Dustin Pedroia will remain on the Hall of Fame ballot next year, but it's going to be an uphill battle to get his call to Cooperstown.

Last year at this time, Joe Mauer was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year on the ballot. And I — well, my ego — needed to grieve. In all my self righteousness garnered through 15 years covering MLB as a reporter,

Dustin Pedroia didn’t come close to being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame Tuesday, but his showing the first time on the ballot should be perceived as sizable achievement.