Epstein to Chicago Apparently A Thing

So will they end up calling it The Curse of Theo, or The Curse of Tito?

According to media reports from all corners of the country — well, maybe not the southwest corner — Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein to the Cubs is essentially a done deal. It’s just another shocking turn in the saga that has accompanied Boston’s late-season collapse from a 9-game wild card lead, which was completed on the final day of the season when the Rays erased a 7-run deficit to the Yankees in the eighth inning and Jonathan Papelbon blew a save and lost to the Orioles.

Managed Terry “Tito” Francona was the first to fall on the axe, and apparently Epstein is next to find a way out of town. If the reports are true, neither one will have actually been fired — they just wanted to get the hell out of that situation, which just goes to show what a miserable piece of sh*t John Lackey must be to deal with as an employee.

Even though nothing is permanent, especially in sports, it seems inconceivable that it came to this for the two men responsible for leading the Red Sox to their first two World Series titles since the end of World War I. And something tells me the moves will be something Boston ends up regretting for a long time.

As for the Cubs?

Well, the ridiculous notion that Starlin Castro would be included in the deal for Epstein has been quashed, not that it ever had credence in the first place. Anybody who would allow themselves to be traded for Castro is obviously not worth employing as a talent evaluator.

All accounts say it will be minor league prospects or cash to complete the deal, which suits me just fine. I was unaware the Cubs possessed minor league prospects. Since the Red Sox need a manager, perhaps we can just go Mike Quade for Epstein straight-up. (That’s a joke, kids). Maybe the Cubs can offer to renovate Fenway Park’s Batting Cages or something.

Whether Epstein brings Francona with him remains to be seen, though it’s obviously a logical choice. And probably the best choice, though I would love to see the Cubs send the olive branch out to Ryne Sandberg and give it a shot.

At any rate, bringing in a general manager who has already won a World Series in a supposedly “cursed” environment guarantees the culture change that finally might bring the Cubs to — well, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.