Now, if that happens not to be the case, let Mr. Lucchino speak now or forever hold his peace. We can draw no other conclusion.
This is what happens when your owner is a man like John Henry, who is nonconfrontational and isn't all that big in dealing with people, to be honest. Henry communicates in the abstract. He's an e-mail guy, not a phone guy or a face-to-face guy. He's much more comfortable with computers.
So in order to make sure he doesn't have to deal with people, he hires Larry Lucchino.
Larry Lucchino. Let's put it this way: He doesn't exactly lack self-confidence. He's smart, he's aggressive, and he likes a good argument. He is very facile with the mother tongue and he knows he enjoys the complete backing of his boss. That is rather obvious.
Theo Epstein is not irreplaceable, at least in theory. He did far more good things than bad things, and he will be able to dine out in this town forever, based on the happenings of Oct. 17-27, 2004. This year things didn't work out so well. So no, he is far from perfect. Of course, the same can be said for every other general manager out there. There are many GMs, or would-be GMs, who, at least in theory, could have matched the job Epstein did for the Red Sox. No one can state categorically that Henry and Lucchino never again will find someone who can take Theo's job and do it as well. They could.
But why should it be necessary? Theo Epstein did do a great job overall, and he was prepared to do it for many more years. This should have been the no-brainer of no-brainers. He should have been reupped with a handsome raise that reflects gratitude for being the man who dotted the i's and crossed the t's as the Red Sox finally ended all the nonsense and did what no Red Sox team had been able to do since 1918. It was an ideal partnership. Or so we thought.
