The Press Screws Up

Almost like "Dewey Defeats Truman." Nope, but just the same as ESPN and the AP reported earlier in the morning that Epstein agrees to contract as GM of Red Sox. It was just reported that Theo Epstein resigned from the team (hence he quit) and will not be back as the General Manager of the Boston Red Sox. I thank him for his service to the team and wish him the best of luck in future endeavors.

With the deadline for his contract looming, Theo Epstein and the Red Sox agreed to a three-year extension, the Boston Globe reported.

Epstein, 31, is believed to have agreed to a deal worth close to the compensation he was seeking, multiple league sources told the paper.

The contract is expected to be announced early this week, though no news conference was scheduled as of Sunday night, the Globe said. Epstein's current contract was to expire at midnight Monday.

Epstein reportedly rejected a three-year deal worth $1.2 million annually, triple his previous salary. The youngest general manager to build a World Series-winner, he was reported to be seeking something closer to the $2.5 million a year the Red Sox offered Oakland Athletics GM Billy Beane before Epstein was hired.

Epstein became the youngest general manager in baseball history when the Red Sox hired him five weeks shy of his 29th birthday in 2002. He signed a three-year contract that paid him about $350,000 a year.

During Epstein's tenure, the Red Sox reached the postseason in three straight years for the first time, and in 2004 they won their first World Series title since 1918. In 2003, they lost in the seventh game of the AL Championship Series to the New York Yankees. This year, they were swept by the Chicago White Sox in three games in the AL division series.

Boston.com is accurately reporting that Theo is out as the general manager.

In a stunning development, Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein has declined the club's offer of a three-year extension of his contract, and will leave the organization.

The Red Sox announced this evening that Epstein will continue to work with the club for several days "to assist in an orderly transition and to prepare further for the upcoming GM meetings and other off-season activities."

The three-year deal Epstein signed in 2002 expires at midnight tonight.

Today’s Boston Globe reported that Epstein and the Sox had agreed to an extension that would pay him close to $1.5 million a year, but it appears that is no longer the case.

According to WBZ-TV, Epstein has already packed his office and left Fenway Park.

It is not known who the leading candidates are to take Epstein’s place, but the team will likely move quickly to replace him.

Thoughts? The media had it wrong this morning.

In other news, Jack Conway will make an official announcement next week as to his decision. In other news, he is getting married next May. Mazel Tov! Jack has my support for a 2006 run.

State Representative Dennis Keene makes a good point about the merit probe.

But Rep. Dennis Keene, D-Wilder, doesn't think continuing the investigation would interrupt the General Assembly.

"It will operate the same as usual," he said. "It won't be any different just because this is going on."