Red Sox Notes: Epstein, Wallach, Lackey, Padres
Here's the latest from Fenway Park…
- "People around the game [are] getting [the] idea that" Theo Epstein will likely remain as Boston's GM, reports Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated (Twitter link). Yesterday, Heyman reported that "a slight majority" of people around baseball believed Epstein would turn down a job offer from the Cubs.
- Dodgers third base coach Tim Wallach is under consideration for the manager's job, reports Michael Silverman of the Boston Globe. Wallach "is still at the stage of being considered for an interview," according to several sources. Wallach's name was mentioned in connection with the open managerial jobs with the Dodgers, Marlins and Blue Jays last winter.
- A Padres official tells Tom Krasovic of the Inside The Padres blog that it "is not farfetched at all" that San Diego would consider a trade for John Lackey this winter. Krasovic thinks Lackey could benefit from pitching at Petco Park and reuniting with Bud Black, who was Lackey's pitching coach with the Angels. Krasovic proposes a trade that would require Boston to pay most of Lackey's salary, take Orlando Hudson in return and also send "a young big leaguer or a good prospect, or two" back to the Padres. It sounds lopsided in San Diego's favor, but given how low Lackey's stock has fallen, the Red Sox will have to meet similar trade criteria in any potential Lackey deal.
Henry & Lucchino On Epstein’s Future
Red Sox owner John Henry and CEO Larry Lucchino declined to discuss the Cubs’ request to talk to GM Theo Epstein this morning, insisting that rival teams express interest in Boston’s personnel every year. In an extended appearance on WEEI’s Dennis & Callahan Show, Henry allowed that a “certain protocol in this game” generally dictates that teams allow employees to consider promotions.
Epstein could theoretically add president to his title in Chicago, which would be considered a promotion. It’s fair to assume that the longtime GM will move on from his current role at some point, though the transition won’t necessarily occur in the near future.
"I think there's a certain shelf life in these jobs," Henry said. "If you're sane, you can only be the general manager, you can only be the manager for a certain period of time. … Theo is not going to be the general manager forever."
Henry confirmed that the Red Sox would probably not have picked up their two-year $8.75MM option for Terry Francona after the season. The owner suggested that the decision to part ways wasn't completely mutual, since Francona made a decision before his bosses did.
Epstein has been searching for Boston’s next field manager along with assistant GM Ben Cherington. Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com hears that Dale Sveum is a candidate on their list. The former Red Sox coach has managed on an interim basis in Milwaukee.
Managerial Notes: Red Sox, Alomar, Francona
The White Sox's unexpected hiring of former third baseman Robin Ventura is Thursday's hot news item regarding managers, but here are a few other nuggets of note:
- The Red Sox now have the managerial market to themselves with the White Sox filling their vacancy, tweets Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com.
- Indians bench coach Sandy Alomar Jr. must be the favorite, among the candidates we know, to become next Red Sox manager, McAdam adds in a separate tweet.
- Alomar says he never heard from the White Sox about their opening and he's excited to be the Tribe's bench coach, tweets Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer.
- Similarly, the White Sox did not contact Francona, who was a minor league manager in their system in the early 1990s, a source tells Rob Bradford of WEEI.com. All of the 30 Major League teams currently have managers, as Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com notes, so there will have to be turnover for Francona to be a skipper in 2012. That is still possible, though, as the Cubs, Astros and Orioles could be in the market, pending front-office changes, and the Cardinals may have to commence a search if Tony La Russa retires or moves on after the postseason.
- The good news for the Red Sox, tweets Jon Heyman of SI.com, is that Rays bench coach Dave Martinez and Alomar are still available.
Red Sox Notes: Epstein, Francona, Reddick
Everyone in baseball expects the Cubs to offer Theo Epstein their GM job, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (Twitter link) and a slight majority expect that the Red Sox GM would turn such an offer down. Here are today's Red Sox-related links…
- Former manager Terry Francona appeared on WEEI's The Big Show and explained that he considers Boston's ownership "second to none." Francona acknowledged that he and Epstein "butted heads" at times, not that it’s a surprising admission given the public, stressful nature of their jobs. Francona added that he's interested in managing in the right situation next year.
- Rob Bradford of WEEI.com looks back to 2002, when the Red Sox, then under new ownership, tried to end their championship drought by hiring an established GM (Billy Beane of the A's). If that sounds familiar, it's because the Cubs now want Epstein to end their title drought.
- Bradford also explores the issue of compensation – it was discussed nine years ago and would come up again since Epstein is under contract in 2012.
- The Boston Herald looks ahead to next year's outfield and says the Red Sox will look to add a younger, more durable player to replace J.D. Drew. Josh Reddick and Ryan Kalish are internal options for Boston.
Quick Hits: Angels, Buehrle, Zambrano
At least one division series per league is going to a full five games this year, with the first elimination game taking place in the Bronx tomorrow night. Here are some links to read in the meantime…
- A's GM Billy Beane and MLB.com's Peter Gammons reflect on the decision Beane made in 2002, when he nearly joined the Red Sox before realizing he wanted to remain in Oakland. Gammons compares Beane to Red Sox GM Theo Epstein, who is at a similar career crossroads now that Boston missed the playoffs and the Cubs are interested in him as their next GM.
- The Angels are also looking for a new general manager and former GM Jim Bowden compiles a list of candidates at ESPN.com. Kim Ng of MLB, Jason McLeod of the Padres and Bill Geivett of the Rockies are among the names on Bowden's list (MLBTR's list of GM Candidates offers some more candidates to consider).
- Though the Rangers wanted Cliff Lee last offseason, they have many reasons to celebrate the near-miss, Jon Paul Morosi writes at FOX Sports. Texas signed Adrian Beltre, whose three-homer game sent them back to the ALCS, instead.
- Jim Margalus of South Side Sox looks back at Mark Buehrle's last contract and determines that it was a good one for the White Sox because the left-hander didn't really age.
- Carlos Zambrano knows his future with the Cubs is undetermined until they hire a GM, but he says he is talking with new Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen on a near-daily basis, according to Ormúz Jesús Sojo of Líder en Deportes (translation via MLBTR's Nick Collias).
- Check out Rumores de Béisbol for all of the latest rumors in Spanish.
Heyman On Beltre, Wilson, Orioles
The Rangers’ front office has recovered from some blunders (trading Adrian Gonzalez, for example) to become a group known for its shrewd decision making, Jon Heyman writes at SI.com. GM Jon Daniels and assistants such as Thad Levine and A.J. Preller had a successful offseason, acquiring Mike Napoli in a trade and signing Adrian Beltre away from the Angels, who play 45 minutes from the third baseman’s home. Here’s the latest from Heyman:
- The Rangers are pleased with Beltre so far, according to president Nolan Ryan. "He's done what we'd hoped he do,'' Ryan said. Dave Cameron of FanGraphs recently made the case that Beltre has solidified his place as one of the best players in baseball.
- One Rangers person says the odds are “40-60” that the Rangers will be able to re-sign C.J. Wilson after the season.
- Yesterday I examined the moves that led to the Rangers’ second consecutive ALCS appearance.
- Buck Showalter, who has flown to Texas, appears to be deciding between the Orioles’ GM job and their manager job, according to Heyman.
- Blue Jays first base coach Torey Lovullo may not be a fit as Boston’s next manager, according to Heyman. However, GM Theo Epstein will consider candidates with limited MLB managing experience.
Red Sox Rumors: Managerial Candidates, Epstein, Pitching
The Red Sox are in the news every day right now; here's the latest…
- The Sox have not finalized a list of managerial candidates to interview, reports WEEI's Rob Bradford. Name candidates such as Joe Torre, Tony La Russa, and Bobby Valentine are not thought to be on Boston's list, writes Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com. Instead, the top candidates appear to be Dave Martinez, Pete Mackanin, and Sandy Alomar Jr. It seems possible that the Red Sox will have to go head-to-head with the White Sox in their manager search. McAdam notes that as a member of the coaching staff of former manager Terry Francona, DeMarlo Hale is unlikely to be interviewed.
- The Cubs asked the Red Sox permission to speak with GM Theo Epstein, reported Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe yesterday. Red Sox management spent the day discussing the request; WCVB TV's Mike Lynch wrote that they could ask for compensation just to talk to Epstein, or they could collect compensation later.
- The relationship between Epstein and Red Sox president Larry Lucchino has gotten much better, according to Peter Gammons.
- Bradford takes an in-depth look at the Red Sox pitching staff. He finds the team unlikely to pursue a big-name starting pitcher. Bradford feels Daniel Bard and Alfredo Aceves could be starting candidates next year, Andrew Miller's $3MM option will be exercised, and Tim Wakefield might have to continue his career elsewhere.
Red Sox Notes: Manager, Beltre, Scutaro
The Cubs have asked the Red Sox for permission to interview GM Theo Epstein, whose contract expires after the 2012 season. Here are some updates on the Red Sox, who will presumably require compensation from Chicago if they lose their longtime GM…
- In a series of tweets on his personal account, Red Sox owner John Henry says he's confident that the team will end up with a "great manager." Epstein and assistant GM Ben Cherington briefed top Red Sox executives on the managerial search this week and calls and interviews could start as soon as next week. "Excited to once again bring in smart, creative, hands-on leadership," Henry wrote. "We have the right people looking."
- Adrian Beltre’s three homers carried the Rangers to the ALCS today and while it can’t be fun for Red Sox fans to watch their former third baseman excel for a new team, Alex Speier of WEEI.com reminds us that Beltre himself thought the Red Sox “made a good decision” when they let him go.
- Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal suggests that the Red Sox will exercise their $6MM option for Marco Scutaro in the offseason. I wrote last week that I expect the Red Sox to pick up the option instead of allowing Scutaro to explore the open market. As MacPherson explains, Jose Iglesias could use more experience against minor league pitching and Jed Lowrie has had trouble staying healthy.
Cubs Ask Permission To Speak With Epstein
The Cubs have asked the Red Sox for permission to speak with GM Theo Epstein, according to Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe. The Red Sox held meetings at Fenway Park today regarding their response to the Cubs' request, according to Shaughnessy. Epstein is under contract through 2012, so the Red Sox would have to grant permission to the Cubs if Epstein is indeed interested in the Cubs' open GM job. In the event that the Cubs try to hire him, the Red Sox will likely ask for compensation.
Epstein has led the Red Sox to two World Series championships since taking over Boston's baseball operations department in the fall of 2002, but Boston's fans currently seem more concerned about this year's late-season collapse than Epstein's past successes. MLBTR's Tim Dierkes examined Epstein's history of building starting rotations earlier today.
Theo Epstein And Starting Pitching
Theo Epstein was hired as GM of the Red Sox on November 25th, 2002, so he's coming up on nine years at the helm. The fatal flaw with Epstein's disappointing 2011 club was starting pitching, which prompted me to investigate his work assembling rotations.
2003 – Won wild card. 4.30 rotation ERA ranked fifth in AL.
- Derek Lowe – acquired via trade by Dan Duquette in 1997.
- Tim Wakefield – signed as a free agent by Duquette in '95.
- Pedro Martinez – acquired by Duquette in '97.
- John Burkett – signed as a free agent by Duquette in '01.
- Casey Fossum – drafted by Duquette in '99.
Epstein had nothing to do with the '03 rotation, so we can strike it from his record.
2004 – Won World Series. 4.31 rotation ERA ranked third in AL.
- Curt Schilling – acquired by Epstein in '03.
- Pedro Martinez
- Tim Wakefield
- Derek Lowe
- Bronson Arroyo – claimed off waivers by Epstein in '03.
Epstein deserves credit for 40% of this group, and Schilling was of course crucial.
2005 – Won wild card. 4.56 rotation ERA ranked seventh in AL.
- Tim Wakefield – He signed an extension in '05 with a recurring $4MM club option, so perhaps he became part of Epstein's ledger here or with the '06 season.
- Bronson Arroyo
- Matt Clement – signed by Epstein in '04
- David Wells – signed by Epstein in '04.
- Curt Schilling
- Wade Miller – signed by Epstein in '04.
This was not an impressive group, and most of them can be attributed to Epstein.
2006 – Missed playoffs. 5.00 rotation ERA ranked 11th in AL.
- Josh Beckett - Seth Mnookin's 2006 book Feeding the Monster mainly credits president Larry Lucchino for the November '05 Beckett trade, as Epstein was on hiatus. The book says assistant GM Jed Hoyer was in constant consultation with Epstein at the time and was wary of making the deal. Beckett had a rough '06 season, during which Epstein extended him potentially through 2010.
- Curt Schilling
- Tim Wakefield
- Jon Lester – The 2002 draftee officially goes on the ledger of interim GM Mike Port, though Epstein was in the organization as assistant GM by that point.
- Matt Clement
- Kyle Snyder – claimed off waivers by Epstein in '06.
2007 – Won World Series. 4.21 rotation ERA ranked second in AL.
- Daisuke Matsuzaka – acquired by Epstein in '06 via the posting system.
- Tim Wakefield
- Josh Beckett
- Curt Schilling
- Julian Tavarez – signed by Epstein as a free agent in '06.
- Jon Lester
2008 – Won wild card. 4.02 rotation ERA ranked third in AL.
- Jon Lester
- Tim Wakefield
- Daisuke Matsuzaka
- Josh Beckett
- Clay Buchholz
2009 – Won wild card. 4.63 rotation ERA ranked eighth in AL.
- Josh Beckett
- Jon Lester – Prior to this season, Epstein signed Lester potentially through 2014.
- Brad Penny – signed by Epstein as a free agent in '08.
- Tim Wakefield
- Clay Buchholz – drafted by Epstein in '05.
- Daisuke Matsuzaka
- John Smoltz – signed by Epstein as a free agent in '09.
2010 – Missed playoffs. 4.17 rotation ERA ranked sixth in AL.
- John Lackey – signed by Epstein as a free agent in '09.
- Jon Lester
- Clay Buchholz
- Daisuke Matsuzaka
- Josh Beckett – A new extension for Beckett was completed by Epstein prior to this season, running through 2014.
- Tim Wakefield – Wakefield's recurring option had been exercised three times. Prior to this season, Epstein hammered out a new two-year extension.
2011 – Missed playoffs. 4.49 rotation ERA ranked ninth in AL.
- Jon Lester
- Josh Beckett
- John Lackey
- Tim Wakefield
- Clay Buchholz
- Andrew Miller – signed by Epstein as a free agent in '10.
Epstein has put together eight rotations in his time as Red Sox GM. Three could comfortably be described as above-average. Schilling and Arroyo, his best starting pitching acquisitions, came eight years ago. So far Buchholz has been the only drafted starting pitcher to make an impact in one of Epstein's rotations, with '06 pick Justin Masterson becoming a major piece of the '09 trade for Victor Martinez. While Matsuzaka has been disappointing as a whole, he made major contributions in '07 and '08. Epstein also deserves credit for extending Wakefield, Beckett, and Lester.
Free agent starting pitchers have been a problem, with significant dollars spent on Lackey, Clement, Penny, and Smoltz. And for a $103MM commitment, Dice-K has not paid off.
The Red Sox seem to have relative stability in their recent rotations, and Lester, Beckett, and Buchholz will be part of the 2012 group. Still, a major acquisition seems likely this offseason. For all of Epstein's positive contributions to the club, his ability to acquire good veteran starting pitching must be questioned.