Theo's Farewell To Red Sox Fans
BOSTON (CBS) - On the day he is to be introduced as president of the Chicago Cubs, Theo Epstein is saying goodbye and thanking Red Sox fans.
"Thank you for all the incredible support this last decade. I will never forget it. May we meet again in an October not too many years from now," Epstein closed an article titled "Farewell, Red Sox Nation" for the Boston Globe on Tuesday.
The former Red Sox GM used the article to explain many things. He said overall he had a good relationship with the Red Sox owners, including a "complicated but ultimately productive and rewarding relationship" with team president Larry Lucchino.
Read: Selig Sets Deadline For Theo Compenstation
Theo explained that his intentions were to leave the team after his contract expired after next season, and was grooming Ben Cherington to take over. Once Terry Francona stepped down as manager, and the Cubs asked permission to interview him, Epstein saw it as the right time to leave town, giving Cherington the ability to select his manager for years to come.
One thing is certain, he is confident the Red Sox will be OK under Cherington.
"If not for the complete confidence I have in Ben to address these issues, I could not in good conscience leave the organization at this time," Epstein writes. "But there is no one in baseball more qualified to be the next general manager of the Red Sox."
"Ben is infinitely more prepared than I was when I took over nine years ago. He's been an area scout, an international scout, an advance scout, a farm director, and he's supervised drafts. Ben is honest and insightful, fearless and friendly - and he is ready to lead this organization forward."
Epstein also writes that the epic September collapse was not the reason for leaving, and that the team's extracurricular activities that have come out recently are greatly exaggerated. While it may looked like the players did not care towards the end of the season, that simply is not true.
Read: Theo Thanks Fans With Full-Page Ad
"Yes, September was a collective failure. As the general manager, I am the person ultimately responsible. Things did indeed happen in the clubhouse that do not have a place at the Red Sox or anywhere in sports. But the reports about team-wide apathy and indulgence are exaggerated. It may not seem this way now, but the team did care about winning, about the fans, and about each other; unfortunately, we failed when we let less important things get in the way. I tried desperately to reverse our slide, as did Tito, the coaches, and the players. But we just could not play well, and then we did not handle the adversity well."
The Chicago Cubs will introduce Epstein as their new team president at a 12:00pm press conference. The Red Sox will introduce Cherington at Fenway Park at 3:00pm. You can hear both of them live on 98.5 The Sports Hub or watch both live on CBSBostonsports.com.
