Dustin Pedroia is one of the most hard-nosed players to ever put on a Red Sox uniform.
But on Friday night, we saw a softer side of the former Boston second baseman.
Pedroia, a little over four months after announcing his retirement from Major League Baseball, was honored at Fenway Park prior to the Red Sox’s series opener against the New York Yankees. A handful of Pedroia’s former teammates were on hand for the ceremony, while others delivered video messages.
Among those to send their regards to Pedroia over video was David Ortiz, who was unable to attend the event after undergoing hernia surgery earlier this month. Ortiz, as he always does, spoke from the heart as an emotional Pedroia looked on.
“…Just to let you know, man, that if there’s one teammate that I would pick to play the rest of my career with, that would have been you, bro,” Ortiz said, as seen during NESN’s pregame coverage. “That would have been you. You bring it every time. Every day you bring something to the table. When I first started playing baseball, all I heard people talk about was ‘big guys, big guys, big guys. Oh, you gotta be big for this. You gotta be big for that.’ With you, I learned one thing: it’s not about sizes, it’s about heart, man, and you got a big one. As a teammate, as a fan, I don’t think you can ask a player for more than what you gave us. You gave everything. You left everything on that field every day.
“I would say this: if there’s one player I would pay to watch play, that would be you. ‘Cause you know what, though? You play with no fear. You play with your heart. And you know what? You teach the big guys that little guys can be huge on that field. That’s all that matters. Congratulations on your retirement, bro. I love you. I’m always going to be here for you. Say ‘hi’ to Kelli and the kids. And you know, man, remember it’s not about size, it’s about heart. Love you, kid.”
The Red Sox’s tributes for Pedroia won’t be limited to Friday night. It was announced during the ceremony that the three-time World Series champion will be a member of the franchise’s 2022 Hall of Fame class.
