Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump
The never-ending Theo Epstein compensation talks still have not ended.
Puzzled by the timing of the injury and yesterday’s surgery on the right elbow of reliever Chris Carpenter, the main chip the Red Sox [team stats] received in a deal with the Cubs that included three players and one executive, the Sox said yesterday they do not consider the talks officially over.
The club is weighing its options about what to do next, said a Red Sox source.
This raises the specter that the Red Sox possibly believe Carpenter was injured when he was traded to them on Feb. 21.
A baseball source indicated the teams agree there was no intent or prior knowledge by the Cubs that misled the Red Sox about Carpenter’s condition.
Herald - Source: Red Sox still want Cubs to talk
Apparently, killing Jason Vorhees is easier than swapping a GM for some mediocre prospects.
When I saw that article this morning, I thought the folks at the Herald were pulling an early April Fool's Day prank. I still kind of hope that they are.
In this deal robbery molestation, the Cubs received the man that is overseeing their entire franchise. The Red Sox obtained an OK pitcher with a pretty ho-hum ceiling. Now we've learned that the Red Sox not only received an OK pitcher with a ho-hum ceiling, but an OK pitcher with a ho-hum ceiling and a bum elbow.
And THAT is where the Red Sox are drawing the line! Look, Red Sox brass: you got bamboozled. You were outsmarted by "naive" Tom Ricketts. You played this wrong from the beginning. Bottom line: you lost.
Trying to save face at this stage is sad. Just move on. What do you want the Cubs to do to make this right? Pass back one of their 32 year old career minor leaguers? Is that how you're going to stick it to them?
For whatever reason you've taken Carpenter. He wasn't going to make the majors this year if he had Nolan Ryan's elbow. Let him have his surgery, then rehab, then do whatever you were going to do with him in the first place. It's bone spurs, not torn ligaments. I'm sure it's not career-threatening.
And for the love of God, don't make us hear "Epstein" and "Compensation" in the same sentence ever again.
On Page 2, thanks to Magic Johnson the Red Sox are worth even more.
"Let me tell you, if the Dodgers are worth $2 billion, the Yankees are worth $3.5 to $4 billion," Ganis said. "The Red Sox are worth $2.5 billion. And the Mets go from being worth, say, in the low $1 (billion)s to the mid- to high-$1 (billion)s."
"This only relates to the top, top of the food chain," Ganis said. "It's really just the big-market clubs that have unique local broadcasting opportunities."
SB Nation - Dodgers Sale: $2 Billion Price Tag 'Craziest Deal Ever,' Affects Other Teams Value According to Experts
Does this mean we can sign Roy Oswalt now?
Rest of the links:
Herald - Mike Aviles takes a weight and see approach | Bobby Valentine’s rotation still spinning | Cody Ross knows ropes | Globe - New year, new lease on life for Youkilis | No recourse in Carpenter case | Pedroia manages to adjust | CSNNE - Valentine: Sox not 'best team ever', but still expect great things | WEEI - Aceves: Starting would be 'like a dream' | Hoyer: Cubs had no knowledge of injury | Beckett: Is Schilling one of our pitchers?
