It’s been a long couple of years for baseball fans in Boston. (Four words: Fried chicken and beer.) But after postseason sweeps, personnel changes, and other setbacks, this October is different: The Red Sox are back to being the best team in baseball.
As the Sox return to Fenway Park for the American League Championship Series this weekend, second baseman Dustin Pedroia hopes to propel his team to another Fall Classic—and his resume suggests he’s the best man for the job.
At 5’ 8”, he’s not the biggest guy on the field. He doesn’t crank the most homers. But he’s missed just two games this season, he led the team in hits (and doubles), scored 91 runs, and is a defensive whiz in the infield. He knows what it takes to win.
Want to steal his success secrets? Listen up:
- The most important thing about being part of a winning team is . . . “Showing up every day and playing hard. When you’re on a winning team, you’re just one of 25 guys doing the right thing every day.”
- In order to turn a season around (like the Red Sox did) you have to . . . “Change the atmosphere from the beginning. For us, it started in spring training. It was all about winning and enjoying the way the Red Sox play baseball. The guys have been coming together this year and having fun. That’s how you win.”
- I make sure I’m on the lineup card every night by . . . “Taking care of myself. From weightlifting to spending time in the trainer’s room to icing, you just have to do everything you can to make sure you’re ready for the game.”
- The best thing about my height is . . . “I can dive for balls more quickly than everyone else.”
- My favorite gear is . . . “My gold-plated New Balance cleats. I’m a big San Francisco 49ers fan and the gold makes me look faster.”
- One thing I look for in a shoe is . . . “Comfort. I go through about 30 pairs of shoes a year. When you put them on, you’ve got to make sure you can accomplish what you want to do—be it baseball, running, or walking.”
- If I weren’t an athlete, I’d be a . . . “Bodybuilder.”
- If my kids want to play professional baseball, I’ll tell them . . . “That it’s a lot of work and a lot of travel. You’re away from your family a lot.”
- The best on-base conversation I’ve ever had is . . . “There have been some pretty funny ones—I probably shouldn’t mention them here. Mainly it’s just, ‘How’s your family doing?’ We don’t really have too much time.”
- My binge food is . . . “Mexican. I crush tacos.”
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