Are the Sox going Cheap on Theo?

[GhostofMalzone]

Sides apart on deal

Major money gap between GM, Sox

By Gordon Edes, Globe Staff | October 14, 2005

 

During negotiations for a new contract, Theo Epstein undoubtedly would like Red Sox ownership to at

least reference the extravagant offer they made to Billy Beane three years ago, when the Oakland

Athletics general manager was their first choice to become GM of the team

When Beane said no, the brass turned to Epstein, who rewarded them with a World Series title in his

second year and trips to the playoffs in each of the three seasons he has been GM, while making great

strides in meeting his pledge to rebuild the farm system.

But that success is not translating anywhere close to the $2.5 million annually the Sox reportedly were

willing to pay Beane over five years. While a pragmatic Epstein is believed to be asking for considerably

less, in both salary and years, the offer the team has made Epstein is not far removed from what Chuck

LaMar, who was just fired after seven last-place finishes in the eight seasons he ran the Devil Rays,

made in Tampa Bay.

LaMar was being paid $750,000 a year, which isn't much less than the figure the Sox are offering

Epstein, according to an industry source with knowledge of the talks each of the last three days between

Epstein and CEO Larry Lucchino. And it is considerably less than what Epstein has proposed to the

Sox, with just over two weeks remaining before the Oct. 31 expiration date on his current deal.

Public information on GM salaries is sketchy. The Sox were prepared to make Beane the highest-paid

GM in baseball history, though the cerebral Beane, working under far greater payroll constraints in

Oakland than Epstein, has yet to win a World Series. His team fell short of a playoff berth for the

second straight season this year after four straight seasons in which the Athletics averaged 98 wins and

won three division titles and a wild-card berth.

Months before the Red Sox came after him, Beane had signed a contract extension with the Athletics

that calls for him to be paid $1.1 million in each of the next three seasons (2006-08).

This past April, new owner Lewis Wolff extended Beane through the 2012 season and gave him slightly

less than a 5 percent ownership stake in the club.

Texas Rangers GM John Hart, who just stepped aside and was replaced by 28-year-old Jon Daniels,

was the highest-paid GM in the game at $2 million.

Atlanta's John Schuerholz, whose team has won 14 consecutive division titles (excluding the

strike-shortened '94 season), is around $1.5 million, and the Yankee's Brian Cashman, the only GM in

history whose teams won World Series in each of his first three seasons, was reportedly making $1.1

million a season.

Cashman, like Epstein, is at the end of his contract, and unconfirmed speculation in baseball circles is

that he will stay only if the Yankees give him a huge raise to the $2 million range. Veteran successful

GMs such as Walt Jocketty in St. Louis and Brian Sabean in San Francisco are both around the $1

million level, but neither has a World Series title.

And the Dodgers are believed to have given first-year GM Paul DePodesta $800,000 a year, much

higher than the $350,000-$450,000 range customary for new GMs.

Sox ownership and Epstein have pledged not to comment publicly during ongoing negotiations.

© Copyright 2005 Globe Newspaper Company.

 

Are the Sox going to let the Yankees set the bar for Theo (Money Wise)

or are they buying time to see what happens with Cashman ? :dunno:

[RedSoxRooter]

I think the Sox will offer Theo part ownership, but it's just a hunch.

[Sizzlin22]

He's a GM, and the Sox we're desperate for a good GM while they were going after Beane. He can't possibly expect what they offered Beane.

[Soxfan1]

Who does contract negoitiations with theo?

[stocker323]

Who does contract negoitiations with theo?

 

Ownership.

[example1]

Theo must understand the "start low" approach, given that that is how he carried out negotiations with players like Pedro and Varitek.

[MANNYHOF24]

If the ownership lets Epstien Go, he will be the next Yankee GM, so they should not let him go by any stretch of the imagination

[ksushi]

I doubt he would end up the next yankee GM, I see no way the sox ownership lets him go. I don't know how I would feel if they did but I'd be upset, they'd be just about throwing away all the progress our farm system has made, thats what i thinkk.

[thewarriorscode12]

If the ownership lets Epstien Go, he will be the next Yankee GM, so they should not let him go by any stretch of the imagination

True. Very true.

[MC Hammer]

Theo is without a doubt the Sox biggest need this year. If he doesn't come back ... well everything goes out the window. If I owned the team I'd pay Theo whatever he wanted and gladly let him take a dump on my desk every morning. He's going to keep this team consistantly playoff bound for atleast a decade. He's too good and too young.

 

Theo absolutly has to be at the head of the ship.

 

That being said the low balling is understandable at this point.