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Ben Cherington Press Conference Quotes

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The Red Sox introduced Ben Cherington as their executive VP and general manager this afternoon. Cherington says the Red Sox will have a very good team in 2012 and discussed Boston's managerial search and other offseason plans. He also announced that John Lackey will undergo Tommy John surgery. Here are the details:

  • Cherington wants a new manager with a strong voice who cares about players and can collaborate with the front office. He says the team will start interviewing candidates soon. The Red Sox have several candidates in mind for first round interviews, but they haven't asked permission to interview any of them yet. Previous managerial experience would be a plus, but it's not necessary.
  • Boston's success in terms of free agent signings has "not [been] good enough," according to Cherington.
  • Despite Boston's disappointing 2011 season, Cherington says the Red Sox have enough on and off of the field to succeed. "What I'm left with is a conviction that the Red Sox will be the best organization in baseball going forward," he said. 
  • The Red Sox would like to have David Ortiz and Jonathan Papelbon back, according to Cherington. They have had some initial dialogue with each player and they expect to continue discussions.
  • The Red Sox will look to build pitching depth and could go for buy-low acquisitions.
  • Cherington believes Marco Scutaro would be "very coveted" this offseason if he got onto the market. The Red Sox have a $6MM option for Scutaro that they'll likely pick up this offseason ($3MM player option, $1.5MM buyout).
  • Cherington says he pushed hard to sign Carl Crawford and believes in him.
  • The new GM discussed the importance of having top talent evaluators and vowed that the Red Sox will employ some of the top scouts in the game.
  • Boston's farm system is "stronger and deeper than ever" at Double-A and below, Cherington said.
  • Red Sox president and CEO Larry Lucchino says the Red Sox hired a team player who is hungry for more success. "There is no one more prepared to take on the role of General Manager of the Red Sox than Ben,” he said.  “He will hit the ground running, in full stride, and no one will outwork him.”
  • "I've always believed in hybrid baseball executives and Ben is a hybrid baseball executive," Lucchino said.
  • The Red Sox will soon announce promotions within their front office. Epstein has not asked Cherington about taking front office members with him to Chicago.
  • Cherington is the first person from our list of GM Candidates to land a GM job. Here's my piece on Cherington from August 2011.
  • Former Red Sox GM Theo Epstein discussed the Cubs and Red Sox at his introductory press conference in Chicago earlier today.

John Lackey To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

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Red Sox righty John Lackey will undergo Tommy John surgery, new GM Ben Cherington announced today.  WEEI's Rob Bradford reported Lackey's visit to Dr. Lewis Yocum earlier today, noting that the surgery causes a sixth-year option to vest for Lackey at the league minimum.  This is a good thing for Boston – it reduces the average annual value of the contract from $16.5MM to $13.8MM, creating luxury tax savings.

Lackey had a disastrous 2011 season.  His 6.41 ERA was the sixth-highest in baseball history over the last sixty years, given a minimum of 160 innings.  He had a rough year with the media as well.

The Red Sox likely were not counting on Lackey for anything in 2012, but the surgery eliminates any chance of a bad contract swap.

Coaching, Front Office News: Eiland, Blue Jays, Feinstein

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The latest on the coaching and managerial front:

  • The Royals announced the hiring of Dave Eiland as their new pitching coach.  Eiland served as the Yankees' pitching coach from 2008-10 and spent this year as a special assistant with the Rays.
  • The Blue Jays announced an amendment to their employee permission policy: they will not grant permission for lateral moves.  GM Alex Anthopoulos will be holding a press conference today, presumably on this topic.  The implication is that the Red Sox will not be allowed to interview John Farrell for their managerial position.  
  • Rays director of baseball operations Dan Feinstein has joined the Athletics as their director of pro scouting and baseball development, according to the team.  

Theo Epstein Press Conference Quotes

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We've heard a lot from new Cubs president Theo Epstein today, as the team held a press conference this morning.

  • "It truly feels great to be a Cub today," said Epstein at the introductory press conference.  He considers his new job "the ultimate challenge."
  • "Our goal will be to build the best scouting department in the game," explained Epstein.  He stressed "sustained success" and noted that the Cubs' 2011 draft marked a "clear philosophical change" in his eyes.  Epstein will also be able to grow the Cubs' baseball operations staff.
  • As a first step with the Cubs managerial situation, Epstein intends to meet with Mike Quade in person over the next week.  Epstein also intends to "take a creative look at the big league team."
  • A third party may ultimately be required to determine the compensation Boston receives, but Epstein considers the teams' relations to be amicable.
  • Cubs owner Tom Ricketts said today in a welcome statement, "In his new role, Theo will be given the resources and opportunity to build a strong foundation and the winning culture that our organization and fans deserve."  At the process conference Ricketts added, "I simply cannot imagine a better person for this job than Theo Epstein."
  • The following bullet points are highlights from an op-ed piece Epstein wrote for the Boston Globe.  Epstein writes, "The reason I am leaving has nothing to do with power, pressure, money, or relationships. It has nothing to do with September, either."  Instead, he points to a Bill Walsh suggestion that coaches and executives should seek change after ten years with a team, to create a new challenge for the individual and a fresh perspective for the team.  Initially, the plan was for assistant GM Ben Cherington to take over the Red Sox after the 2012 season, and those discussions with ownership began this summer while the team was thriving.
  • The combination of the Red Sox needing a new manager for the long-term and the challenge presented by the Cubs prompted Epstein to leave earlier than he initially planned.  Epstein has complete confidence in Cherington to address Boston's clubhouse issues.  Epstein admits, "Things did indeed happen in the clubhouse that do not have a place at the Red Sox or anywhere in sports. But the reports about team-wide apathy and indulgence are exaggerated."
  • Epstein feels that Cherington is more prepared for the GM job than Epstein was nine years ago, and the Red Sox "remain one of the preeminent organizations in baseball, with an extremely bright future."

Red Sox Managerial Links: Farrell, Blue Jays

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The Red Sox announced that they will introduce Ben Cherington as their new GM tomorrow. Now that the Red Sox have resolved the uncertainty in their front office, it's time to find a new manager. Here are the latest links on the subject:

  • Joel Sherman of the New York Post hears that Blue Jays manager John Farrell would be desired in Boston, under Cherington, and in Chicago, under former Red Sox GM Theo Epstein (Twitter links). Dale Sveum and Mike Maddux are two candidates who may appeal to Cherington and Epstein, according to Sherman.
  • Farrell dismissed speculation about a possible return to Boston, where he was the pitching coach until he left for Toronto. "I am focused right now on preparing for what is best for the Blue Jays in 2012," he told Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link).
  • Farrell told Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star that the Red Sox haven't asked the Blue Jays for permission to talk to him. Griffin says the rumors are "a slap in the face for Jays fans" and that it would be unseemly for Farrell to return to Boston after one year. However, the Red Sox would get permission to talk with Farrell if they want it, according to Griffin.
  • Rob Bradford of WEEI.com says Farrell is the right manager for the Red Sox, since they need to rebuild their clubhouse for 2012. Bradford suggests the Blue Jays would likely require substantial compensation from Boston for Farrell and explains that a return to the Red Sox seems unlikely.

Red Sox To Name Ben Cherington GM

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OCTOBER 24th: Cherington will be announced as executive vice president/general manager of the Red Sox at a 3pm press conference tomorrow, announced the team.  The Cubs, meanwhile, will introduce Epstein as president of baseball operations three hours prior.

OCTOBER 13th: The Red Sox are calling on Theo Epstein's top assistant to restore order in Boston. They have told assistant general manager Ben Cherington that he'll be the team's next GM, according to Yahoo's Tim Brown. Cherington will assume the responsibilities of the GM once the Cubs and Red Sox finalize the arrangement that will send Epstein to Chicago.

Cherington started his baseball career with the Indians in 1998. He joined the Red Sox under Dan Duquette and worked extensively with Epstein, who he considers a mentor.

"I learned more [from Epstein] about the game and people and how to get things done and how to do all of that with a sense of humor and compassion," Cherington told me in August. "It has made me a better person and if I’m ever lucky enough to be a GM it’ll make me a much better GM."

 Cherington has experience as an area scout and has also worked on player acquisitions, arbitration and quantitative analysis. His first job as a general manager will begin with a search for manager Terry Francona's replacement.

Red Sox Notes: Managerial Search, Farrell, Gonzalez

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With the Red Sox expected to name Ben Cherington as their GM on Tuesday, the organization must now focus on finding their next manager.  Here's the latest on their search and more..

  • Commissioner Bud Selig told reporters before tonight's game that the Red Sox and Cubs will have until November 1st to work out a deal before he intervenes, writes Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com.  Meanwhile, it's expected that Mike Hazen, the current director of player development for the BoSox, will be promoted to assistant GM when the dust settles.
  • There will no more dialogue between the Red Sox and Cubs on compensation for Theo Epstein until after the Tuesday press conferences, Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com (via Twitter) has been told.
  • Recently, Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos told Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca that they do not require rival teams to seek permission to interview their employees.  That leads Davidi (via Twitter) to believe that they would not seek compensation should John Farrell decide to leave for the Red Sox.
  • While there has been industry speculation that the Red Sox could go after a current manager of another big league team, they have no such plan at this time, a source familiar with the team's search told Alex Speier of WEEI.com.  That would rule out possible candidates such as John Farrell of the Blue Jays and the Padres' Bud Black.
  • Once he takes over as GM, Ben Cherington figures to interview candidates like Tim Wallach of the Dodgers, Dale Sveum of the Brewers, Pete Mackanin of the Phillies, and Dave Martinez of the Rays, writes Scott Lauber of The Boston Herald.  If the Cubs decide to replace Mike Quade, Cherington may find himself vying with Epstein for Ryne Sandberg.  Boston courted Sandberg to manage Triple-A Pawtucket before he took the Phillies’ Triple-A job instead.
  • More from Alex Speier of WEEI.com as he wonders aloud if the Red Sox's first baseman of choice still would have been Adrian Gonzalez if they waited until after 2011 to make their move.  Gonzalez's seven-year, $154MM contract goes into effect in 2012.

Cafardo On Farrell, Red Sox, Rollins, Oswalt

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When the Red Sox and manager Terry Francona parted ways, Blue Jays skipper John Farrell was the preferred candidate to manage the team, a major league source told Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe.  There's conflicting information on how much the Red Sox have explored this possibility but they've internally considered a few managers and the one who would fit best would be Farrell.  One source said the BoSox wouldn't want to give compensation to a division rival while another thought the issue already had been brought up and the discussions didn't get very far. 

The Red Sox have been hesitant to turn to bench coach DeMarlo Hale for the job because of a feeling that he’s too close and tied into Francona, but Cafardo notes that Farrell also learned his managerial style from him.  Farrell took the Toronto job because it appeared that Francona was deeply entrenched in Boston.  Had he known that Francona and the team would part ways, Cafardo wonders if he would have stayed.  Here's more from Cafardo..

  • Free agent shortstop Jimmy Rollins will have to back off from his desire for a five-year deal for the Phillies to seriously consider re-signing him.  They probably won’t be interested in free agent Jose Reyes because of his price tag.  If they don't retain Rollins, the club may find a cheaper stopgap to replace him such as Marco Scutaro if the Red Sox don’t pick up his option ($6MM club/$3MM player, $1.5MM buyout).
  • Phillies right-hander Roy Oswalt could become available in free agency as he is due $16MM on a mutual option and the team will likely either buy him out for $2MM or try to negotiate a lesser deal.  If he becomes a free agent, one major league talent evaluator said that he would be a great acquisition for anyone on a two-year deal, but obviously not at a $16MM rate.
  • In the event that the Red Sox decide on Farrell and reach agreement with the Blue Jays, there are an endless number of candidates the team could hire to replace him.  Those options include current bench coach Don Wakamatsu and third base coach Brian Butterfield.
  • Since the Padres have allowed Jed Hoyer and Jason McLeod out of their respective contracts, Cafardo wonders if they'd let Bud Black walk to become the Red Sox's next manager.  Black could straighten out the pitching staff and got the most out of John Lackey as pitching coach for the Angels. 
  • Francona probably needs to sit out a half-year before taking on another managerial job sometime next season.  In the meantime, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he took on a job as a special assistant.  An American League GM said that the former Red Sox skipper would have "an endless number of opportunities" along those lines.
  • DeMarlo Hale has a year remaining on his contract and eventually he'll meet with new GM Ben Cherington to determine his fate.  Hale hopes to interview for the Sox managerial job and could also could be a candidate with the Cubs under Theo Epstein.  Davey Johnson is still expected to return to the Nationals job but there may be an interview process and Hale will likely be a candidate given the strong backing he’ll receive from Nats special adviser Bob Schaefer.
  • Don't be surprised if Brewers hitting coach Dale Sveum emerges as a top candidate for the Boston job.

Quick Hits: Pujols, La Russa, Red Sox

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A few stray items to pass along as the Cardinals close in on a 2-1 World Series lead over the Rangers …

  • Albert Pujols' snafu with the media following the Redbirds' loss in Game 2 wouldn't bode well for him in larger market like New York, opines Ken Davidoff of Newsday, so it may be in Prince Albert's best interest to remain in city like St. Louis, where he won't face intense media scrutiny.
  • Back on the field, Pujols dominated tonight's game in Arlington, leading Buster Olney of ESPN.com to muse that the Cards may no longer have any choice but to up their offer to their star first baseman as he embarks on free agency (Twitter).
  • Cardinals manager Tony La Russa wasn't entertaining questions pertaining to whether he'd manage again in 2012, tweets Olney. However, we did hear last week that La Russa has been hinting at coming back.
  • In an upcoming interview with Bob Costas of MLB Network, commissioner Bud Selig said he's confident the Red Sox will take care of any issues like players drinking in the dugout, according to Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe. So, it sounds like there won't be any league sanctions or policing related to the alleged transgressions.
  • Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle have been elected vice president of the Baseball Writers Association of America, according to the Associated Press. The VP of the BBWAA becomes the president after one year, putting Slusser in line to become the organization's first female president next year. So, congratulations to her. The BBWAA, of course, is the organization whose members vote for the Hall of Fame and various post-season awards.

Epstein, Hoyer, Cubs Links: Saturday

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The Red Sox officially announced last night that GM Theo Epstein had resigned from his position to take over as the the Cubs president of baseball operations. Both teams will hold press conferences on Tuesday; the Cubs to introduce Epstein, and the Sox to likely announce that Ben Cherington is taking over as GM. The two sides have "reached an agreement regarding a process by which appropriate compensation will be determined" and the issue will be "resolved in the near term."

Meanwhile, the Padres have officially granted the Cubs permission to speak to GM Jed Hoyer and assistant GM Jason McLeod. San Diego has already agreed to a list of players from which they will choose their compensation package. Former Diamondbacks GM Josh Byrnes is expected to replace Hoyer after the World Series, and the Cubs will not raid the Padres' front office any further. As news trickles in about the three-way GM carousel, we'll keep track of it all right here, with the latest up top…

  • Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe cautions Red Sox fans not to expect a "windfall" in exchange for Epstein. Abraham expects Boston to receive two or three prospects, or one prospect and a complementary Major Leaguer like Jeff Baker.
  • Dan Hayes of The North County Times says (on Twitter) we're unlikely the learn the full list of players the Padres can choose from, but a source confirmed that Starlin Castro and Andrew Cashner are not on it. That's not surprising, the Padres are expected to receive minor leaguers in exchange for letting Hoyer and McLeod leave.
  • In a pair of tweets, WEEI.com's Alex Speier notes that because he is coming in as an outsider, Epstein is likely to value the Cubs' prospects differently than those already in the organization. That could lead to a swift resolution of the Cubs-Red Sox compensation talks.
  • ESPN's Buster Olney points out (on Twitter) that Epstein will cost the Cubs about the same as what Alfonso Soriano makes per month. He calls it a "huge per-dollar talent grab" for the north siders.
  • With a handful of front-office types and a manager changing teams this offseason despite being under contract, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe wonders whether the Red Sox could seek another team's manager to be their next skipper (Twitter).
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