Hurler Carpenter is BoSox’s compensation

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Updated: April 22, 2012 1:15AM

MESA, Ariz. — After four months, dozens of rumors, at least a few ornery exchanges and a final, decisive push from the commissioner’s office, the Cubs sent hard-throwing right-handed pitcher Chris Carpenter to the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday as compensation for Theo Epstein.

“I think both sides are happy it’s behind us,’’ Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer said. “Now, we can just move forward with the spring without worrying about the compensation.’’

The transaction was structured as a player trade, involving an additional player to be named later from each club, to keep it within major-league baseball protocol.

“I guess my name will go down in history,’’ Carpenter said of the unusual trade.’’

Carpenter, who said his first reaction to the news was “a little shock,’’ has an upper-90s fastball and produced a 2.19 ERA in his 10-appearance big-league debut last year.

“Chris is a very good reliever. He’s a difficult guy to lose,’’ Hoyer said. “I think we all realized we were going to lose something of significant value when Theo came over here, and this doesn’t change that.’’

Despite the process reaching the commissioner’s desk at the end of December, Hoyer said the teams closed the deal without specific influence or a hard deadline imposed by Bud Selig.

Carpenter was one of several Cubs prospects whose names were discussed, and leaked publicly, throughout the winter as the water-torture process slogged through the weeks and months following Epstein’s hiring as Cubs president in October.

“I think part of the reason it took so long is there’s not a lot of precedent for this kind of transaction,’’ Hoyer said, “and I think both sides had a lot of things going on this winter.’’

The Cubs and San Diego Padres have yet to resolve compensation for the hiring of Hoyer and player development boss Jason McLeod. Hoyer said that was intentionally tabled until the Red Sox process was complete and expects it to be resolved during camp.

One prospect not on the 40-man roster is expected to eventually go to the Padres.