Is he or isn't he?
As Chicago awaits confirmation on a deal that would bring Boston GM Theo Epstein to the North Side, the Cubs and Red Sox apparently are still hammering out details.
A deal between the teams reportedly was set to be finalized Thursday, but as of Friday morning it wasn't done, according to ESPN.com.
But the two sides are very close, a source told the publication. So close that sources confirmed to ESPN.com San Diego Padres general manager Jed Hoyer would be named Cubs GM days after the team announced Epstein as president of baseball operations.
Epstein earlier this month reportedly agreed to a five-year deal with the Cubs worth more than $15 million. But questions remain about how much the Cubs will compensate the Red Sox for Epstein and whether members of his front office staff in Boston will move with him to Chicago.
The Cubs have the go-ahead from Major League Baseball to hold a news conference Friday, in the middle of the World Series between the Texas Rangers and Cubs rivals the St. Louis Cardinals.
That's if they can come to a consensus. If they don't, baseball commissioner Bud Selig has said he may have to step in to mediate.
