Custom Pedroia Thumb Brace May Prevent DL

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We might have to start calling him RoboChicken. An exotic thumb brace—molded perfectly to fit Dustin Pedroia's batting grip—may keep the Red Sox second baseman from going on the disabled list. We still think this is all bluster—we're talking about a torn abductor muscle here! That's a three-week stint on the DL.

But this is a guy you could easily cast as Monty Python's Black Knight. Can't you just picture Pedroia screaming at his tormentors in the training room?:

"Oh, had enough, eh? Just a flesh wound. Chicken!"

Make no mistake, if there is any possible way for Dustin Pedroia to play for the Boston Red Sox in the next two weeks, it will happen.