Dustin Pedroia

After a dismal start to the 2010 MLB season, fortunes are starting to turn for the boys of summer in Beantown. With a come-from-behind win over the bottom-dwelling Orioles, the Red Sox have been able to rattle off four wins in their last five outings, quickly approaching the .500 mark for the young season.

So far, nothing has been easy for the Red Sox. Starting the season against the defending world champion New York Yankees, along with the difficult Tampa Bay Rays and a much improved Minnesota Twins, things have not gone the way Sox fans have come to expect.

Boston has long since had a reputation for jumping the gun when it comes to burying its sports teams. Historically speaking, patience in the Hub has been anything but a virtue.

So when the media vultures starting circling David Ortiz after exactly two games this spring, I was quick to defend the veteran slugger, asking for everyone to hold their horses before rioting in the streets.

But now? Hit the panic button. This team's in trouble.

If you were a fan of the Yankees or Red Sox in the mid to late 90's, you no doubt took a side in the Nomar Garciaparra/Derek Jeter debate.

Jeter and Garciaparra were two of the new breed of shortstop. Shortstops were no longer defensive specialists and merely adequate with the bat—Jeter and Garciaparra were two of the premier hitters in baseball.

Both won Rookie of the Year awards, Jeter in 1996 and Garciaparra one year later.

He steps up to the plate with his hat tugged low on a line that meets his eyebrows.

He is shorter than the home plate umpire but he gives the impression he could care less.

The play looked innocent enough when it happened. Last night, Minnesota leadoff hitter Denard Span ripped a one-hopper that seemed destined for right field until Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia made one of his patented diving stops—ranging to his left to snag the ball and then popping up to throw the ball to first base. The fact he threw wide of first for an error was irrelevent…it was a classic defensive effort by the Sox gritty second baseman.

Pedroia played the rest of the frame, but failed to come out of the dugout for the second inning.

Much has been made of the 2010 Red Sox and their defensive prowess, or potential.

JD Drew, Mike Cameron, and Jacoby Ellsbury comprise a formidable outfield.

Jason Varitek, Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia, and Adrian Beltre are all Gold Glove Award winners.

But how do these players match up, position-by-position, with the greatest Red Sox defenders of all time?

Apparently the Boston Red Sox management is in complete panic mode.

Dustin Pedroia, the 2008 American League MVP, is rumoured to moving to shortstop. With the Red Sox looking extremely vacant in that area, Pedroia is looking to step up.

He said to ESPN's Peter Gammons, "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 [Terry Francona] to call me and ask, 'Can you do it?' I can do it. I really want to do it."

Will he be able perform to high enough standards in a new position?

The Red Sox may no longer need a shortstop.