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Tom Shaer on D&C: Theo Epstein is Cubs’ No. 1 target 10.11.11 at 10:43 am ET
By Justin Doubleday

Chicago sports media personality Tom Shaer joined Dennis & Callahan Tuesday morning to give the dish on what he knows about the Theo Epstein situation and whether the Cubs are actually pursuing the Red Sox general manager. According to Shaer, the Cubs are not just interested in Epstein; he’s at the top of their list.

“Theo is their No. 1 target,” Shaer said. “They’re doing what they have to do to try to make that happen. But they’re fully prepared if that doesn’t happen.”

Epstein has been linked to the Cubs ever since the Red Sox’ September collapse. He was reportedly spotted in Chicago over the past weekend at a Starbucks. But both the Red Sox and the Cubs have refused to address whether Epstein is actually meeting with Chicago.

Nonetheless, Shaer said that one reason Epstein would fit in well with the Cubs is that he would work well with Chicago chairman Tom Ricketts. According to Shaer, Epstein would have less of a payroll to work with but more freedom under Ricketts than he had under Red Sox president and CEO Larry Lucchino.

“I think they would be a fantastic match,” Shaer said. “I think [Epstein] would have less of an issue with Ricketts than he had with Larry Lucchino during the first three or four years. … I don’t think he’ll have any problem. I think he’ll find Ricketts to be a great boss to work for.”

Following are more highlights form the conversation. To hear the full interview, go the Dennis & Callahan audio on demand page.

On what the Cubs will offer Epstein for a contract: “I think he’ll give him five guaranteed years and I think the figure will be somewhere between $2 million and $4 million. I don’t believe the numbers you’re hearing are outrageous, not at all. … He realizes that good management costs money and he has a different approach here now. Again they’re going to pare back that payroll. They have $50 million coming off the payroll this year. They’re going to spend some of it but not all of it. He values management more than spending gobs of money. He’ll pay for management.”

On if the relationship between Terry Francona and Epstein was strained: “I have been able to confirm that they were sending lineups down from the front office into the Red Sox dugout. I don’t think that Francona appreciated that. I don’t know if that was coming from ownership through Theo ordering Theo to do that or if Theo did it on with his baseball people. Francona was not happy with that.”

On what Ricketts wants in a general manager: “He wants somebody who is going to understand that there is a business component to this. 90 percent of business decisions are based on numbers, so that’s where again your metrics come in. But there’s also a negative in there. He loves all the stuff Theo brings to the table. But there is one thing he will never do, I don’t care how much he loves whoever his general manager is. He will not spend anywhere nearly as big as the Red Sox have on the payroll. … The Cubs spend about $140 million. They won’t do it again.”

On if Ricketts look at the Red Sox organization as a model for the Cubs: “From top to bottom, including all the billboards inside Fenway Park. He loves the fact that they get $40-45 million a year from stadium signage in Boston. … He’d like to do everything the Red Sox have done from baseball ops, which is to win. He’d like to everything they’ve done in terms of generating revenue from an old stadium, obviously the Cubs and the Red Sox are the only two who have that type of stadium.”

On what the Cubs would give the Red Sox for Epstein: “There’s a lot of talk that the Red Sox would ask for the Cubs’ shortstop Starlin Castro. They won’t part him, that’s not going to happen. But if compensation has to be part of it, [Ricketts] will do it.”

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  • cms0101

    Just FYI for Red Sox Fans, Tom Shaer hasn’t been a “Sports Media Personality” in Chicago for 15 years. He was on talk radio for a short period of time back in the 90′s, and he does free lance tv reporting, but he hasn’t been a player in Chicago since Ryne Sandberg still played for the Cubs. I don’t believe he has any more insight to the Epstein thing than any other Cubs fan. Epstein is obviously the #1 candidate. They will have to pay him more money than he makes now. They will offer up some realistic amount of compensation, not a 21 year old All-Star shortstop or frontline pitcher. They want a successful team while spending the least amount of money possible. Ricketts and his team model their ideal franchise after what the Red Sox have done due to the similar histories fo the franchises, and the ages of both ballparks. Epstein represents that image. Plus, he’s young and has shown he can withstand a similar sort of pressure that comes with a high-profile GM job. Of course he would be the #1 target.

  • Andy

    I don’t recall too many radical lineup changes that Tito wasn’t likely to try on his own.

  • Juan

    Yeah, its nice that Theo is their #1 target. That is exciting and all, but Theo is still under contract with the Sox, which means that the Sox hold ALL the cards. It’s like saying, “Tom Brady is the #1 target for the Dallas Cowboys.” So what? Well, this means that the Cubs need to be prepared to pay to get him. If they won’t give up Starlin, it will probably mean Garza plus two top prospects and take Lackey from the Sox. There is no reason that the Sox have to be reasonable. If the Cubs want him, it’s gonna hurt to get him. But that is only short-term. Theo is worth it, and will develop 10+ stars in the time they have him. The Cubs should do whatever it takes to get him.

  • Alex

    Tom Shaer?? Where did they dig HIM up from?

  • Tim

    Juan -
    “If they won’t give up Starlin, it will probably mean Garza plus two top prospects and take Lackey from the Sox”

    Congrats, you have typed the dumbest thing ever on the internets!

  • CRP

    You said” If they won’t give up Starlin, it will probably mean Garza plus two top prospects and take Lackey from the Sox”

    Are you out of your mind?!? No flippin way the Cubs would do that! No matter how much they want and need Theo. A prospect or 2 yes, but that’s it.

  • Jake

    Tom shaer? Suprising but what ever. The cubs will never be able to part with Castro. He was there next big thing and he’s gonna stay there for a while. No doubt epstein will be in Chicago next year. EPSTEIN COME TO CHI-TOWN!!!!!…just putting that out there

  • Paul

    When he goes, please take Larry and company with you

  • Sasha

    I think if you can get Garza and one or 2 prospects for Theo and maybe MAYBE get the cubs to take Lackey then DO IT .. I have complete faith in Cherrington to run this organization and having met him think he would do a great job. Also he would have Shipley, and Baird to help guide him.. this could be a good move

  • Sasha

    also Garza has AL EAST pitching experience which Lackey did not have when they signed him to that deal. As well Cherrington has learned a lot from Epstein ( his mentor) and I think with as i said previously having Baird, and Shipley helping him would do a great job

  • sotapop5

    Tim and CRP – as a sox fan, spot on. theo is as good as gone so sox don’t have as much leverage as people woudl like to think.

    at best we get a lackey go garza swap, althoug i’d be surprised even at that. maybe a take lackey too deal. castro is a pipe dream.

  • Mark Rybicki

    Don’t know why cms0101 wants to bash tom shaer but he is wrong to say shaer hasn’t been a media personality in chicago for 15 years. I watched shaer on channel 5 here (I love paula farris!)and listened to him on AM-1000 up to 2006, at least. Now I see his free-lance TV stuff and on CLTV and radio. Not around cubs since sandberg? I saw shaer on the field at cubs a lot this year. I went to 31 games and saw him working there 10-12 times. He did the score mornings and his 1000 show got me through that night when gonzo’s error wrecked the 2003 cubs, NOT BARTMAN!

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