The Woodland People vs. Dustin Pedroia

Last week Deadspin quicklinked to a Boston magazine profile of the Red Sox second baseman, where he characterized A-Rod as a dork and called his hometown of Woodland, California a “dump.” The Woodlandians aren’t happy.

Just to recap, here are the verbal gifts Pedroia gave to writer Tommy Craggs:

Woodland is a bedroom community of more than 50,000 people that lies 20 miles northwest of Sacramento. It is often described as being something out of Our Town, which is an odd point of comparison for a place once known by its early settlers as “By Hell.” “It’s a dump,” says Pedroia, whose parents run a tire store on Main Street and whose family seems to occupy a position in Woodland roughly equivalent to that enjoyed by the Grimaldis in Monaco. “You can quote me on that. I don’t give a shit.” He shakes his head.

Pedroia acknowledges he’s angry with the town for something he won’t specify, though it’s safe to assume it involves his older brother Brett’s arrest, in January, on child-molestation charges. (Brett has pleaded not guilty.) “Everyone wants to get out of there,” he goes on. “You don’t want to stay in Woodland. What do you want to stay in Woodland for? The place sucks. The newspaper there, I don’t really get along with. I come from your town. You should embrace me. I play for the Boston Red Sox. You haven’t had a lot of major-leaguers come out of your city.”

Obviously, this isn’t going to increase Woodland tourism. Well maybe if there is a viable market for depressed individuals looking to visit a bleak and dirty locale that will suck the last ounces of joy from their hearts. Pedroia’s negative comments resulted in many strongly worded letters to the Daily Democrat and local motorcycle businesses purchasing anti-Pedroia signage like this:

But its all fun, games, and civic pride until one person makes a death threat against the Pedroia clan. And that’s what 47-year-old Woodlander Kenneth Samuels did. Of course Pedroia attempted to salvage his relationship with his hometown after he caused such an uproar:

Last year (Woodland) wanted me to be the Grand Marshall of the Christmas parade and I told my dad and one of my closest friends, ‘I love Woodland but I don’t want anyone to think I’m saying, hey, look at me.’ I don’t want people to think I feel I’m better than them. I don’t think my job is any more important than anybody else’s job in Woodland.

Looks like someone just became Grand Marshall of the Christmas parade forever. Pedroia family receives death threats [Fenway West] I Love Woodland’: Dustin apologizes [Daily Democrat]

PHOTO OF PEDROIA SUCKS AT BACHMAN MOTORCYCLES: Matthew Henderson/Woodland Daily Democrat.