Jed Hoyer and Jason McCleod Compensation

According to the Associate Press, Bud Selig will decide the Red Sox compensation for allowing Theo Epstein to leave for the Cubs.  The two teams have been unable to come close to an agreement since the possibility of Epstein’s departure from Boston became apparent.  Of lesser note to most outside of San Diego is the compensation for Jed Hoyer leaving the Padres.  The Cubs and Padres still have not reached a compensation agreement for stealing Hoyer away.

When the San Diego Padres agreed to allow the Chicago Cubs to raid their cupboards, it was agreed that the Cubs would send over some sort of compensation.  There has been little to no news about the compensation deal since November of last year.  With three months now in the books since Hoyer’s departure, it’s time to revisit the compensation issue.

Don’t forget, the Padres did not just give up Jed Hoyer, they also allowed Jason McCleod to leave.  McCelod may have been an even more integral part to the Padres than Hoyer.  Josh Byrnes, so far, has proven to be a competent GM.  While we will have to see how some of his moves pan out, he has clearly done nothing to push the Padres further into the cellar.  McCleod’s loss, however, will not be known for some time.  A draft expert and another Epstein underling, McCleod was responsible for many of the Padres top prospects through the draft.  He was able to find young talent through the draft in Boston as well.

In San Diego, Mcleod drafted Cory Spangenberg, Austin Hedges, Jedd Gyorko, and Josh Spence.  Those picks were over the course of just two years with the Padres.

In Boston, McCleod was responsible for drafting Dustin Pedroia, Clay Buchholz, Jed Lowrie, Jacoby Ellsbury, Daniel Bard, Anthony Rizzo, Casey Kelly, and Reymond Fuentes from 2004-2009.

It’s clear San Diego lost a well-respected General Manager in Hoyer, but they also lost a draft-day wizard in McCleod.  No one expects the compensation for these losses to amount to much, so the question is why hasn’t it been completed?  It does not seem likely that Bud Selig would have to step in regarding compensation for the Padres, but the deal has yet to be completed.

According to Cubbies Crib, prospect Josh Vitters will probably be heading to Boston as part of their compensation deal, yet no one has a good handle on who the Padres will receive.  If the Red Sox are getting Vitters, which clearly has yet to be determined, the Padres have little chance of landing a highly touted prospect.

According to Jim Callis of Baseball America, Vitters is the number five overall prospect in the Cubs organization.  The Padres may not get anyone even ranked in the top-ten, and maybe that doesn’t matter.  However, it seems like the losses of Hoyer and McCleod are worth at least a player who can contribute at the Major League level.  The fact is, both Hoyer and McCleod had contracts with San Diego.  The Padres’ willingness to let them go deserves a return.

Sometime before Opening Day, we should find out what compensation the Padres will receive.  Somehow, though, I don’t think anything the Cubs give up will be satisfactory in the eyes of fans.