Koji Uehara 上原 浩治
Texas Rangers — No. 19
Relief pitcher
Born: (1975-04-03) April 3, 1975 (age 37) Neyagawa, Osaka
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
Professional debut
NPB: 1999 for the Yomiuri Giants
MLB: April 8, 2009 for the Baltimore Orioles
NPB statistics
Wins–losses	112–62
Earned run average	3.01
Strikeouts	1,376
MLB statistics (through May 24, 2012)
Wins–losses	5–9
Earned run average	2.97
Strikeouts	206
Teams
Yomiuri Giants (1999–2008) Baltimore Orioles (2009–2011) Texas Rangers (2011–present)
Career highlights and awards
NPB 1999 Central League Rookie of the Year 2x NPB Win Champion (1999, 2002) 2x NPB ERA Champion (1999, 2004) 2x NPB Strikeout Champion (1999, 2003) 2x NPB MVP for Pitcher (1999, 2002) 2x Eiji Sawamura Award (1999, 2002) 2x NPB Best Nine Award (1999, 2002) 2x Golden Glove (1999, 2003) 2x Japan Series champion (2000, 2002) Japan Series MVP (2002) 2x Speedup Award (1999, 2004) 8x NPB All-Star selection (1999–2005, 2007)

Koji Uehara (上原 浩治, Uehara Kōji^?, born April 3, 1975, in Neyagawa, Osaka, Japan) is a Japanese Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. He is currently a relief pitcher for the Texas Rangers.

Uehara throws a high-80s four-seam fastball (tops out at 92 mph) and a solid forkball as his primary pitches. He's never been a power pitcher anywhere, but still has a great K/BB ratio with his pinpoint command.

Japanese baseball[link]

Uehara graduated from the Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences, and was drafted with the first pick by the Yomiuri Giants in 1998. He had a successful rookie year in 1999, with 15 consecutive wins which broke the all-time rookie record, claimed the Rookie of the Year, Eiji Sawamura Award, and led in wins, ERA, strikeouts and winning percentage.

In 2001, he finished with a 4.02 ERA, the highest of his career. However, in 2002, he rebounded, leading the Central League in wins and collected his second Sawamura Award.

He was injured before the 2007 season which made him a late appearance, and in that season, he became a closer instead, recorded an 1.74 ERA with 4 wins, 3 losses and 32 saves. Though showing a good ability both starting and closing, he returned as a starting pitcher in the 2008 season. He left the Giants after that season becoming a free agent and allowing him to play in Major League Baseball.

International competition[link]

Uehara is renowned for his performance in international competition. He participated in international events since he was in the University, he also participated Olympic Games twice, as well as the first World Baseball Classic, and participated in Asian Baseball Championships. He has 12 wins and 2 saves, without a loss in his 25 appearances from the above events.

He was a member of the Japanese national baseball team which competed in the 2004 Olympic games in Athens. The team eventually won the bronze medal.

In 2006, he joined Team Japan for the World Baseball Classic and earned 2 wins, improving his unbeaten record in international competition (including amateur appearances) to 12 wins in 21 total appearances. In the World Baseball Classic, team Japan beat team Cuba to win the championship; Uehara led the tournament with 16 strikeouts. He was a closer in 2007 Asian Baseball Championships, played in two games and earned his first international save against Korea.

His performance in 2008 was extremely unstable, even being demoted to farm team in late April. He remained in the 39-out-of-77 men candidate list towards the Beijing Olympics in late June, and was selected to the final 24-men list in mid-July. He was expected to be a set-up pitcher, not a starting pitcher or closer before the Olympic Games due to his instability in that season. But he appeared as a closer in his first appearance against Chinese Taipei, pitching a shutout inning in the game without yielding a hit, winning 6–1. He earned his first Olympic save against Canada, holding a 1–0 victory two days later. However, after the Japan finished fourth in the games, he expressed no interest on participating the World Baseball Classic in 2009 in an interview, meaning that his record has come to an end.

Inclination for MLB[link]

In 1998, Uehara rejected a contract worth $3 million from the then-Anaheim Angels and signed with Yomiuri instead of following the advice of family and acquaintances. The Angels have expressed their continued interest in Uehara, as Scouting Director Eddie Bane had stated that acquiring either Uehara or Daisuke Matsuzaka was a top priority for the team. However, many other teams, including the Yankees, Dodgers, Red Sox, Mets, and Orioles had shown interest in bidding for Uehara if and when he were to become available.

Uehara asserted his preference in public to be transferred to a Major League Baseball team through the posting system. His efforts had been rebuffed by the Yomiuri Giants front office. He was expected to be eligible for free agency in 2007 (but that was postponed to 2008 due to his injury). He became eligible for free agency in April 4, 2008.^[1]

He is also a friend of Roger Clemens after Clemens visited Japan in 2004 as a member of MLB all star team. MLB.com showed a video in which Clemens gave Uehara his game-used black glove with autograph [1].

MLB career[link]

Baltimore Orioles[link]

Uehara during his tenure with the Baltimore Orioles in 2011.

On January 13, 2009, Uehara signed a two-year deal with the Baltimore Orioles. He started the 2009 season as the number two starter behind ace Jeremy Guthrie.^[2] He made his big league debut on April 8 against the New York Yankees. He walked the first batter he saw in regular season play, Derek Jeter. Uehara earned the win, going five innings and giving up just one run. His second outing resulted in a win against the Texas Rangers.

On April 29, 2009, Uehara took a line drive off of the sternum for which he was X-rayed and the results came back negative.

On September 10, 2009, it was announced that Koji would be out for the remainder of the 2009 season. He started the 2010 season as a set-up reliever in the bullpen.

Texas Rangers (2011)[link]

On July 30, 2011, Uehara was traded to the Texas Rangers for Chris Davis and Tommy Hunter. The move re-united him with his old high school team-mate Yoshinori Tateyama^[3]

In 2011, he was 2–3, with a 2.35 ERA, between the two teams.^[4]

Personal life[link]

Uehara collects gear such as gloves, bats, caps, shoes, and wears that used to belong to other famous players.

Awards in Japan[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Koji Uehara

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
• Nippon Professional Baseball career statistics from Japanesebaseball.com
• Koji Uehara official site (Japanese)
• ArmchairGM Profile Page for Koji Uehara
• Japanese league stats, info, and links for Koji Uehara by JapaneseBallPlayrers.com
• Frank's Field of Dreams: Far East Heroes > Koji Uehara

Matt Wieters
Baltimore Orioles – No. 32
Catcher
Born: (1986-05-21) May 21, 1986 (age 26) Goose Creek, South Carolina
Bats: Switch	Throws: Right
MLB debut
May 29, 2009 for the Baltimore Orioles
Career statistics (through May 27, 2012)
Batting average	.261
Home runs	50
Runs batted in	188
Teams
Baltimore Orioles (2009–present)
Career highlights and awards
All-Star (2011) Fielding Bible Award (2011) Gold Glove Award winner (2011)

Matthew Richard Wieters (born May 21, 1986) is a Major League Baseball catcher for the Baltimore Orioles. Wieters was drafted fifth overall in the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft.^[1] Wieters played college baseball for Georgia Tech, and his agent is Scott Boras.^[2][3] Wieters is a tall athletic hitter, standing 6 feet 5 inches tall. His ability to hit for power from both sides of the plate has drawn comparisons to Jorge Posada and Jason Varitek.^[4]

Early life[link]

Wieters was born on May 21, 1986 in Goose Creek, South Carolina. Wieters played high school baseball at Stratford High School in Goose Creek, South Carolina. He played under Coach John Chalus, where Matt led the Knights to the AAAA state championship series. Wieters' high school team also featured Justin Smoak.

College[link]

Wieters was a multi-talented star who earned numerous honors throughout his college career. He is one of just three players in Georgia Tech history to earn first-team All-America honors on at least two occasions.^[5] He was named a first-team All-America by Rivals.com and first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference in 2007, first-team All-America by Baseball America and second-team All-ACC in 2006, and the ACC Rookie of the Year, Freshman All-America and first-team All-ACC in 2005.^{[citation needed]}

A switch-hitting catcher who hits in the middle of the lineup, Wieters has a good eye at the plate and has great power to all fields.^[5] Wieters finished his junior season ranked tied for sixth in the Yellow Jacket record books with 54 career doubles with 198 runs batted in along with 16 saves in his three years on the Flats. He also ranked 13th with a .359 career batting average and 418 total bases, tying for 16th with 35 home runs and 18th with 253 hits in his college career. He finished 2007 having played in 169 consecutive games.^[5] Wieters served as Tech's primary closer for his first two years and as one of two closers his junior season.^[3]

Professional career[link]

Wieters was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles with the 5th overall pick of the 2007 amateur draft and signed a contract with a $6 million signing bonus on August 15, 2007.^[3][6] That winter, he played for the Honolulu Sharks, hitting .283 in 31 games with one home run,17 runs batted in, nine doubles, one triple, 44 total bases, and 12 walks.^{[citation needed]}

Minor leagues[link]

Going in to the 2008 season, he was ranked 12th by Baseball America on their 2008 Top 100 Prospects List and was the highest ranked catcher on the list. He attended 2008 spring training with the Orioles, starting the season with their Class A affiliate the Frederick Keys. He gained a midseason promotion to the Double-A Bowie Baysox.

In 130 games for the Keys and Baysox, hit a combined .355 BA/.454 OBP/.600 SLG with 27 home runs and 91 RBI.^[7] Wieters earned the 2008 Minor League Player of the Year honors from Baseball America.^[8] According to Clay Davenport's measure EqA, Wieters had one of the single best seasons in recorded minor league history. His EqAs of .301 and .349 were the highest marks in their respective leagues in the last 40 years ^[9] (although this would later turn out to be partially a result of inflated league difficulty factors ^[10]).

Wieters made his Major League Baseball debut on May 29, 2009.

Wieters participated in the 2008 Arizona Fall League season, playing for the Surprise Rafters. He was also selected to play in the Fall League's Rising Stars game.^{[citation needed]} Wieters hit .343 in 35 spring training at bats for the Orioles in 2009, but was sent down to Triple-A Norfolk to delay the start of his service time and extend the time until he becomes eligible for salary arbitration and free agency.^[11]

He was named the No. 2 prospect in MiLB by Minor League News in the MLN FAB50 Baseball 2009 rankings.^{[citation needed]}

Baltimore Orioles[link]

Wieters played his first Major League game on Friday May 29, 2009, against the Detroit Tigers. Wieters' first major league hit came the next night, a triple, off of Detroit's Justin Verlander. Wieters hit his first career home run June 17, 2009 against the Mets, a two-run home run off of Mets starter Tim Redding. Wieters changed his jersey number after his rookie season from 15 to 32, which was what he wore in college at Georgia Tech.^{[citation needed]}

Although Wieters disappointed some observers because of his difficulties handling the Baltimore pitching staff, he established himself as a solid defensive catcher in 2010, throwing out many runners, while also hitting for power and a fairly good average at the plate.^{[citation needed]} Wieters earned a Fielding Bible Award and a Gold Glove in 2011 as the best defensive catcher in MLB, and American League, respectively.^[12]

On April 16, 2012, Wieters helped the Orioles rally to beat the Chicago White Sox in 10 innings by hitting his first career grand slam.

On May 29, 2012, Wieters was ejected for the first time in his career for arguing that two pitches thrown by Miguel Gonzalez were strikes, not balls, as ruled by home plate umpire Doug Eddings. The Orioles lost the game against the Blue Jays 8-6.

In the 2011 season he was elected to the AL All Star team.

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Matt Wieters

Baseball portal

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
• Zrebiec, Jeff. "High praise, higher expectations for Wieters," The Baltimore Sun, Sunday, March 15, 2009.
• Robinson, Joshua. "Orioles' Top Prospect Proving a Quick Study," The New York Times, Monday, April 30, 2009.
• Matt Wieters News

Dustin Pedroia
The Laser Show getting ready to bat.
Boston Red Sox – No. 15
Second baseman
Born: August 17, 1983 (Age 28) Woodland, California
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
MLB debut
August 22, 2006 for the Boston Red Sox
Career statistics (through May 25, 2012)
Batting average	.304
Home runs	80
Runs batted in	364
On-base percentage	.372
Runs	509
Hits	917
Teams
Boston Red Sox (2006–present)
Career highlights and awards
3× All-Star selection (2008, 2009, 2010) Silver Slugger Award winner at second base (2008) World Series Champion (2007) 2007 AL Rookie of the Year 2008 American League MVP Fielding Bible Award (2011) 2× Gold Glove Award Winner (2008, 2011) AL player of the month Winner (July 2011)

Medal record
Baseball
Competitor for  United States
Pan American Games
Silver	Santo Domingo 2003	National team

Dustin Luis Pedroia (born August 17, 1983, in Woodland, California) is an American professional baseball second baseman. Pedroia has won several awards in Major League Baseball, including the 2007 American League Rookie of the Year and the 2008 AL MVP award. He also won a Silver Slugger as a second baseman and a Gold Glove in 2008 and 2011. He finished second overall in the AL in batting average in 2008. In addition to his offensive performance, Pedroia has been a major defensive contributor to the Red Sox.

Pedroia is listed by Major League Baseball and the Red Sox as 5' 8" (173 cm) and 165 pounds. In 2003 a USA Today article gave his height as 5' 7" (170 cm),^[1] and when he was in college the NCAA and Arizona State University gave his height as 5' 8".^[2]

Early baseball career[link]

High school and college[link]

Pedroia attended Woodland Senior High School in Woodland, California. Pedroia batted .445 his senior year and was chosen as his league's most valuable player. Good childhood friend and high school teamate Frankie Vartuli gave him some inspirational words before he started his college season. What was said on the rainy Thursday night during the phone conversation was, "In order to excel, you must be completely dedicated to your chosen sport. You must also be prepared to work hard and be willing to accept constructive criticism. Without one-hundred percent dedication, you won't be able to do this." Vartuli used the famous quote from Willie Mays to inspire the 5 foot 7 phenom to excel in college.

Pedroia attended Arizona State University, where he was teammates with current Seattle Mariners left fielder Chandler Jennings and current Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Andre Ethier. Jennings and Pedroia competed for the shortstop position. Ultimately, Pedroia stayed at shortstop, while Jennings ended up at second base before transferring to the University of Washington, where he set numerous record in homeruns and stolen bases. In three years at ASU, Pedroia never hit below .347, and had a career average of .384, starting all 185 games. Furthermore, to help ASU recruit better pitchers, Pedroia relinquished the last two years of his athletic scholarship.^[3] He was named ASU On Deck Circle Most Valuable Player; other winners have included Ike Davis, Willie Bloomquist, Paul Lo Duca, and Barry Bonds.^[4]

Minor leagues[link]

Pedroia was drafted by the Red Sox in the second round of the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft, with the 65th pick overall. Pedroia, the eighth shortstop drafted, received a $575,000 signing bonus.^[3]

In two years in the minors (2004–06), Pedroia batted .308 while playing second base and shortstop.

Major leagues[link]

2007 season[link]

Pedroia became the regular second baseman for the Red Sox in 2007 replacing Mark Loretta. His defense in 2007 was solid, with six errors and a fielding percentage of .990. Early in the season, though, his batting average was as low as .172 (on May 1); that average, combined with the hitting of teammate Alex Cora, hitting .316 through the end of May, left Pedroia in a platoon role. Pedroia's batting improved quickly, however: by June 18, his average was .322, aided by a 13-game hitting streak, and a five-hit game against the San Francisco Giants on June 15, 2007. Because of that production, he was named American League Player of the Week for May 28 – June 3, 2007, and AL Rookie of the Month for May 2007.^[5] His most notable play of the season, though, may have been a diving stop in the seventh inning of fellow rookie Clay Buchholz's September 1, 2007 no-hitter.^[6]

Pedroia won the AL Rookie of the Year award,^[7] and was selected to the 2007 Topps Major League Rookie All-Star Team.^[8]

2007 American League Playoffs[link]

Pedroia entered the 2007 American League Division Series batting .317 with 8 home runs and 50 RBI in 139 regular season games with the Red Sox. In the ALDS, Pedroia struggled, getting only 2 hits in 3 games against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Though Pedroia struggled in the lead-off spot for the Red Sox, Boston cruised past the Angels 3 games to 0 to advance to the American League Championship Series, where they met the Cleveland Indians.

In the ALCS, Pedroia heated up, batting .395. In the 7th game, Pedroia hit a 2-run homer into the Green Monster seats in the 7th inning and had 5 RBI. He then hit a 3-run double in the bottom of the 8th to help the Red Sox secure the series and a spot in the World Series.

In the World Series against the Colorado Rockies, Pedroia was one of two rookies (with center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury) starting for the Red Sox. These two rookies jump-started the Red Sox offense. In the Series' first at-bat, Pedroia hit the first pitch from Rockies ace Jeff Francis over the Green Monster, making him only the second player (after Baltimore's Don Buford in 1969), and the first rookie, to lead off the Series with a home run. In Game 3, with the Red Sox up 2-0, Ellsbury and Pedroia combined for 7 hits, 3 runs, and 4 RBI in a 10-5 Boston win. The Red Sox won Game 4 and swept the series for their seventh World Series title. Pedroia hit .278 with 5 hits, 1 home run and 4 RBI in the Series.

2008: An MVP season[link]

Pedroia ended the season with a .326 average with 17 home runs, 83 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases. He was tied for the MLB lead in hits with 213 and led the league in doubles (54), while leading the AL in runs scored (118), making him the first player to lead all three of those categories in the same season since Cal Ripken in 1983. Pedroia came in second in the AL in batting average (.326) behind Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer (.328), fourth in the AL in total bases (322), and seventh in the AL in extra-base hits (73). His 20 stolen bases in 21 attempts helped Pedroia lead MLB in stolen base percentage (.952). With only 6 errors following the season, Pedroia won the 2008 AL MVP (the first by an American League second baseman since Nellie Fox in 1959)^[9] as well as the AL Gold Glove and Silver Slugger award for second base. He is the 10th player in the history of the Red Sox to capture the AL MVP and the 8th player in AL history to win the MVP, Gold Glove, and Silver Slugger awards in the same season. Pedroia became only the third player in MLB history to win Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player in consecutive seasons joining Cal Ripken Jr. and Ryan Howard. Fred Lynn (1975) and Ichiro Suzuki (2001) are the only players to win both awards in the same season.

2008 playoffs[link]

Pedroia was hitless through the first three games of the 2008 ALDS. His sole hit was an RBI double that drove in Jason Varitek in the 5th inning of game 4. He batted 2nd in all 4 games in the series, behind Jacoby Ellsbury. Pedroia made one of the best defensive plays of the series with a diving throw to first base to retire Vladimir Guerrero in the third inning of game 4. The Red Sox went on to win in dramatic fashion in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 4 again knocking the Angels out of the playoffs.

The Angels contained Pedroia in the Division Series, but in the ALCS against the Tampa Bay Rays, Pedroia was red hot. In 26 trips to the plate in the ALCS, Pedroia collected 9 hits including three home runs and a double. However, his impressive line that included a .346 batting average and .731 slugging percentage wasn't enough to propel the Red Sox into the World Series as the rest of the team struggled to a .234 batting average against the impressive Tampa pitching staff.

2009 season[link]

Pedroia bats in the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles.

On December 3, 2008, Pedroia signed a six-year contract extension worth $40.5 million, in addition to a team option for 2015 worth $11 million.^[10] Pedroia announced on December 15, 2008 that he would play for the United States team in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

He also recorded the first Major League hit in Citi Field history when he hit a bloop double down the right field line in an April 3 exhibition game against the New York Mets. He hit a home run in his first at bat of the 2009 season. Pedroia was selected to the 2009 All Star Game on July 5.

Pedroia was selected to be the starting second baseman for the 2009 AL All Star Team. The weekend prior to the game, however, he withdrew from the team. Pedroia stated that he wanted to stay with his wife, Kelli, who was experiencing pregnancy complications with the couple's first child. The same issue had caused him to miss a regular season game prior to the All Star break.

Pedroia achieved his first multi-home run game on September 9, 2009, against the Baltimore Orioles.

For the second consecutive year, Pedroia led the American League in Runs Scored with 115 (2nd in MLB behind Albert Pujols who had 124 runs scored). He finished third in the AL / MLB with 48 doubles.

2010 season[link]

After MLB umpire Joe West made controversial statements regarding the speed of play between the Red Sox and Yankees, Pedroia responded by saying, "What he doesn't understand is that when we don't do well in these games against the Yankees, we get killed. If he doesn't want to do Red Sox and Yankee games, he should tell the umpires' union. Then when we're in the World Series, he'll be out of that assignment, too."^[11]

On June 24, 2010, Pedroia went 5 for 5, with 5 RBI, and hit three home runs in a game against the Colorado Rockies that the Red Sox won, 13–11, in the tenth inning.^[12] The next day, Pedroia fouled a ball off his foot in an at-bat versus the San Francisco Giants. MRI results the next day confirmed that he had a broken bone in his foot, and later was placed on the 15-Day Disabled List. Pedroia was so concerned about his fielding skills getting rusty (he was on doctors' orders not to put weight on his foot for two weeks) that he practiced fielding ground balls on his knees.^[13] On July 4, 2010, Pedroia was named to be a reserve player on the American League All Star team, but did not participate due to this injury, and had former Arizona State teammate Ian Kinsler replace him on the roster.

Pedroia returned to the lineup on August 17 against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, only to be put back on the DL after playing 2 games.

2011 season[link]

On June 29, 2011, Pedroia started a 25 game hitting streak, the most for a Boston Red Sox second baseman.^[14] On August 16, 2011, Pedroia was involved in throwing a triple play, started by Jed Lowrie. He won a Fielding Bible Award in 2011 as the best fielding second baseman in MLB.^[15]

Controversies[link]

In an interview given to Boston, Pedroia criticized his home town of Woodland, California, calling it a "dump" and a city which never embraced him.^[16] This generated backlash from his hometown and his family received death threats.^[17] Pedroia later clarified his comments saying he was only joking and his comments were taken out of context.^[18]

Awards and distinctions[link]

• 2004 Golden Spikes Award Finalist
• 2004 First-Team Baseball America and USA Today All-American
• 2003 Pac-10 Co-Player of the Year
• 2003 NCAA Defensive Player of the Year
• Red Sox ML Base Runner of the Month (April 2005)
• Red Sox Minor League "Quality Plate Appearances" Award (June 2005)
• 2005 Post-Season Eastern League All-Star
• 2005 Red Sox Minor League Offensive Player of the Year
• 2005 Minor League News MLN FAB50 Baseball 2005 – No. 45
• 2006 Minor League News MLN FAB50 Baseball 2006 – No. 23
• 2007 American League Rookie of the Month-May
• 2007 American League Player of the Week (May 28 – June 3)
• 2007 Players Choice American League Outstanding Rookie
• 2007 World Series Champion (Boston Red Sox)
• 2007 American League Rookie of the Year
• 2008 All-Star Starter
• 2008 AL Gold Glove Winner
• 2008 AL Silver Slugger award
• 2008 American League Most Valuable Player Award
• 2009 AL All-Star Starter
• 2010 AL All-Star Reserve
• 2011 Fielding Bible Award
• 2011 AL Gold Glove Winner

Personal life[link]

Pedroia is of Portuguese and Swiss (Maggia) heritage. Pedroia is the nephew of Eastern Michigan University defensive coordinator Phil Snow.^[3]

On January 9, 2009, Pedroia was named as the cover athlete of the baseball video game MLB 09: The Show, and appeared in several commercials for the game.

On August 18, 2009 Dustin's wife Kelli gave birth to the couple's first child, a boy named Dylan.^[19]

Dustin Pedroia is a fan of the NBA team, the Sacramento Kings, and NFL team, the San Francisco 49ers.

See also[link]

	Biography portal
	Baseball portal

• List of Major League Baseball runs scored champions

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• Verducci, Tom (August 15, 2011). "The Muddy Chicken Hits It Big: Loud swing, louder mouth, even louder results: That's the story of Dustin Pedroia writ small. In a lineup of stars, nobody has played a larger role in the success of the Red Sox—or inspired better nicknames—than their 5' 8" second baseman". Sports Illustrated. p. 29. 

Born to Play: My Life in the Game by Dustin Pedroia with Edward J. Pelaney

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Dustin Pedroia

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
• Minor League Splits and Situational Stats
• No. 45 – MLN FAB50 Baseball 2005 – Minor League News – Situational Stats
• No. 23 – MLN FAB50 Baseball 2006 – Minor League News