Pedroia is as good as Gold

He's first at second in AL

Though 11 days remain until the announcement of the American League Most Valuable Player, Dustin Pedroia has already gotten some good news on the hardware front. The Red Sox second baseman was awarded his first Gold Glove yesterday for a season in which steady defense gave way to the spectacular at times.

"I really didn't think much about it," Pedroia said on a conference call. "I was kind of still a little upset after the way the season ended, watching the World Series. I'm definitely excited. I've been getting text messages all day."

With a .992 fielding percentage and just six errors in 733 chances, Pedroia outdistanced his closest competition, Oakland's Mark Ellis, to become the second Sox second baseman to win the Gold Glove. Doug Griffin won in 1972.

Pedroia's fielding percentage this season was the third highest for a Sox second baseman, after Mark Loretta (.994 in 2006) and Bobby Doerr (.993 in 1948). Over his last 91 games in 2008, Pedroia had just one error.

Ellis had a higher fielding percentage (.993) and fewer errors (four), but just 568 total chances. And in some ways, Ellis might have helped Pedroia.

Pedroia spent much of his time before games this season preparing defensively, including extensive video work with first base and infield coach Luis Alicea, who has since been let go by the organization. Among the second basemen Pedroia studied were Roberto Alomar and Fernando Vina, as well as Ellis.

"Luis Alicea helped me out a ton; Alex Cora," Pedroia said. "Just preparing me to move from shortstop to second base [which he did before the 2007 season]. We definitely took a ton of ground balls in trying to get better. In the last couple years, I think I've proven [to] myself I can be a great defender in this league. All that paid off.

"I pretty much watched everybody. See how their footwork was, where the feeds were. Just pretty much everything. You get better as you get more experience. Since I didn't have any experience, I watched guys who did.

"That was one of my biggest things in the offseason, to become faster and quicker to get some more balls. Make my range better. I'm always back here trying to prevent runs from scoring. A ton better from last year, more mature. Hopefully, I can continue to get better."

More renovations are underway at Fenway Park. B1

Pedroia is a favorite for the MVP award, which will be announced Nov. 18. He batted .326 with 17 home runs and 83 RBIs. He also was the league leader in hits with 213 and runs with 118.

But Pedroia won't be waiting anxiously for the MVP announcement. Instead, he'll be on a plane heading to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Not, apparently, per his own wishes.

"My wife made a vacation for us," Pedroia said. "I've got to go to make her happy."

Pedroia, as a rule, isn't a big fan of individual accomplishments. "It was a great season, but personal goals are not high in my mind," he said. "I would rather have the feeling after '07 [a world championship] than after '08 [elimination in the AL Championship Series]."

Pedroia was the only Red Sox player to win a Gold Glove, following in the footsteps of first baseman Kevin Youkilis, who Pedroia said was disappointed not to earn a second consecutive award. Youkilis was succeeded by Tampa Bay's Carlos Peña.

Vaunted Vaughn
Former Sox slugger Mo Vaughn heads the list of inductees scheduled to be at tonight's Red Sox Hall of Fame Gala. The first baseman spent eight seasons with the Sox, earning three All-Star appearances and the 1995 MVP award when he batted .300 with 39 home runs and 126 RBIs. Vaughn later spent two seasons in Anaheim and two more with the Mets before retiring. Also to be inducted are pitcher Frank Sullivan, infielder Everett Scott, pitcher Bill Lee, executive Ed Kenney Sr., outfielder Mike Greenwell, pitcher Wes Ferrell, and scout George Digby. Two achievements will be saluted as well: Ted Williams's home run in his final at-bat on Sept. 28, 1960, and Curt Schilling's bloody sock performance in Game 6 of the 2004 ALCS. Proceeds benefit the Red Sox Foundation.

Amalie Benjamin can be reached at abenjamin@globe.com.