Dustin Pedroia, generously listed at 5-foot-7, defied every physical metric to become an AL MVP. Raised in a family tire shop, he shifted fully to baseball after a shattered ankle from a hit by future NFL linebacker Lance Briggs, then hit .445 with zero strikeouts as a senior.

This deep dive follows his second-round draft slide, a rocky debut, Rookie of the Year, a 2008 MVP, the Laser Show persona, relentless play through injuries, and a career effectively ended by a spikes-first slide into his knee.

• Hit .445 with no strikeouts and gave up his scholarship at Arizona State
• Won AL Rookie of the Year in 2007, homering in Game 1 of the World Series
• Won the 2008 AL MVP with a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger
• Played 160 games in 2013 with a torn thumb ligament, winning a second ring
• Career effectively ended ...