As the Red Sox begin the process of finding a new manager, perhaps the most useful service we can provide is crossing some names off the list.
First up: Dustin Pedroia.
The former MVP is home in Arizona rehabbing the knee injury that is probably going to end his career, and some have speculated that he could serve as a sort of player-manager following the dismissal of his good friend Alex Cora.
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This possibility was put to team president Sam Kennedy on Wednesday, and he couldn't help but laugh.
"Sorry to laugh out loud," he said, "but I don’t know what Dustin’s long-term goals are. I know he would tell you he could do it and he’s probably ready tomorrow. But I'm not sure that’s in the cards for 2020."
Kennedy meant no disrespect to Pedroia, a franchise icon and three-time champion who seemed on his way to a Hall of Fame career until injuries interceded. Still, with the Red Sox looking to pick up the pieces following Cora's shocking departure, they're unlikely to tab a player on their 40-man roster with no experience and no expressed interest in the job.
Pedroia has already said that he expects to need a knee replacement down the line. For now, he's trying to figure out how to find a quality of life that will allow him to play with his kids. Jumping into Cora's old office would only impede that process.
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Kennedy went on to say that he "wouldn't rule anything out," but let's take his gut reaction as the telling sign that it was -- the 36-year-old Pedroia isn't a realistic candidate.