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Winning by waiting? Examining Red Sox’ approach to John Farrell talks with Blue Jays 10.20.12 at 12:06 am ET
By Alex Speier

The Red Sox and Blue Jays are talking about a possible deal to allow John Farrell to manager in Boston. (AP)

Sure, the Red Sox could have contacted the Blue Jays to start talking about John Farrell on the day they fired Bobby Valentine. But what sense would that have made?

The discussion of compensation between the two teams inevitably was going to represent an exercise in leverage. At the beginning of the offseason, the Red Sox had none and the Blue Jays had plenty.

After all, if the Red Sox had decided that they wanted Farrell and initiated talks without an alternative, then the Jays could name the ransom for their manager. Moreover, in the early days of the offseason, the Jays were in a position where they could move on from Farrell and still have plenty of time to conduct a managerial search of their own for his replacement. And so, even if they had decided that they wanted to move on from Farrell, they could have proceeded in negotiations as if that was not the case. Additionally, had the Sox pursued Farrell at the start of the offseason, all of the candidates whom they interviewed would have looked like nothing more than a backup plan to the guy that they really wanted.

But as days and weeks elapse, the pendulum swings further in the Red Sox’ direction. The Sox, after all, have interviewed a solid group of four candidates — Tim Wallach, Tony Pena, Brad Ausmus and DeMarlo Hale. They have a list of credible alternatives to Farrell. The Jays, at least publicly, do not.

If the Jays try to shoot the moon in their compensation request, the Sox can say thanks but no thanks, suggesting that they like Farrell, but not so much more than they like the candidates with whom they’ve talked. And, if that means not making a deal, then the Sox can say when introducing any of the other four managers that they were so impressed that it limited their desire to bring back their former pitching coach. Even if compensation talks hit an impasse, the Sox comfortably can move on and get another manager in place with reasonable alacrity — likely before the end of the month, and possibly before the start of the World Series.

Meanwhile, if the dynamic between Farrell and the Jays has become sufficiently frosty that Toronto is comfortable letting him walk, then the urgency increasingly will fall upon the Blue Jays to conclude any negotiations with the Sox in order to get something of value in return for their manager. Toronto, after all, will need to conduct its own search for Farrell’s replacement if they do end up parting with him. And so, if they want to avoid finding themselves in the same uncomfortable position that the Sox occupied last offseason, when the pursuit of a manager limited the amount of time that the team had to form its coaching staff and to execute its offseason plan, the Jays will be eager to resolve Farrell’s situation as early as possible so that they can have a thorough search for their next manager without impairing the rest of their offseason.

All of that being the case, the fact that the Sox got their managerial search underway before they initiated serious conversations with the Jays about Farrell would seem to have done nothing to diminish their hand in negotiations for the manager and, if anything, strengthened it. Whether that actually results in Farrell being named the Red Sox’ manager remains to be seen.

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  • al

    Idiots ! Luchinno’ s running the show as always and he will screw this up as usual !

  • dexter

    Just a hunch, but I think Ausmus is the better choice.

  • askdd

    If this takes more than two weeks I am no longer a Red Sox fan. 

  • Sbgoodridge

    Make a bold move and hire Brad Ausmus

  • AndyP

    Hiring Ausmus would be clever; Farrell–not so much. Giving up any prospects is dumb.

  • RSN

    Boston has been desperate for Farrell since last off season when they stupidly hired Valentine.  The strategy mentioned here that he thinks Boston is employing fell apart throughout the season, and can’t be repeated.  The Red Sox lost any leverage over a year ago.

  • jedicouncil

    this has to be the stupidest article ever published, you are a total homer.  next you will be telling us we lost so many games on purpose all year long was to get a top 10 draft pick…..another “great strategy move“  they hold all the cards, they have the manager the whole world knows we want, no matter how many interviews we do or how long we wait everyone knows we will still crawl back to them for farrell.  we screwed this up just like we screwed up the Theo deal. 

  • Jward23

    Just one flaw in your argument. The Red Sox have already test-driven a list of managerial candidates with nothing to stop the Jays from simply interviewing the same (plus whatever internal guys they probably have).

  • Shutiggyup.com

     Meter is that you?

  • Honus

    I also vote for Ausmus…it would be a great move, but I don’t know that the Sox will do it. 

  • Eddiek19

    Farrell is not a good manager. Hope Toronto just gives him to Boston.

  • Anonymous

    Hire Pesky for the next year – they certainly wouldnt do any worse!!!!

  • Anonymous

    What really surprises me is Lucchino hasnt proposed “manager by committee”

  • Newbeginning

    Do the right thing Red Sox; don’t give away assets for a manger. Bring in fresh blood like Ausmus and give the team a new beginning.

  • Kraig627

    give me Tony Pena any day!!

  • Doug

    You were never a real fan in the first place if that’s the way you think!  Go back with the “Pink Hats”.

  • Doug

    Also a smart move.  Send Lucchino to the Jays, we don’t want anything in exchange.

  • Doug

    You must be blind in one eye and can’t see out of the other!  He’s a good manager in the Bobby Valentine mold, just the opposite with the same results,  Farrell is a con artist a silver tongue attache case type, the type Lucchino would love, he wouldn’t argue with Larry, Larry would even send him to law school, all Larry wants is a yes man, this FO is doomed as are the Red Sox as long as he is here, he constitutes the worst executive in baseball, get him out.  Forget about Farrell he ruined the Jays running game this year along with one of his shining star pitchers, he should be tried for Neglect and sent to Baseball Prison.

  • Doug

    That can’t be done with Larry in the FO, it makes sense, plus it will help the team.

  • Dexter

     No.  Its Jason Aldean

  • Sandyes

    Wow I have seen some dumb arguments, but this takes the cake.  In case the writer forgot, it is the sox knocking on the Jays door begging for their manager.  Plus, the sox already made an offer on Oct. 6th, and it was turned down.  So don’t know how the writer things they are building up power by waiting.

    Guess what most Jays fans are hoping you take him.

  • Daniel

    How is pressure on the Jays at all?  Even if they don’t want Farrell back, they can wait until the Sox hire someone else and then fire Farrell.

  • Mail

     Fact is they are going to grossly overpay.  Watch.  Worst thing about it, they have four guys any of whom they could turn the keys over to now with comfort.

  • Morphicwebmedia

    LOL…this could be the most backward logic I’ve ever seen employed. So let me get this straight.The Sox have the upper hand because they’ve interviewed all their backup candidates? You numbskull.

    The Jays aren’t desperate to ditch Farrell. They could easily let him finish the contract and go forward – business as usual. The Red Sox clearly want Farrell and the Jays don’t have to do a thing about it…unless the Sox offer is too good to pass up.

  • Anonymous

    The Blue Jays have a well-regarded manager and the Red Sox don’t.

    I give the Jays the edge.

  • Nh56

    If the Sox give up anything to bring Farrell in to town, watch the ticket sales plummet.  Sure they will continue to tell us their sellout streak is intact but who are they kidding.  Plenty of empty seats from where I sit,  Let Toronto have Farrell or if they do get rid of this loser, see how many teams will offer him a job.

  • Troll Hunter

    Harvin to Seattle, Boldin to the 49ers, Wallace almost finalized to Dolphins at 11 million and Cruz tendered at first round pick by Giants. WR’s are going fast….Peter King “suspects” Welker back to Pats but no proof either way.

  • Troll Hunter

    NFL should investigate that bull trade. Talk about an inside job….Baltimore knew the Pats would have jumped ugly over Boldin if they released him.

  • football wizard

    would love to keep him, but would never trust him for the game-on-the-line money catch in the last minutes of the playoffs/superbowl. at least not deep down the sidelines. that’s not his game.

  • Tom

    he’s going to either denver, houston, indy or green bay.  In each place he will maintain ~90% of his production and help the team into the playoffs.  Then we will hear; “we tried but he wanted too much” and whispers on “him remaining healthy for 3 more seasons” …they typical BS.

  • Get it right

    Boldin brother to brother so they can each have a SB. Dad and Mom can then accept the trophy.

    Kraft said the same thing last year. Need DB’s and a pass rusher.

  • MR.MAJESTIC

    a gift from one HARBAUGH to another……..BOULDIN is worth more than a 6th round pick,the league might want to take a look at this one…..COLLUSION

  • The_Public

    I don’t care what Kraft says to the media or “Sources” say.  It is what gets done.  This should have been done.  So either Krafty is giving us lip service and saying good-bye or Wes is looking for crazy money and will possibly walk.  Nothing new for the Pats!  Having money under the cap I want a team to win the Super Bowl.  That is the bottom line.  Not, “it is what it is!”

  • The_Public

    I don’t care what Kraft says to the media or “Sources” say.  It is what gets done.  This should have been done.  So either Krafty is giving us lip service and saying good-bye or Wes is looking for crazy money and will possibly walk.  Nothing new for the Pats!  Having money under the cap I want a team to win the Super Bowl.  That is the bottom line.  Not, “it is what it is!”

  • Dano S

    The Pats and Welker have to realize the grass is not  greener on the other side.
    Pats Predictions 45.0 Wes Welker, Joshua Cribbs WR Browns, Chris Wells RB Cardinals,
    Kevin Boothe G/C Giants, Gosder Cherilus OT Lions,Thomos Howard OLB Bengals,
    Connor Barwin DE/OLB Texans, Dominique Rodgers-Ctomartie CB Eagles,Alan Branch DT
    Seahawks and Gerald Sensabaugh S Cowboys.

    Draft 1 Kawann Short DT Purdue 2 Michael Buchanan OLB/DE Illinois
    3 Emmett Cleary OT BC 7 Jawann Jamison RB Rutgers 7 Chris Jones DT Bowling Green.

  • Anonymous

    Belichick: “But I’d prefer if he’d play for free.”

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