Red Sox Consider Moving Pedroia to Shortstop

I’m not sure about this one.

It seems like a band-aid fix, but then again, throwing tons of money at Edgar Renteria and Julio Lugo didn’t work out either.

In an interview with ESPN’s Peter Gammons, Dustin Pedroia said he would be all for the move to short.

“They’ve asked me if I think I could play shortstop,” says Pedroia. “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.”

“When the idea of moving back to shortstop was floated to me, I welcomed it,” says Pedroia. “I’m excited. Tell Derek (Jeter) to enjoy the gold glove and silver slugger awards while he can. Obviously, I’m not serious about the fun I have with Derek, but I’m never stopping believing in the goal. I believe I can play shortstop and help get the Red Sox back where they belong.”

Just because Pedroia wants to do it and the Red Sox have flirted with the notion, doesn’t mean it will happen. Pedroia was drafted as a shortstop out of Arizona State University, but hasn’t played the position since 2006 at Pawtucket.

When Pedroia played shortstop for Francona in the Spring Training of 2006, he was too fat and his range left the Red Sox with no choice but to move the kid over to second base.

“Look,” says Pedroia, “I was 20 pounds heavier. I tried to get big and it was a disaster. I know it. It’s all about quickness, agility and flexibility, and I know it.”

Pedroia could be a stop-gap solution if the Sox feel as though their young Cuban defensive whiz of a prospect in Jose Igelasias is just a season away from the big leagues.  There are not a ton of options available, and if Pedroia is to serve as just a bridge, then it might save the Red Sox from throwing money at Marco Scutaro or any of the likes of the following:

Eric Bruntlett (32)  (-1.0 WAR)
Orlando Cabrera (35) – Type A  (0.3 WAR)
Bobby Crosby (30) (-0.7 WAR)
Adam Everett (33) (0.9 WAR)
Nick Green (31) (0.4 WAR)
Khalil Greene (30) (-0.8 WAR)
Jerry Hairston Jr. (34) (1.0 WAR)
Luis Rodriguez (30) (-0.5 WAR)
Miguel Tejada (36) – Type A (2.6 WAR)

Basically that list is chalk full of replacement players who wouldn’t be able to carry a season’s load at shortstop.  You probably didn’t need me tracking down each players’ 2009 WAR (Wins Above Replacement) numbers to tell you that. The ‘best’ guy in the list is Miguel Tejada, but his UZR for shortstop is god-awful and it’s highly doubtful that he will be a shortstop for anyone in 2010.  More than likely Tejada will be playing third base, ala Michael Young in 2009.

Besides who would want Tejada in Boston anyway?  Ever since he threw a hissy fit in the 2003 ALDS, I’ve disliked him.  Remember when he cried after the series loss and was all mad at Derek Lowe for doing the crotch chop?  “Derek Lowe is going to be paid back for that sign,” Tejada screamed hysterically through the clubhouse, shouting expletives. “My kid is in the stands. He’s going to pay.”

Waaah.

So when it’s all said and done, the Red Sox will need to make a trade for a legitimate shortstop, as the cupboards are quite bare.  Please don’t go tossing money at a one-year wonder like Scutaro.  Maybe Pedroia can stop-gap the Red Sox until Iglesias is ready? Either that or it could be another Nick Green year!

Jed Lowrie, why do you have to be so bad?

Darryl Johnston is the Red Sox correspondent for Fanball.com. He has many years of sports writing under his championship belts. Email him – redsoxdj@gmail.com</em>

Tags: Adam Everett, Bobby Crosby, Boston Red Sox, Derek Lowe, Dustin Pedroia, Eric Bruntlett, ESPN, Fanball, Fenway Park, Hanley Ramirez, Jed Lowrie, Jerry Hairston Jr., Jose Iglesias, Khalil Greene, Luis Rodriguez, Miguel Tejada, Nick Green, Orlando Cabrera, Peter Gammons, Sox Tea Party, Terry Francona