There's a place for him

But Masterson isn't sure where

With four starters penciled into the Red Sox rotation, plus a couple of prospects and a free agent market that might yield a big-name signing, there could be a starting spot available for Justin Masterson. Or the Sox might determine that he is more valuable in the same role in which he ended last season: righthanded eighth-inning setup man for Jonathan Papelbon.

The good news for the Sox is that, really, they don't need to decide yet.

While the Sox have Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, Daisuke Matsuzaka, and Tim Wakefield returning as starters, with Clay Buchholz and Michael Bowden awaiting their shot, they are also doing their part to check out free agency. The Sox have been in contact with A.J. Burnett's agent, and Derek Lowe has expressed a desire to return to Boston.

The Sox also just made a deal for a seventh- or eighth-inning righthanded option out of the bullpen in Ramon Ramírez.

Which leaves even Masterson not quite sure what role he'll have come spring training. Before he arrives in Fort Myers, Fla., Masterson is planning on preparing much as he did last season. Except, of course, things are entirely different. Then Masterson was on his way to his first major league spring training invite. Now he's coming off a season in which he pitched in 36 games (nine starts) for the Sox. As a reliever, he threw 34 1/3 innings and had a 2.36 ERA, allowing a .231 average against.

"As far as where that's put me, I think it continues to leave me in the same spot that I have always been in," Masterson wrote in an e-mail addressing the Ramírez trade. "That whether I will be starting or relieving is still up in the air.

"I don't really think I'll have much of an understanding of what it will be until I get to spring training and we go through that process. I will be coming in with the mindset of a starter just because it's easier to go from that to reliever than think I'll be a reliever and then move to a starter."

That has been the plan the Sox have used with both Papelbon and Manny Delcarmen, making sure they are stretched out in spring training before yielding to their more limited inning counts during the regular season.

Getting their share

Major League Baseball yesterday announced postseason shares for 2008. The Red Sox' share of the players' pool was $6,139,119.30, with the value of each full playoff share $102,230.52. The Sox awarded 45 full shares, 15.7 partial shares, and 15 cash awards. For the World Series-winning Phillies, a full share was $351,404.48, and a full share for the American League champion Rays was $223,390.05. The Cubs gave out the most full shares (50) . . . After losing vice president of media relations John Blake to the Rangers, the Red Sox have promoted manager of media relations Pam Ganley to the top post. Ganley will be director of media relations . . . When the Red Sox signed their first-round pick in the 2008 draft, Casey Kelly, there was some question whether he would be developed as a shortstop or a pitcher. At the time, the Sox seemed to think his potential leaned more toward the mound, while Kelly appeared to have more interest in playing shortstop. "We are still evaluating his abilities as a SS," director of player development Mike Hazen said in an e-mail. "At some point we have jointly agreed to discuss the most productive move forward with regard to Casey's career. Obviously, both parties want Casey to ascend to the [major league] level as quickly and successfully as possible and we are still working through that."

Ticket time

Tickets for select Sox home games will go on sale Dec. 13, both online and at the annual Christmas at Fenway event. The tickets will be sold for 15 dates in April and May, as well as in four-game packs. Online registration for the ticket purchase and the event begins today at noon at redsox.com and continues through noon Monday. The Red Sox will also hold the Great Fenway Park Yard Sale at the third base concourse and the Absolut Clubhouse Dec. 14, where memorabilia will be for sale, along with the opportunity to get a code to purchase tickets for the 2009 season.

Amalie Benjamin can be reached at abenjamin@.com