Pawtucket Red Sox manager Ron Johnson received a phone call from Boston late Friday night. The Red Sox brass' requested that shortstop-second baseman Dustin Pedroia get some work at the hot corner.
Obviously, the Pawtucket skipper obliged, and the 22-year-old infield prospect started at third base last night. Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell is sidelined because of a sore foot, so Boston wants Pedroia to get some experience at third.
If Lowell has to head to the disabled list (unlikely), I'm sure the Sox would call up Pedroia in a heart-beat. They've been looking for a reason to call him up and give him at-bats, this may be why.
But if Lowell weren't to go on the DL, Alex Cora would continue to get the bulk of the time at third base. The Sox don't mind keeping him there, either. He's solid defensively and has been terrific with the bat in '06.