Julio Lugo. Jed Lowrie. Nick Green. Alex Gonzales. It’s been a rotating position since Nomahh left in 2004.

The merry-go-round continues with the Sox signing free agent Marco Scutaro, formerly of the Toronto Blue Jays. Scutaro is said to have turned down a higher paying contract with the Oakland A’s for the chance to play in Boston. His contract is for two years.

Scutaro’s stats from 2009: .282 BA with .379 OBP and .409 SLG. Not bad.

Theo says:

“We were looking to upgrade at shortstop. We were pretty clear about that going into the winter. Right from the start, we identified Marco as the best free agent and a guy who would be the best fit for this ballclub. It was a process of doing our due diligence and making sure we understood the whole landscape of the position through trades and free agency and then doing more due diligence on Marco.” - from RedSox.com

I like this deal for a couple of reasons. First, it shows that Theo is thinking about more than just landing Doc Halladay from Toronto and Matt Holliday from St. Louis. Secondly, it’s a smart move.

The two year signing (with option for a third) gives the Sox the chance to further evaluate Jed Lowrie’s health and gives time for Jose Iglesias to develop in the minors. And if you haven’t heard of Iglesias, you should check this out.

We know Scutaro is a stop gap, holding the position until the younger talent can develop, but at 34 he’s a great pick up by Theo. You can read about the trade from the Toronto side here.

Team/Player Photos: Boston Red Sox v Colorado Rockies on Jun 22, 2010

The infield is shaping up, but the corners are still problematic with the current line up, and the real problems start in the outfield.

1B UPDATE!: The Red Sox Dirt Dawg boldly predicts Kevin Youkilis will be switched to 3rd permanently and 1st will be platooned by Victor Martinez and Mike Lowell. It will be worked out in Spring Training. You read it here first!