Not only has intense public and media scrutiny caused Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein to flee from his high-pressure job, but the Lawrence Eagle Tribune’s Rob Bradford asks us to consider the likely loss to the music scene, as well.

The band, Trauser, was formed just months before Theo’s November 2002 introductory press conference. The plan was to get together just enough to make the cover songs on the play list stretch past the level of karaoke and into the realm of something an audience might actually enjoy.

“Initially, I always thought it was a great outlet for him,” remembered Wirth, who like Epstein, played guitar for the band. “There he didn’t have to be the general manager of the band, he was just another guy.

“The only annoying thing was when it got closer to the trade deadline, we would be at rehearsal and he would have to take more and more phone calls.”