Duquette Links: Quotes, Free Agents, Drafts
The Orioles officially introduced Dan Duquette as their GM today. Let's round up the latest from his press conference, plus more from Charm City…
- "This is right up my alley, turning around a ballclub and building a farm and scouting system," said Duquette to reporters (including MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli) at today's press conference. "This is what I love to do. This is a great opportunity. I'm thankful for it, and I'm ready to go to work."
- “Dan had a real grasp of where we were as an organization,” said manager Buck Showalter to reporters (including CSNBaltimore.com's Rich Dubroff). “He’s always been on everybody’s lists.”
- In an Insider-only blog post, ESPN's Buster Olney provided some quotes from former Expos and Dodgers GM Kevin Malone, who worked with Duquette in Montreal. "The Orioles made an excellent decision in hiring Dan Duquette," he said. "[He's] a talented, proven and experienced GM that knows how to build winning and successful ML teams and organizations."
- "I don’t know that it’s a terrific use of the club’s resources to go into the free-agent market just to say that I’m out there," said Duquette to The Baltimore Sun's Matt Vensel when asked about possibly signing Prince Fielder or C.J. Wilson.
- WEEI.com's Alex Speier looked back at Duquette's drafts with the Red Sox, the team he ran from 1994-2001. He brought Nomar Garciaparra, Kevin Youkilis, and others into the organization.
Minor Moves: McPherson, Jones, Orioles
Here’s where we’ll keep track of today’s minor moves…
- The White Sox re-signed Dallas McPherson, according to Sosnick Cobbe Sports (on Twitter). The former top prospect appeared in 11 games with the White Sox in 2011, spending most of the season at Triple-A. The 31-year-old posted a .283/.334/.505 line with 20 homers in Charlotte.
- The Marlins signed Beau Jones, according to Sosnick Cobbe Sports, the left-hander’s agency, on Twitter. The former first round draft pick spent most of the 2011 season with the Rangers’ Triple-A affiliate, where he posted a 3.62 ERA, 7.8 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9 in 62 innings of relief.
- Orioles manager Buck Showalter says the team signed a minor league free agent yesterday, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com (on Twitter).
Heyman On Pagan, Braves, Pujols, Madson
Terry Ryan is officially the interim general manager of the Twins, but Jon Heyman of SI.com hears that the longtime GM is recharged and may stay a while (Twitter link). Here are the rest of Heyman’s rumors from SI.com:
- The Mets have discussed Angel Pagan as a non-tender candidate, but they intend to offer him arbitration, according to Heyman (on Twitter). MLBTR projects a $4.7MM salary for the center fielder in 2012.
- Meanwhile, Chris Capuano is looking for a two-year deal, but the Mets prefer one-year bargains (Twitter link).
- The Braves are looking for a Zack Greinke-like return in a deal for Jair Jurrjens, according to Heyman (on Twitter). The Royals obtained Jake Odorizzi, Lorenzo Cain, Alcides Escobar and Jeremy Jeffress for Greinke and Yuniesky Betancourt last offseason.
- Twins executive Mike Radcliff and Yankees scouting director Damon Oppenheimer weren’t that interested in the Orioles’ GM job, according to Heyman. The Orioles requested permission to interview them both, but the Twins denied the request and the Orioles hired Dan Duquette before setting anything up with Oppenheimer.
- It's believed that Blue Jays assistant GM Tony LaCava got a raise to stay in Toronto, according to Heyman.
- It’s hard to tell Boston’s list of managerial candidates apart from the one the Cubs have, as Heyman explains.
- It doesn’t appear that the Cardinals will be able to boost their nine-year, $200MM offer to Albert Pujols by much.
- Ryan Madson is drawing lots of interest and the Red Sox, Phillies, Nationals, Rangers and Marlins are believed to be interested.
- C.J. Wilson, Edwin Jackson, Mark Buehrle and Roy Oswalt are drawing lots of interest, as expected.
- Heyman hears that Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen is pushing for Prince Fielder or Pujols. The Marlins have also expressed early interest in Jose Reyes.
Rosenthal On Butler, Sizemore, Orioles
The latest from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports…
- The Phillies have serious interest in free agent Michael Cuddyer, although Rosenthal is skeptical of them adding a player who turns 33 in March. Rosenthal says other left fielders are in the mix, but none are ideal. One player Rosenthal did not mention is Josh Willingham, who I can see the Phillies considering. As for a splash at shortstop, Rosenthal says Jose Reyes' leg problems scare the Phillies.
- The Orioles were desperate to find a new GM and Dan Duquette was desperate to be a GM again, writes Rosenthal. A press conference is expected this week to announce Duquette's three-year deal.
- The Royals view Billy Butler and Eric Hosmer as their 3-4 hitters long-term, so don't look for Butler on the trade market this winter. The 25-year-old is potentially under team control through 2015 on an extension signed in January.
- Rosenthal sees Grady Sizemore landing with a high-revenue team for an amount close to the $9MM option Cleveland passed on. I'd be surprised if he tops $7MM guaranteed. Sizemore's agent Joe Urbon said his client prefers to play center field, but is open to a corner spot.
- The Orioles are trying to add pitching depth via the six-year minor league free agent market. Here's the list of minor league free agents from Matt Eddy of Baseball America.
- Rosenthal says to look for Ryne Sandberg to be promoted to Phillies bench coach of Pete Mackanin is hired by the Cubs or Red Sox. He also thinks recently-fired Cubs manager Mike Quade would then be a possibility to manage the Phillies' Triple-A club.
Orioles Notes: Duquette, Jakubauskas, Guthrie
Earlier today, we learned that after nearly ten years away from the game, Dan Duquette is coming back to baseball as the Orioles' General Manager. Here's a look at some reactions to the move from around baseball and other O's news..
- While he believes that Duquette is a "good man" and a "very bright" individual, Peter Gammons of MLB Network (via Twitter), he wonders if the GM will be able to get up to speed after a decade away from baseball. After drafting Nomar Garciaparra in 1994, the former Red Sox GM gave up on the draft and only one first-round pick made it to the majors (Twitter link). Gammons feels that the O's have decayed ever since Peter Angelos let Pat Gillick go at the end of his contract in 1998 and wonders if Duquette will have the contacts to find undervalued talent (via Twitter).
- It's amazing that Duquette got a GM job just a few weeks after one of his protégés, Ben Cherington, was named GM of the Red Sox, writes Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe. Duquette who hired Cherington in 1999 as an amateur scout.
- Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports seems to doubt how much authority Duquette will have in Baltimore.
- Duquette comes with plenty of detractors, but so did manager Buck Showalter when he came to Baltimore, writes MLB.com's Britt Ghiroli.
- Pitcher Jeremy Guthrie (via Twitter) is happy to have Duquette aboard as the team's new GM. The right-hander writes, "By all accounts we're fortunate to have him."
- Last Sunday, Orioles pitcher Chris Jakubauskas refused his outright assignment to Triple-A and elected free agency, but said that he would like to reach a new deal with the club. Tonight, Jakubauskas tweets that he hopes to have a new agreement for 2012 hammered out by tomorrow.
Orioles To Name Dan Duquette GM
4:11pm: CSNBaltimore's Rich Dubroff reports that Duquette's contract is expected to be a three-year deal.
2:18pm: After nearly ten years away from the game, Dan Duquette is coming back to baseball. The Orioles and Duquette have agreed to a deal that will make him their new general manager, according to Jim Bowden (on Twitter). Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com agrees, stating that the two sides are merely "dotting the I's and crossing the T's" at this point (Twitter link). Bowden says that a press conference to announce the move could come as soon as tomorrow.
Duquette, 53, served as the general manager of the Expos from 1991-1994 and then GM of the Red Sox from 1994-2002. As a GM, Duquette twice traded for Pedro Martinez (once with Montreal and once with Boston), acquired Derek Lowe and Jason Varitek in trade, and signed Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon as free agents. Before becoming GM of the Expos, he oversaw the team's farm system, which produced Vladimir Guerrero and Cliff Floyd, among others. Other major credits on his resume include drafting Nomar Garciaparra and leading the Red Sox to an AL East title in 1995 and back-to-back playoff appearances in 1998 and 1999 as the American League Wild Card winner.
Prior to being hired by the Orioles, Duquette had interviewed for the GM opening with the Angels that was later filled by Jerry Dipoto.
MLBTR's Mike Axisa contributed to this post.
East Notes: Thome, Braves, Red Sox, O’s
The Phillies made one of the first notable signings of the offseason the other day, inking Jim Thome to a one-year deal. Here's some more on Thome and the rest of the game's Eastern division teams…
- Thome's deal with the Phillies allows him to earn an additional $250K based on his plate appearances, according to this tweet from ESPN's Jerry Cracnick. Thome will earn $50K for reaching 175, 200, 225, 250, and 275 plate appearances, making his contract potentially worth $1.5MM.
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says the Braves would be open to trading anyone for the right price, following their late season collapse. Rosenthal also notes that Atlanta tried to acquire Lorenzo Cain from both the Brewers and Royals last offseason, offering up Brandon Beachy. They also tried for a swap of Jair Jurrjens and Brett Lawrie with Milwaukee, but were unsuccessful.
- WEEI.com's Arielle Aronson wonders if the Red Sox will pursue Martin Prado as an alternative if Michael Cuddyer signs elsewhere. The Phillies are thought to be big players in the Cuddyer sweepstakes.
- Steve Gould of the Baltimore Sun offers up his thoughts on how free agents Edwin Jackson, Mark Buehrle, Roy Oswalt, and Carlos Pena could or couldn't fit the Orioles.
Orioles GM Search Notes
Yesterday we learned that the Orioles are close to naming Dan Duquette as their next general manager. O's owner Peter Angelos reportedly wanted to avoid hiring a GM who had recently been fired by another team and Duquette, who was removed as Red Sox GM in March of 2002, fits the bill. Here's the latest from Baltimore..
- Roch Kubatko of MASNSports believes that the new GM needs to increase the club's international presence, stating that "someone needs to build a pipeline to Venezuela."
- The Red Sox likely wouldn't have won two World Series titles if Duquette had remained general manager, in Rob Neyer's mind, but he does point out that a roster largely constructed by Duquette won 93 games the year after his departure. Neyer wonders if anyone can succeed under Angelos.
- Gordon Edes of ESPN Boston runs down some of Duquette's triumphs and failures in his time as GM of the Red Sox from 1994-2002, specifically mentioning his subpar people skills.
- Duquette is meeting with Peter Angelos this morning and it still looks good for him to get the offer, tweets Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated.
- According to an industry source, the Orioles did not offer Dan Duquette the GM job during Saturday's meeting, tweets Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun. However, there is still the sense that they will offer Duquette the position.
Olney On Reyes, Wright, Cuddyer, Prado
In his Sunday column, ESPN.com's Buster Olney weighs-in on David Wright and other stories from around baseball. Here are some highlights..
- This morning we learned that the Mets will listen on offers for David Wright. With a $15MM salary next year and a $16MM option (which Wright can void if dealt) for 2013, Olney writes that the club's best chance to get value in return for him is to deal him now. Wright will turn 30 next year and while he has been a good solider, he could eventually ask to be sent to a contending team. Instead, the Mets can deal him now and get players to help them win in 2014 or 2015.
- There is sentiment within the Mets' organization that the timing isn't right to build around Jose Reyes, tweets Buster Olney of ESPN.com. There are concerns that he's not a fit between his leg injuries and their own timetable for contending.
- One official told Olney that the Phillies' interest in Michael Cuddyer is so ardent that if wants to play with the Phillies, the deal is inevitable as the club will make it happen. The expectation within the industry is that the veteran will get at least a three-year deal.
- The Braves are open to trading Martin Prado this winter and given the attention currently being lavished on Michael Cuddyer in the free agent market, Prado figures to be quite popular. An AL official told Olney that Prado is like a younger version of Cuddyer and might be a better hitter.
- The Diamondbacks continue to negotiate with second baseman Aaron Hill, and there appears to be some momentum toward getting a deal done.
- Dan Duquette is on the verge of becoming the Orioles' next GM but as recently as five days ago, the club had no plans to interview him.
Cafardo On Gonzalez, Rays, Davis, Ortiz
The Cubs and Red Sox are after managers that will take a lot of input from their front offices, writes Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe. In fact, the two teams have quite a bit of overlap on their lists. Meanwhile, the Cardinals will also be looking for their next skipper and it'll be interesting to see what type of manager they look for. Cafardo writes that the important thing for the new managers in any of these cities is that they know the ground rules from the start. Here's more from Cafardo's Sunday column..
- A's lefty Gio Gonzalez remains a viable trade option for many teams, including the Red Sox and Marlins. Meanwhile, the Athletics probably aren’t ready to contend. The club appears to be buying time until they can build a new stadium in the San Jose area. Until then, they may be in the mode of developing players and dealing them for players who might emerge a few years from now.
- When all is said and done, the Rays are expected to be willing to deal right-hander Wade Davis this offseason. A major league source says that while Tampa Bay will listen on James Shields, Davis is the pitcher they will likely end up dealing for an outfielder or a catcher.
- Free agent David Ortiz seemed upset that the Red Sox did not re-sign him during the exclusivity period, but it made no sense for the club to do so with the veteran's limited options. While Ortiz wants a three-year deal, the BoSox can wait and survey the market before committing to a multiyear deal for the 36-year-old hitter.
- Red Sox assistant GM Allard Baird removed himself from the Orioles GM search this week and Cafardo wouldn't be shocked to hear of a new title for him within the Sox organization.
- Cafardo envisions Tim Bogar winding up with a significant role with either the Cubs or Red Sox.
- Former Rangers and Red Sox skipper Kevin Kennedy says that he enjoys his broadcast career but he sometimes gets the itch to return to the dugout. Kennedy says that he would even consider being a bench coach.
- Larry Bowa, currently working as an analyst for MLB Network, also has aspirations of managing in the majors again.