Having fired Jim Hendry, the Chicago Cubs are in the market for a new general manager. Some days ago, the rumor was that they'd go after current Red Sox GM Theo Epstein - and that Epstein would take the job.

That would be quite the story, right? But it was just a rumor. Until now. Now, we'll have to see where this leads. Peter Abraham:

Globe colleague Dan Shaughnessy has learned from a team source that the Chicago Cubs have asked the Red Sox for permission to speak with Theo Epstein regarding a position in their organization.

The Cubs have to ask for permission because Epstein is still under contract with the Red Sox. Now, there are a few ways this could go:

(1) The Red Sox deny the Cubs' request
(2) Epstein denies the Cubs' request
(3) The Red Sox grant the Cubs' request under the condition that they are compensated if Epstein is hired away

We don't yet know how the Red Sox will respond, but they reportedly held some organizational meetings on Tuesday to discuss the situation, so it shouldn't be long.

Epstein has served as GM of the Red Sox for almost nine years. That's a long time for a GM to stay in the same place, but then, few GMs have had as much success as Epstein has, this year's September collapse be damned.