Esptein Walks

Another blow for the performance analysis crowd as Theo Epstein does not re-sign with the Red Sox as their GM. However, rather than being thrown out it appears Epstein left because he felt his relationship with CEO Larry Lucchino was compromised and so he walked away. You can read his statement here.

Earlier reports I'd seen said money was at issue as well although at the end he appeared to be able to get his $1-1.5M per year. Of course that makes him the most marketable general manager out there and who knows, he may have gotten some information on another job opening up or be interested in the Dodgers, Phillies, or Tampa Bay jobs. It's surprising to me that the Sox would mess around with this and didn't get the deal done sooner. And of course this will be another interesting situation to watch as the new GM will have decisions to make on Johnny Damon, David Wells, and the perennial off season attempted trade of Manny Ramirez.

Fallout from this could very well include the cadre of analysis gurus the Red Sox employ including Bill James and Voros McCraken. There could be two more free agents in the making.