Commissioner asked to resolve Theo comp

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the Red Sox and Cubs have asked the commissioner's office of Major League Baseball to resolve the matter of the compensation that the Sox will receive as a result of Theo Epstein's departure to become Cubs president of baseball operations in late October.

The Red Sox have insisted throughout the process that they are entitled to "significant" compensation, while the Cubs have suggested that while the Sox will receive something in exchange for the departure of a general manager under contract, precedent suggests that it will not be a major prospect. Last week, Epstein hinted that the two sides might require the involvement of a third party -- presumably, the commissioner's office -- to resolve the matter.

"I think you have to put it in context. In the history of baseball with all the executives that have changed teams, many of which were on lateral moves, let alone those who left for promotions like I did, throughout the history of baseball there’s really only been a handful of instances where there’s been any compensation whatsoever for executives,” Epstein said. “If you wanted to look at precedent, you’d say, ‘Well, whether I’m worth nothing, or something,’ — you would probably get some opinions on that if you ask your callers — the bottom line is when executives change teams there is no compensation. There have been a handful of instances where there is compensation, and that compensation has been pretty reasonable. If you look when Andy MacPhail, who had won two World Series, left on a lateral move from Minnesota to Chicago back in ’94, his compensation was like the 30th-ranked prospect in the Cubs system and a little bit of cash.

“So I think when you say there should be compensation here, there should be because we agreed there should be compensation, so that’s part of the gig. But I think you have to look at history and you have to look at the precedent involved and realize there is not precedent for major, major compensation here. But the bottom line is we need to figure this out, and we will. Both sides are still working on it because it was agreed to and you have to live up to your word. If you agree that there is compensation there has to be compensation, and there should be. You look at precedent as a guide and try to do something that’s appropriate given the more than century-old history of baseball.

“[Red Sox GM Ben Cherington] and I have been trying to work it out. I think normally Ben and I could work it out, but there’s just a little bit of a different perspective. The expectations were different at the time. We’re trying to figure something out that makes the Red Sox happy, but also fits with a century of baseball precedent. I can honestly say this one has been turned over and discussed in the media a lot more than it has between the clubs. Ben and I have had five conversations on it in the last few months. We’ve gotten close but we haven’t gotten it done. Maybe we’ll need some help to get it done. I want both sides to be happy if possible.”

According to the Sun-Times report, the Sox have asked at times for starter Matt Garza and/or well-regarded outfield prospect Brett Jackson as compensation. The Cubs have cited the player whom they parted with in 1994 (Hector Trinidad) in exchange for MacPhail to suggest that the Sox should not receive such an impact player. The Sox have also cited the precedent set by the departure of managers in the middle of their contracts, including the Marlins' recent willingness to give up two of their top 10 prospects to the White Sox for Ozzie Guillen as well as the Devil Rays giving up All-Star outfielder Randy Winn to the Mariners for Lou Piniella.

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