More Medals: Pedroia wins AL ROY; 3 Sox in top 6

The diminutive second baseman becomes Boston's first ROY in a decade Not known for the longball, Pedroia hit a couple of big blasts in the postseason

From people clamoring for him to be replaced by Alex Cora (did that really happen?) to becoming a clutch offensive catalyst and pee-wee sized postseason hero, Dustin Pedroia's season certainly ran the gamut from unnerving to invaluable.

Now the kid has something to quiet all those cries that he's too...fill in the blank (short, free-swinging, weak-armed...) to make it in the majors.

The 5'9'-ish 23-year-old second baseman became Boston's first Rookie of the Year since Nomar Garciaparra swept us off our feet in 1997, and the vote wasn't even close; Pedroia easily outpointed Tampa Bay's Delmon Young, 132-56, and he garnered 24 of the 28 first place votes available.

Dustin's unexpected meteoric rise to the top 5 of the Nation's faves list has been an achievement that is nearly Disney-esque in its cliche-filled sappiness.

Picture this: undersized overachiever is told by players, scouts, and coaches at all levels of the game that he is too small, doesn't have the prototypical tools necessary to make it very far as a baseball player.

Kid ignores all objections, takes his sluggers' swing and sailor's swagger to the big leagues, shakes off early-season slump and catcalls for his manager to replace him in the lineup, goes on to bat over .300 (.317), provides excellent defense, and goes on to tear it up in the playoffs, batting .283 with 2 homers and 10 ribbies in the playoffs, including a herculean .385 in the ALCS.

So the kid with the wind-producing swing and "I think I can" demeanor triumphed against all odds, becoming just the sixth Sox player to win the award and fourth second baseman ever, leading his team to a World Series sweep while riding the wave of Boston sports mania that has people treating him like the son they wish they had.

Did I forget to mention that he's played with a broken bone in his hand since early September?

Yeah, he's a gamer.

And a World Champion.

And now he's the American League's Rookie of the Year for 2007.
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Not to be forgotten, preseason ROY favorite Daisuke Matsuzaka finished fourth in the balloting, behind Pedroia, Young and Kansas City pitcher Brian Bannister, and fellow BoSox and Japanese countryman Hideki Okajima also shocked a lot of people this season and finished 6th in the voting.

Not bad. Three of the top six rookies of the year, a Gold Glover, a World series MVP, and a Cy Young winner to follow.

No wonder everyone hates us.