By Bill Burt
CNHI News Service

What do you think of when you think of Theo Epstein's nine years in charge of the Boston Red Sox?

Probably the unwise acquisition of free agents J.D. Drew, John Lackey, Julio Lugo, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Carl Crawford — and their combined $435 million payroll expense.

But the acquisition to remember most dwarfed those mistakes. It involved pitcher Curt Schilling and he helped bring the Red Sox their first World Series title in 86 years back in 2004.

It wasn't easy. Theo went to Schilling's home in Arizona the day before Thanksgiving in 2003. And, because there was still a possibility Schilling could be had, Theo stayed in Arizona another day and half, including Thanksgiving Day.

I shudder at the thought the wrong guy got fired when Terry Francona and the Red Sox "agreed" to part ways two days after the dismal 2011 season ended. Francona was finished. He lost the respect of his players, albeit many pompous players, and when that happens it's impossible to go back. Francona's reign was over.

Theo's probably was, too. Two world championships are nice but pro sports (and college sports, too) is, "What have you done for me lately." And Theo missed on a few biggies.

But Theo's departure to the Chicago Cubs is a little tougher to take. He was one of us, a New Englander. He understood the angst, anger, passion and love that goes into being a Red Sox fan.

Which is why Theo's signing of Schilling transcends. The Red Sox needed new blood after the 2003 loss to the Yankees in Game 7 of the ALCS. They had the talent to beat the Yankees, they just didn't have the moxie to do it.

They not only needed another "ace," they needed someone not afraid of the Yankees, like a lot of Red Sox players and fans were then.

"I want to be a part of bringing the first World Series in modern history to Boston," Schilling had the gall to say at his signing. "And hopefully more than one over the next four years."

Later in 2004 Theo made another gem, dealing away a broken Normar Garciaparra and replacing him with sleeper shortstop Orlando Carbrera. He also added a defensive stalwart at first base, Doug Mientkiewicz. Those two saved the second-half of the season.

We all know what happened three seasons later and we know about some of the players the Red Sox drafted and/or developed under Theo's reign, including Dustin Pedroia, Jonathan Papelbon, Jon Lester and Jacoby Ellsbury.

Yet Theo made blunders, including and especially the recent ones. Most of the time, he was able to overcome some of those transgressions. Boston's recent fall brought all his misses to light.

It's time for Theo to move on. He will be able to get away from the Yankees, which most definitely altered his rational mind. He will be able to return to the guy who got Schilling and maybe bring the Cubs their first World Series title in more than a century.
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Bill Burt is the sports editor of The Eagle-Tribune, North Andover, Mass. Contact him at bburt@cnhi.com.