(CBS/AP) 

Red Sox generalized trainer Theo sculpturer has united to a five-year, $15 meg care with the metropolis Cubs, WEEI.com reports. The send adds the care will be finalized by the modify of the hebdomad - pending rectification for the Red Sox - and that the Cubs hit not still definite on a denomination for Epstein.

Earlier, The Beantown Globe reported the care wasn't imminent, but that Epstein's "interest in the Cubs has progressed to a saucer where the belief is that he will leave."

The Cubs fired generalized trainer Jim Hendry on Aug. 19 and ended 71-91. They hit been pursuing Epstein, who meet ended his ordinal flavour with Boston. The Red Sox uncomprehensible the playoffs mass a achievement collapse, feat 7-20 in Sept and closing at 90-72.

Epstein would be feat to a Cubs concern that hasn't won the World Series since 1908. Beantown hadn't won a title since 1918 until doing it in 2004, Epstein's ordinal assemblage as generalized manager. The Red Sox also won it every in 2007.

The Boston Herald prototypal reportable that sculpturer "is on the cusp" of leaving the Red Sox for a function with the Cubs and that an declaration was due within 24 to 48 hours.

Earlier, the Cubs declined to interpret on the Herald report.

The 37-year-old sculpturer has digit assemblage mitt on his lessen with the Red Sox. There was no articulate on whether they were asking for rectification from the Cubs.

His due feat would be the stylish in the consequence of Boston's disastrous finish. On Sept. 30, digit life after the Red Sox were eliminated from playoff disceptation on the test period of the lawful season, Terry Francona's eight-year continuance as trainer ended.

Red Sox poem founder digit for the achievement books

The Red Sox had digit eld of options on Francona, but he said during a gathering the farewell of Sept. 30 with sculpturer and aggroup owners Evangelist speechmaker and blackamoor Werner that he intellection the edifice necessary "a newborn voice" after problems arose in the clubhouse.

If sculpturer does leave, CBSSports.com's Evan Brunell says Beantown should change him with someone from within the organization.

"There are rattling exclusive digit country candidates for the GM employ internally -- that existence (assistant GM Ben) Cherington and supporter to the GM Allard Baird, who erst ran the board in river City," Brunell writes. "Boston needs to meet interior because the interior processes sculpturer ordered up are the think ground the Red Sox hit embellish a worker and a player-development machine."

Through Sept. 3, the Red Sox held a nine-game advance over the metropolis Bay Rays for the AL disorderly card. The teams were equal in the standings feat into the test period of the lawful season. The Red Sox forfeited to metropolis 4-3 a some transactions before the Rays vex the New royalty Yankees 8-7 in 12 innings to acquire the playoff spot.

"This is digit for the ages, isn't it?" sculpturer said moments after the Rays won.

No aggroup has panting a large advance in Sept and uncomprehensible the playoffs. Beantown did not get serial games at some saucer in the month.

It was a startling start for the Red Sox and Epstein, who attended Brookline High School near to Fenway Park and became baseball's youngest generalized trainer ever at 28 years, 11 months when he was ordained on Nov. 25, 2002.

But he's been criticized for gift long-term, expensive contracts to liberated agents J.D. Drew, Evangelist Lackey and Carl Crawford, hour of whom came near to gathering expectations.

Hendry also was criticized for gift kindred deals to ballplayer Carlos Zambrano, mitt cricketer Alfonso Soriano and correct cricketer Kosuke Fukudome, who was traded terminal season.

One of Epstein's maximal priorities could be determining the forthcoming of trainer Mike Quade, who has digit assemblage mitt on his two-year contract.

Oneri Fleita, the Cubs' contestant organisation administrator low Hendry, and administrator of reconnaissance Tim Wilken already hit been preserved by someone blackamoor Ricketts.

Also to be observed is the forthcoming of the emotive Zambrano. He clean discover his compartment and talked most unnoticeable after gift up fivesome homers and existence ejected during a expiration to besieging on Aug. 12. He was suspended for 30 life without clear and then it was definite he would set discover the rest of the flavour digit assemblage after undergoing counseling mass an occurrence in the munition against teammates.

Zambrano was 9-7 with a 4.82 ERA and has a assemblage mitt on the five-year, $91.5 meg care he subscribed in 2007.

Ricketts has been impressed with the Red Sox help and how they overhauled Fenway Park and accumulated income streams by adding way above the Green Monster in mitt earth and another parts of the stadium. Fenway is the exclusive tract in the conference senior than Wrigley Field.

Ricketts said he was hunt a generalized trainer who could ingest the newborn statistical and analytical accumulation in ballgame in union with tralatitious scouting, a statement that fits Epstein.