Pedroia takes home AL MVP award

The smile that was wiped off the face of Dustin Pedroia after Boston's exit in the American League Championship Series, no doubt returned Tuesday.

The Red Sox's diminutive second baseman bested sluggers Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers and Justin Morneau of the Minnesota Twins along with Los Angeles Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez for the MVP honour.

"I'm not the biggest guy in the world. I don't have that many tools," Pedroia said on a conference call from his home in Arizona. "If you saw me walking down the street, you wouldn't think I'm a baseball player."

'I had to overcome a lot of things to prove people wrong, and so far I've done that.' —Red Sox's Dustin Pedroia, AL MVP in 2008

Pedroia, 25, is listed at five-foot-nine in the Boston media guide, but is probably two or three inches shorter than that. He proclaimed to be "the strongest 165-pound man in baseball" after hitting a grand slam at Yankee Stadium on Aug. 27.

Pedroia, 25, joins retired infielder Cal Ripken Jr. and Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard as the only players to win rookie of the year and MVP in consecutive years.

He drew 16 of the 28 first-place votes cast by members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America, finishing with 317 points to become the first AL second baseman to win the award since Nellie Fox in 1959.

Pedroia is the fourth second baseman to win the AL MVP award, joining Joe Gordon (1942), Charlie Gehringer (1937) and Fox. Six second basemen have won the NL honour. No position has produced fewer MVPs overall.

Pedroia and his wife originally planned to leave early this week for a vacation in Mexico. But with the MVP vote looming, a Red Sox official suggested he delay the trip by a day or two, just in case.

"I really didn't know what to expect," Pedroia said. "I wasn't nervous or overly excited."

The 2006 AL MVP winner, Morneau of New Westminster, B.C., counted seven first-place votes and had 257 points, while Boston first baseman Kevin Youkilis and Twins catcher Joe Mauer each got a pair of first-place votes.

Pedroia was even left off one ballot — Morneau and Boston first baseman Kevin Youkilis were listed on every one.

Rodriguez of the Angels drew the other first-place nod and came in sixth.

Pedroia, who made just $457,000 in 2008, didn't have an MVP bonus provision in his contract. Morneau earned $75,000 while Mauer and Youkilis got $25,000 each.

Pedroia quickly became a fan favourite at Fenway Park with his meaty swings and gritty approach.

Cleaning up at cleanup

This year, in a lineup depleted with injuries to David Ortiz and Mike Lowell and the mid-season trade of Manny Ramirez, Pedroia took his hearty hacks at the plate wherever needed while usually batting second. He also hit leadoff and cleanup.

Pedroia led the AL in hits, runs and doubles in helping the Red Sox win the AL wild-card berth. He batted .326 with 17 home runs and 83 runs batted in and also stole 20 bases.

"When I first got called up to the major leagues in 2006, I didn't know what to expect," Pedroia said.

"I had to overcome a lot of things to prove people wrong, and so far I've done that. I have to find a way to have that edge."

He became the 10th Red Sox player to take the award and first since Mo Vaughn in 1995.

Morneau hit .300 with 23 home runs and 129 RBI in helping the Twins reach a one-game playoff for the AL Central, which they lost to Chicago.

Youkilis (.312, 29, 115) had 201 points and Mauer (.328, 9, 85) was next with 188 points.

Chicago White Sox star Carlos Quentin, who was leading the AL with 36 home runs when he broke his right wrist in an act of frustration, was fifth with 160 points. Rodriguez, who went 62-for-69 in save chances to set a single-season major league record and recently filed for free agency, drew 143 points.

Hamilton, who made a remarkable recovery from drug addiction to resume his career, was seventh.