Here's the Red Sox tidbit of the day -- I just love this guy: "John Burkett, also a free agent, said Epstein was set to call him, but the righthander is not expecting encouraging news. "I don't think he'll be calling to offer me a raise," said Burkett, who went 12-9 with a 5.15 ERA in the final season of his two-year, $11 million contract. "It will probably be more like, `Goodbye, and we appreciate everything you've done.' " Burkett, who turns 39 Nov. 28, plans to test the market before deciding whether to retire. "My experience there was fantastic," he said of Boston. "I will never play in a place better, I can tell you that."" Perhaps the gritty veteran can offer Billy Bob Thornton his services as a stunt double...and on a conclusory note, I went over to the Sox site and neither Burkett nor fellow free agent Todd Walker appears on the 40-man roster! Uh-oh...