Phil Rodgers On Theo Epstein To Cubs
Phil Rodgers of the Chicago Tribune joined the D.A. show Thursday night to talk Theo.
We know how the city of Boston feels about Theo's departure (soon-to-be-departure), now here how the Windy City feels about his arrival.
While the deal is not done yet, after a week of speculation, Rodgers says there is no doubt the deal will get done soon; possible even as soon as Friday.
"I almost think they're on a deliberate, slow schedule to allow the league championship playoff games to get over. Then they can do their big, grand arrival dog and pony show," he said.
"Perhaps the Red Sox are driving a hard bargain, and they should.... It's possible they're making the Cubs squirm, but nobody think this deal is not going to get done."
Rodgers said that as a whole the town is very upbeat regarding Epstein's arrival in Chi-town.
"In Boston, the challenge was to get over the hump. In Chicago... the challenge is to get back to the hump," said Rodgers.
The one hump that remains in this deal is the compensation the Red Sox would receive. Boston fans are hoping the Cubs will take one of Theo's bad contracts (like John Lackey), but Rodgers doesn't think it will come to that.
"I think these talks have been lower-level than that and more simple than that. I think the Red Sox have a lot of leverage here. If it blew up, what would happen? Theo would still be the red Sox GM, but the Red Sox clearly don't want him. It would be a very, very weird baseball landscape if this blew up. But I don't think that will happen."
The Red Sox are more likely to receive a prospect or two in return for their GM.
