Comcast SportsNet New England's Sean McAdam released some information tonight in regards to the compensation talks for Theo Epstein between the Cubs and Red Sox.
McAdam is hearing from a source that the teams are putting their negotiations on hold until after Tuesday, as the Cubs will hold a press conference introducing Epstein as their President of Baseball Operations on that day, and the Red Sox will hold a press conference that day introducing their new general manager, Ben Cherington:
Talks to determine the compensation for the Red Sox from the Chicago Cubs for allowing Theo Epstein to leave Boston with a year remaining on his contract are on hold until after the teams introduce their respective executives Tuesday, a source familiar with the negotiations said.
This makes sense, as this will allow Epstein and Cherington(who has been working as the Boston assistant general manager alongside Epstein for years) to work out a deal, instead of relying on other members of the front offices to do so. Negotiations would likely go much smoother this way.
But, if there is not an agreement reached on compensation by November 1st, MLB commissioner Bud Selig says that he will intervene:
"They have until Nov. 1 - Theo and Ben and all the other parties involved," said Selig prior to the start of Game 4 of the World Series. "Hopefully they can get things done. I always encourage clubs to try to get things done between themselves. Somehow, the commissioner has enough things of controversy (to deal with).
"They'll either get it done or they won't. If they don't, then I will."
It's about time Selig put out a deadline for these negotiations and threatened to put this matter into his own hands. I think Theo and Cherington will get a deal worked out before we get to that deadline though.
