John Farrell Remains Favorite To Become Next Manager Of Red Sox

Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington said Thursday that he hadn't yet asked any team for permission to speak with a managerial candidate, but Toronto's John Farrell is still the favorite to replace Bobby Valentine, according to sources.

Last year, before the Red Sox hired Valentine, the Blue Jays asked for Clay Buchholz as compensation had they allowed Farrell to make the lateral move to Boston.

The Red Sox don't want to spend a lot of time on their search for a new manager, meaning what the Blue Jays want as compensation will indicate how hard they will go after Farrell.