Re: New GM/Cubs Future News Articles

[El Duderino]

http://bostondirtdogs.boston.com/oct11/bdd_beckett_kid_mac.jpg

[Guest]

More fun tweets from Kaplan:

 

Just spoke to a GREAT source on the Theo compensation talks. Red Sox are asking for an insane package of players. Cubs are saying no way.

[Magnetic Curses]

The Sons of Sam Horn guys are really taking their frustration out on us Cubs fans. I'd normally be upset, but it's actually kind of funny.

 

red sox fans are meatballs. most have never been out of boston, so they'd have no idea how fans are in another part of the country.

[bcl412]

It wouldn't be ethical but if the Sox didn't let the Cubs have Theo, what would stop him from trading good players from Boston to Chicago so they'd be there next year when his contract does expire?

[UMFan83]

The Sons of Sam Horn guys are really taking their frustration out on us Cubs fans. I'd normally be upset, but it's actually kind of funny.

 

This is a hilarious read. I thought the SOSH people were supposed to be level headed "smart" posters.

 

I mean I know their viewpoints are going to be unconsciously biased towards the Red Sox and vice versa for us, but some of the things they are saying are just plain ridiculous.

 

They think that not only do the Sox have all the leverage, but they have significant leverage. Nah, I don't think so guys.

[Magnetic Curses]

It wouldn't be ethical but if the Sox didn't let the Cubs have Theo, what would stop him from trading good players from Boston to Chicago so they'd be there next year when his contract does expire?

 

jail time.

[UMFan83]

It wouldn't be ethical but if the Sox didn't let the Cubs have Theo, what would stop him from trading good players from Boston to Chicago so they'd be there next year when his contract does expire?

 

Yeah I'm pretty sure every GM would refuse to deal with him indefinitely. Plus, Henry still has veto power over everything Theo does.

[UMFan83]

You may actually be understating it. Brett Jackson (Cubs #1 prospect) would probably slot into our system at 5, behind Middlebrooks, Kalish, Ranaudo and Bogaerts, Matt Szczur would likely be at 8-10 and no one else in the Cubs system would be in our top 10-12 (not counting Baez, who is not eligible to be traded). Trey McNutt and Rafael Dolis would likely slot into the mid-teens.

 

lol, the Sox farm system is good, but ok Keith Law

[Sammy Sofa]

It wouldn't be ethical but if the Sox didn't let the Cubs have Theo, what would stop him from trading good players from Boston to Chicago so they'd be there next year when his contract does expire?

 

Yeah I'm pretty sure every GM would refuse to deal with him indefinitely. Plus, Henry still has veto power over everything Theo does.

 

Plus, as sulley was saying, pretty sure that would fall well into the realm of collusion.

[davearm2]

It wouldn't be ethical but if the Sox didn't let the Cubs have Theo, what would stop him from trading good players from Boston to Chicago so they'd be there next year when his contract does expire?

What would stop him? The fact he's no longer Boston's GM.

[UMFan83]

Did anyone post this earlier? It's from the SOSH thread I'm still going through. I have no idea who SoxScout is but he's the one that tweeted this:

 

Grain of salt, but I heard it's basically, "Put your top prospects on the table, or we will keep 'special assistant' Theo in 2012."

[Sammy Sofa]

Did anyone post this earlier? It's from the SOSH thread I'm still going through. I have no idea who SoxScout is but he's the one that tweeted this:

 

Grain of salt, but I heard it's basically, "Put your top prospects on the table, or we will keep 'special assistant' Theo in 2012."

 

I have little doubt that that's been inferred over the course of this in the hope of intimidating Ricketts. That said, there's a huge difference between such an implied (or even outright) threat and then actually going through with it.

[Soul]

Despite people like C.C. and davearm2 trying to rain on everyone's parade, Boston has had very little leverage in terms of demanding or trying to work out "extra" compensation. The Cubs' reported financial offer is more than fair given what Theo had left on his contract and I have little doubt they'd be willing to give up 1-2 mid-tier prospects in addition to that. The Red Sox are a PR mess right now and they're trying to salvage something that they can spin as a "victory" out of all this and they're trying to do so by fighting for a shiny new prospect they can show off, but it sounds like Ricketts is holding fast. Sure, it's not impossible for the Red Sox to walk away and damn Theo to a year in baseball purgatory...but it's extremely unlikely that they would do so, and everyone knows it. They tried to posture, thinking they could push around the money guy behind the Cubs and it doesn't seem to be working. Now they'll let it technically drag out through the weekend before announcing on Monday that everything is finalized. Press conference on Tuesday, all is well: BOOK IT.

 

Not sure about the exact timing of the press conference, but I'm on board with your logic. This is pretty much what's going on, IMHO.

 

Maybe Ricketts humors them with a throw in or two, I don't know.

 

I like how he came in with a low bid, though. That was savvy -- at least compared with what I've seen from the Cubs in the past.

[davearm2]

The Sons of Sam Horn guys are really taking their frustration out on us Cubs fans. I'd normally be upset, but it's actually kind of funny.

 

This is a hilarious read. I thought the SOSH people were supposed to be level headed "smart" posters.

 

I mean I know their viewpoints are going to be unconsciously biased towards the Red Sox and vice versa for us, but some of the things they are saying are just plain ridiculous.

 

They think that not only do the Sox have all the leverage, but they have significant leverage. Nah, I don't think so guys.

The Sox have some leverage -- time. What motivation do they have to resolve this quickly? Or before opening day for that matter?

 

They can come out and announce Cherington is the GM and Epstein's role is being sorted out, or he's a special assistant, or whatever they want.

 

Meanwhile the Cubs have no GM.

 

The Sox can say "take it or leave it" indefinitely. The Cubs don't have that luxury.

[Sammy Sofa]

The Sox have some leverage -- time. What motivation do they have to resolve this quickly? Or before opening day for that matter?

 

Wait, what? They need to hire a new manager and deal with coming off a disappointing season, potentially trying to deal away bad contracts and dealing with expiring ones and singing new FA. In short, they have a lot do do and leaving the FA in turmoil isn't going to help at all. The Red Sox very much have motivation to get this done quickly.

[davearm2]

The Sox have some leverage -- time. What motivation do they have to resolve this quickly? Or before opening day for that matter?

 

Wait, what? They need to hire a new manager and deal with coming off a disappointing season, potentially trying to deal away bad contracts and dealing with expiring ones and singing new FA. In short, they have a lot do do and leaving the FA in turmoil isn't going to help at all. The Red Sox very much have motivation to get this done quickly.

Like I said, they can officially name Cherington the GM anytime. He's already acting in that role, and presumably he's working on all the things you mentioned.

 

This Theo stuff isn't holding up any of that.

[Magnetic Curses]

Did anyone post this earlier? It's from the SOSH thread I'm still going through. I have no idea who SoxScout is but he's the one that tweeted this:

 

Grain of salt, but I heard it's basically, "Put your top prospects on the table, or we will keep 'special assistant' Theo in 2012."

 

and they'd make a huge mess even bigger. it sounds like something someone made up.

[El Duderino]

isn't the commissioner's office partially involved in this? I heard Gammons say they wouldn't let this drag out too long.

[UMFan83]

Also, there's no way of knowing whether Theo's contract even allows for his being moved to another role. That part could all be a huge bluff.

[Magnetic Curses]

The Sons of Sam Horn guys are really taking their frustration out on us Cubs fans. I'd normally be upset, but it's actually kind of funny.

 

This is a hilarious read. I thought the SOSH people were supposed to be level headed "smart" posters.

 

I mean I know their viewpoints are going to be unconsciously biased towards the Red Sox and vice versa for us, but some of the things they are saying are just plain ridiculous.

 

They think that not only do the Sox have all the leverage, but they have significant leverage. Nah, I don't think so guys.

The Sox have some leverage -- time. What motivation do they have to resolve this quickly? Or before opening day for that matter?

 

They can come out and announce Cherington is the GM and Epstein's role is being sorted out, or he's a special assistant, or whatever they want.

 

Meanwhile the Cubs have no GM.

 

The Sox can say "take it or leave it" indefinitely. The Cubs don't have that luxury.

 

sure, they can go with bush for a year and the sox get nothing.

[Outshined_One]

Like I said, they can officially name Cherington the GM anytime. He's already acting in that role, and presumably he's working on all the things you mentioned.

 

This Theo stuff isn't holding up any of that.

 

The words "breach of contract" come to mind.

 

Theo has an employment agreement wherein he performs certain duties, has authority over members of the organization, and is the GM. Stripping him of those duties or naming someone else GM while Theo is still employed by the Red Sox as GM would cause them a whole mess of legal trouble.

[Soul]

The Sox have some leverage -- time. What motivation do they have to resolve this quickly? Or before opening day for that matter?

 

Wait, what? They need to hire a new manager and deal with coming off a disappointing season, potentially trying to deal away bad contracts and dealing with expiring ones and singing new FA. In short, they have a lot do do and leaving the FA in turmoil isn't going to help at all. The Red Sox very much have motivation to get this done quickly.

Like I said, they can officially name Cherington the GM anytime. He's already acting in that role, and presumably he's working on all the things you mentioned.

 

This Theo stuff isn't holding up any of that.

 

Sure. Then Ricketts gets pissed off, pulls out until next year, and rapes them to holy heaven once they don't have him under contract anymore.

 

Go for it Red Sox.

[Sammy Sofa]

The Sox have some leverage -- time. What motivation do they have to resolve this quickly? Or before opening day for that matter?

 

Wait, what? They need to hire a new manager and deal with coming off a disappointing season, potentially trying to deal away bad contracts and dealing with expiring ones and singing new FA. In short, they have a lot do do and leaving the FA in turmoil isn't going to help at all. The Red Sox very much have motivation to get this done quickly.

Like I said, they can officially name Cherington the GM anytime. He's already acting in that role, and presumably he's working on all the things you mentioned.

 

This Theo stuff isn't holding up any of that.

 

No, I'm sorry, that's an absurdly messy situation. To think it's likely they'd go through that just to play hardball over not getting top prospects is, well, absurd. It would be one thing if the Cubs were trying to force them to walk away with nothing, but the reports/rumors seem to indicate they're willing to give up players and money. The Sox are just trying to shoot for the moon with the player compensation, likely because they think they can push around someone they view (or viewed) as fatally green to this in Ricketts.

 

Nevermind the legalities of Theo's contract and the dissent it would sow.

[davearm2]

Like I said, they can officially name Cherington the GM anytime. He's already acting in that role, and presumably he's working on all the things you mentioned.

 

This Theo stuff isn't holding up any of that.

 

The words "breach of contract" come to mind.

 

Theo has an employment agreement wherein he performs certain duties, has authority over members of the organization, and is the GM. Stripping him of those duties or naming someone else GM while Theo is still employed by the Red Sox as GM would cause them a whole mess of legal trouble.

That's possible, but 100% speculative. We don't know what options the Sox do and don't have, contractually.

[CubmanPi]

This thread is in desperate need of news.

 

Yes.

 

I was driving from Big Sur (45 minutes south of Monterey, CA) to San Diego yesterday and caught up on about 40 pages of it while riding as passenger. The last 15 pages have been borderline unbearable in places. I couldn't hold back making some smart ass comment any longer.

 

You spent hours reading 40 pages of NSBB while one of the most beautiful stretches of highway the world has to offer passed by right out the window.

 

Wow.