Boston Bloodbath?: Sox Fans Might Be Headed For Epstein/Lucchino II

Apparently the Red Sox' trade of clubhouse kook Manny Ramirez didn't ease all the of ills in Red Sox Nation. SI.com writer Jon Heyman reported today that he is hearing from 'people in high places in baseball' that the relationship between President/CEO Larry Lucchino and VP/GM Theo Epstein is running at a fever pitch again and that Lucchino might be heading out of town to join Ramirez in L.A.

You'll remember the two first publicly feuded in the offseason of 2005, just a year removed from the Sox' first World Series win in 86 years. Epstein's contract had run out and he left the team temporarily as the power Lucchino had at the time with player movement became too much for him. You should check out Seth Mnookin's awesome book Feeding The Monster for the full details.)

But according to Heyman, it was Lucchino's defense of Manny Ramirez that has caused the latest rift. From the piece:

"Despite the well-documented difficulties and differences of Epstein and Lucchino -- Lucchino is said by people familiar with the just-departed Ramirez soap opera to have been much more committed to keeping Ramirez, no matter how badly the man-child superstar behaved and how much he risked undermining the clubhouse -- the two innovative Yalies have engineered this Red Sox renaissance and combined to bring two World Series titles to the previously star-crossed and storied organization."

Heyman relates Lucchino to well-traveled NBA coach Larry Brown and says that the Prez could be heading to Toronto or the Dodgers, whom Heyman points out has become a version of the Red Sox with former players and front office personnel.

I'm not sure how much I trust Heyman's sources, but this all seems to make sense. If I had to choose, keep Epstein. I can't take any more escapes in gorilla suits.

Josh Nason started Small White Ball in 2007 and is the main contributor of content for the site. A long-time writer, his work can also be read at sites like RopesRingandCage.com, EmailMarketingGuy.com and others. He also does radio appearances and was on TV once, albeit for a lame public television game show. He can be reached at [e-mail].