Dustin Pedroia has his sights on 'the moon' in 2012. (AP)

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Dustin Pedroia is ready.

The second baseman in his sixth year with the Red Sox is ready for a new outlook, new manager and new feel in 2012.

And he’s come up with a new catch-phase.

On his way out Wednesday, Pedroia, who spent seven hours shooting a Sullivan Tire commercial Tuesday, said he was on a mission.

“Heading out to hit cage bombs, going to the moon,” Pedroia said.

What was his offseason training like?

“I was trying to straight body build, man,” he said without cracking a smile. “That’s basically it, and hit cage bombs.”

Before that, he spent several minutes talking about why he feels good coming into this season.

“We’re going to play good baseball,” Pedroia said of the fundamental approach of new skipper Bobby Valentine. “I’m excited, I’m excited to go play. Last year, the end was tough but we have to regroup together, come out and play good baseball and do it all year long.”

As for Valentine, Pedroia knows he must get accustomed to a new message coming from the manager’s office. He’s ready to start getting a feel for the specifics.

“I’ve been here a day and a half and met him a couple of times but we’ll find out more once camp goes,” Pedroia said. “From what I hear, he’s thinking about baseball non-stop and thinking about fundamentals and trying to get this team where this team needs to be.

“Play the game the right way. That’s basically it. I don’t have answers for what went on last year. Last year is over. It was tough. There’s not a day that goes by I don’t think about it. You have to try and turn the page and come out and play well and play for your teammates. That’s what I’m going to try and do.”

Pedroia knows Valentine will have a different approach than Terry Francona, the manager he would play cribbage and cards with before games.

“It’s different,” Pedroia said. “That’s the only thing I’ve kind of known. Things change. It’s tough to see [Francona] go, especially the way that it ended for us last year. He’ll always be a close friend of mine. Whatever he chooses to do going forward, I’m pulling for him.”

Francona’s absence doesn’t mean Valentine won’t joke with him.

“I talked to him twice,” said the second baseman. “We went out to dinner one time and he called me after I had a little something wrong with my stomach. He was kind of making fun of me.”

Pedroia was asked if he thinks he’s captain material, with Jason Varitek nowhere to be seen [or expected] in this camp.

“I don’t even think about any of that stuff,” Pedroia said. “It’s Day 1 for me. I’m just trying to come out and have a good practice and help the team in any way.

Pedroia enters 2012 with a new tandem at shortstop to learn, as well. Marco Scutaro was traded in January and now it’s up to Mike Aviles and Nick Punto to fill the void.

“It’s going to be fine,” Pedroia said. “Scoot did a great job for us but we’ll have Mike and Nick step up and play good ball for us and we’ll be fine.

“I don’t know some of these guys that well but the guys that we really know each other, we’ll just stick together. The other guys, the more your relationship builds with them, it’ll be that much stronger. We’ll be fine, we’ll be fine.”

With so much new, Pedroia did feel confident about one thing.

“We’re going to come out and play hard, that’s what we do,” he said.