He gets it, but that doesn't make it any less painful.

Mike Aviles understands why Jose Iglesias has started at shortstop in 15 of the Red Sox' 23 games this month. This is the way of the world when rookies sit on a roster that resides 18 games under .500.

But for Aviles, the sitting still hasn't sat right.

From his perspective, he punctuated one of spring training's biggest questions -- can he be an everyday shortstop -- long ago. But now, to a certain extent, Aviles feels he is right back where started.

"I understand where the team is right now. We're not going into contention, so they have to get a look on Iglesias and see where he's at and see what he needs to improve on and can he be an answer to being the future shortstop here," Aviles said. "I understand that. It's a tough pill to swallow, because I feel like I've done well enough to play. But at the end of the day it's out of my hands. Hopefully all that stuff gets figured out this offseason and hopefully I'm back here playing at short. That's my goal. That's what I'm going to go back home to work on, playing short again. Hopefully that's here."

Unfortunately for Aviles, answers don't figure to forthcoming any time soon.

This is what we do know …

1. Aviles is under the team's control, heading into his second season of being arbitration eligible.

"I have more important things to worry about in the offseason. I'm going to play daddy and be a husband. That's going to be my main focus this offseason," he said. "If I get a phone call saying, 'You're going to play short here,' or 'you've been traded,' so be it. But I'm not really going to pay attention to it. It's out of my hands. I just have to get ready for the season. Hopefully it's here because I love it here. I really, really do love it here. I've felt at home. I feel like I've been treated like I'm an adult the entire time I've been here. I've felt more at home than I ever was in Kansas City. That might be weird to say that because I came through the minor league system, but the environment, my teammates and everything here, I've just loved it. You can't have a better office to come to every day. I'm really, really hoping I'm going to play here next year because I like everything about it.

2. The 31-year-old turned back naysayers when it came to the defensive debate. Among American League shortstops, he is neck-and-neck when comparing zone rating with the likes of Texas' Elvis Andrus, while far better than Angels' Erick Aybar, Asdrubal Cabrera, Kansas City's Alcides Escobar, and Derek Jeter of the Yankees. Aviles also possess the fourth-best range factor-per-game of any shortstop in baseball.

"I don't even care about the offense because everybody knows I've always been able to hit. For me personally, that wasn't even my focus. It was just go out there and have good at-bats. My biggest focus was defense," Aviles said. "That was the most gratifying part of this season. Just the fact I was able to show I played solid shortstop. There was never any talk of how terrible I was when I was out there playing, making my plays. Most shortstops, they go out there and the key is not to be seen or heard. Just go out there and make your plays, and that's what I can take, I made my plays. That's what I can take into the offseason."

3. While supplying punch offensively with the third-most home runs (13) of any American League shortstop, his  inability to walk (just 22) brought down his on-base percentage to .282 and OPS to .668.

"Personally, I thought I could have done some things better," he said. "I could have gotten on base more, hit for a better average. Overall, between offense and defense, I put together a solid season and I'm just hoping that was noticed because I really worked hard this whole offseason. Even going to winter ball for right field and then coming back to do my shortstop stuff. On a whole, I think it was a positive thing for me and my career."

4. Up until this month, Aviles played in the second-most games of any Red Sox.

"I feel like my biggest goal this year was … I was fortunate enough to get the opportunity to play every day and I just wanted to prove to the organization and to everybody else that I can play short every day and I'm still an everyday player," he explained. "Last year was the only year I had to do utility and not play every day. I think I did that, I don't know how everybody else perceives it, but I felt like I played solid defense and I produced enough offensively for a middle infielder that I showed I could play on an every day level. I was able to stay on the field every day, which I think helped my career. I'm hopeful it was noticed by other people."

5. Iglesias, Aviles' chief competition, has shown he has a ways to go at the plate. In 20 games, the rookie is hitting just .118 with a .420 OPS. Iglesias' defense, however, hasn't disappointed, turning in the second-best zone rating (.918) in the big leagues this month.

And it is the quest to find what Iglesias is all about that has left Aviles fending off any momentum that would push him back toward the role of utility player. He has told Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine that his preference wouldn't be to siphon playing time while manning other positions, although there has been one start apiece at second and third base.

The feeling for Aviles is that he has come this far as a shortstop, the suggestion of becoming something else is a lot less appetizing than watching the Iglesias tryout.

"That's exactly how I feel," said Aviles when asked if he would prefer not to dabble in other positions throughout the season's final days. "That has a lot to do with not playing this last month as much, because I know Bobby feels it's not fair for me to play anywhere else because then that gives the perception I was either outplayed or I didn't do my job and I feel that's not the case, and I'm pretty sure he feels the same. That's not the reason I'm not playing. I haven't been all that receptive to playing anywhere else because I've worked so hard to leave the utility thing alone. My biggest thing was wanting to play every day and I think I was able to showed that to everybody. I hope that was noticed and I'm hoping I get another opportunity to play shortstop."

Now, with six games remaining in the regular season, Aviles is forced to ride out his fullest season of a five-year career while primarily sitting on the bench. He gets it. It's a reality that will seem a bit less painful in one week, when he's sitting at home in Utah, with his family, complete with the security of a solid season and an at least somewhat enhanced future.

"I'm hoping that the front office and the coaching staff noticed I was able to go out there and grind through the entire season and put up pretty good offensive and defensive numbers," Aviles said. "I'm hoping the rest of baseball noticed it as well because it's something that can help my career."