Baseball follies, January 2006 edition

The U.S. Treasury Dept., locked in a staring contest with Peurto Rico -- or something -- blinks.

And the Red Sox front office is beginning to make the Yankees' a symbol of efficient decision making.

Epstein's exact role and title had not been completely determined as of last night. Nor had it been decided exactly how co-GMs Jed Hoyer and Ben Cherington would be recast. The club, in a release, indicated only that Epstein would be rejoining the Sox in a ''full-time baseball operations capacity, details of which will be announced next week." However, expectations within the organization point to Epstein returning as the lead decision-maker within baseball operations, with Hoyer and Cherington working under him.

Neither Hoyer nor Cherington would directly address the job description awaiting Epstein, and how they will be affected, but both spoke of maintaining continuity in Epstein's absence, suggesting they will work for him, rather than Epstein working for them.

Got that?

And will the real Dan Shaughnessy please stand up?