Nick Green is used to this feeling. It happens most every offseason. The restless feeling of not having a job for next year, and not knowing where he’ll end up.

Even after this season in Boston, when he went from an unknown to a household name among Sox fans, Green’s future is uncertain. Green doesn’t expect that he’ll be back in Boston next season, though he’d love to be.

Green wants to start the season with a major league utility infielder’s job, and it doesn’t appear there will be a spot for him to do that in Boston. Theo Epstein said Thursday that Boston would be "acquiring a shortstop via trade or free agency" before the offseason ends.

That would likely make Jed Lowrie the utility man, and Green would then presumably start the season in the minors as insurance. At 31, with 378 major-league games under his belt, Green wants to begin the season on a big-league club, and he elected free agency two weeks ago.

"I would love to go where somebody is telling me I pretty much have the job on a big league roster. I don’t want to go spring training and basically be stuck in Triple-A. That’s what the goal is this offseason, to find me a place where I can be on a big league roster to start the year."

If the Red Sox don’t sign a starting shortstop, or the infield picture changes, Green would be elated to return to Boston as the utility infielder.

"I would’ve liked to stay with the Red Sox, but it’s a business and that’s how it goes. Just try to see what’s out there and see what the best fit might be. I don’t know when that fit will come, but I’d like to know sooner rather than later, because it’s always tough in the offseason not having a job," Green said.

After spending all of 2008 in the minors, Green, 31, came to spring training fully expecting to start the year in Triple-A. Then, injuries to the Boston infielders, and his excellent play, won him a spot. As Julio Lugo and Jed Lowrie struggled to get healthy,

Green made the most of it, playing in 103 games and spending April through July as the regular starting shortstop. He hit .236 with six home runs and 35 RBI and played five positions -- including pitching two scoreless innings -- before herniating a disk in his back. The injury effectively ended his season, and forced him to undergo corrective surgery several weeks ago.

When assigned to Pawtucket two weeks ago, Green chose to become a free agent and test the waters, and he can start fielding offers from teams today. He may not see any for a while, however, as he expects teams will want to see that he makes a full recovery from the back surgery before signing him.

The surgery was successful, and Green is home in Georgia recovering well. He expects to begin baseball activities in a little over a month. He has to rehab the back, and rebuild the strength in his weakened quadriceps muscle, which lost power as the disk pressed on a nerve running down the leg.

"Everything went like it was supposed to go. They didn’t have any problems with it, and I was up walking pretty quick -- I mean not walking very good, but walking," Green said.

Green is a natural second baseman, but with his powerful arm, he filled in acceptably at shortstop this season, playing 81 games at the infield’s premier defensive position. Having now proven that he can play both middle infield positions, Green expects he’ll be more marketable around the league.

In a perfect world, Boston, or his hometown Atlanta Braves would show interest (Green works out with Chipper Jones and Brian McCann in the offseason), but he knows that a utility man is not in a position to be picky. He will be happy to go wherever a quality major league job is waiting.

"I enjoyed my time [in Boston], I had a blast the entire season. This was one of my most enjoyable seasons, for sure, 100 percent," Green said. "I would love to go there, but also, I have to see what teams want me, and what opportunity is there."

dbarbari@projo.com