As the offseason trading and signing season commences, the Sox are committed to $79.25 million for nine players in existing, guaranteed deals and an additional $17.195 million in estimated salaries for another 12 players - four of whom are eligible for salary arbitration. That brings the running total to approximately $96.445 million for 21 players and doesn't include salary for a starting catcher, a utility infielder, a backup first baseman and a fourth outfielder.

Still, that's a relatively manageable figure, the result of a number of big contracts coming off the books. The team has shed Manny Ramirez ($20 million), Jason Varitek ($10 million), Curt Schilling ($8 million), Mike Timlin ($3 million), Alex Cora ($2 million), Bartolo Colon ($1.25 million) and Sean Casey ($800,000), and dealt away a 2009 obligation to Coco Crisp ($6.25 million).

While the Sox are facing significant salary increases for the likes of Kevin Youkilis, who might come close to doubling his 2008 salary, in all, the club has the potential to take more than $50 million off their payroll. Should the Sox re-sign Varitek, he would cost approximately the same $10 million he earned last season. Add another $5 million for the three bench players the Sox need to pick up and the projected payroll for 2009 would be $111.5 million, still far below the $133 million figure for 2008.

Could the Sox afford a big free agent splurge, like first baseman Mark Teixeira? Sure. In fact, assuming Teixeira gets a deal which would begin with annual salary around $22 million-$23 million, the Sox could sign him and STILLgo into next season with a lower payroll than last year.

That's because signing Teixeira - and moving Youkilis back to third base - would also involve dealing away Mike Lowell, who stands to collect $12 million in 2009 and again in '10. Even if the Sox had to pay approximately one-third of Lowell's salary, signing Teixeira would mean a net increase of ``only'' $14 million.

(If the Sox were to find a taker for Julio Lugo's contract - doubtful as that now seems, what with the shortstop coming off an ineffective, injury-shortened season - their savings could grow. A more likely scenario: Should the Sox move Lugo, they would have to eat a good portion of his remaining money - $9 million for '09 - or take another contract of similar expense in return, resulting in a net financial wash.)

Taking the exercise a step farther, could the Sox sign a free agent starter? Possibly, but only if the organization greenlights a 2009 payroll in excess of last year's figure. It's possible that two such signings could put the Sox near, or over, MLB's luxury tax threshold, which next year sits at $162 million.

The free agent pitchers in whom the Sox have shown the most interest - A.J. Burnett and Derek Lowe - are likely to command a minimum of $15 million for next season. Bundled with Teixeira, and even allowing for Lowell's number coming (mostly) off the books, signing a big-ticket starter would take the Sox over $141 million.

When additional costs are factored in - pro-rated signing bonuses, benefits, etc. - the Sox would be perilously close to paying the luxury tax, in addition to the significant revenue sharing assessment they get hit with every season.

How willing Red Sox ownership would be in matching or exceeding last year's payroll is unknown, since the organization guards its goals for spending carefully, fearful that revealing them would result in a competitive disadvantage.

Would the Sox be willing to spend freely at a time when the game's revenues are, at best, stagnant - the team has already instituted a ticket freeze for the first time in more than a decade - and the economy threatens to get worse before it gets better?

The Red Sox aren't saying. But next week, their actions will offer a revealing clue.

** ** **

Tickets for individual games and four-game packages for the 2009 season will go on sale Dec. 13.

The single-game tickets are for 15 April and May games. There also are 10 packages of four games, each with at least one game vs. the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees . Fans who go online or to the Christmas at Fenway event Dec. 13 will have the first chance to buy the packages. - smcadam@bostonherald.com

GRAPHIC: MONEY MATTERS

What follows is a breakdown of the Red Sox' payroll commitments -- actual and estimated for the 2009 season.

In the first section are the veteran players under existing, long-term guaranteed deals. In the second and third, we've attempted to estimate the figures for the four players who are eligible for salary arbitration; in the third, we've done the same with players with zero to three-years of major league service time and are not yet eligible for arbitration.

In estimating the salaries in the final two categories, we spoke with Baseball officials and agents for their input and educated guesses.

Keep in mind: the minimum salary for players in 2009 is $400,000.

Guaranteed salaries:

J.D. Drew -- $14 million

David Ortiz -- $12.5 million

Mike Lowell -- $12 million

Josh Beckett -- $10.5 million

Julio Lugo -- $9 million

Daisuke Matsuzaka -- $8 million

Jason Bay -- $7.5 million

Tim Wakefield -- $4 million

Hideki Okajima -- $1.75 million

TOTAL: Nine players, $79.25 million

Arbitration eligible players (estimated)

Kevin Youkilis -- $6.25 million

Jonathan Papelbon -- $5 million

Kevin Cash -- $600,000

Javier Lopez -- $1.2 million

TOTAL: Four players, $13.05 million

Players with 0-3 years of service time (estimated)

Manny Delcarmen -- $525,000

Dustin Pedroia -- $900,000

Jon Lester -- $550,000

Jacoby Ellsbury -- $475,000

Jed Lowrie -- $425,000

Clay Buchholz -- $415,000

Justin Masterson -- $415,000

David Aardsma -- $440,000

TOTAL: Eight players, $4.145 million

TOTAL ESTIMATE for 21 players: $96.445 million

STILL UNACCOUNTED FOR: starting catcher, utility infielder, backup first baseman, fourth outfielder.

-- COMPILED BY SEAN McADAM