Multiple sources have told ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick that free agent infielder Marco Scutaro worked out for Red Sox’ special assistant to the general manager Allard Baird in Florida earlier this week. It is believed the workout alleviated some concerns the Sox had over the plantar faciitis injury Scutaro suffered in the final month of the 2009 season.

Scutaro told a Venezuelan newspaper that the Red Sox asked for his medical records, quoting the 34-year-old as saying, “The people of Boston called again and asked for my medical report, and [we] are working on it,” Scutaro told Diario Panorama. “I have to go to a doctor to confirm that I am OK about the injury I had at the end of the season.”

Scutaro is the consensus best option at shortstop on the free-agent market, in a class that is considered particularly shallow. However, according to major-league sources, in addition to the questions about Scutaro’s foot (which, it should be noted, were not considered serious enough by the Blue Jays to prevent them from making a two-year offer to the player), the Sox do have reservations about the length of a contract (perhaps three years) coupled with the idea of giving up a first-round draft pick to acquire the Type A free agent.

Those reservations have been part of the impetus for the team to at least contemplate a shift of Dustin Pedroia from second base to shortstop, so that the team can instead pursue some of the available second basemen on the market (including Orlando Hudson and Adam Kennedy) who might come at a lower cost in years and/or draft picks.