The Sox have a $4 million buyout on the veteran outfielder or must pick up the final year of his contract at $16.5 million. That's not happening. The club will decline that option with Jermaine Dye and Carlos Quentin locked into the corner outfield spots, and with Griffey just getting by as a center fielder.

While Junior has indicated that he would like to return to the Sox next season, that would only be possible if he agreed to tear up his current deal, sign a deal for much less with incentives and then play in an almost platoon situation, being used as a fourth outfielder who would get spot starts. The likelihood of that is slim.

As for Fields' surgery on his right knee, the hope is that the third baseman will be ready to make the jump that was expected after his successful 2007 rookie season.

Fields ended spring camp 2008 on a high note, earning praise for his improved defense after spending every morning of the camp taking groundballs and going through defensive drills. Unfortunately, the Sox opted to go with a proven commodity in Joe Crede to start the year.

Fields began having knee problems after the first month in Class AAA Charlotte and was in and out of the lineup, going on and off the disabled list. His defense suffered in that off time, and when the Sox did call him up, he looked rusty at third -- so much so that manager Ozzie Guillen lost all confidence in him.

The hope is the knee surgery will get Fields back to where he needs to be, as he has vowed to spend the winter improving his defense. With Crede now a free agent and suffering through chronic back problems, there will be a vacancy.

The question the Sox have to decide on is, will they take the leap of faith with Fields or look to add a proven starter there?