First, this isn't going to be easy. Mostly because of the contract - 4 more years, 56 million, a "limited" no trade clause. But also because he's been here - and been beloved - for so long.
However, in the first year of the post-Ortiz Era, Pedroia verbally asserted himself as "the leader" and then proceeded to shit all over himself, multiple times. The Machado/Baltimore incident, in which he threw his teammates and manager under the bus on the field by shouting "it wasn't me!" The Price/Eck incident, where it festered for so long behind the scenes, Pedroia reportedly egged it on, and then the shameless press conference in which he declared his leadership and then did... nothing. (Well, he did "go home" after asking if he could in order to duck further questions). And finally, arguing balls and strikes in a playoff game to the point where either he or the manager was going to be ejected.
Pedroia thinks of himself as a leader. All evidence suggests that he isn't, or that he sucks in the role. At the very least, he is uncomfortable in it.
Meanwhile, he has played just 437 games of a possible 648 since turning 30. He has (apparently) a knee injury so severe that he's talking as if surgery isn't going to help. Microfracture? For a 34-year old player who relies on his lower half at the plate to generate power, and for his legs to carry him defensively, the prospect of microfracture is scary - not a lot of players have recovered to previous levels of performance afterwards. But even assuming the knee injury is treatable, he has been trending downward for several seasons (with 2016 as a notable exception).
If Pedroia isn't a stellar defensive second baseman who can put up something close to his career averages at the plate - is he a key part of this team moving forward? Can the team import an established "veteran leader" and relegate Pedroia to his preferred role of "lead by example"?
Finally, there will probably be no trade market for a 34-year old who is in decline, is owed more than 50 million dollars, has a bum knee, and a (limited) no-trade clause. In fact, there's really only one logical trade partner - Cleveland. Perhaps Cleveland would be willing to swap Jason Kipnis for Pedroia and a sweetner? Maybe put him on waivers and see if someone bites?
However, in the first year of the post-Ortiz Era, Pedroia verbally asserted himself as "the leader" and then proceeded to shit all over himself, multiple times. The Machado/Baltimore incident, in which he threw his teammates and manager under the bus on the field by shouting "it wasn't me!" The Price/Eck incident, where it festered for so long behind the scenes, Pedroia reportedly egged it on, and then the shameless press conference in which he declared his leadership and then did... nothing. (Well, he did "go home" after asking if he could in order to duck further questions). And finally, arguing balls and strikes in a playoff game to the point where either he or the manager was going to be ejected.
Pedroia thinks of himself as a leader. All evidence suggests that he isn't, or that he sucks in the role. At the very least, he is uncomfortable in it.
Meanwhile, he has played just 437 games of a possible 648 since turning 30. He has (apparently) a knee injury so severe that he's talking as if surgery isn't going to help. Microfracture? For a 34-year old player who relies on his lower half at the plate to generate power, and for his legs to carry him defensively, the prospect of microfracture is scary - not a lot of players have recovered to previous levels of performance afterwards. But even assuming the knee injury is treatable, he has been trending downward for several seasons (with 2016 as a notable exception).
If Pedroia isn't a stellar defensive second baseman who can put up something close to his career averages at the plate - is he a key part of this team moving forward? Can the team import an established "veteran leader" and relegate Pedroia to his preferred role of "lead by example"?
Finally, there will probably be no trade market for a 34-year old who is in decline, is owed more than 50 million dollars, has a bum knee, and a (limited) no-trade clause. In fact, there's really only one logical trade partner - Cleveland. Perhaps Cleveland would be willing to swap Jason Kipnis for Pedroia and a sweetner? Maybe put him on waivers and see if someone bites?