INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) – Washington general manager Jim Bowden spent 1 hours interviewing with Red Sox chairman Tom Werner and president Larry Lucchino on Wednesday in a bid to replace departed Boston GM Theo Epstein.

“I thought it went very well,” Bowden said.

“Obviously, both are highly intelligent people. They were very well prepared and asked good questions.”

Last month, Bowden agreed to a six-month contract extension through April with the Nationals, who are owned by the other 29 clubs and are up for sale. Bowden was born in Boston and said “it’s always been a dream job” to join the Red Sox.

Epstein helped put together the 2004 Red Sox team that won the franchise’s first World Series title since 1918.

He departed when his contract expired Oct. 31 after he and Lucchino were unable to reach a new agreement.

Bowden said that if he got the job, he wouldn’t view it as replacing Epstein.

“It’s more like I’d take the baton and keep on going,” he said.

Bowden was Cincinnati’s general manager from 1992-03, then moved to the Montreal Expos/Nationals when Omar Minaya left after the 2004 season to become GM of the New York Mets.

Red Sox spokesman Glenn Geffner said he did not know whether Lucchino and Werner would be available for comment.

Werner and Lucchino are scheduled to interview former Baltimore Orioles executive vice president Jim Beattie on Friday in Boston.

The Red Sox said they received permission to interview two other officials but did not identify the individuals or their clubs.

AP-ES-11-09-05 2056EST


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.