With the imminent return of John Smoltz and the start of a minor-league rehab assignment for Jed Lowrie set to begin in Pawtucket on Sunday, Decision Day for the Sox is rapidly approaching with respect to both the pitching staff and the middle infield. A lot of ink---real and virtual---has already been spilled on the starting pitching issue, so I'd like to put the spotlight here on the shortstop/utility infielder dilemma that will arise.

Of course, the pitching situation has gotten the lion's share of the ink, especially because Smoltz is a much higher-profile "call-up" than Lowrie is. However, I suspect that Dice-K's most recent disastrous start may make the situation a little clearer. Right now, would anyone want to bet against a second all-expenses-paid trip to the beautiful, luxurious 15-day Disabled List for Matsuzaka? That leaves a five-man rotation of Jon Lester, Smoltz, Josh Beckett, Tim Wakefield, and Brad Penny, with Clay Buchholz and Michael Bowden waiting in the wings in case of emergency or injury.

The scenario that has drawn less attention in recent days, I think, is the middle infield. While it's clear that Nick Green has usurped Julio Lugo as the de facto starter at SS, there is the question of what to do when Lowrie has recovered from his Pawtucket rehab stint. Granted, because of the rules in place governing rehab stints, Lowrie's return could coincide with the end of the All-Star Break, which would give the Sox a month to make up their minds about what path to take, it might be worth considering now.

Ultimately, the decision comes down to what to do with the Nine Million Dollar Man. Based on the relative playing times for Lugo and Green in the past month, the Sox clearly feel much more confident with Green on the field. However, to make room for Lowrie, they need to let go of either Lugo or Green. I don't see the Sox being able to trade Lugo for anything more than a minor-league prospect, and that's even with them eating most of the $15 million remaining on his contract. At the same time, I believe the Sox would be much more confident with a platoon of Lowrie and Green than they would be with a Lowrie-Lugo platoon. In addition, the Sox have shown the willingness lately to bench Lugo for extended periods of time, so the notion that Lugo's contract will force the Sox to keep him in the lineup no longer carries the same weight it did in the offseason.

I suspect the success of Lowrie's rehab stint will be a significant factor in determining the Sox's urgency. Right now, I think the most likely scenario will be that Green goes down to Pawtucket for a few weeks when Lowrie comes up. If Lowrie performs up to the Sox's expectations, then I think that the Sox will have more motivation to find a reason to get Lugo off the roster and bring Green back up as the utility infielder. If Lowrie struggles, then he can be exchanged for Green in the lineup, as Lowrie has minor league options remaining.