http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/baseball/red_sox/view.bg?articleid=1372633
Theo Epstein on brink of joining Cubs
By Steve Buckley
Tuesday, October 11, 2011 - Updated 9 minutes ago
Boston Herald General Sports Columnist
Two baseball sources have confirmed that Theo Epstein is on the cusp of leaving his job as general manager of the Red Sox [team stats] to accept a position with the Chicago Cubs that is believed to include powers greater than he has in Boston, with an announcement expected to be made “within the next 24 to 48 hours.”
The hangup in the negotiations has been twofold. One of them is that Red Sox ownership was still hoping to have Epstein remain with the team. The other is compensation: If Epstein is to leave Boston, said one source with knowledge of the negotiations, the Red Sox are going to want “something real.”
Whether that involves a player, money or a combination of the two remains unclear.
“But this is going to be resolved very soon,” said a second baseball source.
Epstein, a native of Brookline, joined the Red Sox in 2002 and in November of that year, at age 28, became the youngest general manager in baseball history. Though he put together teams that won the World Series in 2004 and 2007 and made the playoffs in six of his nine seasons, the 2011 Red Sox had one of the biggest collapses in baseball history, going 7-20 in September to blow what had been a nine-lead for the American League wild card when the month began.
Terry Francona, who had been manager since 2004, severed ties with the Red Sox just two days after the season ended. Attention immediately focused on whether Epstein would also be leaving the Red Sox, leading to reports that the Cubs, who have not won the World Series since 1908, had asked Sox ownership for permission to speak with the Boston GM
Theo Epstein on brink of joining Cubs
Tuesday, October 11, 2011 - Updated 9 minutes ago
Boston Herald General Sports Columnist
Two baseball sources have confirmed that Theo Epstein is on the cusp of leaving his job as general manager of the Red Sox [team stats] to accept a position with the Chicago Cubs that is believed to include powers greater than he has in Boston, with an announcement expected to be made “within the next 24 to 48 hours.”
The hangup in the negotiations has been twofold. One of them is that Red Sox ownership was still hoping to have Epstein remain with the team. The other is compensation: If Epstein is to leave Boston, said one source with knowledge of the negotiations, the Red Sox are going to want “something real.”
Whether that involves a player, money or a combination of the two remains unclear.
“But this is going to be resolved very soon,” said a second baseball source.
Epstein, a native of Brookline, joined the Red Sox in 2002 and in November of that year, at age 28, became the youngest general manager in baseball history. Though he put together teams that won the World Series in 2004 and 2007 and made the playoffs in six of his nine seasons, the 2011 Red Sox had one of the biggest collapses in baseball history, going 7-20 in September to blow what had been a nine-lead for the American League wild card when the month began.
Terry Francona, who had been manager since 2004, severed ties with the Red Sox just two days after the season ended. Attention immediately focused on whether Epstein would also be leaving the Red Sox, leading to reports that the Cubs, who have not won the World Series since 1908, had asked Sox ownership for permission to speak with the Boston GM
