Interesting take from Peter Gammons during a national radio hit this morning when the subject of Dustin Pedroia and MVP voting came up. I’ve got to say I agree with Gammo that the overall package (Biggio-like offense, sure-handed defense with a great range and outstanding leadership in the clubhouse) Scrappy Doo provides for the Sox should bestow him with some more American League hardware this season. It's nice that a recent hot streak has plopped him on the national sports radar, but he's been seemingly doing it all season -- and more specifically since he was hitting .260 on June 12.

His numbers look amazing close (except of course for the stolen bases and strikeouts) to the two years that CraigBiggio finished in the top five in NL MVP voting, courtesy of baseball reference. The good news for Pedroia: there is no monster MVP type season from any other AL candidate like the bulked up numbers that Larry Walker and Sammy Sosa enjoyed during the height of Coors Field and Juice Era stats inflation. 

    Year Ag Tm  Lg  G    AB     R    H   2B  3B  HR  RBI  SB CS  BB  SO   BA   OBP   SLG *OPS+  TB   SH  SF IBB HBP GDP

1997 31 HOU NL 162  619  146  191  37  8  22   81  47 10  84 107  .309  .415  .501  143  310   0   7   6  34   0 SS,MVP-4,AS

1998 32 HOU NL 160  646  123  210  51  2  20   88  50  8  64 113  .325  .403  .503  139  325   1   4   6  23  10 SS,MVP-5,AS

Here’s what Gammons had to say:
“If I had to vote right now I would come very close, and I know that sabrmetricians just hate the idea that people that play sports are actually human beings. That’s their obsession. That it’s not a human game, but the energy that [Pedroia] has brought to that team over two years.

I remember last year Terry Francona and John Farrell both told a couple of general manager friends of theirs that the most important player on that team was Dustin Pedroia. What he brings every day: the chip on his shoulder and how he’s taken over on that team ever since the Manny Ramirez deal and has been the best player in the American League since they moved Ramirez off the roster.

I would say, yes. I mean every year of his life he’s had more extra base hits than strikeouts – which is amazing -- and he’s missed four ground balls this entire year. And also what he’s brought to that team defensively, he and Jed Lowrie have been absolutely incredible in the middle of the infield for the Red Sox, which is very important at a time when they don’t have Josh Beckett.

I would say right now that I would vote for him at that position, and I would say yes. I think it’s going to be very close. I love Carlos Quentin but I worry about those injuries. This is the third different injury since he was a freshman at Stanford. Justin Morneau is certainly in it as well, and I think that what happens over the last month will undoubtedly determine it. But right now I would vote for Pedroia."