Comfortable holding down fort at short

As far as Green was concerned, Lowrie's surgery did not alter his approach to his job as the Sox' starting shortstop.

With Lowrie at least six weeks from being able to swing a bat and Julio Lugo on rehab assignment in Pawtucket after having surgery on his right knee last month, the shortstop job for now belongs to Green. The journeyman signed with the Sox as a free agent Jan. 9 after spending last season with the Yankees' Triple A affiliate in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Pa., where he played infield and outfield.

Green, who is hitting .240 in nine games, would have preferred that his opportunity not come at the expense of a teammate, but he is willing to pitch in any way he can.

"It's one of those things where as a competitor, it's what you want," said Green. "I'm here to do whatever they tell me to do. I don't want to put any added pressure on myself to do anything more than I can do. It's something that you have to remind yourself of every day, whether I have a good day or a bad day.

"I just want to go out there and be steady and do what I can to help the team win."

That was the approach Green took when he visited Fenway as a member of the Yankees in 2006 and helped the Bombers sweep five games at Fenway Park.

"Played every game," Green recalled. "I didn't start every game, but I was in every game."

Green covered nearly all the bases in the pivotal series.

"I played first, second, short, third," he said. "I think everybody needed a day off that day. No, I didn't catch, but I almost covered them all."

While his versatility could help him stick on the 40-man roster once Lugo returns, Green said he was prepared to relinquish the starting job, if need be. He went through a similar experience when he was called up to the Braves in 2004 as a sub for the injured Marcus Giles at second base. When Giles returned, Green stepped aside.

"I played for two months and he came back off an injury and it was still his job," Green said. "Obviously I want to play, but I'm just going to do the best I can when they put me in there. [Braves manager] Bobby Cox told me he didn't want to do it, but he had to, and I accepted it.

"Did I want to play? Yes I wanted to play. Also I understood that I did the best I could do and it was out of my control."

Asked if Sox manager Terry Francona spelled out what his situation would be once Lugo returns to the active roster, Green said, "He's just leaving me in there and letting me play, which is probably the best thing to do."

The decision to give Green an extended look during spring training now seems to be paying dividends.

"Yeah, especially since spring training was a couple of weeks ago and I was playing every day," Green said. "So to be able to kind of transition in is a lot easier than sitting for a month and getting 10 at-bats and then coming out and trying to do too much.

"Maybe it's a blessing in disguise.

"As long as they put me out there in the lineup, I'm going to go out there and play."

Michael Vega can be reached at vega@globe.com.