Small Talk: Will Middlebrooks Appreciates Dustin Pedroia’s Pranks

While Red Sox third baseman Will Middlebrooks no longer is a rookie, he still had a lot to learn from his Q&A with kids last year. Here are five questions and answers with Will.

1. Do you have any advice on how to talk to a cute girl?

Will: Just be yourself, have fun, smile and they’ll come chasing you.

2. What’s your favorite planet?

Will: I would like to say Earth because that’s where we live, but I’m going to go out on a limb and say Mars because if there’s ever a space movie, it’s always about Mars.

3. Who is your favorite football player?

Will: I have two. One is backup quarterback for the New England Patriots, Ryan Mallett. He’s one of my best friends — go Ryan. And LaMichael James, who I played with in high school. I have to say they’re my two favorite players or they’ll kill me.

4. Do you play pranks on your teammates?

Will: I don’t know if this is a prank or not, but I had to dress up as Dorothy from “The Wizard of Oz” last year and walk to the train station and ride the train all the way to New York. Then I got dropped off in Times Square wearing a Dorothy outfit, so I guess that goes as a prank.

5. Who is the biggest prankster on the Red Sox?

Will: Dustin Pedroia is a pretty good one. He loves messing with people. I think he has little-man syndrome, so he has to make himself feel better, but we’ve got a new guy, Ryan Dempster, and I hear he’s got some stuff up his sleeve, and I’m ready to see it.