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Ramirez could get Monday off »
April 20, 2008
Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia has played all 19 games so far this season. So, manager Terry Francona informed him after Saturday's game that he will have today off. As a result, Jed Lowrie will play second.
“Thought it would to his advantage,” said Francona. “A lot of times when I look at days off, or a player not starting a game, it’s not so much who is pitching, it’s more of rest, recovery and what does a guy’s body some good.”
Francona is the type of manager who will tell a player the day before that he won’t be in the lineup. There have been a few occasions with Pedroia when the manager will tell him he’s getting a day off, but because the second baseman is playing so well, especially at the plate, he’s never given that rest.
“He laughs when I tell him because he’ll say ‘If I get three hits there goes that day off.’ I think telling guys in advance actually helps them because they relax a little bit. I don’t know if it helps them get hits, but I think it helps knowing what the plan is for them.”
No one likes to be out of the lineup and Pedroia is a perfect example of that. He said jokingly that he plans to be a pain in the butt in the dugout during the game.
Pedroia, last year's Rookie of the Year, is hitting .325 with one homer, eight RBI and six doubles.
Lowrie can play second, shortstop and third base. Before his call up from Pawtucket he played mostly short for the PawSox and has not played second since spring training. The right side of the infield isn't unfamiliar for the rookie. He was an All-American second baseman at Stanford.
He and Pedroia, who went to Arizona State, played against each other in college. Ironically, Pedroia played shortstop.
Since his promotion to Boston, Lowrie has played three of the four infield positions.
"Being able to play more than one position is a position," he said.
Posted by Joe McDonald 
at 10:59 AM | Permalink
