Pair may yet lead to full house

This was Larry Lucchino talking, but it might as well have been Tom Bodett, promising to leave a light on at Motel 6. Or the descendants of Paul Revere: ''One if by land, two if by Theo."

''We'll keep the light on in the window," Lucchino said during yesterday's news conference announcing the appointment of Jed Hoyer and Ben Cherington as Red Sox co-general managers, an occasion so momentous both principal owner John W. Henry and chairman Tom Werner skipped it.

No surprise there. Not when the Sox refused to say how long the current arrangement will last (''We're not talking about duration of contract," Lucchino said), which should not be taken as a referendum on the skills of the new GM tandem, which are considerable within their areas of expertise, but a concession that the deck will be reshuffled again as soon as Epstein comes back aboard.

Evidently, the title will be different, Epstein preferring to be known as consultant or adviser or consigliere, but it defies credulity to believe he will come back with any less authority than he had when he left Oct. 31. In some ways, Epstein never has left: Both Cherington and Hoyer freely admitted yesterday they have been in regular contact with Epstein, who hasn't been afraid to weigh in on the personnel moves the club has made. One team source said that Epstein had lobbied the previous Gang of Four to explore a trade with Seattle that would send Matt Clement to the Mariners for center fielder Jeremy Reed, a possible fallback plan in case Johnny Damon doesn't re-sign.

''You're getting ahead of yourself," Lucchino said when asked how Epstein would fit in. ''I think it's premature to discuss exactly what role, if any, Theo would have. So all we're saying is we'll keep the light on at the window, the door ajar. If there's a fit, we'd love to see it happen."

That, of course, is a complete reversal of field since last month in Palm Springs, when Lucchino and Werner began their GM search at the winter meetings with assertions that they had turned the page on Epstein. But it's just as apparent that Henry never turned the page, even though the book on this one has been more bizarre than ''Through the Looking Glass."

Lucchino may have been the last one on board with the Bring Theo Back movement. The co-GM arrangement clearly was not his idea -- for much of this process, he was bent on hiring Jim Beattie, the former Orioles vice president -- but one promoted by Henry and Werner to facilitate Epstein's return.

Lucchino emphasized that the Sox have made a commitment to Cherington and Hoyer to be part of the organization for ''years to come," but on the flow chart of the future, it doesn't take much imagination to see the two essentially filling the roles vacated by two of Epstein's top assistants, Josh Byrnes and Peter Woodfork, who now work for Arizona, with Epstein claiming the marquee role while being excused from some of the leading man's responsibilities.

Say this for Lucchino: For as many hits as he has taken in the weeks since his protégé broke ranks, and despite his boss deciding to go in another direction than he was advocating, Lucchino appears willing to turn the other cheek -- not an easy thing for a man known as one of baseball's most tenacious street fighters. Maybe it's because he's a little older, has a long-term contract, and genuinely likes being here, but it's hard to imagine the old Lucchino allowing Epstein to be forced down his throat. On more than one occasion, Bud Selig has told people Lucchino would be a nice fit in D.C., but this time Lucchino appears to be ignoring the siren call.

There is another possible explanation, one put forth by another member of the Sox' inner circle: At the end of the day, this is what everyone wants, and as ugly as the process was to get here, it will work out.

Epstein, given some reprieve from the enormous stresses of the job, stepping back and deciding that with some tweaks, this is an arrangement he can live with; Lucchino, recognizing that there is no arrangement in which the Sox are better off without Epstein, claiming at least a portion of responsibility for the failure to close the previous deal with Theo, and satisfied that his authority has not been usurped; Henry, refusing to be forced to choose between his abiding loyalty to Lucchino and his enormous affection for Epstein, insisting that there was nothing in the breach between the two men that was irreparable.

''Our job is to put together the strongest baseball team, the strongest front office, the strongest baseball operations team," Lucchino said. ''Theo is an immensely talented guy who's proven himself over the last several years. If he is comfortable, and happy and feels he can be productive in this organization, in this structure, we would love to have him."

The olive branch has been extended. The light is burning in the window. There is no deadline, Lucchino said, for Epstein to offer his answer to the invitation.

But it looks as though he already has.