4. What to do with Justin Masterson?

Assuming Josh Beckett's health, the pitching staff is in good shape, and the Sox have better targets than Jake Peavy on which to spend resources. Remember, too, that Epstein and his staff have excelled at producing pitching, and that the Sox still have Clay Buchholz, Michael Bowden and Daniel Bard, among others. All of this brings us back to Masterson, who is a pivotal player here. If the Sox anticipate him being a starter, they may need some bullpen help and Buchholz becomes a bargaining chip. If Masterson is a seen as a reliever, the Sox may need to keep Buchholz and Bowden for depth in 2009. In either case, the Sox need to establish a plan for Masterson.