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FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The Red Sox had a big lead in last years opener at Yankee Stadium. Still, Dustin Pedroia slid headfirst trying to beat out his grounder. Bad decision, especially with Boston ahead 8-2 in the ninth inning. The win-at-all-costs second baseman tore a ligament in his left thumb, then missed just two games the rest of the season. "It was the most impressive thing I watched all year. The thumb was totally black," third-base and infield coach Brian Butterfield said Monday. "He didnt want anybody to know about it." So its not surprising that Pedroia downplayed how much it bothered him. "A little bit, but its fine now," he said. "Its fixed up, man. Its good. Its good to go." Pedroia had surgery to repair his torn ulnar collateral ligament 14 days after the Red Sox won the World Series in Game 6 against St. Louis. He wore a cast for about a month. Then he worked on regaining his strength. And on Monday he took batting practice three days before the first official full-squad workout. His attitude, typically, is upbeat. "The rehab was great," Pedroia said. "I feel healthy and theres no setbacks, no restrictions or anything." The Red Sox won their second title in four years in 2007 and Pedroia was named AL rookie of the year. In 2008, he was the leagues MVP, but the Red Sox lost the AL championship series despite leading 1-0 in Game 7 through three innings against Tampa Bay. "That was a huge letdown," Pedroia said. "You dont want that feeling." He tried to keep that from happening last year when the Red Sox were in first place through the first 34 games. He was hitting .311 at that point and wasnt about to take time off because of his thumb with so much at stake. Pedroia did even better in the next 10 games. He went 18 for 40 to raise his average to .343. "The first month and a half he hit with one hand and he played with one hand," Butterfield said, "but he never even blinked. Hes so impressive in so many ways and he showed unbelievable toughness." His average never dropped below .291 for the season and he ended at .301 while leading the AL with 724 plate appearances. He tied for second in the AL in hits and was second in the league in fielding percentage among second basemen. The only games he took off were on June 16 and in the regular-season finale Sept. 29. The Red Sox lost both. Pedroias injury reduced his power and he hit just nine homers, the fewest since he had eight in his rookie season. But he compensated by taking shorter swings and hitting more to the opposite field. "We had half of him, but he fought through it and he still was a highly productive player," Butterfield said. "He just kept playing and kept grinding and didnt flinch once. He never complained and just tried to find every way he could to make his game the most comfortable because I know early on he was playing with a lot of pain." Not that Pedroia would admit it. "You just figure it out," he said. "You just try to get hits, man. Thats it." With the Red Sox not re-signing shortstop Stephen Drew, Pedroia has a new double-play partner in rookie Xander Bogaerts. Pedroia knows hell find a way to make that work, too. "We all take ground balls a lot," he said. "Bogeys going to be fine. (Butterfield) will make sure that everybodys on the same page in the infield and our defence. We know what were doing." Healthy or not, Pedroia showed that he certainly does. And Butterfield still raves about that. "I get chill bumps when I start talking about him," Butterfield said. "He does anything that he can to try to win a game. Hes as tough as they come." NOTES: Manager John Farrell said Grady Sizemore will be used in left and centre field during spring training. The former Cleveland Indian missed the past two seasons with knee and back problems. Jackie Bradley Jr. is getting the first shot at replacing Jacoby Ellsbury, now with the New York Yankees, in centre field. Daniel Nava and Jonny Gomes are back after sharing left field last year. ... LHP Jon Lester said it would be "great" if he could get a contract extension in spring training but hes focusing on preparing for the season. The club picked up his $13 million option for 2014. Nmd_r2 Sko Norge . The 6-foot-10 centre who won an NBA title with the Miami Heat was voted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Monday, adding that honour to becoming a board member at his alma mater. Adidas Nmd Salg . Thats exactly what happened. And they enjoyed every moment. Durant remained sizzling with 33 points, Serge Ibaka added 22 and the Thunder roared back from an abysmal start -- they trailed 22-4 early -- to embarrass the Miami Heat 112-95 on Wednesday night, erasing that big deficit out of the gate by outscoring the two-time defending champions by 43 points over a 33-minute span. http://www.nmdnorgesalg.com/ .J. -- Richard Sherman, Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch deservedly draw the attention for what theyve done in getting the Seattle Seahawks to the Super Bowl. Adidas Nmd Xr1 Norge . For one, he still gets to crank the intensity to the max. "I push pretty angry. I ran pretty angry too though, but I have fun doing it," Lumsden said. Ultra Boost Norge . -- Having already fallen behind because of the NFL lockout, Blaine Gabbert couldnt afford a lengthy holdout.BUFFALO, N.Y. - NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell expressed optimism that the Bills will remain in Buffalo and suggested the franchise will need a new stadium to ensure its long-term viability. In calling the Bills recently negotiated 10-year lease agreement a "short-term solution," Goodell on Wednesday said a new stadium would be the next step in finding "the right long-term solution." "We all want to focus and get that stadium built," Goodell said. "Im confident well get there." Goodell spoke during a pre-NFL draft event in New York City, and his comments were provided in a transcript released by the NFL. Goodell said hes had numerous discussions with perspective owners and public officials regarding the Bills, whose future is uncertain after the teams owner and founder Ralph Wilson died in March. The Bills will be put up for sale, opening the possibility of a new owner eventually relocating the franchise. The commissioner shed light on what the NFLs approach will be in determining the next Bills owner and the franchises status in western New York. Goodell said there would potentially be two votes taken by NFL owners. The first would approve sale of the team to the prospective owner selected by Wilsons estate. If necessary, a separate vote would be required to approve any relocation of the franchise. "We are making those two separate votes," Goodell said. "The intention is that whoever buys the team will make the team work in western New York." The Bills are essentially locked into playing at Ralph Wilson Stadium through the end of the 2019 season under the terms of the lease the franchise reached with the state and Erie County in December 2012. The Bills would inncur a $400 million penalty by broaching the prospect of moving during the leases term.ddddddddddddThere is a one-time exception that would allow the Bills to break the lease for just under $28.4 million in 2020. Goodell became the first to publicly suggest the Bills will require a new stadium. Previously, Bills officials and state and local leaders have called that a possibility, while not ruling out the potential of making more renovations to Ralph Wilson Stadium, which opened in 1973. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has already recognized the likelihood of the Bills needing a new facility. On Tuesday, he state hired AECOM, a California-based architectural and design firm, to identify three or four sites across the region that could serve as the teams new home. AECOM officials will begin touring sites on Monday and have until July 11 to produce a feasibility study to be distributed to prospective ownership groups. Sites could potentially include Buffalo as well as Niagara Falls. The study will include estimates on the facilitys revenue-generating potential through seats, suites, sponsorship, parking and concessions. The firm also will study the potential for developing real estate around the potential stadium sites, and consider the benefits and costs of building a stadium with a retractable roof. It has not been determined how the cost of a new stadium would be divided. Officials believe having the framework of a new stadium plan in place would help represent the regions commitment to keeping the Bills to a new owner and the NFL. The state has stepped up its timetable because of the possibility a new owner could be selected by Wilsons estate by the end of July and presented for approval at league meetings in October. ' ' '