Now this seems an experiment worth undertaking:

Dee Gordon, second baseman.

For the last two days, Gordon has been taking pregame grounders for the Albuquerque Isotopes at second base.

This is not because second baseman Mark Ellis is more seriously hurt than the Dodgers are letting on and are prepping Gordon as some emergency fill-in. It is apparently a more long-term consideration.


And anyone who watched Gordon struggle at shortstop for the Dodgers last season will understand that thought.

Despite his athleticism, Gordon struggled with balls hit to the hole and his throwing was wholly erratic. He did not seem a ready-for-prime-time shortstop, but apparently it hasn’t gone a whole lot better early this season with the Isotopes.

For Albuquerque, Gordon is hitting .302 this season, has scored 16 runs (fifth on the team) and been successful on 12 of 14 steal attempts. He also leads Albuquerque with seven errors.

Ellis, 35, is in the last year of his contract, though the Dodgers hold a $5.75-million option for next season. Dodgers shortstop Hanley Ramirez, 29, is signed through 2014.


Still, if you’re into a conspiratorial way of thinking and believe something else is going on here, then here’s one more: Yasiel Puig, who has been playing right field for double-A Chattanooga, played left field on Wednesday. You know, while Dodgers left fielder Carl Crawford missed his second consecutive game with a tight hamstring.