Mickey Mantle: 7 games at shortstop and musical chairs.

Derek Jeter has himself introduced at Yankee Stadium with a recording of the late legendary Yankee public address announcer Bob Sheppard: Now batting for the Yankees and playing shortstop, number 2, Derek Jeter, number 2.

Now imagine hearing Sheppard saying this: Now batting for the Yankees and playing shortstop, number 7, Mickey Mantle, number 7.

Mickey Mantle played shortstop in seven Yankee games from September 9, 1953 to July 7, 1955.  He had been a shortstop in he minors but was converted to the outfield in spring training of his rookie season, 1951.  The Yankees lost all but one of those seven games, the only one in which Mantle homered.  Mantle played only one full game at SS: final game 1954.  Yankee manager Casey Stengel played games of musical chairs, moving several players to different fielding positions, including double switches with pitchers.  Mostly the moves involving Mantle are the only ones documented here.

Mantle also played 2B in one of his SS games.  He played only 3B May 13, 1952 in a 10-6 loss in Cleveland.  Bobby Brown started at 3B and was 0 for 2.  Mantle replaced Brown in the field in the bottom of the 5th with the Indians leading 7-0.  Mantle had two singles in two at bats.  Through May 11, 1952 Mantle had played only right field.  Two days before playing third Mantle left the game in the ninth.  Then after playing 3B on May 13, Mantle did not play again until May 18 in St. Louis; he PH and finished the game in center, which he played in all but two of the remaining games in 1952.  May 30 Mantle played RF in both games of a doubleheader batting leadoff in both; Ivr Noren played CF in both.

Monday, November 12, 2012  Mantle and Mays continue to amaze.

...  in 1955 Mickey Mantle led the American League (AL) in both triples (3B) and home runs (HR) ... cross town rival Willie Mays had done the same thing in 1955 with the New York Giants: 13 3B, 51 HR ... they did it it in the same year ... playing the same defensive position ... in the same city ... Since 1903 I found one (other): Jim Bottomley who led the National League in 1928 with 20 3B, 31 HR. 
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This may be why Stengel stopped moving Mantle around: Mantle had become a valuable power hitter.

1. Wednesday, September 16, 1953, 5:33PM, Yankee Stadium I
Attendance: 7,771, Time of Game: 1:50
First game of doubleheader
Browns 5, Yankees 3

Starters:
6. Billy Martin 2B
    Jerry Coleman 2B
    Mickey Mantle PH-SS

Trailing St. Louis 4-2 in the 8th Mantle pinch hits for Jerry Coleman (2B) against Satchel Paige with 2 on, 2 out: RBI (89) single.

Gil McDougald replaces Don Bollweg (PH) playing 2B batting 7th
Mantle moves from PH to SS

No plays for Mantle in the 9th: SO, P-2B-1B, 3B-1B.

Yanks won game two 3-2.  Mantle played CF: 0 for 1 (SO), 3 BB, 1 Run, SB.
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2. Thursday, July 22, 1954, Yankee Stadium I
Attendance: 36,722, Time of Game: 2:52
First game of doubleheader
Yankees 4, White Sox 3, 10 innings

Starters:
4. Mantle CF-SS
8. Willy Miranda SS

In the bottom of the 8th Enos Slaughter PH for Miranda and grounded out P-1B.  Eddie Robinson then pinch hit for starting pitcher Bob Grim and homered to make it 3-2 White Sox.  Then Bill Skowron PH for 2B Jerry Coleman, walked and later tied the game 3-3 on Mantle's two out single to CF.

Top 9:
Johnny Sain replaces Eddie Robinson (PH) pitching and batting 9th
Bill Skowron moves from PH to 1B
Phil Rizzuto replaces Enos Slaughter (PH) playing 2B batting 8th
Mickey Mantle moves from CF to SS
Irv Noren moves from RF to CF
Hank Bauer moves from PH to RF

With Mantle at SS in the 9th and 10th innings the White Sox made six consecutive outs all to the infield but none to Mantle:
- fly outs to 2B, 3B
- ground outs to 3B, P, 3B, 1B.

Mantle hit his 20th HR off Don Johnson in the bottom of 10th, 0 on, 2 outs.  Yanks win 4-3.
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3. Saturday, July 24, 1954, Yankee Stadium I
Attendance: 39,117, Time of Game: 3:17
Indians 5, Yankees 4, 10 innings

Starters:
3. Mantle CF-SS-2B
7. Jerry Colemen 2B
8. Phil Rizzuto SS

Mantle doubled and tripled.

Bottom of the 8th, tied 3-3:
Gene Woodling pinch hits for Jerry Coleman (2B) batting 7th
Enos Slaughter pinch hits for Phil Rizzuto (SS) batting 8th
Top of the 9th, tied 3-3:
Willy Miranda replaces Enos Slaughter (PH) playing 2B batting 8th
Mickey Mantle moves from CF to SS
Gene Woodling moves from PH to LF
Irv Noren moves from LF to CF
Dave Philley against Johnny Sain Groundout: SS-1B (Mantle's first chance)
Sain strikes out the next two batters.
Top of the 10th, tied 3-3:
Mickey Mantle moves from SS to 2B
Willy Miranda moves from 2B to SS
Bob Lemon against Sain Single to 2B
Al Smith against Sain Bunt Groundout: C-2B/Sacrifice; Lemon to 2B
Bobby Avila against Sain Popfly: 2B
Larry Doby against Sain Home Run; Lemon Scores

Without checking a written account there's no way to know if Mantle misplayed the ball hit by Lemon.  Mantle did cover first on the sacrifice bunt by Smith and caught the popup by Avila.

Down 5-3 Mantle led off the bottom of the 10th with a double to CF.  Hal Newhouser replaced starter Bob Lemon and Yogi Berra immediately singled in Mantle.  Ray Narleski replaced Newhouser but the Yanks left two runners on base and lost 5-4.
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4. Sunday, August 22, 1954, Fenway Park
Attendance: 30,046, Time of Game: 2:26
Red Sox 8, Yankees 2 (Yanks had 30 more wins: 83 to 53)

Starters:
3. Mantle CF-SS
5. Enos Slaughter RF-LF
8. Willy Miranda SS
    Eddie Robinson PH
    Phil Rizzuto SS
    Hank Bauer PH-RF

Bottom of the 8th, Yankees down 8-2:
Mickey Mantle moves from CF to SS
Enos Slaughter moves from RF to LF
Irv Noren moves from LF to CF
Hank Bauer moves from PH to RF

No chances for Mantle at SS.  Top 9, Mantle makes the final out 1B-P.  0 for 4.
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5. Sunday, September 26, 1954, Yankee Stadium I
Attendance: 11,670, Time of Game: 2:41
Athletics 8, Yankees 6 (103: Yankee wins, Athletics losses)

This was the only complete game Mantle ever played at SS.  It was the final game of the season and Cleveland had won the pennant. It was the final game for the Philadelphia As who would move to Kansas City in 1955.  Philadelphia's starting and winning pitcher was Art Ditmar who would pitch several years for the Yankees and start game one of the 1960 World Series.  It was Ditmar's only win against 4 losses.

Stengel apparently was having some fun with his lineup, which included:
3. Mantle SS
4. Yogi Berra 3B
5. Irv Noren CF
6. Bill Skowron 2B
7. Bob Cerv LF
8. Lou Berberet C

Mantle was 1 for 2, 3 BB.  No errors playing the entire game at SS.  DP: Tommy Byrne - Mantle - Eddie Robinson.  The first batter, Peter Suder, grounded out to Mantle.
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6. Tuesday, May 10, 1955, Yankee Stadium I
Attendance: 39,227, Time of Game: 3:18
Indians 9, Yankees 6

Starters:
3. Mantle CF-SS
8. Billy Hunter SS
    Eddie Robinson PH
    Phil Rizzuto PR-SS
    Tommy Byrne PH
    Elston Howard PH
    Tom Morgan P

Whitey Ford was the first relief pitcher, throwing two innings and allowing four runs, all earned.

Bottom of the 8th, Yankees trail 9-6:
Don Mossi replaces Bob Lemon pitching and batting 9th
Tommy Byrne pinch hits for Phil Rizzuto (SS) batting 8th
Elston Howard pinch hits for Tommy Byrne batting 8th
Top 9:
Tom Morgan replaces Elston Howard (PH) pitching and batting 8th
Mickey Mantle moves from CF to SS
Bob Cerv moves from PH to CF

Mantle forced out runners at second on throws from P and 2B; assisted on force at second from 2B.  0 for 4, 1 BB.
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7. Wednesday, July 27, 1955, 2:00PM, Yankee Stadium I
Attendance: 18,252, Time of Game: 2:58
White Sox 7, Yankees 4

Starters:
1. Irv Noren LF-CF
5. Mantle CF-SS
8. Billy Hunter SS
    Bob Cerv PH
    Jerry Coleman SS
    Elston Howard PH
    Tom Morgan P
    Tommy Byrne PH

Bottom of the 5th, Yankees trail 6-1:
Eddie Robinson pinch hits for Andy Carey (3B) batting 7th
Bob Cerv pinch hits for Billy Hunter (SS) batting 8th
Top 6:
Eddie Robinson moves from PH to 1B
Bill Skowron moves from 1B to 3B
Jerry Coleman replaces Bob Cerv (PH) playing SS batting 8th
Bottom of the 8th, Yankees trail 6-1:
Elston Howard pinch hits for Jerry Coleman (SS) batting 8th
Hank Bauer pinch hits for Bob Wiesler (P) batting 9th
Top 9:
Tom Morgan replaces Elston Howard (PH) pitching and batting 8th
Mickey Mantle moves from CF to SS
Hank Bauer moves from PH to LF
Irv Noren moves from LF to CF

Mantle had no chances at SS.  0 for 4.
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Source: baseball-reference.com