October 23, 2007

Dustin Pedroia: Ready for prime time player
By SEAN SWABY/Democrat sports Writer

As Dustin Pedroia flipped his bat and watched his two-run home run sail over Fenway Park's green monster in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series, two of his former coaches were hardly surprised by his late-game heroics.

For them, it was a familiar scene.

It was in 2000 - Pedroia's junior year at Woodland High School - when former and current Wolves coaches Rob Rinaldi and Javy Valdivia knew that they were watching something special.

The Wolves were playing in the Best of the West Easter Classic in the consolation final against nationally-ranked Clovis West of Fresno. Under the lights at Cal State Fullerton's famed Goodwin Field, Woodland found itself trailing 3-1 in the seventh inning with Pedroia at the plate.

After falling behind to a 0-2 count with two runners on, Pedroia repeatedly fouled balls off.

"It was probably the best high school at bat I've ever seen," said Valdivia, then an assistant with the Wolves. "With the intensity of that game, the quality of that team and on that stage, it was amazing."

Then Pedroia slammed a ball that soared over the left field wall and the Wolves went on to win 4-3.

Sounds familiar, right?

"Obviously it was a bit smaller scale, but it was a lot like the one he hit (Sunday) night," said Rinaldi of the home run, now Pleasant Grove's head coach. "It was even the same pattern of flight."

On Woodland's only previous run against Clovis West, Pedroia tagged up from third base and scored on a pop up in foul territory down the first base line.

"He basically scored every run - he single-handily beat Clovis," Valdivia said.

After giving the Wolves the lead, he preserved it by turning a difficult double play.

"It was a spectacular play, most guys couldn't make that play," Rinaldi said.

Valdivia never doubted Pedroia's talent, but after that day, he knew his shortsop was destined for big things.

"That was the first time that I said to myself 'Dustin is going to keep going and going and going,'" he said. "Nothing was going to stop him, and obviously he hasn't."

Rinaldi was impressed immediately when he watched a 10-year-old Pedroia practice with the Woodland's varsity team, which includedDustin's older brother, Brett.

"He was such a confident athlete, he fit in with the older guys right away," Rinaldi said. "He would be out there trading barbs back and forth and didn't back down from anyone - he's so competitive at everything."

From taking grounders ad a Little Leaguer to having an intense battle of cribbage with his manager Terry Francona, its Pedroia's competitive nature that sets him apart, according to Valdivia.

"Obviously he has a great work ethic, he's the kind of player that wanted to take extra ground balls and take extra throws in the batting cage," he said. "He always wanted to better himself - he's the kind of guy that doesn't accept mediocrity."

"Anything he does, he's going to want to beat you at it."

Rinaldi, who had a "good" conversation with Pedroia before the ALCS, hasn't been surprised by his success for quite some time.

"It's just his personality, he takes over the team wherever he goes. We had a lot of strength in our middle infield his first season in high school. As soon as I saw him I knew he was my shortstop and whoever else was there was going to have to surround him."

"When he got to Arizona State he was just this little freshman and they weren't really counting on him to do anything and he immediately owned that locker room."

Now, perhaps more than ever, it's Woodland's undivided attention that he owns.

"Everybody in this community is behind him," Valdivia said. "I'm sure this upcoming week all of Woodland is going to be glued to the TV watching him. Obviously it's great for the community because it's not something that happens every day. It's very rare and it couldn't have happened to a better individual, not just a great player, but a great individual."