Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia has been named the AL Most Valuable Player.

“Last year, when I came to spring training, everybody was talking about a sophomore slump,” Pedroia said.

“Next year, in 2009, they’re going to think last year was a fluke. So I’ve got to prepare myself in the off-season to get ready for a long season and try to be good again.”

Pedroia doesn’t look like an amazing athlete but looks can be very deceiving.

“I’m not the biggest guy in the world. I don’t have that many tools,” he said. “If you saw me walking down the street, you wouldn’t think I’m a baseball player.”

Pedroia received 16 of 28 first-place votes cast by members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. He finished 60-points ahead of Minnesota’s first baseman Justin Morneau.