Inside the Red Sox meltdown

That ran in the Times sports section today...? It's from last week. Talk radio has already moved on to the "did they didn't they" aspect of drinking in the dugout. One caller was convinced that fired first base coach is the Deep Throat of this scandal. Personally, I have the c-o-n-spiracy mapped out on my wall, and it involves a character you could call L. Jimmy.

 

Lucchino is a scumbag.

 

Day 8 of the Cubs/Red Sox Epstein negotiations. Cubs sources were reporting the deal was basically done and there would be a press conference Friday. Red Sox sources now denying all that.

The sticking point is that the two sides see this situation incredibly differently.

The Cubs feel that this is a promotion for Epstein and that by tradition the Red Sox should not stand in the way, and that a small amount of cash or some low minors prospects is plenty.

The Red Sox feel that Epstein is a prime asset, this is a lateral move, and that the Cubs should have to pay a premium price for the asset. They started by asking for Castro or Garza and have begun working their way down the Cubs' top prospects. Right now, the sticking point is believed to be Trey McNutt, who was the No. 48 prospect in baseball last year by Baseball America, though he struggled this year with blisters and some sort of non-pitching injury.

The rumors are that if this becomes a complete impasse, and it looks like it's headed that way, then there are three options.

1) The Cubs wait a year for Epstein. They want him as president anyway and have other options lined up for GM (Looks like it will be SD's Hoyer),.

2) The Cubs abandon Epstein entirely.

3) The commissioner's office steps in and forces some sort of deal.

 

Or Theo walks out to Fenway Park every day and takes a shit on the mound, thus forcing the Red Sox to fire him.

 

That'd be such a bizarre situation.

I'm no expert on these situations, but a lot of people have claimed that there would be standard language in Epstein's contract that outlines his duties. They can't shunt him aside or make someone else the GM or anything, they'd have to leave him in charge of a team he plans to leave in a year.

 

Or he ties the World Series trophies to a car and drives the car around the Back Bay.

 

Actually, he could eat fried chicken and drink beer during the games.

 

If Selig or Torre had any balls, they'd both be on the horn to Ricketts and Henry and telling them to settle up, now.

 

Yep, Joe Torre, VP/Rain, can circumvent all the legal issues and just tell everyone what to do. Oh, those Sicilian testicles.

 

VP/Rain. That made me chortle.

 

Or he could just come up with phantom knee injuries and then refuse to play and then strike out on purpose ... Oh wait ...

 

Smasher, tongue in cheek, partly. But commissioners have stepped in before -- Tagliabue did it when the Parcells and Belichick situations came up between the Jets and Patriots. It behooves no one to have the thing drag out interminably (i.e. beyond the end of the World Series).