Cubs Fans: Epstein Ain't Einstein, and Here's 19 Reasons Why

Yes, Theo Epstein helped engineer two World Series Championships for the Boston Red Sox during his tenure as general manager, but what goes unnoticed is his failure many times in acquiring talent that actually turned out to be worth all the fuss.

For every David Ortiz or Curt Schilling, there was a J.D. Drew or Julio Lugo—a colossal waste of money and expectations that came up short.

Often portrayed as the darling of Boston, and almost as the sole reason the Red Sox were able to win two World Series in a span of 4 years, Theo Epstein does not deserve the credit or moniker of "genius" or "boy wonder" that he has been given. Chicago had better be braced for some more heartbreak.

Following is a few of Theo's additions while at the helm of the Boston Red Sox.

You can be the judge of whether he is as good as the media says he is.

Carlos Delgado

No, not really; just seeing if you were paying attention.

The Red Sox did sign a washed-up Delgado towards the end of the 2010 season in high hopes he would have regained the almost Hall of Fame hitting prowess that he once possessed. Instead, he did not help the big club at all, never appearing in a game.

Delgado was paid $3 million just to be released three months later.

Carlos Pena

Carlos Pena was signed as a free agent by Theo at the end of the 2006 season.

Pena appeared in a meager 18 games with the Red Sox, hitting .273 and a .776 OPS.

The problem is, the Sox and Theo gave up on the top prospect way too early. All he went on to do was hit 46 home runs and drive in 121 runs while also giving the Tampa Bay Rays a stable glove at first base.

Pena was awarded the 2007 AL Comeback Player of the Year and a Silver Slugger award. Not bad for being paid $800,000.

Sure, the Sox won the 2007 World Series, but I'm sure Theo was kicking himself for letting Pena just walk away.

John Smoltz

First off, Smoltz is a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Having said that, he was terrible for the Red Sox.

Theo signed Smoltz to a one-year deal in 2009 for $5.5 million. All they got in return was a 2-5 pitcher with an 8.33 ERA. Smoltz wound up being released before the end of the season.

This started a soon-to-be all too familiar act by Epstein in over paying MLB veterans that had nothing left to offer.

Ramon Ramirez

Ramon Ramirez was acquired from the Kansas City Royals and quickly produced a 7-4 record as a reliable arm out of the Boston bullpen in 2009.

However, the 2010 season did not start well for the Sox right-hander and he was dealt to the Giants for Daniel Turpen ("who?" you might be asking yourself).

Why was this a gaffe? Well, Ramirez went on to help lock down a World Series Championship for the Giants in 2010, posting a 0.67 ERA in 25 games.

Turpen hasn't helped the Sox at all.

You could also lump in Javier Lopez, who was lights out for the Giants as well, who pitched for the Red Sox from 2006-09 before they didn't re-sign him.

Josh Beckett

This can be viewed in a number of ways. Yes, he was part of a mega trade with the Marlins to get him in a Sox uniform, but before we go all crazy, the Sox did part with both Anibal Sanchez and Hanley Ramirez. Pretty good ball players in their own right.

Beckett was a huge reason why the Sox won the 2007 Series over the Rockies. The boy was flat out amazing in the ALCS versus the Indians.

However, this is a "what have you done for me lately" situation.

Beckett has posted mediocre seasons since his 20-win 2007. He is getting paid a fat contract without really living up to the dollar amount.

Maybe he was getting paid for his burgeoning gut rather than his stats.

He is due to be paid $15.75 million for the next three years, when he will be 34.

Edgar Renteria

Why exactly did Theo want to get rid of the scrappy Orlando Cabrera, who was a spark plug and clubhouse favorite for the 2004 World Series-winning Sox?

Oh, because he wanted to overpay for a guy who made the last out for the Cardinals in the '04 Fall Classic.

Renteria lasted one year in Beantown and consistently booted the ball all around the infield.

From 1999 to 2008, there was only one year Renteria didn't hit double digit home runs: in 2005 with the Sox.

Renteria never was a fit and reportedly hated his decision before the 2005 season even began.

Cabrera continued to be a steady shortstop, and this past year, second baseman, before his retirement this past winter. Theo could never get the shortstop position figured out. Good thing he has super-stud Starlin Castro in Chicago.

The Sox couldn't even parlay Renteria into a contributing player after he was dealt to the Braves for Andy Marte, while also paying some of his contract.

Mike Cameron

What a waste this move was.

Yes, Cameron was an above-average ball player for most of his career, but this writing was on the wall when Theo gave him a two-year deal worth $ 15.5 million. He was eventually traded with cash to the Marlins in 2011.

You don't give that type of money to a 36-year-old outfielder.

Cameron provided nothing for the Sox, appearing in 81 games over a year and a half. He hit a total of seven home runs and hit .259 and .149 in 2010 and 2011, respectively.

Theo, you pretty much threw away money there.

Erik Bedard

This may be too high on this list, but this was a terrible move for both the club and Bedard.

Bedard, who is notorious for not being media friendly, never gave the Boston media anything to work with. Sox fans had no reason to like him or care about how he was going to help.

Bedard rarely lasted long enough to get a decision in his starts, which culminated in a 1-2 record.

Theo was supposed to solidify the rotation for a playoff push that never came for the 2011 Sox.

Bedard left for Pittsburgh in the offseason and Theo once again struck out at the trade deadline.

Brad Penny

Oops, I just tripped over my belly.

Penny made 24 starts for the 2009 Sox and gave them a 7-8 record and 5.00-plus ERA.

The Sox gave him $5 million for the one year flier, but this is more of what Theo was trying to fool Sox fans with: over-the-hill pitchers who had nothing left.

You can also throw in David Wells and Joel Pineiro into the mix.

Penny is now pitching in Japan, and married to the smoking hot Karina Smirnoff.

Daisuke Matsuzaka

Oh Dice-K, how you have made a fool out of me.

I championed him after his aid in the 2007 World Series and stellar 2008 season. However, I feel I am alone in the corner now.

You can argue Dice-K was worth the fee and salary after he helped in the 2007 quest, and I am sure the Sox have made a significant financial sum marketing Dice-K, but this signing is wreaking.

Dice-K is due $10 million dollars this year, in which he may not pitch until June at best. In the last three years the Red Sox have paid $26 million for 16 victories, a lot of headaches and a temperament that is cringe-worthy. Hopefully new GM Ben Cherington takes notice and does not make this same mistake in the future.

Bobby Jenks

Not only has Jenks been a huge disappointment on the field, he has been a let down off of it as well.

Drinking and driving as a Major League ball player is weak. Even though it was outside a strip club, it's still lame.

Jenks has appeared in 19 games for the Sox in 2011 and had a grotesque 6.32 ERA. No need for that. He was done and the White Sox let him go without hesitation.

Jenks was money from 2006-2009, but the wheels were starting to come off in 2010. But that didn't stop ol' Theo from throwing a two-year, $12 million deal at him.

Moving a former lights-out closer to a set-up role almost never works, and this another prime example.

Orlando Cabrera

Should never have let him go. Period.

He was a catalyst on a World Series team, was energetic, got along well with the clubhouse and the media.

Cabrera was a near .300 hitter for his half-season with the Sox in 2004 and performed very well in the postseason, hitting .379 versus the Yankees in the ALCS.

Cabrera went on to be a stand up player for the Angels for the next three years. The Sox would have gotten him cheaper than what they paid for Edgar Renteria. Edgar was paid $8 million, while Cabrera made $ 6 million.

The Sox haven't had a good, reliable shortstop since.

Manny Ramirez

The boy helped give Red Sox Nation many, many memories. I can't help but remember the times we had with Manny has pleasurable, although he surely wore out his welcome in Beantown.

Theo was championed as jettisoning Manny out of town and in exchange we got Jason Bay, who gave the Sox a season and half of superb play. No knock on Bay—I knew he would do nothing once he left the friendly confines for the Big Apple, so I won't pile on.

My argument is that for what Manny still had left in the tank, and for what surely the market would have, could have been for his services, I can't believe that the Sox couldn't have received additional prospects or draft picks for him.

A season and half of Jay Bay doesn't seem to justify it.

Matt Clement

Oh Mr. Clement, what a waste of money you were.

But I am glad you recovered from the come-backer that was frightening to watch for sure. Clement pitched his only good season with the club in 2005, his first year with them.

Clement went 18-11 in two years with a 5.00-plus ERA. Not exactly Hall of Fame credentials.

And yes, he earned $25 million for those 18 victories and an All-Star nod. The Sox paid him $9.5 million in 2007 and he didn't play for them.

Not only that, but he didn't exactly replace the void that Derek Lowe and Pedro Martinez left behind. I think I would have rather had either one of those two for that money or years.

Eric Gagne

The Sox were able to win the 2007 Series despite the efforts of Gagne to ruin that dream. He was absolutely horrendous.

This deadline deal didn't quite have the impact the 2004 recruits did.

Gagne went 2-2 with a 6.75 ERA and an even worse 8 something in the playoffs. Tito couldn't even get him into the World Series.

I wonder when we will read that Gagne is auctioning off his ring.

Bronson Arroyo Traded for Wily Mo Pena

How bad was this trade?

Arroyo was a fan favorite and will always be revered as a huge part of the Boston bullpen in the 2004 playoffs.

To give him up for Wily Mo Pena—come on, Theo!

When the Sox were hurting for reliable arms for, well, the last six years, Arroyo bangs out 200-plus innings every year. He was even Theo's jamming buddy. His cover of Pearl Jam's "Black" is spot on. Theo was a cold son of gun with him.

I'm happy to report that Wily is long gone, and Arroyo is steadily churning out consistent seasons. He has averaged 11 wins per year with the Cincinnati Reds and isn't too pricey for the return.

I miss you, Bronson, and I still imitate the high leg kick whenever I'm on the mound.

Julio Lugo

"Julie Loogie" was an absolute terror for the Sox.

Rather, he was just terrible.

This streak of not being able to find a quality shortstop during Theo's tenure was best symbolized by Julio Lugo.

He was decent at best with the Rays and Dodgers, but to throw that much money (an average of $9 million per year) was ludicrous.

He spent three seasons with the Sox, hitting a robust .251 and engineered an 0-for-36 in there somewhere. I was privileged to see a few of those at-bats in person.

This contract culminated with the Sox paying $8.85 million for Loogie to play for the Orioles in 2010.

For shame, Theodore.

J.D. Drew

Oops, Nancy slipped and fell. Much like his career in Boston.

Yes, he did hit one of the most memorable home runs in Sox history in the 2007 ALCS. The grand slam against Cleveland was epic. But, that was about it.

We were left with a very banged up, hobbled, no-personality drone in right. When he was right, he was an All Star, but that was seldom. Nancy also gets a bit of a pass cause he did legitimately have family issues that no doubt took away some focus. But, seriously, how many called third strikes did he just watch go by?

Too many is the answer.

Theo paid heavily for J.D. and without much reason too. A more reliable health-wise right fielder with power might have done the trick....for a lot less money too.

John Lackey

What a waste. Theo definitely bottomed out with this pickup. I thought he'd be money—but I was wrong too.

What more can I say that anyone reading this hasn't already thought or said?

I still own a player tee of his, and maybe he might actually help in the future. Here's hoping the next $45 million the Sox owe him won't be justified as being money paid to look at his ex-wife for a year or two.