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Frankly, I’m surprised Dustin Pedroia won American League Rookie of the Year. Not that he didn’t deserve it, I just thought his low run production (50 RBI) might cost him. And the fact that the voting is before the playoffs begin (if it was after, he would have won the award unanimously) takes away probably his best play this season.
Anyway, it’s testament to Red Sox management who stuck with this kid after a horrendous five weeks. He was 11 for 61 through May 3 and for all intents and purposes should have been either benched to sent to Pawtucket for some seasoning. Remember, he ended the 2006 campaign batting only .191 (16-for-87) in call-up duty.
But the Sox were winning and better yet they believed in him when few people outside of the clubhouse did.
He had nine RBI the last five playoff games the Sox played. He was outstanding in the field, which was the case all season. But best of all, he proved he can play in Boston, under extreme duress, and still succeed.
Terry Francona deserves a piece of this award as much as Pedroia does. It was he who decided to move him up at the top of the order and he filled a role two other players, Coco Crisp and Julio Lugo, failed at miserably.
Tampa’s Delmon Young appeared to move into the No. 1 favorite spot because of his 92 RBI and .288 batting average. He came on strong with 39 RBI the last two months.
But other than April, Pedroia was, like the Red Sox, consistent a little longer.
Congratulations to Dustin. He deserves it.