Dustin Pedroia Retires

[mvp 78]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/02/dustin-pedroia-retirement.html

 

Red Sox second baseman and former American League MVP Dustin Pedroia announced his retirement from baseball Monday. The 37-year-old was still under contract for the 2021 season but had managed to play in just nine games over the past three seasons due to a string of devastating knee injuries that required multiple surgeries.

 

“Dustin is so much more than his American League Most Valuable Player award, his All-Star Game selections, and the Gold Gloves he amassed throughout his impressive 17-year career in our organization,” Red Sox owner John Henry said in a press release announcing the move. “Dustin came to represent the kind of grit, passion, and competitive drive that resonates with baseball fans everywhere and especially with Red Sox fans. He played the game he loves in service to our club, its principles and in pursuit of championships. Most of all we are forever grateful to him for what he brought to our club and to our region as an important role model showing all of us how much one can accomplish with determination and hard work.”

[mvp 78]

@ChrisCotillo

Pedroia will address the media at 1:30 p.m.

[mvp 78]

@Sean_McAdam

2B Dustin Pedroia is retiring, will be paid in full on final year of contract. Pedroia will be made available to the media this afternoon.

 

@SPChrisHatfield

So based on this, it sounds like what is technically happening is Pedroia is being released, then retiring. Which makes sense.

[mvp 78]

@ChrisCotillo

To reiterate: Red Sox will pay Pedroia in full in 2021 and his salary will still count against the CBT.

[mvp 78]

@pgammo

My favorite Dustin Pedroia: We entered back gate to Coor's before 2007 WS G3. I had credential. Pedey did not. Guard wouldn't believe he played. "Why don't you to the locker room," Pedroia replied, "and ask Jeff Francis ?" Pedroia had led off 1st inning, G1,w/ HR off Francis.

[mvp 78]

@JoeyMacHockey

Pedroia used only two gloves his entire big league career. That's 1,512 games with only two mitts.

[jad]

So glad he got to play and we got to see him year after year before players became interchangeable counters in a human-fantasy league.

[mvp 78]

I had never heard the story about Papi not knowing Dustin's first name. That's a good one.

 

Also, I forgot the original reason for him saying "laser show."

 

He was a good teammate, until he wasn't.

[mvp 78]

I had never heard the story about Papi not knowing Dustin's first name. That's a good one.

 

Also, I forgot the original reason for him saying "laser show."

 

He was a good teammate, until he wasn't.

@joonlee

In 2010, when David Ortiz was hitting .149 and people were calling him washed and that he should retire, Pedroia jumped to his defense

 

"Couple years ago, I had 60 at-bats, I was hitting .170 and everyone was ready to kill me too. What happened?"

 

"Laser Show."

[mvp 78]

https://twitter.com/iJordanMoore/status/1356274851523276800

 

Pedroia steals second and beats shift by running to third.

[moonslav59]

Pedroia will still be paid his $12MM salary in the upcoming season, and his $13.3MM average annual value will count against the luxury tax for the Red Sox.

[notin]

Pedroia will still be paid his $12MM salary in the upcoming season, and his $13.3MM average annual value will count against the luxury tax for the Red Sox.

 

Really the only benefit for the 2021 Red Sox is they get an open 40 man roster space a couple weeks earlier...

[mvp 78]

Really the only benefit for the 2021 Red Sox is they get an open 40 man roster space a couple weeks earlier...

 

Yup, there was no way they were getting out of the lux tax hit.

[vegasbob]

Speculative thought but I believe Pedroia got bad medical advice on knee treatments, apart from the Red Sox medical staff, and then compounded the damage by overly aggressive rehab, perhasps too early in his recovery. The likelihood of a catastrophic total wrecking of his knee joint in the Machado play is less likely as a sole cause. Too many NFL'ers recover within months from ACL's, MCL's, Achilles tears, etc. to think that Pedroia was ruined by the slide itself. If so, it should have been evident immediately and recovery not attempted.

He received bad advice and then messed up the recovery himself. Too much of a gamer to let it heal slowly.

[moonslav59]

Yup, there was no way they were getting out of the lux tax hit.

 

I'm not sure we'd even want to spread out his lux hit, even if we could have.

 

Let's bite the bullet and spend away, next winter.

[mvp 78]

I'm not sure we'd even want to spread out his lux hit, even if we could have.

 

Let's bite the bullet and spend away, next winter.

 

Yup, Pedroia/Barnes/ERod/Ottavino come off the books this year. JD, Eovaldi, VAZ and Beni are gone the next.

[TylerD]

Sad news

[moonslav59]

Yup, Pedroia/Barnes/ERod/Ottavino come off the books this year. JD, Eovaldi, VAZ and Beni are gone the next.

 

Also, we have options on Richards, Perez, Vaz & Andriese after this season. (You did not list Richards or Perez.) We may also lose Bogey after 2022.

 

For the most part, only ERod and Vaz look to leave gaping holes. If Richards and Ottavino do well, they may be hard to replace at the dollars they cost us, this year.

 

Lux Tax Dollars Off the Books:

 

after 2021:

13.75 Pedey

10.00 Richards (option)

8.925 Ottavino

8.300 ERod

4.517 Vaz (option)

5.000 Perez (option)

4.500 Barnes

2.100 Andriese (option)

 

after 2022

22.0 Martinez

20.0 Bogaerts (player opt out)

17.0 Eovaldi

10.0 Richards (if option taken)

7.00 EHern

6.00 Beni

5.00 Vaz (if option taken)

5.00 Perez (if option taken)

2.10 Andriese (if option taken)

1.60 Plawecki

 

[mvp 78]

Also, we have options on Richards, Perez, Vaz & Andriese after this season. (You did not list Richards or Perez.) We may also lose Bogey after 2022.

 

For the most part, only ERod and Vaz look to leave gaping holes. If Richards and Ottavino do well, they may be hard to replace at the dollars they cost us, this year.

 

Lux Tax Dollars Off the Books:

 

after 2021:

13.75 Pedey

10.00 Richards (option)

8.925 Ottavino

8.300 ERod

4.517 Vaz (option)

5.000 Perez (option)

4.500 Barnes

2.100 Andriese (option)

 

after 2022

22.0 Martinez

20.0 Bogaerts (player opt out)

17.0 Eovaldi

10.0 Richards (if option taken)

7.00 EHern

6.00 Beni

5.00 Vaz (if option taken)

5.00 Perez (if option taken)

2.10 Andriese (if option taken)

1.60 Plawecki

 

 

Richards and Perez aren't official yet, are they?

[Thunder]

I had two initial reactions when I heard Pedey retired:

 

1) Hey MVP, should we trade him now?

 

2) He's the last Red Sox player that pre-dates my fandom. I can only specifically recall watching games as far back as 2007, so I do not remember a Red Sox team that did not feature Dustin Pedroia. It feels like the last part of me that was still a kid is now gone, too. In those golden days, Pedey, Ortiz and Lester were my idols. I used to be able to mimic Lester's delivery perfectly

[mvp 78]

I had two initial reactions when I heard Pedey retired:

 

1) Hey MVP, should we trade him now?

 

2) He's the last Red Sox player that pre-dates my fandom. I can only specifically recall watching games as far back as 2007, so I do not remember a Red Sox team that did not feature Dustin Pedroia. It feels like the last part of me that was still a kid is now gone, too. In those golden days, Pedey, Ortiz and Lester were my idols. I used to be able to mimic Lester's delivery perfectly

 

If they traded him, they would have had enough $$$ to keep Mookie.

[a700hitter]

He was worth the price of admission. He was a lot of fun to watch.

[mvp 78]

From Press Conf: Pedroia said that since his last surgery (partial knee replacement) that he can finally live comfortably again. He was told that nobody had ever come back after this surgery. He can't run, but can walk just fine. He said "why do I need to run."

[Nick]

For younger players, this is why you may want to let the team buy out couple of years of free agency. Dustin collected close to $40M sitting at home the last three years. You think you're invincible, but life can throw you a major league curveball at any time.

[mvp 78]

@joonlee

Pedroia said he was planning to play as recently as last January, when he found out he needed to get a partial knee replacement

The pandemic delayed the procedure until December, and Pedroia can no longer run, says playing with his kids was a "grind" before the surgery

[mvp 78]

Press conferences where every interviewer has to ask "can you hear me ok?" are just great.

[mvp 78]

I didn't know that Dustin was called up the day following the Boston Massacre in 2006.

[Thunder]

Thanks Manny Machado

[mvp 78]

@BNightengale

Dustin Pedroia says he has no regrets, and is at peace, holding no grudge towards Manny Machado over the slide in 2017 that basically ended his career. "We made it back. I played 9 games when 90% of the doctors said there's zero chance. ...It's ok.''

[dannycater]

Best Red Sox 2nd baseman offensively and defensively in their history (Doerr included). He could have had 3 WS titles if anyone else would have stepped up in the 2008 ALCS. Homers off Garza for a 1-0 lead in game 7. Loved the bravado with humor and his ability to make web gems in his sleep. He made so many dazzling stops and saved Sox pitchers countless times to end innings on a diving play. Forever loved the Colorado game, 5-for-5, 3 HR, 15 total bases and he hits the GW HR in a 13-11 win. Laser Show has gone dark. Sad.