CENTER FIELD :: Teeball, the Dustin Pedroia Way

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Teeball, the Dustin Pedroia Way

Dustin Pedroia has a long memory. And he definitely remembers last April, when his batting average was sub-Mendoza, and a certain Gary Tanguay (of Comcast Sports Net) declared Dustin to be in a "slump". THE 'S' WORD. Gary had to eat some crow when Dustin not only turned his skid around -- but won the AL Rookie of the Year. And Dustin had a little treat to remind Gary of the "motivational speaking" he'd given to Dustin.

Dustin teamed up with the Comcast crew to present Gary with a video in his honor when Dustin visited the Spring Training Edition set in Ft. Myers on Wednesday -- a video showing Dustin teeing off using baseballs plastered with Gary's face.

Smacking long bombs using Gary's face, Dustin's asked if it's more satisfying to knock the cover off the ball, or knock Gary's face. Dustin says, "Pretty much, Gary's face."

Not content with that, they plastered Gary's mug on a festive pinata, and Dustin swung away- first decapitating the pinata/Gary head, and then blasting the pinata body to bits. As Red Sox Monster noted, "You mess with the small-fry and it's gonna get salty, Tanguay."

Afterwards, Dustin presented Gary with one of the Gary-face balls and the Gary pinata head, and autographed them both.

And of course, you know I have video for you:

video courtesy of Comcast

I also have video of the rest of Dustin's interview segment on Comcast after the jump - as always, Tanguay and Felger are a great interview tag-team, and Dustin is hilarious as always.

video courtesy of Comcast

photos credit: Comcast

Comments (21)

[ mhcranberry ] says:
on February 23, 2008 3:52 PM

I'm just going to copy and paste some of an email I wrote to fc just last night...

"WOW. Watching Sports Tonight...

I HATE FREAKIN GARY TANGUAY.

I hate his smarmy voice.
I hate his patronizing tone, especially when he uses it with Paps.
I hate the shorts he's wearing while interviewing Theo--too short and bunching up in the crotchal region.
I hate his hair.

God, he is the biggest tool on the planet. When does Dickerson or whatever his name is come back?"

Clearly Pedroia and I understand one another on a cosmic level.

YOU GO DUSTIN. Keep on hammering those Tanguay balls, you deliciously vengeful ass-kicker.

[ jules ] says:
on February 23, 2008 3:57 PM

heheeeee...mhcrangerry, that made me laugh. I haven't seen this Tanguay, but am curious.

Pedroia is hysterical--just love the guy.

I'm sooooooooooooooo procrastinating doing our taxes. I'll have to watch the video when I'm done.

[ Casey ] says:
on February 23, 2008 4:51 PM

I love that that kid is on our side.

[ mouse ] says:
on February 23, 2008 7:00 PM

Hilarious, and so typical. Pedroia could probably do stand up if he ever wanted to take up another career when he's done with baseball.

[ Kara ] says:
on February 23, 2008 8:00 PM

He's a Lost fan!

(I hate that I get so excited about stupid things like this)

[ jenny again ] says:
on February 23, 2008 10:41 PM

i almost can't believe this, but i actually saw the original s-word interview back in april (like, the one time i was watching channel 52 all summer) and watching dustin bristle, man, that was priceless at the time; even i got indignant on his behalf. nice to see the smug little bastard get his revenge. god, i love him.

you're the best, TG.

[ mhcranberry ] says:
on February 24, 2008 12:50 AM

Can I just say--after the pinata head is knocked off--

"I haven't hit anyone's head like that in a long time."

Uhhhh...

But seriously, Gary's VOICE with Dustin? "Two weeks, two days... Dustin, you're in BOSTON, okay, you're playing in a fishbowl."

Like he's some kind of child who needs to be reminded that he's a big kid now and he shouldn't be wetting the bed anymore. At least let the guy defend himself without scolding him. In fact, don't scold him at all, because it makes you look like an asshole.

Jesus Christ it makes me want to THROTTLE HIM.

[ mhcranberry ] says:
on February 24, 2008 12:54 AM

To be fair, I might add...

I may or may not have experienced many instances when I go home thinking "you know what, I'm going to do everything possible to prove this guy/girl/professor/coworker/boss/random person on the street" so I may be overidentifying with Dusty here.

Maybe.

But Tanguay is still a turd. I hope Papelbon gives him an atomic wedgie on the Scoop this year. No... I hope he gives him TWO.

[ Liza ] says:
on February 24, 2008 1:08 AM

It would be really, really nice to have my own batting cage, if only for the purpose of being able to play tee-ball with A-Rod's head.

Thanks for the idea, Dusty!

[ njdevils ] says:
on February 24, 2008 12:38 PM

That's awesome, Kara!
Dustin's a LOST fan?
Just when I thought he couldn't get any better, I find out that he likes the best show ever.
Thanks for making me love him even more! :)

[ Rachel O ] says:
on February 24, 2008 1:20 PM

Yay Lost!
That's a great idea-I can't believe it isn't used more often. Every player's gotta have that one person that they just can't stand. So put their head on a ball in Spring Training and let the fun begin!

[ jules ] says:
on February 25, 2008 8:17 AM

*Finally* had time to watch the videos.

Lost fan, eh? Love him even more. I love Jack's occasional comments on not believing the Sox won the Series. heeheee

[ Lyndsay ] says:
on February 25, 2008 1:37 PM

this year I really want to get a Pedroia shirt, but instead of saying Pedroia on the back, it's gonna say Scrappy and then his #. cuz he's just my Scrappy. where can I get that sh-t customized, anyone know?

speaking of which...I think Wes Welker and Pedroia should have some kind of short scrappy guy face-off. I think it would be cuter than the Puppy Bowl! cant you just imagine it?

[ Texas Gal ] says:
on February 25, 2008 1:43 PM

I can see Dustin going all Tasmanian Devil if he heard anyone call him "cute". He'd just start throwing around directionless haymakers.

[ mhcranberry ] says:
on February 25, 2008 2:36 PM

As a short person, being called "cute" just based on the height thing is pretty aggravating. Drives me CRAZY...

And the truth is, just designating him as "scrappy" kind of undermines him. He's an adult with tremendous skill that he's worked hard for... yes, he's scrappy, but more importantly he's tough and hard-working as anyone I have ever seen. Scrappy is just a side note on someone like Pedroia. The man played with a broken wrist... that isn't scrappy, that's astoundingly gutsy.

[ Texas Gal ] says:
on February 25, 2008 2:45 PM

"Scrappy" is a word mainstream writers use to describe a short person. Actually, they use it to describe EVERY short person. I use "scrappy" now in a totally mocking, ironic sense - because it's the hallmark of a lazy sportswriter.

It's the same laziness that leads to them comparing every single short person-- as though just because two players are shorter, they're automatically a lot alike. "Dustin Pedroia is just like David Eckstein!" Yes, if by "just like" you mean that Dustin Pedroia is twice the offensive player than Eckstein could ever hope to be.

[ mhcranberry ] says:
on February 25, 2008 3:10 PM

I know it wasn't meant to be derogatory, but I also think it's easy to go too far with the "scrappy" and "cute" stuff.

Also, I like to call him David EckSTINK because I'm in 5th grade.

[ Liza ] says:
on February 25, 2008 4:37 PM

I hate being called "cute". It's almost a derogatory term when you're talking to someone younger than you. And I get it a lot. I hate it.

I just love Dusty, though. He's hardworking and dedicated and gutsy (to steal cranberry's word), as well as about my height, so he's just awesome.

[ Lyndsay ] says:
on February 26, 2008 9:49 AM

wow - I had no idea I was offending so many short people on here!

[ Texas Gal ] says:
on February 26, 2008 11:24 AM

I don't think you offended anybody - I think your comments made us all think of all the sportswriters that piss us off!

[ Bethany ] says:
on April 24, 2008 6:55 PM

awwwwww. I'm jealous. I want a signed ball from Dustin. That would be so cool. That guy is like my all time hero.

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