FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) – Mark Bellhorn’s nomadic career landed him on four Major League teams in eight years. He shuttled back and forth to the minors and until last season had never played in a postseason game.

Now that the Red Sox second baseman has finally found a home in Boston, he can enjoy something he’s never known: job security.

In first year with the Red Sox, Bellhorn posted career highs in RBI (82), runs scored (93), walks (88), batting average (.264) and doubles (37). The one dark spot was an AL-leading 177 strikeouts – a club record and the most ever by a switch hitter.

Acquired from Colorado in a December 2003 trade, Bellhorn mostly batted second in a potent lineup, with Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz following him to the plate most of the time.

His three-run home run in Game 6 of the AL championship series helped force a Game 7 against the New York Yankees. In Game 1 of the World Series, his eighth-inning, two-run homer off the “Pesky pole” in Fenway Park’s right field gave the Red Sox an 11-9 win that started a four-game sweep of St. Louis for Boston’s first World Series title since 1918.

Bellhorn reached the majors with Oakland in 1997, but he spent time in the minors during each of the next five seasons. His first full Major League season came in 2002, when he was with the Chicago Cubs.

After earning $490,00 last season, Bellhorn agreed to a one year, $2.75 million contract in January.

“He had a career year and he got rewarded for it,” center fielder Johnny Damon said. “I thought he was one of the most underrated players in the league last year.”

On a team filled with wild personalities and self-proclaimed “idiots,” Bellhorn stands out for his subdued personality.

“He just doesn’t talk much,” Damon said. “He’s quiet. He’s a gentleman. The rest of us aren’t.”

After working with three different shortstops last year – Pokey Reese, Nomar Garciaparra and Orlando Cabrera – Bellhorn said he’ll adjust quickly to the steady Edgar Renteria, who signed with Boston.

during the offseason.

“I’ve worked with a lot of guys at shortstop and I know how good he is,” Bellhorn said.

Though he can breath a little easier this spring, Bellhorn knows how hard it will be to match last year’s accomplishments – his own and the team’s.

“We know how hard that was,” he said. “We just have to find a way to keep that same intensity and drive to want to be there again.”