Alex Gonzalez is now a member of the Toronto Blue Jays. Marco Scutaro is drawing interest from several teams, including the Red Sox. Jed Lowrie is promising, but he is returning from a wrist injury and has yet to play a full season. Boston's shortstop situation is once again in flux, and now there is a new possible solution - Dustin Pedroia.
According to Peter Gammons, the Red Sox have approached Pedroia about playing shortstop in 2010. In Gammons' article, Pedroia says, ""They've asked me if I think I could play shortstop. They've put it out there and I've told them I'm all for it. I can do it. I can't wait for Tito [Terry Francona] to call me and ask, 'Can you do it?' I can do it. I really want to do it."
As Gammons writes, the move would be short-term, at least until 19-year-old Cuban phenom Jose Iglesias is major league ready. The idea is intriguing. Pedroia was a shortstop at Arizona State and played the position in the minors. He would likely be similar to Lowrie at shortstop, steady but not spectacular. He would not be slick like Gonzalez, but he would make the routine plays, much like Derek Jeter. By moving Pedroia to shortstop, the Sox could bring in a second baseman like Orlando Hudson or Brandon Phillips. Both players are adequate defensively and can hit, and they would be an upgrade over having Scutaro at shortstop.
It will be an interesting December for the Sox. Will they bring back Jason Bay, sign Matt Holliday or find another left fielder? Will they find a trade partner for Mike Lowell? Will they sign John Lackey and then package Clay Buchholz to San Diego for Adrian Gonzalez? Or will they work a deal with Toronto for Roy Halladay. And then there is that pesky shortstop situation that now has a new and interesting twist.
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