Theo Is Gone - Boston Herald

[example1]

Also, come to think of it, the Cubs is the perfect situation for Theo:

 

Money coming off the book (FAs leaving) with fans who are disgusted with the quality/return they have had for their $$ in recent years. Having a guy with a strong player development focus and a town generally turned-off by the notion of more 7 year contracts is a great combination for Theo.

 

The Cubs will be yearly contenders in the NL Central in 2 years, is my prediction.

[Palodios]

All things considered, it is ALWAYS better to build a good core for the future.

 

Strong clubs like the Sox, Yankees and PHillies do their best when they develop players from within. When they have a strong, cost-controlled class AND their excessive financial muscle, that's when they have their strongest advantage.

 

Oh, I definitely agree with you there. But if you have 60-80 million to spend, is Theo really the guy you want to give the checkbook to?

[example1]

Lavarnway is far from V-Mart and watching Salty makes me want to shoot myself.

 

Lavarnway is 24 and Salty is actually catching, which is more than can be said for V-Mart.

 

Next year would you sit Ortiz for V-Mart, or Gonzalez?

[NativeBostonian]

Lavarnway is 24 and Salty is actually catching, which is more than can be said for V-Mart.

 

Next year would you sit Ortiz for V-Mart, or Gonzalez?

 

No, I wouldn't sit Ortiz or V-Mart.

[Palodios]

No' date=' I wouldn't sit Ortiz or V-Mart.[/quote']

 

So you'd sit Gonzalez?

[NativeBostonian]

So you'd sit Gonzalez?

 

Sorry, I ment Gonzo. Doing two things at one time I didn't think when I was typing.

[FredLynn]

Oh' date=' I definitely agree with you there. But if you have 60-80 million to spend, is Theo really the guy you want to give the checkbook to?[/quote']

 

Sure, why not? He has a stellar record in bringing only top notch FA to Boston. Why should the Cubs be any different.

This guy is as good as gone right now. And he is being encouraged to leave by the owners, make no mistake. The beer commercial was the final blow.

 

[a700hitter]

He has responsibility for the team not doing as well as it could, but I think it is foolish to think that he has more responsibilty for this than the players. If a player messes up it is first and foremost the responsibilty of the player to take accountbilty and of the FO to hold that player accountable.

 

Having the FO turned on its head, lopping off heads (which isn't what's happening here, but which many here would have liked to see) is absolving the players of responsibility.

 

I should start the clock on the ownership releasing Josh Beckett, Lester, etc., for their failure to be in shape or perform when needed. I bet the clock just goes and goes and goes.

Often times when a manager gets fired, they say that it is easier to fire 1 than 25. A GM is responsible for more than 25. He's responsible for the scouting and development people. Our farm system is not the envy of baseball as some would like to believe. He's also responsible for the strength and conditioning program. That didn't do to well either. Plus, he's responsible for the manager and the players. A lot of things went wrong with the Sox organization this season-- big things. They happened on his watch. It's easier for the owners to fire Theo and let the new guy make all the other changes.

[a700hitter]

Also, come to think of it, the Cubs is the perfect situation for Theo:

 

Money coming off the book (FAs leaving) with fans who are disgusted with the quality/return they have had for their $$ in recent years. Having a guy with a strong player development focus and a town generally turned-off by the notion of more 7 year contracts is a great combination for Theo.

 

The Cubs will be yearly contenders in the NL Central in 2 years, is my prediction.

 

Best of luck to him.

[VA Sox Fan]

Best of luck to him.

 

I agree.

[a700hitter]

http://twitter.com/#!/TBrownYahoo/status/123916902232899586

 

"Hearing Red Sox owners are making play to keep Theo in town, but won't ask him to continue in job he doesn't want."

Who knows what is going on behind closed doors. Maybe the owners are looking to squeeze out Luchinno. I think that LL would never be outmaneuvered by Theo. He's too damn smart for that, but maybe the owners think LL is too old for the job.

[Rdsxmbnt]

Heartbreaking

[VA Sox Fan]

Heartbreaking

 

I hate it too, but it is time. Just like with Tito. They both will suceed, wherever they go.

[a700hitter]

A few questions:

 

1. Being that Theo is still under contract, would the Cubs give the Sox compensation for releasing Theo?

 

2. Could this this be a big bluff by Theo, looking to squeeze out LL? If so, the owners have called his bluff and Theo has left himself with no good options.

 

3. If Theo turns down the Cubs, do the Sox owners fire him anyway, or do they have a meeting where the owners recommend that he take the Cubs job?

[SoxSport]

Love it. Just as I predicted. Everything under the table. No media.

 

I hear one of Epstein's friends said that Starbucks sighting in Chicago on Sat

was "probably real". Unfortunately, I understand Lackey was not with him.

 

Now, Who do I predict will be the next GM? How the hell do I know?

Maybe Henry's marketing analyst.

If it's Cherington, I hope it isn't business as usual.

[SoxSport]

Heartbreaking

 

Ode to Theo:

 

"My heart cries for you, dies for you, cries for you.

 

And my heart longs for you, please come back to me.":lol:

 

--Guy Mitchell

[FredLynn]

While I will certainly not miss Epstein, I do appreciate his role in winning two rings. Its time for a change though. I wish him the best of luck, as I do Francona.

[a700hitter]

Ode to Theo:

 

"My heart cries for you, dies for you, cries for you.

 

And my heart longs for you, please come back to me.":lol:

 

--Example1

Fixed

[jung]

Well there is no formal announcement on Theo yet right so this is the media with a story in hand at the moment.

 

I think the Sox will ask for compensation from the Cubs but I don't think it will amount to much.

 

I don't think this is some sort of Theo bluff ala' him feeding the media some story to get LL's attention.

 

I don't think Theo will be in a position to turn down the Cubs if they make him an offer as they will surly offer him multiple years at bigger money than he is making now and I really don't think the Sox are ready to offer him multiple years.

 

In a perfect Sox world what likely would have happened is the Sox grooming Theo to move eventually into LL's job. Unfortunately events this year and last sort of blew that plan up and it is really not possible for the Sox to either give him LL's job now nor keep him at his current job with other teams offering him what are likely to be more interesting jobs than continuing as Sox GM.

 

I suspect that there is little panic at least at the very top in that organization as they likely believe that as long as "The Wizard" stays behind his curtain pulling the stings, things will work out like they want them to. That said they have built a more complicated business than it used to be and they have to play their cards carefully to get the result that they want. This is probably the biggest hiccup this ownership group has faced and it will be very interesting watching how it plays out. Heck, this could end up more interesting than watching the Sox was at least for you business fans out there. Even with the Sox vaunted reputation for second half slumps the last thing they probably expected was "the worst el-foldo in the history of baseball" and the very public scrutiny that has resulted.

[example1]

A few questions:

 

1. Being that Theo is still under contract, would the Cubs give the Sox compensation for releasing Theo?

 

The Sox should demand it.

 

2. Could this this be a big bluff by Theo, looking to squeeze out LL? If so, the owners have called his bluff and Theo has left himself with no good options.

 

Yes. I'm sure that Theo made this whole thing up to squeeze out LL and never thought through the consequences. That woudl be a really, really career limiting move a700. I never know where you come up with this conspiracy stuff.

 

3. If Theo turns down the Cubs, do the Sox owners fire him anyway, or do they have a meeting where the owners recommend that he take the Cubs job?

 

Theo's not going to turn down the Cubs if there's a chance he gets fired by the Sox and Henry isn't going to pretend to Theo that he wants him to come back only to fire him after turning down a more important position.

 

It seems like you think these are a bunch of people who don't have any personal like for each other and that it is and always will be nothing but business... like they are the mob or something. Reports widely suggest that Henry really likes Theo and there's been nothing that I've ever read that people don't think very, very highly of him personally.

 

Given that, it's absurd to introduce all this intregue into the situation.

 

Theo will either go to Chicago with the approval of the Sox because he's getting a lot more money and a more important position, or he will come back to Boston for the last year of his contract and after that we will see. If he's offered something by Chicago he will be working one way or another the next few years.

[example1]

In a perfect Sox world what likely would have happened is the Sox grooming Theo to move eventually into LL's job. Unfortunately events this year and last sort of blew that plan up and it is really not possible for the Sox to either give him LL's job now nor keep him at his current job with other teams offering him what are likely to be more interesting jobs than continuing as Sox GM.

 

 

Yes they could. What difference does the blow-hard media and the "what have you done for me lately" crowd have on this situation? There's a bunch of reactionary idiots out there screaming for something, anything, to take their personal pain away. Meanwhile, the owners continue to roll in the dough, the Yankees and Phillies are out of the playoffs, and the team is still loaded moving forward.

 

If Theo were promoted there might be some confusion and uproar, but is anyone going to quit paying attention to the team? Ha!

 

EDIT: the same reactionary people are the ones who truly think that someone like John Henry is just going to cut his losses on the remaining, what, 45m on his 3 years? Just cut 45m? Laughable.

[a700hitter]

It seems like you think these are a bunch of people who don't have any personal like for each other and that it is and always will be nothing but business... like they are the mob or something. Reports widely suggest that Henry really likes Theo and there's been nothing that I've ever read that people don't think very, very highly of him personally.

 

Given that, it's absurd to introduce all this intregue into the situation.

 

Truth is often times stranger than fiction. Don't forget the 2005 Hissy Fit and the Gorilla Suit.

[example1]

Blockbuster on #RedSox coming tomorrow in Globe and on Boston.com and BostonGlobe.com. Don't miss it.

 

http://twitter.com/#!/mattpep15/status/123951436311691265

 

Christ. Does Theo leaving really equal a "blockbuster"? How about a blockbuster trade of Theo for Castro or something? That would make me happy.

 

To me, a blockbuster would be something like "Henry putting the team up for sale". Weird.

[a700hitter]

 

Yes they could. What difference does the blow-hard media and the "what have you done for me lately" crowd have on this situation? There's a bunch of reactionary idiots out there screaming for something, anything, to take their personal pain away. Meanwhile, the owners continue to roll in the dough, the Yankees and Phillies are out of the playoffs, and the team is still loaded moving forward.

 

If Theo were promoted there might be some confusion and uproar, but is anyone going to quit paying attention to the team? Ha!

 

EDIT: the same reactionary people are the ones who truly think that someone like John Henry is just going to cut his losses on the remaining, what, 45m on his 3 years? Just cut 45m? Laughable.

Do you really think this ownership would let a blood thirsty media dictate such an important business decision? I have more respect and confidence in them than that.

[example1]

Truth is often times stranger than fiction. Don't forget the 2005 Hissy Fit and the Gorilla Suit.

 

Not to read too much into your posts, but I think all night that I've sensed that you aren't quite as gleeful or certain as you were a few days ago. Is that totally inaccurate? Is there a part of you that wonders if Theo leaving really is a good thing--aside from it representing some level of "accountability" or whatever?

 

Your level of glee seems pretty low, given how sure you were that this was the move that needed to be made. I know you're not happy because it represents things not going well, but is there more to it or do ou just seem a bit glum?

[a700hitter]

Blockbuster on #RedSox coming tomorrow in Globe and on Boston.com and BostonGlobe.com. Don't miss it.

 

http://twitter.com/#!/mattpep15/status/123951436311691265

 

Christ. Does Theo leaving really equal a "blockbuster"? How about a blockbuster trade of Theo for Castro or something? That would make me happy.

 

To me, a blockbuster would be something like "Henry putting the team up for sale". Weird.

It's a blockbuster. Theo has become something of a cult hero....or... uh don't ... you see that?

[example1]

Do you really think this ownership would let a blood thirsty media dictate such an important business decision? I have more respect and confidence in them than that.

 

No. That's why I don't think that they are canning Theo.

 

If he leaves its because there's a better job. That's my guess.

[example1]

It's a blockbuster. Theo has become something of a cult hero....or... uh don't ... you see that?

 

I would call that type of advertizing a bit overblown (not that its shocking). A blockbuster, to me, means something that people don't know about.

 

Again, Theo leaving to not be part of a baseball team would fit that category. At this point it is expected and already known that he's likely to go to Chicago. Not a blockbuster.

[example1]

Might be a significant telling of how things came to be this way or something... Theo spilling the beans on his distaste for LL, blaming the ownership for Crawford or something like that... I guess that could be blockbuster-ish.

[a700hitter]

Not to read too much into your posts' date=' but I think all night that I've sensed that you aren't quite as gleeful or certain as you were a few days ago. Is that totally inaccurate? Is there a [i']part[/i] of you that wonders if Theo leaving really is a good thing--aside from it representing some level of "accountability" or whatever?

 

Your level of glee seems pretty low, given how sure you were that this was the move that needed to be made. I know you're not happy because it represents things not going well, but is there more to it or do ou just seem a bit glum?

You are reading tonight's posts the way that I intended them. Unfortunately, you read my posts about accountability the wrong way. I had always wished that Theo had succeeded. I loved all of the off season moves, and I thought this would be the year. I was wrong. Theo was wrong, and there were other problems in his organization that weren't obvious to the fans until it was over. Iortiz weren't demanding his head. We were trying to inform you all that in a big business setting he would bear the responsibility and that businesses that have a disaster usually change the captain. We were right. The owners made the sound business decision here. No one else, the press nor the fans dictated this decision. It was just business. Like you said earlier, personally they like Theo, but business is business. I was right. I take no joy from it, and I wished things had worked out better in the end for Theo in Boston.