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Also, according to the many guys on WEEI who spoke about it the last few days, Charrington would be a top candidate for the job itself and is widely seen as the next most obvious GM in the league either in Boston or elsewhere.

Its his responsibility if the guy under him isnt doing it. Sadly it appears that there wasnt time to turn it around when the whole thing came crashing down. I heard from an unnamed source that Theo, upon identifying conditioning as a major concern, immediately started a boot camp at 5am at Fenway but that wasn't until September 2nd. It was too late. I know how you feel about unnamed sources, and I might be making the whole thing up any way. It is thoroughly within the responsibility set of the coaching staff to make sure the players are in game shape. I don't expect any GM of an organization of professionals to assume anything other than that the players are in optimal shape according to the coaches. Just like with all other clubs the primary approach a GM can take if things arent being handled responsibly is to replace the manager. I believe that search is underway.

Good post SoxSport. Williams must have been awesome to see. The elite hitters are guys who regardless of situation use their approach at the plate. It is also the measure of a good veteran. You can tell the guys who have made a habit of having those types of ABs, like Pedroia, who sometimes looks like he is stepping out of the box on the first pitch in order to take it at all costs. It is amazing how at such a high level of play the tactic of NOT swinging becomes so powerful. A guy like Carl Crawford--for all his other strengths--could really use that skill.

This pretty much sums up this whole discussion in my mind. "Stupid tidbit". I have no reason to believe that Kalish and Weiland and two other minor leaguers wasn't exactly the type of package that Seattle would ask for, and Boston would turn down. It doesn't change my thinking about the season at all, and since you don't give it any credence it doesn't change your thinking either... yet here we are, a full page later in discussion, continuing to talk about your theories about which press releases you will believe and why and talking about the typical CYA job by the FO, etc., I hope something newsworthy happens sometime soon...

There's nothing incredible about this proposed deal. Covering their ass for not trading a real 5 tool prospect for a marginal starter? Who even cares enough to get worked up about this?

You weren't asking me. You want to know why reporters tend to treat most inside sources as anonymous regardless of subject matter? Really?

Fixed. Your defense of Cashman is eerily similar to my defense of Theo... I think you're right about Cashman, frankly.

Right... but they compare better than just about everyone else's. If it is all about accomplishment over a certain period (which is what you are arguing) then lets go back to record over Theo's tenure, or playoff appearances over that time, or World Series over that time. I mean, you said that evaluating based on accomplishments over his tenure isn't valid, but you're citing 5 world series and playoff appearances over 16 seasons? 2nd most wins since 2002 3rd most wins since 2009 2nd most playoff appearances since 2002 (in toughest division in baseball) 4 ALCS appearances 1st most World Series since 2001 I'm not personally concerned if Theo stays on forever, I just think it is absurd to whine about the Sox lack of success the past few years when things have been so good as a Sox fan since 2003. I realize you hold higher standards than that, you think they should win every season, but I don't think that's realistic based on what I've seen from other teams. The Yankees have managed it with significantly more money (but not much more success, unless you would be willing to trade a World Series victory for a few ALDS losses), and the Phillies have had a few good seasons because they made a few great signings. They also didn't play in the playoffs for most of the 2000s so make of that what you will. Frankly, I'm not going to complain. I have high hopes for this club and think they will continue to be very very good for the foreseeable future.

Which GMs are you talking about who left one job to go to another job, while ostensibly being pushed out of the first one? You are saying this as if it happens all the time. It doesn't. In my memory, usually when a GM is "pushed out" they don't immediately get hired by another organization. WIth a year left on his contract, I suspect Theo will either be hired elsewhere or kept with the Sox for another year.

I just got off the phone with Theo. He disagrees with your assertion. It's nothing personal. I just find it a bit interesting. I think my view of Theo is similar to my view of Tito. There were clearly things that he did wrong, but there was a lot of behind the scenes things that he did right. Like even JH and LL said today, this team has averaged more wins than any other team besides the Yankees during his time there. That could be attributed to their payroll, but that would be a bit naive, given that other teams with high payrolls have dipped up and down in terms of wins while the Sox have remained largely consistent. Also, like I said (somewhere), there's a lot about how Theo managed the organization internally that deserves respect. The development of actual systems to ensure consistency of approach, strong drafts, excellent FO personnel recruitment and development, etc., are not things to be taken lightly. Like Tito, he was a person who made others want to work hard for him and to achieve at a very high level. Easy to overlook but essential in a place like Boston. Just as Tito often took the hit for his players and managed to keep clubhouse issues in the clubhouse (despite some very big egos), Theo (and this ownership/FO in general) managed to do a lot of things behind the scenes well to buffer the drama-potential in the city, and that's one of the things that makes him generally regarded as an excellent GM. Revenues went up significantly and this is now one of the most lucrative teams in sports. Some of his most high profile moves haven't panned out, but if this team had made the playoffs over the Rays they would have had the highest proportion of their wins from homegrown players of any team in baseball. That's pretty impressive for a big market team.

Isn't missing out on Cliff Lee Cashman's fault? Didn't it mean that Cashman put an inferior product on the field? Or does losing suddenly not matter now?

He definitely sounded like he didn't know about that insignificant music video that the Red Sox players appeared in for a total of about 10 seconds between 5 of them. He was caught off guard. You could almost hear Lucchino trying to say "yeah, we knew about that John. We should talk about it later." I was a bit suprised that the stupidity of that video didn't rise to Henry's level, but not shocked. I thin kit is a good rule of thumb to never let your boss be caught off guard by something like that, especially in his ONE public appearance throughout this whole thing... I believe Henry is Lucchino's boss. It looks a lot worse in the context of the beer in the clubhouse reports, and might get a PR guy fired (the guy who allows Sox uniforms and Fenway to be used by that musician). In any case the stupid video will be an insignificant but memorable image of this offseason.

Do heads usually roll up? I don't think so. If Theo leaves it will be for a better position with the Cubs. That's not a head rolling, as much as you would like it to be.

The thought of promoting him never came up from the dim-witted WEEI guys. They immediately went to "Black" (he's going to Chicago) and "White" (He's getting an extension of GM and will be GM forever). My thinking on the matter is that the Sox management may think that Theo has not only done a good job and is interested in a different job, but he has literally manualized the process of player development, scouting and player evaluation. The Red Sox own "Carmine" (the computer program) and they likely own the manuels that Theo and Ben etc., wrote about all the steps the Sox take to do everything they do. That's what is called "institutional knowledge" and is a really strong part of Theo's leadership style. All organizations worry about certain types of knowledge living and dyling with particular individuals, rather than being part of the organizational culture. In other words, if Theo has a better opportunity (to make, 5-6 million) elsewhere, they aren't going to stop his personal growth, particularly because enough of his approach is solidified in their organization. Another reason that they are supportive and praising of him while understanding that nobody would want to exist in the Boston fishbowl in such a prominant position for perpetuity.

Nope. If Ben Charrington is his replacement we will basically get the same approach to baseball and team management. That's what I care about most. I'm a pretty solid convert to the advanced metrics and use of data in baseball. I hope they will stick with a guy like Charrington. From what I heard from Henry and Lucchino, they are either going to find a way to promote Theo, or he will be in Chicago as the President. We will get to see if he's capable of turning that organization around. In the meantime, the same computer programs and people (LL, JH, TW) will be participating in discussions to balance the teams need for competitive players with their need to put fans in the seats, and there will still be bad FA signings. Your scapegoat will be gone, and you'll have to find someone new to rail against with your all-powerful hindsight. BTW, do you have a morning show on WEEI by any chance? That Callahan guy pretty much reminds me of who I imagine you are in the "real world".

Just listened to Lucchino and John Henry on WEEI. I'm convinced that Theo's tenure in Boston is meaning an end.

And the entire Al East has moved on to the hot stove season... I wonder when Cashman will be fired? Big payroll? Check High expectations by fans? Check Underachievement? Check According to the logic used by many on this board for the Sox, Cashman is as good as gone. Making the playoffs simply isn't enough. This team just wasn't good enough. To have Nova start that last game with that payroll? To only have one true ace, someone should be held accountable. Results are all that matter so I suspect that everyone will call for Girardis head. They got to the playoffs? That's an excuse. Lost in game 5 to legitimately good Tigers team? Results are all that matter in these parts. Girardis and Cashman should pack their bags. blow the team up, terrible unwatchable team. Of course I'm mostly being sarcastic. Cashman got this team where he could with rusted versions of set pitchers who drastically overprrformed. Glad they lost.

Pinstripe Ally: (2nd site I found on the kid) "Some think he profiles better as a centerfielder" ...again, can there be a scouting report that just says "going to be a shortstop"? It's a minor criticism (and not a criticism of Culver or Bogaerts or anyone). Just constant across most scouting reports. And yes, Doj, I realize that Iglesias does not get that rap. He's also not supposed to be a high offensive/power hitting guy who "might play better at the corner".