Compensation For Theo

It's Groundhog day. So in the spirit of Bill Murray, it's time to review things again and again and again. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Theo Epstein compensation saga!


Listen, Matt Garza is not coming to Boston, and never was. So who, or what, is? The precedent for these things isn't exactly promising, as Baseball Nation's Al Yellon points out:


"In 1994, when the Cubs hired Twins executive Andy MacPhail as their general manager, they sent minor-league pitcher Hector Trinidad — a top prospect at the time — as compensation. Trinidad never pitched in the major leagues."


So the Cubs are the one's stealing everyone's women! I never did trust that little blue bumbling bear. But in a baseball sense, the likelihood that Boston ends up with anything of significance out of this entire process is extremely small. 


Peter Gammons tweeted yesterday that Uncle Bud Selig is still waiting on "written arguments in Cubs-Red Sox compensation case," but the hall of fame writer expects Chicago to send over "an A level prospect." Whom shall that prospect-to-be named eventually be? I won't pretend to have any insight into Uncle Bud's mind, but here's a list of the Cubs' top-20 prospects of 2012 for those of you who are interested.


Here's a list of homegrown Cubs that have done much of anything in the last 20 years: Starlin Castro, Kerry Wood, and Harry Caray's corpse. That's it. Three.


In any case, after a tumultuous but ultimately lackluster offseason, comedian Jim Norton summed up the situation nicely earlier this morning on Twitter: "It's Groundhog Day! Punxsutawney Phil poked his head out and saw the business end of a shotgun."


I simply wonder if there's any room in front of those barrels for a worn out Red Sox fan.

Harden Placed On Waivers

Sometimes, the world is a funny place. While doing research on the fate of Rich Harden since the Red Sox backed out on a deal for the A's righty just before the trade deadline, I stumbled across reports that the walking injury hard-throwing starter had been placed on waivers by Oakland, and this report from NESN.com:

"There is nothing to indicate that the Sox are still interested in Harden, especially considering their acquisition of Bedard shortly thereafter, but Oakland has placed the 29-year-old starter on waivers, according to FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal."

Harden has gone 1-1 in three starts since the ill-fated deal, throwing 16.2 innings with 9 earned runs, good for a 4.82 ERA during that stretch. It would make sense that Theo Epstein would leave this one alone, especially since Wakefield is such an innings eater (6+ innings in three starts since the deadline), and they feel Bedard's arm is healthier (which is a scary thought.)

With John Lackey putting up a healthy 6-0 record over his last seven starts, the $15 million-dollar man can safely remove his dunce cap for the time being (warning: .349 BABIP!!), and the Red Sox don't have to give up anyone else from their farm system.

Looks like it's pray for rain and that Clay Buchholz's back heals. Zoiks.
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UPDATE: Peter Gammons tweeted on Saturday, August 21 -


Longtime Rich Harden observer:"Friday was best stuff and arm slot he's had in years." Too bad Harden and Breslow didn't get through waivers

Indeed Mr. Gammons, indeed.