Pedroia Part Deux

I wanted to follow up my Wednesday post, the one with the Dustin Pedroia news flashes. I know the Red Sox did the exact right thing at precisely the exact right time. Good for Pedey, good for Boston, good for everyone. Boston held a press conference yesterday to announce the deal and here's a little of what Theo Epstein, a master craftsman, and Dustin Pedey Pedroia had to say. First at the plate is Theo...

"He's a leader in the clubhouse, I think he's a leader on the field with the way he approaches the game, and he's really talented and helps us win every night. . . . If we had 25 guys like this we'd be in good shape. I don't think we'd be the Red Sox right now without Dustin Pedroia."

And now the man himself, Pedey Pedroia...

"I know that if I would have gone year to year, yes, I would probably have made a lot more money. I understand that without a doubt," Pedroia said. "But I'm here in a place that I love, my family loves it. They treat us unbelievable. It's like a family here. I'm happy with this. I'm extremely excited, my wife's excited, my parents, they're ecstatic. . . . I want to be here. I want to play for the Red Sox and I don't want to play for anybody else. So it just seemed right to do something." I'm going to be the player I am for longer than 32, I can tell you that for sure," Pedroia said. "I saw how long the deal was and I was excited about it. That means I get to be here with the place I love for the next six or seven years. That's the way I looked at it."

Well said, Pedey. Pedroia is a player who goes all out for his team every game. He cares about winning, not whining, like some ex-Sox players (one in particular, with dreadlocks...ring a bell?) seemed to focus on. Now I have one BIG question for the Red Sox front office...WHAT ABOUT YOUK? Remember, folks, Kevin Youkilis finished third in the AL MVP voting. He's every bit as crucial to the success of the Boston Red Sox as Pedey is. Hey Theo, lock him up with a five or six year deal. He, like Pedroia, is the heart and soul of this Boston Red Sox team. NO MORE ONE YEAR DEALS...PLEASE!

The eyes of baseball fans everywhere turn westward to Las Vegas, the city of sin, for the start of the baseball winter meetings. The official start to the wheeling and dealing begins Monday, December 8th. Anything can and will happen. So fasten your seat belts and settle in for what I hope will be a very productive week for the Sox. A starter? A slugging first baseman? Who knows. Right now, no one does, but soon, my Constant Readers, soon, everything will be on the table with all the cards turned face up. I hope the Yankees read 'em and weep while we collect a huge pile of multi-colored chips. Yes, that's the way it should be, that's the way it should be.

Thanks for popping in, title click for more Sox stuff and as always, BE WELL. Forever.