Johnson: Hard work Pedroia’s secret
61-year-old managed second baseman in Pawtucket
PAWTUCKET – Ron Johnson holds the distinction as the PawSox manager who informed Dustin Pedroia that he had been called up by the Boston Red Sox. Eleven years after delivering said news to Pedroia, Johnson still gets chills just thinking about it.
At a time when Pedroia is sizzling both at the plate and in the field, it seemed fitting that the person known in baseball circles as “RJ” is back in town. The affable 61-year-old Johnson is now in his sixth year as the manager of the Norfolk Tides, this weekend’s opponent for Pawtucket.
For five seasons (2005-09), Johnson managed the PawSox. That meant Johnson had a front-row seat to observe Pedroia, who appeared in 162 games spanning the 2005 and 2006 seasons.
Johnson can lay claim to the marvel that is Pedroia before his emergence as one of the game’s premier second basemen, a distinction that’s applicable in Pedroia’s 12th season in the majors.
The fact that Pedroia is still going strong at age 33 – he entered Friday’s game hitting .384 with a .589 slugging percentage in 17 games this month – isn’t surprising to Johnson.
“He’s still the same guy. That’s what makes him great. Not only as a person, but as a player,” Johnson said while sitting in the visiting manager’s office at McCoy Stadium on Thursday. “His heart and desire elevate him over a lot of people. Nothing ever surprises me with what he does. I would never bet against that guy.”
One of the perks of being the Triple-A manager is telling someone to pack his bags because his major-league debut is imminent. In August 2006, the PawSox were in Ottawa when Johnson relayed word to Pedroia that his time in the minors was over.
“I get to pass along the good news on behalf of every minor-league developer – that means every coach and roving coordinator in the organization – that they’re achieving their dream. That’s a special thing,” Johnson said.
“I remember Dustin because he’s such a special player/person. Every good thing that happens to him, he deserves it.
“Looking back, what a great opportunity that I was put into … to be around Dustin Pedroia and be the guy who watched him go up,” Johnson added. “I would like to say I did a lot of things to help him, but the only thing I did for Dustin was write his name in the lineup.”
From time to time, Johnson will let his Norfolk players in on a little secret. Pedroia wasn’t viewed as a blue-chip prospect while he was the property of the PawSox. His determination was off the charts, however.
“He didn’t come rocketing in with a prototype body, someone who measured out at 6-5 and 220 pounds,” Johnson said, “but I never saw Dustin Pedroia take an inning off. He never took one out off. No matter where the ball was hit, he never failed to run it out to first base. He was always ready to play.
“You could go up to Ottawa. Two people would be in the stands and he would be killing himself to try and be the best player he could be. There’s so much respect for that,” Johnson delved further. “How many times do you see a guy hit the ball and cruise to first? I never saw Dustin Pedroia do that.”
Few probably remember that Pedroia was a shortstop when he joined the PawSox.
“He was a little thicker and I thought his arm was short. He was slow,” Johnson said about the 2005 version of Pedroia.
What ensued was a radical transformation that saw Pedroia emerge as the everyday second baseman for the Red Sox.
“He changed his body and became fast,” Johnson said. “This guy made himself to where he is today.”
Johnson relayed a conversation he had with then-Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein. It was a conversation that took place before Pedroia became a household name.
“Theo told me that Dustin Pedroia is going to come to the big leagues, play every day, and hit 40 doubles,” Johnson said.
If Johnson had any doubts about where he stood with Pedroia, they were erased last Christmas when Pedroia phoned his former Triple-A manager.
“He called to tell me that he was watching the movie ‘The Rookie’ and he just wanted to say thanks for all the things I did for him before he got to the big leagues. Who does that?” Johnson said with a hearty chuckle.
When Johnson’s daughter Bridget lost her leg in an unfortunate car accident while riding her horse in 2010 – at the time, Johnson was the first-base coach of the Red Sox – Pedroia through his representatives sent numerous pairs of shoes to the Johnson’s Tennessee home. Whenever the Red Sox and Orioles cross paths in spring training, Pedroia will make it a point to catch Johnson’s attention with an emphatic wave.
Bottom line? The Dustin Pedroia that Ron Johnson once saw up-close on a daily basis hasn’t changed in the slightest bit. That’s why Johnson will always strive to make sure there’s a special place in his heart for Pedroia.
“(Former Red Sox manager Terry Francona) would say this about David Ortiz. As good as a player he is, he’s a better person,” Johnson said. “That’s Dustin Pedroia.”