announced his retirement.-- Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal)February 1, 2021
Dustin Pedroia has announced his retirement.
That tweet hit me like a truck. It was a weird feeling. Pedroia basically hasn't played baseball in 3 years, he hasn't played a full season since 2016, but it never felt like he wasn't part of the Red Sox. So, when he officially announced he was hanging it up, it still hurt. I idolized Dustin Pedroia growing up, honestly still do. He is a Boston legend. No, he is a legend.
Pedroia was a baseball team's dream. He played hard every time he stepped on the field. If his uniform wasn't dirty by the second inning, then Dustin felt as though he wasn't doing his job. He literally gave his body to the game of baseball. He played so hard and with so much vigor his body simply had nothing else to give. Dustin was an incredibly driven person. His attitude and confidence took him places no one thought he was capable of reaching.
No matter how the last three years went healthwise, you have to have full respect for the type of player Dustin Pedroia was for a long time for the Red Sox. He will go down as one of the best all around players in team history.-- Ian Browne (@IanMBrowne)February 1, 2021
No matter how the last three years went healthwise, you have to have full respect for the type of player Dustin Pedroia was for a long time for the Red Sox. He will go down as one of the best all around players in team history.
As a high school student looking to play college ball, Pedroia walked into the head coach's office at Arizona State. He showed up in a tank top and a cocky attitude. At the time ASU already had a starting shortstop, Ian Kinsler. Pedroia was told he was too small to start at short and maybe he could get a shot at second or backup. That wasn't good enough for the future All-American shortstop.
He looked into Coach Pat Murphy's' eyes and said, "I am your starting shortstop." Kinsler and Pedroia battled but Kinsler would ultimately lose the job and transfer to the University of Missouri. If you want to hear more college stories of Pedroia I strongly suggest reading his book, "Born to Play: My Life in the Game." It's definitely not the best-written book but it has great stories of Pedroia and what he has overcome.
After playing far above expectation at ASU, Dustin Pedroia was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the second round of the 2004 draft. This began his legendary career as a Boston Red Sox. He was called up to the bigs after only three years of the grind that is the minor leagues. He struggled in 31 games hitting a mere .191. The current manager of the Red Sox, Alex Cora was the starting 2nd basemen in 2006. Fans were furious at the time saying Cora should retain the job. Cora, a 30-year-old veteran at the time, had the opposite mentality of fans. He mentored Pedroia and gave up his starting job.
Pedroia went on to win the Rookie of the Year Award in 2007. Of course, this wasn't enough for Pedroia, he promised his wife they would be back at the awards ceremony in 2008. He told her he was going to win the MVP. And well, he did in 2008 Dustin Pedroia took home the American League's Most Valuable Player Awards. Oh, and he also won the Gold-Glove and Silver Slugger Award. In his 14-year career, the Laser Show accumulated 4 Gold Gloves, a Silver Slugger Award, was the MVP, was a 4-time All-Star, and won three World Series Championships. He did this all while constantly hearing he was too short or small to play professional baseball.
Dustin Pedroia truly is an inspiration. Like I said ever since I was a young kid, I looked up to him. In little league, I played second base and wore number 15. I wore eye black every day. Dustin Pedroia would alternate between high socks and long pants. So, if I watched the Red Sox game and Pedroia was wearing high socks I would show up to my game wearing high socks. If he was sporting long baggy pants, I'd do the same. I copied everything he did. I copied his signature bat twirl, dove every chance I could, and most importantly played the game with energy.
As someone who was always the shortest player on the field, Dustin Pedroia gave me motivation. Obviously, I was not going to become a major league baseball player, but Dustin Pedroia made me believe it was possible. Even when I knew I was never good enough to even sniff professional baseball, Pedroia still motivated me.
Just talked to David Ortiz about Pedroia retirement: 'He showed the whole planet it wasn't about height, it was about balls ... If I had to pick one player to pay to watch it was Dustin Pedroia'-- Rob Bradford (@bradfo)February 1, 2021
Just talked to David Ortiz about Pedroia retirement: 'He showed the whole planet it wasn't about height, it was about balls ... If I had to pick one player to pay to watch it was Dustin Pedroia'
Pedroia often was a pain for the media to handle. He gave it to them straight often using humor. However, this quote will always be a winner.
"Go ahead, I've never heard it before. Tell me. Tell me I'm 5 foot nothing. Tell me I'll be nothing. Tell me I'm just a nice story. Tell me my first year was a fluke. That my second year was a fluke. That I'm a sentimental All-Star. Three times. Tell me an athlete can't make a difference. How precious my time is. Tell us what we can't do. Tell us who we can't be. One of us is gonna be right."
I love that quote. Although, this one makes me laugh a little more...
"People always ask me if I wish I were bigger. I tell them no. I always wanted to be a miniature bad*"
I love that quote. It was supposed to be my senior quote!
I will forever be grateful for Dustin Pedroia. He will always be my favorite player. If anyone thinks the Red Sox should've cut Pedroia or made a deal with him to get him off the roster, they are wrong. What Dustin Pedroia did for the game of baseball and the city of Boston will not be forgotten. He inspired so many people. Brought joy to so many fans. Red Sox baseball was must-watch television with Dustin Pedroia playing. I'll forever be thankful that Pedy took a team-friendly deal to stay in Boston. Every Boston fan should be. Dustin Pedroia gave the game of baseball everything he had. He is a legend. Laser Show Forever.
As soon as he stepped in the box you knew what time it waspic.twitter.com/yvUZalt1f3-- Starting 9 (@Starting9)February 1, 2021
As soon as he stepped in the box you knew what time it waspic.twitter.com/yvUZalt1f3
There were 21 players who recorded at least 300 plate appearances in each season from 2007-2017. Pedroia was the only one to hit at least .275 in each of those seasons. (He hit at least .290 in 9 of them, and above .300 in 5 of them.)-- Red Sox Notes (@SoxNotes)February 1, 2021
There were 21 players who recorded at least 300 plate appearances in each season from 2007-2017. Pedroia was the only one to hit at least .275 in each of those seasons. (He hit at least .290 in 9 of them, and above .300 in 5 of them.)
It seems very fitting to share this throwback MLB The Show commercial today. Congrats on your retirement, Pedey.(via@Playstation)pic.twitter.com/y1kkXqpt96-- Cut4 (@Cut4)February 1, 2021
It seems very fitting to share this throwback MLB The Show commercial today. Congrats on your retirement, Pedey.(via@Playstation)pic.twitter.com/y1kkXqpt96
I could post a ton of Pedroia highlights but this might be my favorite Pedey momentpic.twitter.com/KO3krweOdR-- Steve Perrault (@Steve_Perrault)February 1, 2021
I could post a ton of Pedroia highlights but this might be my favorite Pedey momentpic.twitter.com/KO3krweOdR