The phone lines never really go silent.

There's always a general manager calling another general manager to inquire about the availability of players. And agents' phone lines threaten to burn out because of overuse as free agents hit the market.

But, with the World Series having drawn to a conclusion last week, the frequency of the calls has increased in advance of the general managers' meetings, which begin Nov. 13. And after trade groundwork and preliminary talks with agents are conducted, the activity tends to heat up at baseball's winter meetings, which this year are being held in Orlando, Fla., Dec. 4-7.

Rest assured, Theo Epstein will be busily working the phones. The Sox' executive vice-president/general manager has a lot of reconstruction to do in 2007 to fix a team that limped home in 2006, failing to make the postseason for the first time in four years, dropping to third place in the American League East standings, the team's lowest standing since a fourth-place finish in 1997.

The key questions hovering over Epstein and the Red Sox as a busy offseason looms are numerous. But there are two vital ones that will drive the offseason reconstruction:

Will Manny Ramirez be traded?

How much money do the Red Sox want to commit to the 2007 team?

First the Manny situation, because whether he goes or stays, Ramirez, with two years and roughly $18 million left on his contract, is the vital domino in the Sox' offseason equation.

If Ramirez, one of the best and most productive hitters in the history of the game, gets traded, what Boston might get in return for the mercurial left fielder determines what other directions the Red Sox will have to follow to finish putting together a team they think will contend for a playoff berth.

Should the Sox get a hitter or two to help offset his absence from the lineup and keep David Ortiz comfortable in the batting order -- and those types of hitters don't grow on trees -- then most of Boston's other moves likely will revolve around improving the pitching staff.

Should Ramirez's departure bring pitching in return, the Red Sox would likely have to dive into the free-agent pool for an impact, preferably right-handed power hitter (Carlos Lee? Alfonso Soriano?) to pick up at least a large portion of the slack.

Should a trade of Ramirez bring several touted prospects to the organization, then the Red Sox would have to be on the prowl for both hitting and pitching help.

If Boston elects to hold on to Ramirez -- and make no mistake, no matter who takes his spot as the cleanup hitter, the Sox' offensive production is likely to dip noticeably -- then Epstein's challenge will be to overhaul his roster with very little in the way of trade bait.

The team needs a right fielder, a shortstop, a backup catcher and a backup outfielder, and that's allowing for returns of a few other players whose offensive contributions were largely disappointing last year.

Center fielder Coco Crisp didn't hit as well as expected (his broken finger may have been a major factor), nor did he field very well. Though he made several spectacular catches, he all too often took bad routes to fly balls. Catcher Jason Varitek, perhaps hobbled by injuries, showed little pop. And then there's classy Mike Lowell, who tailed off in the second half, as did first baseman Kevin Youkilis.

There's no one in that group, save possibly Varitek for his leadership and defense, who will fetch a big-name hitter, and Varitek, the team captain, isn't going anywhere.

On the mound, now that 41-year-old Mike Timlin and 40-year-old Tim Wakefield have officially been re-signed, joining 40-year-old Curt Schilling, the Sox still need a closer and another starter, not to mention dependable setup men.

That, of course, puts them in the same mix as most teams in the majors. Again, the Sox have little to deal, unless they suddenly want to part with youngsters Manny Delcarmen, Craig Hansen or Dustin Pedroia, which they wouldn't do at the trading deadline because the organization's goal is to build competitive teams largely from within.

And that's where the owners' wallets come into play. Boston had a payroll of $125 million last year, the third-highest in the majors. The Sox' plan is to lower the payroll by developing players in the minor-league system, which will then give them enough financial flexibility to snag a free agent or two.

So Epstein is going to have to be creative.

The Sox are likely to make a huge push for Julio Lugo, whom they have coveted for years, to play shortstop. Lugo, who began last year with Tampa Bay and finished it with Los Angeles, is out there for the taking. He won't be nearly the defensive wizard that Alex Gonzalez was, but he'll hit better and is expected to be more durable.

Lee (Milwaukee and Texas last year), Soriano (Washington) and Aramis Ramirez (Cubs) are out there. So are free-agent pitchers Barry Zito and Jason Schmidt. Epstein and his staff will be scouting other team's rosters for hidden gems, too, such as Minnesota's lights-out closer Joe Nathan, a right-hander who was a setup guy in San Francisco before astute Twins general manager Terry Ryan scooped him up in a deal.

The puzzle that is the 2007 Boston Red Sox is a long way from being completed. The pieces are out there. Let the reconstruction begin.

skrasner@projo.com / (401) 277-7340