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November 12, 2007
By Joe McDonald
Journal Sports Writer
Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia was named the 2007 American League Rookie of the Year yesterday and afterwards answered questions via a conference call from Arizona State University, where he starred for three seasons during his collegiate playing days.
He talked about proving all his doubters wrong. He spoke about what the honor means for him and his family. He discussed the World Series, the entire season and the Yankees. He was able, however, to downplay the fact that he played the final two months of the season with a cracked hamate bone in his left hand.
Pedroia said he doesn’t know exactly when the injury happened, but he knew something wasn’t right.
“I was flying out to right field a lot and my hand was killing me,” he said yesterday. “So I went in and had a MRI done.”
The hand specialist told him about the fracture and said it was possible to play with the injury, but it would be painful. He toughed it out and finished the season and was an integral part of the Sox’ World Series Championship.
Pedroia had surgery last week to remove the bone and he said he’ll be 100 percent ready for spring training.
Other than having this procedure, his life has been a hectic one since the Sox clinched their second World Series title in four seasons against the Rockies on Oct. 28 in Denver.
“It’s been unbelievable,” said Pedroia. “Anytime you win the World Series, I didn’t know what to think of it at first because everything went by so fast, but once you get home you miss your teammates. I’ve talked to pretty much all of them throughout the last week or two. We do the same thing every day for seven or eight months, and you get accustomed to that environment. When you get home you have some time off before workouts, but you definitely miss those guys you shared those special times with.”
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