The World Baseball Classic has taken its first casuality of the Red and Sox variety, Dustin Pedroia:
Dustin Pedroia suffered a strained left oblique muscle, though word is the strain was mild, according to a baseball source. Pedroia is expected back in Fort Myers, Fla., tonight -- he is coming from Miami, where he is with Team USA for the WBC -- where Red Sox team doctors will examine the second baseman.
"I was hitting extra yesterday and kind of felt some soreness," Pedroia told reporters in Miami today. "Started taking flips today and I kind of felt a shooting pain a little bit. Our hitting coach, Reggie Smith, said, 'Hey, that's it. Go get checked out.' Our trainer obviously called the Red Sox and I'll get checked out by the doctors there. I think it's more precautionary than anything. Obviously I'm upset. It's a couple of days and I'll be back tomorrow after I get checked out. I'll continue playing. It's up to the Red Sox. I don't really have a say in that matter."
Let's not get too worried just yet. This is Pedroia we're talking about. He might just walk into the locker room, look at his oblique and yell, "YOU ARE NOT SORE! YOU ARE NOT WEAK! YOU WILL LEAD ME TO ANOTHER MVP AND WORLD SERIES TROPHY!" And poof. Oblique is healthy again.
It's possible, right?