Dustin Pedroia Reveals His Recruiting Tactics and the Only Player He Failed to Bring to the Red Sox

Dustin Pedroia may want to get into politics. The former Boston Red Sox second baseman recently said he was used as Boston’s off-season recruiter and he was good at it. He managed to help bring some guys to play for Boston with his schmoozing. Pedroia said he only lost one recruiting job in his Major League Baseball career and it was someone he was very close with.

Dustin Pedroia is a former ROY and MVP

RELATED: MLB: Where Does Dustin Pedroia Rank Among the Best Players in Boston Red Sox History?

Dustin Pedroia was one hard-nosed player who got the most out of his abilities. The 5-foot-9, 170-pound second baseman always gave his all until injuries caught up to him and forced him into retirement. Pedroia spent 14 years in the big leagues – all with the Boston Red Sox.

Pedroia was drafted in the second round by the Red Sox in 2004 and made his big-league debut in 2006. He appeared in just 31 games and then earned Rookie of the Year honors in 2007. That year, Pedroia hits .317 in 139 games. He smacked eight homers, drove in 50 runs, and scored 86 runs. The following season, Pedroia was named the American League MVP when he led the league in hits (213), runs scored (118), and doubles (54). He also finished with a .326 batting average.

Pedroia became a fan favorite with his gritty play. He was a four-time MLB All-Star, a four-time Gold Glove winner, and a two-time World Series champion. Pedroia finished his career with a .299 batting average and collected 1,805 hits.

Pedroia was Boston’s top recruiter

According to WEEI, Dustin Pedroia admitted he used to get out there and recruit players to come to Boston. Pedroia did that well. “Oh yeah. Every offseason,” Pedroia said when asked if that was part of his job.

“I think there are 750 or more players in the big leagues, but it’s a close-knit family. Shoot, you talk to guys all the time about certain players and certain people because everything is intertwined in baseball. There are people everywhere. We are all intertwined. People who are free agents or other players looking to get traded, you’re always talking. That’s just part of the game.”

Pedroia said he never had to lie to get someone to play for the Red Sox. “I’m honest with every one of them,” he said. “I’m not here to pitch something that isn’t something. I said, ‘Listen, man, it’s the best place on Planet Earth to play baseball.’ Does it have some downsides? One hundred percent. Our field is 120 years old. We don’t have the whirlpools, the big lockers and all the fancy stuff that I frankly don’t give two you-know-whats about because I care about playing baseball. (The Sox) don’t have the sauna and all of that crazy stuff because we don’t have the space for it, which is fine. Once that game starts and once you go home and you’re in that city for a baseball season, you feel something you’re not going to feel anywhere else.” 

Pedroia revealed the one player he couldn’t get to Boston

Dustin Pedroia was very good at baseball, but he was also very good at the recruiting game. He revealed he was able to get everyone he wanted to with the exception of one. That one player he couldn’t reel in had already played for the Red Sox and he and Pedroia were very close.

“I only lost one recruiting job and it was Jon Lester and I’m probably the closest to him as any of the guys I recruited,” Pedroia said, according to WEEI. “Everybody else but him.” Pedroia said it was tough not to land Lester, but he felt Lester has already done a lot for Boston.

“To him, it was more like selling that we wanted to get back to doing what we were trying to do,” he said. “Obviously, we traded him (to Oakland). It’s different when you’re recruiting someone you’re so close with. We came up through every level together. I didn’t need to sell him on anything. He had been offered a contract. He had been traded. There was a lot going on and it was personal. All I can do is support him. He called me up and he was in tears saying he was signing with the Cubs. I was happy for him. We will be close forever.”