Epstein on the Verge of Going to Chicago?

[BuckyBuckner]

So the Sox asked for Matt Garza, obviously not going to happen. Then they asked for Trey McNutt, which is still a lot. My co-workers seem to feel that the Sox have the Cubs over a barrel because they already announced the signing.

What do you folks think? I believe that the Sox are overplaying their hand. Theo doesn't want to be there, they gave him permission to interview for the job. Generally in situations like this I would think that the compensation is something a lot less than a major league player or good prospect. I believe that if the Sox continue to ask for the moon they will end up hurting themselves in the long run in terms of relations with the Cubs and I would imagine other teams could view them negatively as well.

Thoughts?

[dslaw]

Seems the Sox are the ones over the barrel. Cubs can always say "no deal" and Theo has to go back to Boston. What do the Sox do then? Let him sit around as GM for a year doing nothing? Fire him? If they fire him he goes to the Cubs. If he stays in Boston the Cubs hire someone, like the current assistant GM if they have one, with the understanding it is a year gig and then they get Theo.

[BuckyBuckner]

Seems the Sox are the ones over the barrel. Cubs can always say "no deal" and Theo has to go back to Boston. What do the Sox do then? Let him sit around as GM for a year doing nothing? Fire him? If they fire him he goes to the Cubs. If he stays in Boston the Cubs hire someone, like the current assistant GM if they have one, with the understanding it is a year gig and then they get Theo.

I would say that no one has anyone over a barrel. The Cubs could say "no deal" but it would probably be bad press (so they want to come to an agreement) which I believe is easy handled by saying that they didn't want to mortgage too much of the future for a guy they can get a year later for free. The Sox should be happy to get "something" and just move on from this year. The Sox fans I talk to act like the Sox are in the driver's seat. I just quietly laugh at them.

[TopChuckie]

I wonder if Theo has any say in who the Red Sox get for compensation for himself, kind of an odd situation. "I'm not worth what you want." and just the fact he has to make his job more difficult in order to get the job in the first place, i.e. by subtracting talent, albeit probably nothing too significant in the end. I do think the Cubs have the upper hand over the Red Sox.

[Hornsby]

Whoever controls the situation, in this case the Sox, has the upper hand. They can deny the Cubs permission to sign Theo, and just pay out whatever his contract is year by year, thereby preventing Theo from working. Now I have no idea how long the contract is, or what the terms are, but the Sox are most likely in the drivers seat. I'm sure that something will be worked out, but it'll take a few weeks for tempers to cool down. I'd guess that a "B" level prospect gets the job done...maybe even Smardjia (sp?). He's a good arm with a dime head...

[BuckyBuckner]

Whoever controls the situation, in this case the Sox, has the upper hand. They can deny the Cubs permission to sign Theo, and just pay out whatever his contract is year by year, thereby preventing Theo from working. Now I have no idea how long the contract is, or what the terms are, but the Sox are most likely in the drivers seat. I'm sure that something will be worked out, but it'll take a few weeks for tempers to cool down. I'd guess that a "B" level prospect gets the job done...maybe even Smardjia (sp?). He's a good arm with a dime head...

Theo has one more year left on his contract. I believe that if the Cubs feel the Sox are being unreasonable they can wait a year and then hire Theo then (it's been 103 years they can wait one more ). Then the Sox get nothing, have to pay Theo to not work there or worse yet have him there as a lame duck GM. I do agree that perhaps the Sox have the upper hand, it's not as much as they believe it to be (and definitely not as much as my co-workers believe it to be).

[Todd Zola]

Neither team has the upper hand -- at the end of the day, the compensation is going to need to be approved by MLB as this is going to set precedent for future moves of this nature. Be it behind the scenes or publicly with Selig stepping in, whatever the compensation is will need the seal of approval of MLB. The deal will get done, if only to keep the embarrassment from the MLB office.

[joncarlos]

I wonder what the specifics of Theo's contract are. Is he under contract to the the GM of the Red Sox? Or just to work for the Red Sox? Things could get sticky with them hiring another GM if Theo is specifically tasked with being the GM.

Of course I agree with Todd, I think this thing will get done because Selig is going to pressure them to get it done.

[revo]

Theo would actually become Cubs President, and would then bring aboard Jed Hoyer (from the Padres) to be GM.

The Padres would then elevate Josh Byrnes to be their new GM.

[BuckyBuckner]

RotoWorld's update:

According to Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com, the Cubs and Red Sox are "finalizing a deal" that will make Theo Epstein the next president of baseball operations for Chicago.
David Kaplan of CSNChicago.com reported similar information late Wednesday night. The deal should be completed Thursday and announced at a press conference Friday, which is a travel day for the World Series. While the Red Sox are expected to receive minor leaguers as compensation, a source tells Levine that top prospects Brett Jackson, Trey McNutt and Matt Szczur will not be in the deal. The Cubs are expected to name the Padres' Jed Hoyer as general manager within the next few days while former Diamondbacks GM Josh Byrnes will take his place in San Diego.