I’m betting that Uncle Bud Selig is pretty annoyed with Boston baseball’s cirque du soleil. While most of America ignores this year’s Fall Classic, millions of rubber-neckers are still leaning out their windows to watch the skeleton frame of the Red Sox burning on the side of the road.
The hot issue for today is the status of general manager Theo Epstein.
We know he has worked out a deal to go to Chicago, but the Sox and Cubs have not been able to agree on compensation (Epstein is under contract to Boston for one more season). Amazingly, Epstein is still on the job.
“Theo does go into the office every day,’’ acknowledged Lucchino. “But Ben Cherington’’ - Epstein’s aide-de-camp, and the consensus favorite to take over - “is playing a larger role than he has in the past.’’
Most employees are walked to their car when they agree to go work elsewhere. Any worries about Epstein acting as a double agent?
“We haven’t encountered problems like that in light of the way we’ve been operating,’’ said Lucchino.
What is the status of the Epstein buyout?
“I’m not going to address any questions regarding negotiations with the Cubs,’’ he said. “It’s an issue of confidentiality we feel is important.’’
The delay is holding up both organizations. The Red Sox need to go about the job of finding a new manager and making roster decisions. Isn’t this stalemate preventing the Sox from moving forward with their baseball operation?
“I understand how people may perceive that to be the case,’’ Lucchino answered. “But there’s plenty of work going on on the baseball front.’’
Any need to clean house of the bad apples?
“I’m not going to answer that question,’’ he said. “It would be more appropriate to address that to a new general manager. And I challenge the premise. We have a number of good, intense, talented competitors on this team.’’
