UPDATE! 5:28 PM CT-
According to multiple reports but first reported by Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe the Cubs have asked permission to interview Theo Epstein. More to come on this as it develops.
Here is the latest on the GM madness, splashed with a little manager and player talk-
- Gordon Edes talked to a source that says there is a 50-50 shot Epstein bolts for the Cubs job. I reported via twitter the same thing on Saturday from a very reliable source; maybe Gordon and I have the same source.
- Ricketts is remaining pretty quite on the GM search by design but did talk to Fox Business Network Monday and said there are a lot of good candidates out there and he is going to talk to a handful of them. Although he did not say who is in the handful.
- Reports are out that Billy Beane is no longer a candidate for the job.
- Some reports are saying Andrew Friedman and Brian Cashman are still possible but I am hearing both will stay put.
- It sounds like the Red Sox will not stand in the way of Epstein if he wants interview with any club.
- Two of the candidates that is rumored that Ricketts has interest in addition to Epstein is Rick Hahn and Ben Cherington.
- The Cubs also have interest in professional scouting director with the Braves John Coppolella.
- The Red Sox and White Sox have interest in Ryne Sandberg as their next manager.
- The Red Sox will ask for compensation for Epstein to leave for the Cubs. Probably at least two prospects.
- Guillen and Zambrano have talked about being together in Miami. Rumors are the Cubs are willing to pay Z in deferred payments for 2012 but the fish will be responsible for his option in 2013. Looks like a slam dunk deal to me, Randy Bush get it done!
- I talked to a source that says he puts Quade chances of coming back at 10%.
- I talked to another baseball exec that says he would be “shocked” if Sandberg does not end up on the north side of Chicago.
- Levine says Brett Jackson will battle for a starting spot in the outfield next season.
- Levine says the Cubs could take on a contract the size of what Fielder is worth but is wondering if they have enough money for everyone else.
- Levine thinks the Cubs can acquire some pitching from the Fish for Z.
- A source close to the Cubs says Ricketts is waiting to see what the Yankees and Rays do in the first round of the playoffs before he starts asking to interview already available candidates.
- Someone emailed me the two tier system Ricketts is using for this process. Tier one includes Cashman, Friedman, Epstein, Daniels and Beane. Tier two includes Hahn, Cherington, Coppolella, Kim Ng, and David Forst. This contradicts other reports I have heard especially most saying Cashman, Friedman, and Daniels not be interested and Beane dropping out of the Cubs GM race. It also names two people that have not gotten a ton of publicity and they are Assistant GM David Forst and baseball guru Kim Ng.
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Until Next Time….
1 comment:
Im pretty sure you just reported the 50/50 right after the other report came out just like you did with the Crane Kenney story, keep up the good work though
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