David Ortiz isn’t the only legendary slugger Dustin Pedroia got to play alongside.
Pedroia also played parts of three seasons with Manny Ramirez, one of the best hitters in Boston Red Sox history. Ramirez returned to Fenway Park on Tuesday to take part in the pregame festivities, and Pedroia had nothing but praise for the 12-time All-Star after the Red Sox’s home opener.
“He was a great hitter,” Pedroia said, as seen on NESN’s Red Sox postgame coverage. “Just the way he worked and studied and his approach. I’ve definitely learned a lot from him. I was fortunate to play with him. I was really young and it helped me out. Just the way he approaches hitting, it helped me a ton throughout my career.”
After a rough start at the plate upon breaking into the big leagues, Pedroia became one of baseball’s most consistent hitters. Now in his 14th season, the veteran second baseman owns a .300 career batting average, the ninth highest among active players with at least 3,000 plate appearances.
As for Ramirez, his career hitting numbers rank among the greatest who’ve ever played the game. While the honor has evaded him thus far, the two-time World Series champion still is holding onto hope that his efforts will be recognized with enshrinement in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
