Can't Wait For Tuesday

After feeling the despair of the Sox season being essentially finished, after blowing games on back to back nights against the Blue Jays and Rangers, I seemingly overlooked what is occuring this Tuesday, August 17th.  Dustin Pedroia will be back at 2nd base.

In case I haven't mentioned before, my favorite player hands down is Pedroia.  To me he epitomizes all that is right in the game.  A guy who measures at about 5'7 (clearly the 5'9 listed on the Red Sox website is wrong) and weighs about 160 has won himself a Gold Glove, a Rookie of the Year, Silver Slugger, MVP, and most importantly a World Series ring.  He has also done this all since 2007, when he first came into the league.  Accomplishemnts aside, however, he has been the definition of a "prove them wrong" type of player.  Entering the 2007 season Pedroia started off very slow, hitting below .200 for about the first month, and had many people (including my father) saying he just couldnt cut it in the big leagues, that he was a AAAA player (too good for the Paw Sox but not good enough fot the Red Sox).  He then finished the year with a .317 average and the aforementioned Rookie of the Year Award and World Series ring.  Then people thought he was just a product of a good line up since he hit in front of Ortiz, Manny, and Youk, but then carried the Red Sox in the month of August in 2008 while batting clean up.  And now Pedroia has to prove them wrong again.

After reading the WEEI.com website last night I found an interesting, but typical quote from Mr. Pedroia: "Frankly, we don't give a [crap] what anybody thinks. We're trying to win games and that's the attitude we have. Jump on the wagon now because it's going to be a fun ride."  Pedroia knows all the fans (including myself) are counting this team out and bracing for another Skanks title run, yet he is going to prove us wrong no matter what.  He knows he is the emotional leader of this team and will not let them "roll over and die," like I suggested, and I'm glad he won't.  Even though I posted a complete contradiction to why I am praising Pedey yesterday, I would like to add the disclaimer I am a Red Sox fan and get caught up after some heartbreakers like anyone else (I would still prefer for late leads to not be blown).  Either way I am ecstatic Pedroia is back and hope he can pick up right where he left off (a night removed from a 3 homer performance).  Keep proving us wrong Pedey.