FORT MYERS, Fla. — For the most part, every player I’ve approached this spring with the 20 or so questions that make up The P-DQ has gamely taken the time to answer them. Sometimes they breeze through them with short, precise answers. Sometimes they labor over them, crafting an answer. Often they draw a crowd of teammates who encourage or needle their answers.

And then there was Dustin Pedroia.

The Boston Red Sox second baseman, reigning American League MVP and star of what we both agreed is a “sick” commercial for a new baseball video game, is pelting the Cardinals with base hits as I write this. He doubled off the left-field wall in the first inning. He drilled a fly ball to deep center in the second and he just bruised third baseman David Freese with a sharp, infield-single grounder in the fifth inning. Lasers all of them. “Rockets,” in his lingo.

While he got on his uniform this morning, he agreed to take some cuts at The P-DQ questions that you’ll see below and some others that will be used later. Teammate Kevin Youkilis, having just answered the questions, egged him on in some regards and helped explain some of the questions. “Sorry about him,” Youkilis said at one point. “You need somebody to interpret the question for him.”

Eventually, Pedroia wanted to just cut to the chase. And he gave an answer that was as direct, unabridged and pointed as his swings. It was refreshing … and revealing. And that’s the purpose of this exercise, anyway right? The P-DQ with the AL MVP …

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Advice you received from a parent that stays with you is …

Stay in school, don’t be a tool.

A memorable Christmas or holiday gift you received?

A BMX bike

The word or phrase you use too often is …

“Sick.”

Favorite superhero?

That’s not really my thing. But we’ll say, Batman.

Best baseball movie?

“Major League”

Your greatest achievement?

Winning the MVP.

Your current State of mind?

Happy.

Favorite ballplayer growing up?

Barry Bonds

First car?

Ford Ranger

Current car?

A Hummer.

You know you’re in the minors when …

The pants they give you look like bellbottoms.

I wish I knew how to …

Speak Spanish.

Your greatest fear?

Plane crash.

Your greatest extravagance or indulgence?

I hit rockets dude. I don’t give a (peanut) about any of this other stuff. I want to be honest with. I like playing baseball. I like going home and watching videos. I like hitting (dadgum) rockets.

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Previous P-DQ: Adam Wainwright … CC Sabathia … Skip Schumaker … David Wright … Brian Barton … Ryan Ludwick. … Ryan Franklin. … Brad Lidge … Chris Carpenter. … Brandon Phillips. … Todd Wellemeyer.

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