After sending 19 players to the disabled list, the Red Sox don't believe their third-place finish in the AL East was an accurate portrayal of their talent. And if they had stayed healthy, they're confident they would have made the postseason. Now, their attention turns to re-signing their free agents and bolstering a bullpen that was among the worst in baseball. Accomplishing either task doesn't figure to be easy.

ARRIVALS: LHP Andrew Miller (trade with Marlins), RHP Taylor Buchholz (waiver claim from Blue Jays).

DEPARTURE: LHP Dustin Richardson (traded to Marlins).

BIGGEST NEEDS: First and foremost, the Red Sox must address the bullpen. And while closer Jonathan Papelbon endured the worst year of his career, the greatest area of need is in middle relief, where they lacked a dependable seventh-inning reliever to help bridge the gap to setup man Daniel Bard. The Red Sox also might have to find another power hitter, especially if 3B Adrian Beltre and/or C Victor Martinez leave via free agency.

FREE AGENTS: 3B Adrian Beltre, C Victor Martinez, C Jason Varitek, UT Bill Hall, INF Felipe Lopez.

Big decisions loom on Beltre and Martinez, neither of whom will lack for suitors on the open market. If the Red Sox are unable to bring back Beltre, they could move 1B Kevin Youkilis across the diamond and look for a power-hitting first baseman or outfielder. They also must determine how they view Martinez's long-term future. Do they see him as a catcher or as a first baseman/DH? Whatever they decide might affect Varitek.

ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE: OF Jacoby Ellsbury, RHP Jonathan Papelbon, LHP Hideki Okajima, C Jarrod Saltalamacchia.

Once more, Papelbon will be eligible for salary arbitration, and he figures to see his salary rise to at least $12 million. Ellsbury will be an interesting case. After missing all but 18 games because of cracked ribs, can he expect to get a significant raise?

IN LIMBO: RHP Tim Wakefield is under contract for one more season at a $2 million base salary. But the Red Sox lack a spot in their rotation, and at age 44, the veteran knuckleballer isn't a good fit for the bullpen.

MEDICAL WATCH:

--1B Kevin Youkilis (right thumb surgery in August 2010) resumed baseball activities in mid-October.

--2B Dustin Pedroia (left foot surgery in September 2010) and OF Jacoby Ellsbury (cracked ribs) are aiming to begin their offseason workouts shortly after Thanksgiving.

--OF Mike Cameron (lower abdominal surgery in August 2010) and C Jarrod Saltalamacchia (left thumb surgery in September 2010) are expected to have relatively normal offseason training programs once they're cleared to begin baseball activities in December.

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