How free is Farrell?

If we’re to believe the Boston Globe report that the Red Sox are interested in hiring John Farrell to replace Terry Francona—and assuming Farrell wants the job—Alex Anthopoulos’ personnel policy might allow it to happen.

Earlier this month during an interview with Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi for a column on the Baltimore Orioles’ interest in Blue Jays assistant GM Tony LaCava, Anthopoulos laid out the club’s policy when it comes to other teams’ interest in his employees:

As Davidi wrote: “There is no need for rival clubs to formally seek permission for an interview, to work within a negotiating window, or face a request for compensation. Blue Jays employees are free to speak with whom they please, when they please, for as long as they please.”

Said Anthopoulos: "If you have that philosophy, in the long run it will serve your organization well, you’ll continue to attract outstanding employees because they know they have the freedom, they have upwards mobility, they’re never going to be held down," he said.

"Selfishly I don’t want any of our guys to leave, but at the same time I hope all of our employees have opportunities to better themselves, whether it’s responsibilities, financial, whatever it might be.”

That policy extends to on-field personnel, including Farrell.

In LaCava’s case, a GM position would be “upward mobility,” whereas Farrell’s return to Boston would be a lateral move. But in the quote above, Anthopoulos also referenced financial considerations, and there’s little doubt the Red Sox could offer Farrell a substantial raise over his current salary in Toronto.

Given the exhaustive managerial search Anthopoulos underwent before hiring the 49-year-old Farrell last winter, and how generally pleased the players and management were with the job the rookie skipper did in 2011, it’s safe to assume Toronto is keen to keep him.

But if Farrell’s heart is still in Boston and Red Sox owner John Henry comes knocking on his door with bags of cash, would Anthopoulos stand in his way, and more importantly, should he?

As Anthopoulos told Davidi, losing an employee to a divisional rival would be: "Just like losing a great player…it hurts twice as much.”

The only thing more potentially damaging would be retaining a manager who’s expressed a desire to work somewhere else.

It should be noted however that Farrell has never come across as anything less than totally committed to Toronto and the Blue Jays, including during a Oct. 19 appearance on Sportsnet Radio 590 the Fan with Mike Wilner.

Full Audio: John Farrell on Sportsnet Radio 590

Anthopoulos is loathe to respond to rumours, but earlier this summer he took the extraordinary step of convening a pre-game press conference at Rogers Centre to address an ESPN story that alleged the Blue Jays were stealing signs from the centre field bleachers.

Sunday’s report in the Globe is likely generating a similar buzz on Anthopoulos’ Blackberry, so you can bet as soon as the Jays have something definitive to say regarding Farrell’s future, we’ll know it.

On Sunday afternoon, Blue Jays president Paul Beeston told told the Globe and Mail the Red Sox haven’t approached the Jays about permission to talk to Farrell.

“John is under contract to us and we think he likes it here,” Beeston told the paper. “They (the Red Sox) haven’t approached us, so I don’t want to comment beyond that because it’s hypothetical.”

Also on Sunday, Davidi posted the following message from the Blue Jays on his Twitter account: "Through spokesman, AA says as per policy, no comment in regards to speculation on Red Sox's interest in Farrell."

As for Farrell himself, as of Sunday evening he had yet to reply to numerous requests from Sportsnet seeking comment.

Meanwhile back in Boston, a Tuesday press conference has been scheduled where it’s expected Ben Cherington will officially be named the Red Sox’s new general manager.

If Farrell’s future is in Toronto is secure, a more emphatic statement to that effect sometime between now and Cherington’s opening statement Tuesday would go a long way to silencing the talk.

A blog on America's national past-time from a Canadian perspective.