Boston Red Sox legend Dustin Pedroia had a surprising take on Manny Ramirez and players who take performance-enhancing drugs.
Give Pedroia credit for not judging a book by its cover, though the former Red Sox second baseman did state that it’s not how he would go about things.
On Ken Rosenthal’s The Athletic Baseball Show podcast, Pedroia revealed he had the opportunity to take performance-enhancing drugs to perhaps extend his career, but passed. At 5-8 and having dealt with numerous knee injuries, a shortcut could’ve helped Pedroia get on the field one last time at the end of his career, rather than retiring.
In terms of his baseball image, Pedroia no doubt did the right thing.
“There’s rules. You know what I mean?” Pedroia said. “Rather than take something health-wise so I could play a longer career…I chose not to do that. I value the game and try to set the right example for my kids. But everybody’s different.”
Red Sox: Dustin Pedroia loved playing with Manny Ramirez
Despite a difference in opinion on performance-enhancing drugs, Pedroia loved playing with former teammate Manny Ramirez.
“I’m not one to judge him or anything like that…playing with Manny, if felt good when he was hitting, I’ll tell you that,” Pedroia said. “You get a little nervous when they hit a fly ball out to left.”
Ramirez tested positive for PEDs in both 2009 and 2011. He remains unapologetic.
“I’m in a better place than I ever been even when I was playing, so I don’t regret it because it made me grow up,” Ramirez claimed, per Yahoo Sports.
Ramirez undoubtedly ruined his reputation — at least in terms of his Hall of Fame chances — when he tested positive for PEDs on multiple occasions. It led to suspensions of 50 games and 100 games, respectively.
Pedroia’s path was a bit different, and Red Sox fans are thankful for that.