A Red Sox tribute to Dustin Pedroia, the little man with the big bat

There was nothing shocking nor surprising about Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia announcing his retirement on Monday.

The 37-year-old former American League MVP, AL Rookie of the Year and four-time MLB All-Star couldn’t find his way on the field for the past couple of seasons due to a knee injury. With the big heart and passion for the game that he has, he simply didn’t want to leave the game he loves in that fashion.

Maybe that is the surprising part of the retirement announcement, but like he has done his entire career with the Red Sox, he tried to get back on that baseball diamond, but what is the point if he can’t physically play with that same energy and passion that helped deliver the Boston Red Sox three World Series titles.

Dustin Pedroia was the face of the Red Sox winning culture

Clutch hits, key defensive plays, a uniform that was dirty after every game, Pedroia just wants Red Sox Nation, the fans, competitors and critics to remember him for exactly what he was…a player who left his all on the field.

"“I just hope I set the right example for their kids, or anyone,” Pedroia told the media Monday, via NESN.  “I just hope I played the game the right way and they can look back on my career and say ‘Man, he did everything he could for this team.’ That’s it.  That’s what I care about.  And I hope I did that.”"

He certainly did and what really stands out about the best years of Dustin Pedroia is how he was the little man with the really big bat.

In 2008 when he showed off a little pop in his bat with 17 homers and 83 RBI, he took home the MVP award because he was the heart of a team fueled by David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez.  As big as those bats were, having Pedroia at the top of the lineup was really the key because of his ability to get on base ahead of those big bats while showing off a big bat of his own.

He further defined himself as the “laser show” by having his best year statistically in 2011 with 21 homers and 91 RBI.  But it really wasn’t about the numbers for Pedroia, it was about that big heart he played with.

Not only did he help create a winning culture in Boston, but he was also the winning culture.  As Ortiz said in a tribute to his little buddy, size does not define how big of legend and icon Dustin Pedroia was for the Red Sox.

What is next for Boston Red Sox legend Dustin Pedroia?

Hopefully Pedroia will be a part of the Boston Red Sox organization for years to come just like David Ortiz and Jason Varitek.

Perhaps, he’ll even one day manage the team.  Fans would definitely be down with that and it sounds like Red Sox president Sam Kennedy would to as he told reporters following the retirement announcement that there will always be a place in the organization for Pedroia.

"“The fact that he’s a Red Sox for life means a lot to us in the organization,” Kennedy said, via NESN.  “…And now as we go forward, we’re looking forward to him staying with the club in whatever form that may take, whenever he’s ready, however he wants to do it.  Whether its owner, CEO, general manager – he’ll tell us what to do and whatever it is, he’ll be good at it.”"

All of those options sound great as well, but Pedroia is a man who likes to get his uniform dirty and the most fitting place for him in the future, perhaps near future, is in that Boston Red Sox dugout where he can once again show off that big heart… as a coach.