By JOE McDONALD, The Providence Journal

When the Boston Red Sox set their goals at the start of spring training each season, ownership, management, baseball operations and players all have a say before the club begins its trek toward October baseball and, if all goes according to plan, hopefully a World Series.

BOSTON - Boston Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein has said that he is done with the heavy lifting of improving the club for 2010.

In an era of monstrous multi-million dollar contracts, almost every athlete in professional sports understands the business aspects of the game. Sports is a big business and ownership/management wants the best deal possible. That sometimes means making an unpopular decision.

Daisuke Matsuzaka finally returned to the Red Sox rotation Tuesday night, for the first time since June 19, after dealing with shoulder and strength problems for the majority of the season, and he put on a display of ambitious proportions.

Boston Bruins Hall of Famer Cam Neely spoke to a group of Red Sox prospects during the organization's Rookie Development Program last January and gave them some great advice.

"During a bench-clearing brawl, leave your purses in the dugout," he told the group of 20-somethings who had no previous knowledge of Neely's legendary NHL status.

There's no question general managers around the majors will be working agonizingly long hours until the trade deadline Friday afternoon.

Are the Boston Red Sox in greater need of a pitcher or a hitter?

The goal is always the same with the Boston Red Sox. The end result should be a World Series championship, and ownership and baseball operations personnel try to put the best team on the field to accomplish that.

From the offseason through October, the plan never deviates. It just so happens that it's magnified a little more this time of the year.

Now that Boston fans can end the deliberation on Rice, it's time to begin a new one.

There are a total of 228 members in the Hall of Fame, 32 of whom played for the Red Sox. Who will be next? Who deserves it? How can you decide? Here are some future Hall of Fame candidates, along with my opinion on their Hall chances.

After the Boston Red Sox announced they had acquired first baseman Adam LaRoche Wednesday from the Pittsburgh Pirates for two minor-league prospects, there seemed to be some confusion within their clubhouse as to how the newcomer will fit into the lineup.

The erase board on the back of the Boston Red Sox clubhouse door last Friday read: "Early BP tomorrow at 3 p.m."