Green starting to like it here

He was Tampa Bay's starting second baseman, a .266 hitter who made an error about as often as Alex Trebek.

Then came the second half of the season.

He hit .183, struck out more times than he hit safely (31-19), and the Rays shipped him to Triple A Durham. He started there the following spring before being traded to the Yankees.

He saw the majors again in 2006. The Yankees brought him up to fill in for Alex Rodriguez at third. But from 2006-08, Green also played 128 minor league games.

That was the stretch when Green decided he'd play almost anywhere as long as it meant playing in the big leagues.

"After that, I realized I needed to do whatever it takes to have a job," he said. "And obviously, the more versatile you are, the more opportunities you have. The older you get, the more you realize you want to be in the big leagues and you have to do whatever it takes to get there. I don't want to be in Triple A. I'd rather be up here being a utility guy than being in Triple A playing every day. When I was younger I might have felt differently, but this is where I want to be and I just want to do whatever it takes to stay here."

When the Red Sox were kicking the tires before signing the 30-year-old Green in January, manager Terry Francona said they had an idea he could play shortstop. And seeing his arm strength confirmed it.

"We wanted to see him over there," Francona said. "We didn't anticipate being in this situation a week into the season."

With Julio Lugo recovering from surgery on his right knee and the possibility of Jed Lowrie's left wrist keeping him out for the season, Green has found himself as the Sox' starting shortstop. It's only been a week since his first start, but he's hitting .333 (5 for 15), including a two-run double in Friday's 10-8 win over Baltimore.

"He's done a real good job," Francona said. "Guys like Nick, they work hard when they're not playing. So if they do get a chance, they're ready. He's done a terrific job up to this point."

Green is still being penciled into the Sox' lineup, but his playing time is more consistent than it's been in a while, and it's making a difference.

"If I struggle today, I still know I'm going to get in tomorrow," Green said. "That's the feeling I like. That's the feeling you want to have to perform at a high level."

That said, he doesn't dwell on the injury reports.

"I haven't even asked what Jed's deal is, when Lugo's coming back," Green said. "I don't know anything."

But he doesn't have his calendar blocked off through October, either.

"I think you have to be realistic, too," Green said. "You can't set the expectations too high and say, 'I'm going to play shortstop the rest of the year.' I don't know if that's realistic. So for me, I want to just put myself in the best position to stay on the team all year. Instead of saying I want to be a shortstop every day all year, I'm going to play shortstop every day until they tell me I can't."

Julian Benbow can be reached at jbenbow@globe.com.