April 16, 2003
Pedroia's Career Statistics
TEMPE, Ariz. (www.TheSunDevils.com) -- Arizona State sophomore shortstop Dustin Pedroia was included among 25 players named to the initial watch list for the 2003 Golden Spikes Award, given annually to the nation's top amateur baseball player.
Pedroia (Woodland, Calif.) is having a banner year leading the team hitting .418 (79-for-189) while also leading the Pac-10 with 25 doubles, 115 total bases and 79 hits. The only Sun Devil to start and play in all 45 games, Pedroia has been a key figure to ASU's remarkable 38-7 record in 2003. He ranks third nationally in doubles (0.56 per game) and is only five off the ASU record of 30 set by Chris Bando in 1978.
Having accumulated 28 multi-hit games and three separate hitting streaks of 10 or more games, Pedroia has recorded at least one hit in 42 of ASU's 45 games this year. The 2002 Team USA member was one of only two Pac-10 players to be named to the initial watch list (Carlos Quentin, Stanford). Five finalists will be announced in June, with the winner being revealed in July. Arizona State sophomore first baseman Jeff Larish is also among 175 players around the nation that remain in contention for the prestigious award.
Arizona State has a long tradition of Golden Spikes Award winners as three past Sun Devils have won the award. Bob Horner (1978), Oddibe McDowell (1984) and Mike Kelly (1991) have all won the award. Only Florida State and Cal State Fullerton have matched ASU's legacy also with three winners of the annual Golden Spikes Award. Other past winners include Major League Baseball starts Robin Ventura (Oklahoma State), Mark Kotsay (CS Fullerton), Jason Varitek (Georgia Tech), Phil Nevin (CS Fullerton), Pat Burrell (Miami) and Mark Prior (USC).