Theo Epstein announced as Red Sox's new general manager

By Gordon Edes, Globe Staff, 11/24/02

Red Sox CEO Larry Lucchino was in his office yesterday, clearing the decks for a press conference today to announce Theo Epstein as the team's new general manager.

Lucchino called former Expos GM Jim Beattie and Red Sox special assistant Lee Thomas, both of whom were interviewed for the Sox vacancy. "My impression is I'm not being considered for the general manager's job," Beattie said.

Lucchino did not tell him the team's choice as GM, Beattie said, but he did pledge to call him again to talk about another position with the club. When they spoke last week, Lucchino talked to Beattie about possibly becoming the team's vice president of player development and scouting, which would be a newly created position.

"I think they're going to handle things gradually," Beattie said. "He said they want the general manager on board before they do any other hiring."

Thomas, the former Phillies GM who interviewed for the Sox GM job during the World Series, said Lucchino called him yesterday afternoon and said he would get back to him, but did not tell him whether a decision on the GM had been made. Thomas refused to speculate, but several of Thomas's associates in the American League said that Thomas expects Epstein to be elevated to the top job.

Ron Schueler, the former White Sox GM also interviewed for the Boston job by Lucchino during the World Series, said last night from his home in Arizona that he had not yet heard from Lucchino.

"When I talked to him last week, he said he would call over the weekend, Monday by the latest," Schueler said.

Asked if he thought Lucchino intended to hire Epstein, the team's 28-year-old assistant general manager, Schueler said: "I don't know. I asked him that question, and he wouldn't answer."

Schueler also asked about his own candidacy. "He told me, `I can't say. We will make up our minds over the weekend and have something either Monday or Tuesday.' "

Epstein, who was the Padres' director of baseball operations before being brought to Boston by Lucchino last spring, would become the youngest general manager in baseball history. He turns 29 next month. Randy Smith was 29 when he became Padres GM in 1993; he was hired by Tom Werner, who is now the Red Sox chairman.

Calls to interim GM Mike Port and Epstein were not returned last night.