CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) – Grady Little isn’t the worrying type. He said the only sleep he’s lost this spring training came Friday night when he stayed out late for a Toby Keith country music concert.

But Little acknowledged before Sunday’s rainout against the Philadelphia Phillies that it’s crunch time for his roster decisions.

“It’s getting to be pretty tight,” Little said. “It’s getting to be about that time.”

Thirty-six players are still officially in the mix for the 25-man opening day roster. Sixteen position players are fighting for either 12 or 13 slots.

Little says he’ll announce his final roster before the team leaves for its two final exhibition games in Atlanta next weekend. He’ll have to work through a small but challenging tangle of interrelated decisions.

The first is, with left-handed starter Casey Fossum struggling this spring, can Little afford to leave camp with 11 pitchers instead of 12? He’d certainly like to, given the big bats Boston assembled during the offseason.

Also, with David Ortiz at first base and Shea Hillenbrand at third base, Kevin Millar, Bill Mueller and Jeremy Giambi would be a formidable bench.

But carrying 12 pitchers would limit Little’s bench to only two other players. One of those spots is reserved for backup catcher Doug Mirabelli. That leaves one other position player – likely either Adrian Brown or Lou Merloni.

Carrying 11 pitchers would allow Little to take Merloni and Brown, or infielder Damian Jackson, who is also still in the mix.

Brown, an outfielder, has good speed and has had a good spring, but Merloni is more versatile because he can play a variety of infield positions, as well as outfield in a pinch. Infielder Damian Jackson is also in the mix.

“If we go with 12 pitchers, then one of those guys that we keep as a position player has got to have some versatility,” Little said. “If we go with 11 pitchers, we’re banking on one guy who can give us some depth in the middle. He’s got to have some stamina.”

That would seem to favor Merloni.

Among the pitchers, that could favor right-hander and former starter Frank Castillo at the expense of left-handed prospect Matt White, who is still nursing a back injury.

“We know that Frankie can pitch a lot of innings one day and come back out and do it the next day again,” Little said.

The other question is what to do with right-hander Robert Person, who does not quite have all this strength back after shoulder surgery last season. One option is an extended spring training or stretching him out at Triple-A Pawtucket.

Person is a former starter for the Phillies, who could be a long reliever or eventually a starter if someone struggles or gets hurt.

Person is scheduled to pitch again Tuesday. White remained day to day.

Little said he’s experienced the same injury himself and knows it can linger. He’ll likely wait a few days to pitch White even after he gets medical clearance to throw.