The Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox had until Tuesday to agree on compensation for Theo Epstein, but the deadline came and went without a resolution:
"Either it will be turned over to MLB at the end of the day ... or there will be an extension of the window for the two clubs to talk," Epstein said.
The Red Sox would like "at least one top prospect" in return for Epstein, which is a demand that the Cubs are quite understandably unwilling to meet. A big part of the problem, as Boston general manager Ben Cherington admits, is that "it's too hard to quantify the value of Theo Epstein." Although you'd think that if any club had created some sort of GM win shares calculation, it would be the Boston Red Sox. Somebody page Bill James.
Both sides have said they would be okay with MLB Commissioner Bud Selig settling the issue.
Follow SB Nation Chicago and Bleed Cubbie Blue tomorrow for continuing coverage on this story. For more news and notes from around the league, be sure to visit Baseball Nation.