Epstein Resigns

[justinevans]

I really wish the Phillies would go after him.
Offer him 6 million for 3 years.


The Red Sox general manager walked away from his hometown team on Monday, stunning Boston and the baseball world just one year after helping the franchise win its first World Series championship since 1918.

"I gave my entire heart and soul to the organization," Epstein said in a statement. "During the process leading up to today's decision, I came to the conclusion that I can no longer do so. In the end, my choice is the right one not only for me but for the Red Sox."

Epstein will continue working for a few days to assist in the transition and prepare for the offseason. The Boston Herald, which first reported the news on its Web site, said the Yale graduate has told associates that he might leave baseball or at least take a year off.

The Dodgers, Phillies and Devil Rays have GM openings, but none has a $120 million payroll to match the one Epstein was given in Boston.

Once the youngest GM in baseball history and still the youngest to assemble a World Series champion, Epstein was reportedly offered about $1.5 million a year for a three-year extension. That was quadruple his previous salary but still short of the $2.5 million the Red Sox offered Oakland's Billy Beane in 2002 before hiring Epstein.

But even after the money was settled, the negotiations turned into a fierce and Freudian standoff between the boy GM and the mentor who nurtured him from an intern to a World Series champion. By leaving, Epstein breaks a longtime link with Red Sox president Larry Lucchino, who hired him as a Baltimore Orioles intern and brought him to San Diego and then Boston.

The Herald said Epstein went through "agonizing soul-searching" over office politics and his relationship with his boss. Published reports that contained inside information about their relationship, "slanted too much in Lucchino's favor," helped convince Epstein there had been a breach of trust, the Herald said.

Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling told The Associated Press he was disappointed in the news but had seen indications that it might be coming.

"You don't get better losing a guy like Theo," said Schilling, who joined the Red Sox after Epstein ate Thanksgiving dinner with him and convinced him to accept a trade from the Arizona Diamondbacks.

"It's obviously going to be an incredibly unpopular decision with the players. But we'll show up in spring training and get ready for the season and try to win another World Series. It's not like we're going to have a sit-down," he said.

A lifelong Red Sox fan who grew up in nearby Brookline, Epstein came to Boston when Lucchino made him the assistant GM. Epstein was promoted to his dream job in 2002, about five weeks before his 29th birthday.

"Growing up in the shadow of Fenway Park, I never dreamed of having the chance to work for my hometown team during such an historic period," Epstein said, thanking owners John Henry and Tom Werner -- and Lucchino -- for the opportunity.

"My affection for the Red Sox did not begin four years ago when I started working here, and it does not end today," he said. "My passion for and dedication to the game of baseball remain strong. Although I have no immediate plans, I will embrace this change in my life and look forward with excitement to the future."

A devotee of statistical analysis who values his scouts as well, Epstein's tenure has been marked by bold adventures that often conflicted with baseball orthodoxy:


He signed first baseman Kevin Millar, despite an unspoken agreement not to poach from Japanese clubs.


He went without a traditional closer in his first year, with horrendous results.


He tried to trade for 2003 AL MVP Alex Rodriguez -- a deal that would have meant shipping out Manny Ramirez and Nomar Garciaparra -- and then, without remorse, pulled the plug when the deal became too expensive.


He ate Thanksgiving dinner with Schilling in a college football-style recruiting trip that lured the right-handed ace to Boston.


He traded Garciaparra, the face of the franchise, for the parts he needed to complete the World Series puzzle.

But the efforts paid off.

The Red Sox reached the AL Championship Series in 2003 before the lack of a closer doomed Grady Little in Game 7 at Yankee Stadium. The next year, with a new manager and the closer it had been missing, the ballclub won its first World Series in 86 years.

Boston reached the postseason for a third consecutive year this season before getting swept by the eventual World Series-champion Chicago White Sox in the first round.

[Talib Scottie]

Oh my God. Boston should not have let this guy walk through the door....

I'm a Yankees fan so I'm kinda :) but at the same time I'm like what the fuck?

[open mind]

maybe in a hundred years people will be talking about the epstein curse........

[aminorthreat55]

maybe in a hundred years people will be talking about the epstein curse........
Wouldn't surprise me.

[mouood]

this definitely ranks high among the long, long list of red sox fuck ups. i want to take a bat to larry lucchino's head.

[hockey0001]

Larry Lucchino is an idiot

[crit]

This guy is my hero and this is absolutely the wrong move, Lucchino. You bastard.

All of a sudden I don't feel so good about the Red Sox in 2006.

[NetNerdsRevenge]

In all fairness, we really dont know who is behind this.

However, I wouldnt mind it if Lucchino fell of the earth. If the reports are true about him, he has killed some great deals (A-rod, and i think he had a hand in pedro). He leaks way to much to the media and is on a power trip. Who will want to come to this team now? JWH is a jack ass for not doing something (he might of) and Lucchino is an asshole for gettin in a pissing contest. Manny will be gone in a shitty deal because Lucchino wants him gone. Look forward to 2007 when hopefully JWH will sell and we can get someone who is loyal.

We're gettin way to ahead of ourselves, though. We dont know if LL had a hand or if Theo just wanted out. Dont count this team out until further fuck ups. Theo was not perfect and can be replaced, but no one knows this organization like he does. He was a few more drafts away from building a power house farm system. '06 should be an interesting year. I hope Lucchino is out regardless the seasonal outcome. I wouldnt mind if Shaughnessy was gone too.

My thoughts are mixed right now. The players dont like Lucchino and loved Theo. Lucchino has had a history of being a dick, power control, fuck head, but we dont know if he was for sure behind this. As long as we keep the pace and a new GM doesnt drastically change things, we'll be ok. On the other hand, I just cant see how we progress from here. Lucchinos bad rap is only going to get worse. Wait till 2007, hopefully we'll have new management and be able to start over.

Dont read this, I'm torn in what I think right now. Something tells me we'll be ok and we can move on, but the other side tells me this FO has really fucked up with their power hungry minds. They better have a good off season. I feel really sick right now. Theo and this new management offered new hope, but now thats come crashing down.

Bill James as GM.

[LeftWideOpen]

This isnt the end of the world. They still have the 2nd biggest budget in the league, and Theo has set this franchise up with so much young talent. Next year might be rough (by recent Sox standards, only) because of the slow start they'll get in free agency, but as long as they get a good baseball mind to replace him (Gillick, Towers, Hunsicker are the 3 names being thrown around - all proven winners), they'll be a force to be reckoned with for a long time. Epstein did a great job of rebuilding the farm system, but his free agent deals were shady at best.

With that said, it looks like he's the next GM in Los Angeles, and I don't expect it to take more than 3-4 years for them to be in a World Series. The man is brilliant, but it isnt the end of the world for the Sox.

[mat1419]

theo's about to see how hard it is to be a GM without a ridiculous budget...we'll see how goot he really is. I'd bet if he did this about a week ago he'd have Cashman's job right now.

[hockey0001]

theo's about to see how hard it is to be a GM without a ridiculous budget...we'll see how goot he really is. I'd bet if he did this about a week ago he'd have Cashman's job right now.
Theo resigned from the Red Sox because he hated Lucchino, why would he want to work for Steinbrenner?

[NetNerdsRevenge]

Theo resigned from the Red Sox because he hated Lucchino, why would he want to work for Steinbrenner?
I know thats what everyone thinks; I think it too, but there could be other reasons. He might of just gotten sick of the Boston media and his lack of private life. Maybe he wanted to go work with his brother in social work. I believe, like most people that Lucchino played a role in this, but we will never know unless Theo says it tomorrow in his press conference.

theo's about to see how hard it is to be a GM without a ridiculous budget
Theo was in the process of--and to some extent did--build a farm system that would keep the Sox contenders for some time. He is a sabemetrics(sp) whore like Beane. He wont have the instant success like he did in Boston, but give him a couple years to build and his team will be division winners.

This isnt the end of the world. They still have the 2nd biggest budget in the league, and Theo has set this franchise up with so much young talent. Next year might be rough (by recent Sox standards, only) because of the slow start they'll get in free agency, but as long as they get a good baseball mind to replace him (Gillick, Towers, Hunsicker are the 3 names being thrown around - all proven winners), they'll be a force to be reckoned with for a long time. Epstein did a great job of rebuilding the farm system, but his free agent deals were shady at best.
You forget that this is the front office who wanted to trade Manny from the get go. They want to cut the budget to get under the luxury tax. We wont sign any big names this off season. With Lucchino now running the show, Manny is gone, Damon is gone, and Wells is gone. Next year was going to be hard with Theo, but now itll be worse. I agree this is not the end of the world, but this was a stupid move by the owners to not lock this up a while ago. Theo was in the process of making something great in Boston and now we have to shift gears. I'm not saying the new GM wont be better, but maybe he sees things differently and rebuilds the already rebuilt farm system. Also, Lucchino will bring in a yes man so he can run the team. Were gonna see Lucchino deals instead of Theo deals, which in my mind is not good at all. Lucchino is worse than George and has shut down Theo on a few occasions because he didn't like it. He is here to make the park and overall experience better, not run personnel.

What FA blunders has Theo made besides the bullpen?

Also, I don’t think we see Theo with a team in 06. He’ll take a year off to get away from it all.

[mat1419]

Theo resigned from the Red Sox because he hated Lucchino, why would he want to work for Steinbrenner?
$$$$$

George would have made him the highest paid GM in sports

[Katie Schmitz]

When you already have one World Series; why not try new things, a new team, or something? I mean he already has a ring, so I would think it's time to try it with another team. That's just my two cents though. :)

[Jesse2]

I know thats what everyone thinks; I think it too, but there could be other reasons. He might of just gotten sick of the Boston media and his lack of private life.
i've heard this a couple times about different people within in the red sox organization... is it really that bad?

[LeftWideOpen]

i've heard this a couple times about different people within in the red sox organization... is it really that bad?

I live in downtown boston, and it is really nuts the way atheletes are treated around here. This isnt New York or Los Angeles ..Boston is one of the most heavily populated cities in the United States, but it is small. You can walk from the North End to the South End in about 2 hours at a casual pace. There isnt much celebrity here, so thats what the athletes become. They're celeberties, and when they win (like the Sox last year), they're heroes.

It really is a special place to be a fan because of the atmosphere, but for an athlete who is a private person ..it can drive you into depression. Nomar lived about an hour west of the city (right around where I grew up) when he played here, and he was smart. There's still plenty of buzz out there, but you can have a private life. The city and its immediate suburbs (where most, including Theo, choose to live) are packed. There is no escaping over-zealous fans. They're usually always well-wishers, but it still drives these guys nuts. Then again, you could make the case that with the money they all make, its part of the territory ..

[hockey0001]

When you already have one World Series; why not try new things, a new team, or something? I mean he already has a ring, so I would think it's time to try it with another team. That's just my two cents though. :)
Being the GM of the Red Sox was Theo's dream job. He grew up in the Boston area. I dont think he quit because he wanted something different. He was sick of Lucchino's bullshit

[Jesse2]

I live in downtown boston, and it is really nuts the way atheletes are treated around here. This isnt New York or Los Angeles ..Boston is one of the most heavily populated cities in the United States, but it is small. You can walk from the North End to the South End in about 2 hours at a casual pace. There isnt much celebrity here, so thats what the athletes become. They're celeberties, and when they win (like the Sox last year), they're heroes.

It really is a special place to be a fan because of the atmosphere, but for an athlete who is a private person ..it can drive you into depression. Nomar lived about an hour west of the city (right around where I grew up) when he played here, and he was smart. There's still plenty of buzz out there, but you can have a private life. The city and its immediate suburbs (where most, including Theo, choose to live) are packed. There is no escaping over-zealous fans. They're usually always well-wishers, but it still drives these guys nuts. Then again, you could make the case that with the money they all make, its part of the territory ..
good to know, thanks for the reply. there's obviously athlete/celebrity coverage here in manhattan, but it's not really that bad. you boston fans sure are a nutty bunch. :)

ps did you see how cheap it is to fly from nyc to boston on jet blue? i'm tempted to make a day/weekend out of it, because i hear a lot of great things about the city.

[LeftWideOpen]

good to know, thanks for the reply. there's obviously athlete/celebrity coverage here in manhattan, but it's not really that bad. you boston fans sure are a nutty bunch. :)

ps did you see how cheap it is to fly from nyc to boston on jet blue? i'm tempted to make a day/weekend out of it, because i hear a lot of great things about the city.

haha yeah we certainly love our sports here. The city is amazing though. There is a LOT of culture despite it not being that huge ..you can be in the South End where it's predominantly Irish, walk 15 minutes and be in Chinatown, then walk 20 more and be in the North End which is Italian and has the BEST restauraunts I've ever eaten at. Plus theres Cambridge which is easily accessible by public transportation (5 minute subway ride) and its really beautiful there and a little more toned-down. Advice I would have for you though is to AVOID tourist group type things (and there are many) because you see some cool historical stuff, but miss out on a lot.

[hockey0001]

haha yeah we certainly love our sports here. The city is amazing though. There is a LOT of culture despite it not being that huge ..you can be in the South End where it's predominantly Irish, walk 15 minutes and be in Chinatown, then walk 20 more and be in the North End which is Italian and has the BEST restauraunts I've ever eaten at. Plus theres Cambridge which is easily accessible by public transportation (5 minute subway ride) and its really beautiful there and a little more toned-down. Advice I would have for you though is to AVOID tourist group type things (and there are many) because you see some cool historical stuff, but miss out on a lot.
The north end restaurants are exceptional. You ever eat at massimino's? I use to always eat there and then walk to the fleet center (or whatever its called now) and watch the Bruins game

[Jesse2]

haha yeah we certainly love our sports here. The city is amazing though. There is a LOT of culture despite it not being that huge ..you can be in the South End where it's predominantly Irish, walk 15 minutes and be in Chinatown, then walk 20 more and be in the North End which is Italian and has the BEST restauraunts I've ever eaten at. Plus theres Cambridge which is easily accessible by public transportation (5 minute subway ride) and its really beautiful there and a little more toned-down. Advice I would have for you though is to AVOID tourist group type things (and there are many) because you see some cool historical stuff, but miss out on a lot.

awesome. maybe sometime you can throw together a list of what to do in boston in one day? that would rock.

also, is it easy to get to the city from the airport?

[LeftWideOpen]

awesome. maybe sometime you can throw together a list of what to do in boston in one day? that would rock.

also, is it easy to get to the city from the airport?

yeah i could do that, but if you want to hold on to this website http://www.bostonphoenix.com/# , it has tons of information about whats going on in the city and its geared towards people in the 18-25 "college age" range..and um, theres the "silver line" part of the subway that goes to and from logan ..im not sure where at logan you can get on, but it's part of the subway system that can take you just about anywhere in the city.

[NetNerdsRevenge]

The north end restaurants are exceptional. You ever eat at massimino's? I use to always eat there and then walk to the fleet center (or whatever its called now) and watch the Bruins game
I had dinner there when I was in Boston last April. I live on the west coast so im jealous that the two of you get to spend your days in the city. I love the north end and back bay. But, have no fear, I plan to finish school in or around Boston. I might even move there in June if things work out right. I could scam my Uncle's season tickets because he never goes. ....im excited just thinking about it.

[LeftWideOpen]

I had dinner there when I was in Boston last April. I live on the west coast so im jealous that the two of you get to spend your days in the city. I love the north end and back bay. But, have no fear, I plan to finish school in or around Boston. I might even move there in June if things work out right. I could scam my Uncle's season tickets because he never goes. ....im excited just thinking about it.

haha yeah, i go to school here and i actually live in the north end ..im having the best time of my life for sure. It's a great city, especially for a college kid.

[NetNerdsRevenge]

Which school?