Theo Update

The Red Sox aimed high in asking for compensation for Epstein. A baseball source told ESPNBoston.com that they initially asked for the Cubs young star shortstop Starlin Castro. Whey they were rebuffed, the Red Sox asked for arguably the Cubs best starting pitcher in Matt Garza.

A major league source told ESPNChicago.com that at one point Boston proposed that the Cubs take pitcher John Lackey‘s contract. Lackey has three seasons remaining on a five-year, $82.5 million contract. He was 12-12 with a 6.41 ERA in 28 starts for the Red Sox in 2011.

But the expected agreement will include Cubs minor leaguers, although not top prospects Brett Jackson, Trey McNutt or Matt Szczur, the source said. Cash will not be part of the compensation. – (Source)

Let’s discuss. There is a lot there.

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Katie

If they really asked for Castro, that was an ill-advised proposition. That’s like asking a kid to trade his new Optimus Prime toy for an old Hotwheels car. Unjustifiable.
Doug S.

So after the Red Sox ask for our promising star, then our best pitcher last year, they’re going to settle for a couple of no-names? Kudos to the Cubs for holding out and not bending.
Buddy

It never hurts to ask I guess.
BLPCB

Im with Buddy. As Homer Simpson once said: “trying is the first step towards failure.”
Maybe Boston thought they could dupe us. Don’t know unless u try
Joe

We’re an organization with a rich history of failure and mismanageemt. Why wouldn’t you ask for the moon?
Chuck

Ther eis a vast difference between what you want and what you will settle for. Ask any of my previous girlfriends…
Norm

Sounds like Negotiation 101, no?
Eddie Von White

You never know if you don’t ask and this Ricketts guy is new to all of us – why not test him out of the gate?
Mark

I guess I can’t blame them for asking for the moon, but I just hope they weren’t expecting to get Castro or Garza. I say we send them Koyie Hill and call it a day!
mrbaseball2usa

They don’t deserve a damn thing from the farm system. Theo is leaving, and they have no position to negotiate. I wish we could have hired the Padres guy as GM, and wait a year on Theo just to give The Sawks the middle finger.
BLPCB

I would have been perfectly fine with both of us getting rid of our garbage in the deal: They get Soriano and Bozo, we get Lackey.
flyslinger2

Mrs. Flyslinger calls me “shecky boy” for my skills at salesmanship and negotiating. The Sawks were absolutely right in their offering. The Cubs performed admirably in their counter and subsequent steadfast stance. At further negotiations. Makes me tingly. I am looking forward to Theo’s reign and hope it starts today.
Katie

@Mr. Baseball – I agree
Doc Raker

How can you blame Boston for trying to get rid of Lackey’s contract when our roster is at the top of the heap of bad contracts. Boston must of figured, what’s one more.
Doc Raker

I am glad Texas won last night, that made me smile.
Jedi

I’m not so optimistic – it’s starting to sound more like the Cubs are actively using the media to make us all think this is close to an end…while Boston is doing the exact opposite. Selig indicating that he would broker a deal isn’t necessarily good news.
Seymour Butts

What’s wrong with Hotwheels cars?
Katie

Nothing is wrong with them, Seymour. I even had a couple special-edition pink ones. Optimus Prime is the king of all toys. He’s the boss.
http://swantron.com jswanson

Chuck wins this weeks swizzy award ^
Doc Raker

What is optimus prime?
Katie

*GASP* Doc, you don’t know who Optimus Prime is? Time for a Google search.
http://swantron.com jswanson

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=optimus+prime
Eddie Von White

I smiled all the way through the ninth inning last night. In the bottom of the 8th Pujols hit one that looked like it was going out of the park, only to be caught. I thought Joe B. was going to start crying – he was so excited at first. He’s not good at hiding his bias.
–
Seymour – I had one of those double loop hot wheel tracks when Iw as a kid. It was awesome. All my parents ever bought me for gifts were hot wheels – except on my 10th birthday they bought me a first baseman’s glove. If it wasn’t for Leon Durham, I would of been there…
walterj

i don’t think this deal is as close to being done as some have hoped for …including myself .
Buddy

From ESPN.com…

“The worst-kept secret in baseball is finally, officially out in the open. The Red Sox and Cubs issued a joint statement Friday night announcing that Theo Epstein has resigned from his post as Boston’s general manager to become the Cubs’ president of baseball operations. The move is “effective immediately,” according to the statement, although the teams won’t hold news conferences until Tuesday, the next off day in the World Series, when the Cubs will presumably introduce Epstein in Chicago.”
Tyler

I realize we are all excited about getting Epstein and Hoyer to run the Cubs front office. But I feel like we are taking a step back by getting rid of jackson, szczur, and mcnutt. Why not try to get rid of every player in the cubs already depleted system? And if they aren’t considered some of our better prospects, I have no idea who they think is
BLPCB

Where does it say they’re getting those guys?
Jedi

The current report is that compensation is still undecided. The only thing that’s changed is Theo is finally cleaning out his desk at Fenway…a very good sign. The inference is that Selig will broker a deal on sometime before Tuesday if the two sides still can’t agree; hence, the notion that a resolution WILL be reached. Sounds like the Red Sox blinked first, good sign for Ricketts too – this was really starting to look like stalemate.
Memphis via Chicago

So glad this is coming to an end/new beginning. By the way, I have been enjoying the site for a few months now. Great articles, thoughtful, if not witty commentary, and a “mature” atmosphere. Kudos to all. I was beginning to think all Cub fans on other sites were prepubescent, name calling punks. Needless to say, I was disappointed.

Now to the fun at hand; I can hardly sleep thinking about the possibilities. It also cracks me up that this story has garnered so much attention that it has almost entirely overshadowed the World Series, which is really only funny because the Cardinals are in it. Can you imagine how great it will be when nothing will top the Cubs in the series? I am getting ahead of myself, but I can dream.
BLPCB

“If you can dream it, you can do it.” – Walt Disney
I feel that this splash is going to be different from the other splashes we have made because this one will actually change the fundamental structure of how we run things.
Timmy D

what does that say about Lackey? Hes so bad that instead of the Cubs giving up anything, they would have to simply take lackey off of the Sox hands. Lackey was a very solid pitcher who had the worst ERA ever for a Sox starter, but dude was going through a rough divorce and you could see he didnt handle it well at all. Papi is probably gone, so Id take a straigh up swap. Soriano for Lackey. Kinda like Bradley for Silva a few years ago, except I actually think Lackey has a much higher upside than an overweight Silva
BLPCB

This is the first time in a few months I’ve heard about that tub of goo. Lackey might rebound, but I don’t want another bloated contract unless I’m getting rid of one
Buddy

I’m not sure how valuble the information is, but almost every report I’ve seen states that the Cubs won’t have to part with Jackson, McNutt, or Szcur. Take that for what it’s worth.
Doc Raker

No more bloated contracts please! I can see where Boston would not want to have to pay Theo for his last year on his contract since the Cubs want to hire him during his contract but I just don’t see where Boston has leverage after that. Is it possible Boston is upset because the Cubs improperly tampered with Theo?
Doc Raker

Memphis- Seymour’s not mature he is just old.
Memphis via Chicago

Doc – How did we tamper? Did I miss something?
If we did then they are going to have Selig in their corner on compensation, otherwise I just don’t see where they have any leverage left having allowed Theo to resign and make this announcement. We are still going to have to pay something, but it should look like a nominal fee compared to Starlin or Garza.
gymjok

so you say you want to get rid of bad contracts
how about Z and Sori in one deal
If you are the cubs do you do this deal?
If you are the other team?
(add money going either way where needed)
Z and sori for
1 crawford
2 lackey
3 Zito
4 wells
5 worth
6 rios
7 dunn
Doc Raker

Memphis- Exactly my point, I don’t see where Boston thinks they have leverage unless the Cubs did something improper. I don’t think the Cubs did anything improper and have not read anything that infers the Cubs did anything improper but I just don’t understand where Boston thinks it has leverage. I am just asking if that could be a possibility that gives Boston leverage.
Memphis via Chicago

Doc- in all actuality I thought Boston did right by shooting the moon when they ask for Castro and then Garza. They just haven’t done so well since. They played a hand that had some decided strength into a loser. The Cubs wanted/needed Epstein. Boston is comfortable with Cherrington and probably would have changed Epsteins role but kept him around for the year, but somewhere in the mix they blinked. Who knows what was really going on, but they should expect a couple low to mid level prospects at this point. I am more curious about what Hoyer is going to cost us. That went almost to amicably. Seems like there was a preconceived deal made prior to the Epstein thing being finalized. I like what the new ownership is doing at this point though.
Seymour Butts

Boston’s hand really wasn’t much of a winner. Theo wanted out, and it’s not like forcing him to stay was really an option. An unhappy GM could trade away a teams future in a day or two.
And I’m not immature, just youthfully exuberant. Try it some time Raker, your wife will thank me (like she always does).
http://swantron.com jswanson

Theonardo DeEprio. That is all.
CubbieDude

jswanson: +1
Doc Raker

Memphis- I already offered Boston Norm, you think we should throw in Buddy also?
http://swantron.com jswanson

[Norm enters Cheers]
Norm!

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