What's the Deal with Theo's Deal?

AP Photo

Three days ago the Cubs owned the local news cycle with the news they were close to a deal to bring Boston Red Sox GM Theo Epstein to Clark and Addison. It's now Friday and Cubs fans still waiting for a formal announcement and wondering if there's really a curse.

What the hell?

The two teams are still haggling over compensation for Boston to release Epstein from the last year of his contract. According to various reports, including the Tribune's Phil Rogers, Evil Empire 1A wants cash and prospects from the Cubs farm system. The Cubs only want to give the loaded Red Sox legal tender and keep what they have in the farm system.

Until the Cubs and Red Sox can reach an accord, Epstein and the Cubs have to keep mum. Given the star-crossed history of the Chicago National League Ballclub and the current dysfunction of the Red Sox, is anyone surprised a deal to bring Epstein to the team has become filled with drama?

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By Chuck Sudo in News on October 14, 2011 2:20 PM 0 Comments

Comments [rss]

Joseph

Jeez, people, you're trying to get Epstein to run the Cubs. Of course the Red Sox are going to demand more than a case of beer. Dude needs some compensation for running a team in the worst park in the major leagues, right?

ChicagoD

Uh, the Red Sox get the compensation. You know that, right? So, the "Dude . . ." part kind of makes no sense.

slickpoetry

Yeah they already know what they (might) pay Epstein. It was announced first as 4 years for $15 million, but then someone later reported the figure was closer to $20 million.

The red sox deserve nothing. All the cubs are doing is taking out their trash for them.

sat3911

So at this point, if the Cubs back out, then the BoSox have a general manager who will be making the most important decisions for the future of their club while looking for a new job? I would think this might pose a problem, but I'm a bit simplistic.

twocee

There's too much on the line for the Cubs to back out, which is why Boston is playing hardball (yes, yes, cliche). Boston knows how badly the Cubs want Epstein, they know Epstein wants to leave, so why not squeeze the Cubs for the maximum they can get.

sat3911

But the Cubs could instead hire whomever Boston should hire to replace Theo. I think Boston is in the tougher spot here because they have just lost their GM. At this point, Ricketts should spend the weekend being photographed at very nice restaurants with other potential GMs.

The Cubs can back out of this. Boston can't anymore.

ChicagoD

I agree. Disgruntled current employees in positions of power (making $3M) are much more troublesome than either disgruntled former employees, or near-miss people you didn't hire. I'd tell the Bosox to take cash and a box of balls and move on with their lives.

sat3911

We could toss in a few cases of beer and then the remaining employees would be gruntled.
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BlueFairlane

This is one of those situations in which I usually say if it's this much of a hassle, it's not worth doing. There's something sketchy about this whole thing. (Not the least of which is the fact that most of Epstein's success came by loading up on power hitters during the peak of the steroid era.) Were I a Cubs fan, I'd be wary.

I'm not a Cubs fan, though, so I'll keep rooting for something to distract people from Kenny Williams going insane.