Quotes from Dustin Pedroia's MVP Award press conference

November 18, 2008

On what this award means to him... "I'm definitely excited, it was a tremendous year. Just to be considered with the five or six guys that I'd heard could win this award it's definitely an honor. With [Kevin] Youk[ilis], [Justin] Morneau, [Joe] Mauer, there are so many guys and to win this award is a huge accomplishment."<separator></separator>On teammate and MVP nominee Kevin Youkilis... "He actually text messaged me this morning. He just got back from Mexico. He got married and was on his honeymoon. We talked for a couple of minutes. I did something in Boston today on a show and they were thinking it was some kind of competition between him and I or something but me and Youk, we are extremely good friends. He is just as deserving to win this award as I am. To watch him everyday and to see the player he is, he is only going to get better and it's definitely great because he is on our team."<separator></separator>On if winning the AL MVP award was a goal for him... "I really don't have goals that I set. I'm the type of player that I just try to come out and help my team win and every single day and going into each season I don't really set expectations or anything, I just want to try and help our team win a championship. That was my job when I got called up and it's going to continue to be my job. They aren't relying on me to hit 30 home runs or drive in 100 RBIs; my job is to get on base and start our offense and play great defense."<separator></separator> On how much influence ASU Coach <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/murphy_pat00.html">Pat Murphy</a> had on him... "A ton. I think I grew up as person playing college baseball and there are a lot of people I owe and he's definitely at the top of the list. My family, obviously, has helped me, my high school coaches, Coach Murphy, my wife; all of my family stuck by me. It wasn't easy my first month getting into the big leagues--I struggled--and you rely on those people that love you to help you get out of it."<separator></separator>On what it means to him to represent the ASU Baseball program... "It's an honor. I was given an opportunity to come here and play college baseball and I really didn't know what to expect being from a small town outside Sacramento. I started to grow up here and become a man and I live here now and this is my home, so it's pretty special for me to still see these guys and to have a great relationship with all of them.<separator></separator>On being told he wouldn't succeed... "I hear that all the time. I've heard it from a young age that I'm not big enough to play, that I'm not fast enough, that I'm not strong enough, all of that stuff. I've heard that since high school, but I got recruited to come play at Arizona State and I had a good career here and I got drafted and I thought `You know I don't see any difference between me or any other guy'. I try not to look at my size or anything like that. If I could out-hustle the other guy then it will make up for me being smaller than them, or do the little things to help my team win and to overcome my size. I've been able to do that this far in my career and hopefully I will be able to continue doing it."<separator></separator>On how it feels to be on par with legends such as Cal Ripken Jr., etc... "This game for me is my life; it's fun. Everyday I play I never take it for granted. I go out there and play as hard as I can everyday. I've done that since I was a little kid and I've stayed that way my whole life so I've always looked up to guys like that, like Cal Ripken and all of them. It's been just so much fun for me to play in the major leagues and yet be successful and help the Red Sox win. It's unbelievable for me."<separator></separator>On if he expected to have so much success in only two years in the MLB... "Not really. In 2007 after we won the World Series, that is as special as it can get: winning a championship and having that time with your teammates. That's why I play, is to win. There is nothing like winning a championship. It makes you feel better than anything in your life, so hopefully we can do that again next year."<separator></separator>On winning the MVP award and playing for the Boston Red Sox... "It's just an honor to put on that uniform. To say that I play for the Boston Red Sox is an accomplishment in itself and to win the MVP award and just to be mentioned in those guys' names; I honestly never thought in a million years that I would win the MVP, but I had a great season and it's just unbelievable. I want to thank my teammates because those guys pushed me every single day. I might give them grief a lot, but they definitely pushed me to be the best I can."<separator></separator>On if he thought he'd be MVP, given the talent in the clubhouse... "No, not at all. The biggest thing for me is that when we entered the season and everyone was asking me `what about the sophomore slump?' and all that stuff, my main focus was to try and help us get back to the World Series and to try and win another championship. All that negativity and stuff, I try to put it out of my mind and focus on my job and what I need to do to help the Red Sox win games. I relied on everyone to help me through that. By playing for the Red Sox you're not just on a team, you're a family. We all care about each other and we're all wanting to accomplish the same thing. It's a pretty special group of guys."<separator></separator>On where he'll put all of his awards... "I don't know. Right now we're trying to get a game room together, so maybe we'll put all of that stuff in there. It's pretty exciting. I never thought this would ever happen. It's definitely taken a lot of hard work to get where I am right now and I know it's going to take even harder work to stay here."