Destroia

Good news has been on short supply as of late, so I’m damn happy to be able to write about Dustin Pedroia and his contract extension announced today.  Yeah, all of Red Sox blogdome will be writing about it.  It’s a damn fine topic to discuss, don’t you think?

$40.5 million over six years.  This truly brings a smile to my face.  The Sox are getting one hell of a deal, yet Pedie gets a really sweet nest egg and the knowledge he’s set for life (if $40 mil doesn’t set you for life, nothing will).  I’ve yet to read anything negative about this deal.  How can you have an issue with something that keeps the current league MVP and last year’s Rookie of the Year in the organization for the next 6 years (AKA his prime years).  Pedie’s 25.  Twenty freaking five.  Is there a chance his skills will decrease?  I suppose there’s that chance with any player.  He had no sophomore slump.  He’s kicked ass in his first two seasons in the bigs…no reason to think he won’t keep it up a few more years.

Pedroia has, basically, taken a hometown discount of sorts.  To work in Boston.  For the Red Sox.

Pretty amazing.  I suppose folks can’t use the “no one wants to sign long-term in Boston” argument any more.  Kid took a discount, signed long-term, and is staying in Boston.  Let’s hear from Dustin:

“I’m extremely excited,” said Pedroia, who appeared, with his wife Kelli, at a Fenway Park press conference today. “I definitely wanted to be here a long time and help the Red Sox win, and it happened today. Hopefully over the next six years we can win some more championships.”

Or:

“I’m extremely excited,” Dustin Pedroia said at a Fenway Park press conference this afternoon confirming that the popular and remarkably productive second baseman had signed a six-year, $40.5 million contract extension. “I definitely wanted to be here a long time and help the Red Sox win. Today it happened, [and] hopefully the next six years we can win some championships.”

Sigh.  My happiness for Dustin is peppered with my ongoing curiosity about how difficult it seems to be to print a direct quote.

This is what I typed as I listened to Pedroia speak at today’s press conference (only editing out stray “Ums’ and “You knows”):

“I’m extremely excited.  You know, I definitely wanted to be here a long time and help the Red Sox win and today it happened.  And hopefully the next six years we can win some championships.”

I have officially made my own brain hurt.

Let’s end this with a quote from Dustin that will make us all happy.  Courtesy of more transcription by me:

“My first thought about the whole thing was ‘I play for the best team in the Major Leagues’.    Who wouldn’t want to play for the Boston Red Sox?   We’re going to have an opportunity to win every single year…the fans are the best…the city embraces their teams.    So why not?   It fits.”

Word.