The Red Sox will honor Dustin Pedroia tonight with a pregame ceremony before starting a three-game series with the Yankees.
Pedroia was forced to retire this February due to a lingering knee injury. The team's first pick in the 2004 Draft (65th overall), Pedroia had a legendary career despite its premature ending.
He was known for being a line drive hitter, a slick fielder, and having more confidence than most players. The 5-7 second baseman believed he should have been taken higher in the 2004 Draft, but upon being selected by the Red Sox he said, "Fuck those other 64 guys. I'm going to the big leagues faster than them anyways."
Huston Street might have beat Pedroia to the big leagues but, other than Justin Verlander, Pedroia will go down as the best player from the 2004 Draft.
Pedroia was the 2007 Rookie of the Year, 2008 MVP, went to four All-Star Games, won four Gold Gloves, and won three World Series titles.
He will one day be enshrined in the Red Sox Hall of Fame, have his #15 retired at Fenway Park, and will have a strong case for enshrinement in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
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The Celtics have named Ime Udoka as the franchise's 18th head coach.
Udoka beat out the likes of Chauncey Billups and Sam Cassell for the job and while he may not be as well known, Brad Stevens may have hit the jackpot on hiring his successor on the bench.
Udoka played professionally for several years. He spent time with the Lakers, Knicks, Trail Blazers, Spurs, and Kings in the NBA while also playing for teams like the Fargo-Moorhead Beez and Fort Worth Flyers along his journey. He has experience playing the game, which should help him connect with his players.
In 2012, Udoka started his coaching career with the Spurs. He earned a reputation as an excellent teacher working under Gregg Popovich in San Antonio, helping the team win the 2014 championship. He spent a season with the 76ers in 2019-20 and was with the Nets this past season. His experiences coaching stars like Tim Duncan, Kawhi Leonard, Joel Embiid, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden should help him working with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the young Celtics stars.
Tatum, Brown, and Marcus Smart all played for Udoka on the 2019 Team USA that competed in the FIBA World Cup, so there is familiarity between them and their new coach. The three were reportedly consulted on Udoka's hiring by Stevens and gave their approval.
Udoka will be tasked with molding a young (and evolving) roster and maximizing the talents of Tatum and Brown to get the Celtics back into championship contention.
While his past experiences do not guarantee success, they are signs that he will be a successful NBA head coach.
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Enjoy Xander Bogaerts tonight.
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