Dustin Pedroia

A transplanted veteran and a talented rookie have added muscle to an already potent Boston Red Sox lineup. When the Red Sox obtained Victor Martinez in a trade with Cleveland on Friday, they also summoned outfielder Josh Reddick from Double-A Portland. Although the latter move was clearly overshadowed by the acquisition of the hard-hitting Martinez, it seems as if the kid also has some power. Martinez had a career-high tying five hits and four RBIs, Reddick hit his first major league homer, and Boston reached season highs in runs and hits Sunday in a 18-10 rout of the Baltimore Orioles. Eight different players had ... Read Full Story

Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched five strong innings to win for the first time this season and manager Terry Francona earned his 500th victory as the Boston Red Sox beat the Detroit Tigers 5-1 on Tuesday night. Francona became the third Boston manager to reach that plateau with the Red Sox, joining Joe Cronin (1,071) and Mike Higgins (560). Matsuzaka (1-3) came into the game with a 8.82 ERA in four starts, but allowed just one run and six hits with three walks. He matched a season-high with six strikeouts, and the Red Sox helped him with three double plays. Four Boston relievers finished. The Tigers ... Read Full Story

The Tampa Bay Rays got an early reminder that reaching the playoffs for a second straight time will be at least as hard as the first. Josh Beckett struck out 10 in seven innings of two-hit ball to lead the Red Sox to a 5-3 victory over Tampa Bay on Tuesday in a makeup of their rained-out opener and a rematch of the AL championship series that the Rays won to reach the franchise's first World Series. "We've got to prove it again this year," Tampa Bay catcher Dioner Navarro said. AL MVP Dustin Pedroia homered on the second pitch he saw this season, ... Read Full Story

Dustin Pedroia is back in the Boston Red Sox lineup after missing one game to be with his pregnant wife. The reigning AL MVP and the starting second baseman in this year's All-Star game batted second against the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday night. Pedroia missed his fourth game of the season Monday night when his wife Kelli, who is seven months' pregnant, went into labor. He said she told him to go to the game, a 6-0 loss to Oakland, but Boston manager Terry Francona sent him back to the hospital where he spent the night. Pedroia's wife had not given birth before Tuesday's ... Read Full Story

by Billy Wharton http://counterhegemonic.blogspot.com/ There is one test that even Dustin Pedroia would have failed. In his award-winning 2008 baseball season, Pedroia conquered the sharpest curveballs, craftiest pitchers and most disagreeable umpires. Hard work, a strong will and a willingness to make sacrifices for his teammates propelled the 5’7 second baseman forward. Genetic makeup had little to do with his success. However, if the Colorado-based company Atlas Sports Genetics (ASG) has its way, your child’s genes will be used to determine their participation in sports. The ASG test is marketed toward parents interested in determining their children’s “natural predisposition” towards particular sports. For $149 ... Read Full Story