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Kenny Williams

Blue Jays Eyeing Duquette, Williams, Ryan

By Zachary Links and edcreech | December 8, 2014 at 12:10am CDT

MONDAY, 12:10am: Beeston will continue to serve as the Jays’ president through the 2015 season, sources tell Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun.  Elliott also gets comments (a couple of them tongue-in-cheek) from a number of GMs and executives about the rumors, with some expressing skepticism and others speculating why Beeston could be leaving the job.

SUNDAY, 4:33pm: Twins GM Terry Ryan is high on the list of possible replacements for Beeston, reports Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Berardino’s source calls Ryan “a great name,” but is unsure if the Blue Jays have requested permission from the Twins to speak with Ryan about the position, which would be a promotion. A Blue Jay official tells Berardino he “would prefer Terry anytime” to the candidates that have surfaced to date.

4:10pm: Duquette appeared on MLB Network Radio (Twitter links/audio link) and told hosts Jim Bowden and Jim Duquette, “I’m with the Orioles. I’m here to represent the Orioles at the meetings. Other than that, I have nothing to add. I do have a contract and I’ve always honored my contract.”

3:35pm: Addressing the Duquette reports, Orioles owner Peter Angelos told reporters, including the Baltimore Sun’s Dan Connolly, “We are very pleased with his performance, and we expect him to satisfy his contract. We not only want him to, but we expect him to. We don’t want him to go away, and we don’t expect him to go away. And he’s given no indication he wants to go away. Suffice to say there is a contract that binds both parties to a four-year contract and binds Dan as the GM of the Orioles.”

2:13pm: Duquette has declined comment saying he will wait until tomorrow to speak at his previous scheduled news conference from the Winter Meetings, tweets Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com.

1:11pm: Rosenthal tweets Duquette wants to become the Blue Jays’ president/CEO, with the blessing of some within the Baltimore organization, but owner Peter Angelos is standing in the way. Rosenthal adds (on Twitter) the Orioles could demand compensation for Duquette much the same way the Red Sox did when Theo Epstein left for the Cubs. Rosenthal also raises the question of how can Duquette give the Orioles his full and undivided attention when he wants to run the Blue Jays (Twitter link).

11:42am: When asked about his next step, Williams told Rosenthal (Twitter link) that he’s “focused on helping the White Sox win another championship.”  However, when asked if he could resign from the White Sox, he said, “I’ve considered all options as anyone would given the set of circumstances” (link). Williams told Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune he was denied an opportunity to interview with the Blue Jays and the issue was “not new” and “that ship has sailed.”

11:00am: The White Sox are balking at giving permission to Williams to speak with the Blue Jays, according to Rosenthal (via Twitter).  Williams, in turn, is considering resigning (link).

10:48am: Duquette is very highly valued by the O’s and is under contract for three more years, so it’s very unlikely they would let him go, according to Olney (via Twitter).  The Blue Jays have also discussed White Sox executive vice president Kenny Williams for the role (link).

9:32am: Orioles GM Dan Duquette is a top candidate to become the next president of the Blue Jays, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter).  He adds that the move would be a promotion and it would be difficult for the O’s to stand in his way.

Duquette, 56, took over as the Orioles’ Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations in November of 2011 after an extended hiatus from baseball.  Duquette served as the GM of the Red Sox for many years but had not been a part of a MLB front office since 2002 when he was let go by Boston.  Since then, Duquette has helped turn the Orioles around as Baltimore has enjoyed three winning seasons, including playoff appearances in 2012 and 2014.

Toronto ownership is actively seeking a replacement for president and CEO Paul Beeston and sources tell Buster Olney of ESPN.com that their search has progressed to the point where it is identifying possible replacements and reaching out to other teams in cases where they need permission to talk.  Olney says that Duquette has been discussed internally, which would indicate that the Blue Jays have yet to reach out to their AL East rivals for a greenlight.

Duquette’s contract with Baltimore is set to run through the 2018 season.

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Baltimore Orioles Chicago White Sox Newsstand Toronto Blue Jays Dan Duquette Kenny Williams Paul Beeston

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White Sox Promote Williams; Hahn To Be GM

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | October 26, 2012 at 9:07am CDT

9:07am: The White Sox announced the promotions, naming Williams executive VP and naming Hahn senior VP and general manager. Williams will "maintain oversight and final approval on major baseball decisions,” White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said.

8:14am: The White Sox will announce today that they've promoted their top two baseball executives, according to Mark Gonzales of Chicago Tribune. Kenny Williams will now oversee the baseball operations department and Rick Hahn will take over Williams' duties as general manager. The long-anticipated transition will be announced at a news conference today.

Williams, 48, has been Chicago's GM since the end of the 2000 season. He is the sixth longest tenured general manager in baseball, behind only Terry Ryan (Twins) Brian Sabean (Giants), Billy Beane (Athletics), Brian Cashman (Yankees) and Dan O'Dowd (Rockies).The White Sox have reached the playoffs twice under Williams; they won the 2005 World Series and won the AL Central in 2008. Chicago finished the 2012 season in second place with an 85-77 record.

Hahn featured prominently on MLBTR's list of GM candidates last summer. He was considered for general manager jobs last offseason, including one with the Cubs. The 41-year-old has also been linked to general manager jobs with the Pirates, Cardinals, Mariners, Mets and Angels, according to Gonzales.

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Chicago White Sox Kenny Williams

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White Sox Notes: Pierzynski, Peavy, Youkilis

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | October 3, 2012 at 4:42pm CDT

The White Sox will soon promote their top two baseball executives, Kenny Williams and Rick Hahn, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com confirmed today. Williams will become the team’s president and Hahn will be the general manager and the team’s primary baseball decision maker, as expected. Here’s the latest on three of the organization’s free agents…

  • Catcher A.J. Pierzynski loves playing for the White Sox and is close with owner Jerry Reinsdorf. A two-year, $16MM contract could work for both sides, Heyman suggests.
  • The White Sox will decline Jake Peavy’s $22MM option, but they hope to agree to terms on a new deal to keep the right-hander in Chicago, Heyman reports. Though there will be lots of competition for Peavy, Heyman guesses the White Sox will be able to re-sign him as long as they make a competitive offer.
  • The White Sox plan to decline Kevin Youkilis’ $13MM option for 2013, Heyman reports. However, they loved having the third baseman on the roster this year, so Heyman suggests they’ll try to work out a two-year contract, perhaps in the $15MM range.
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Chicago White Sox A.J. Pierzynski Jake Peavy Kenny Williams Kevin Youkilis

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White Sox To Promote Williams; Hahn To Be GM

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | September 20, 2012 at 5:43pm CDT

5:43pm: Williams didn't comment on Nightengale's report, telling reporters (including CSNChicago.com's Dan Hayes) that the club is focused on the playoff race and won't discuss contract issues until the offseason.

3:03pm: The White Sox will promote their top two baseball executives following a surprising season that has the team leading its division. The team is expected to promote longtime general manager Kenny Williams to the role of vice president of baseball operations and shift assistant GM Rick Hahn into the GM role, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

Williams has been Chicago's GM since the end of the 2000 season. He is the fifth longest tenured general manager in baseball, behind only Brian Sabean (Giants), Billy Beane (Athletics), Brian Cashman (Yankees) and Dan O'Dowd (Rockies).The White Sox have reached the playoffs twice under Williams; they won the 2005 World Series and won the AL Central in 2008. Chicago entered Thursday's games with a 81-67 record and a two game lead over the Tigers in the AL Central.

Hahn featured prominently on MLBTR's list of GM candidates last summer. He was considered for general manager jobs last offseason, including one with the Cubs.

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Chicago White Sox Kenny Williams

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Quick Hits: Hunter, Garza, Padres, Betemit

By Mark Polishuk | April 12, 2012 at 10:53pm CDT

The Twins pounded out 20 hits en route to a 10-9 victory over the Angels today at Target Field.  Josh Willingham hit his third homer in as many games for Minnesota, and Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau also went yard — the first time the duo have homered in the same game since July 6, 2010.

Here are some notes from around the majors…

  • Torii Hunter hasn't had any discussion with the Angels about a contract extension but understands why, he tells Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register.  "I don't want to bother those guys," Hunter said. "They've had so much going on. I definitely feel no rush. It'd be nice (to get an extension offer) but if not, I understand….They have other guys like (Erick) Aybar they need to lock up. Plus they've got (Mike) Trout lying in the weeds."  Hunter is a free agent after this season and will be 37 on Opening Day 2013.  He said he wants to return the Angels, but if not, he wants to play for another contending team.
  • Nez Balelo, Matt Garza's agent, is scheduled to be in Chicago during the Cubs' homestand, reports Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times.  Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said that a potential long-term deal with Garza is the sort of "big-picture issue" that can't be measured by how Garza performs early this season or even throughout 2012.
  • Separate ownership groups led by agents Dennis Gilbert and Arn Tellem could be interested in buying the Padres, reports Dan Hayes of the North County Times.  A source tells Hayes that any potential buyer could bring a Padres legend like Tony Gwynn, Dave Winfield or Steve Garvey to serve as the public face of the ownership group.  Garvey is known to already be fronting a group that is interested in the Padres after falling short in a bid to buy the Dodgers.
  • White Sox GM Kenny Williams discusses new manager Robin Ventura, several players and his expectations for the team as a whole for 2012 in a Q&A with the team's TV crew (transcribed on MLB.com).
  • The well-traveled Wilson Betemit is playing for his seventh team in 10 years but is only focused on helping the Orioles, writes Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun.
  • Andre Ethier is very focused on playing well in 2012 and putting himself in line for a big contract either with the Dodgers or with another club when he hits free agency this winter, sources tell ESPN Los Angeles' Tony Jackson.
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Baltimore Orioles Chicago Cubs Chicago White Sox Los Angeles Angels Los Angeles Dodgers San Diego Padres Andre Ethier Kenny Williams Matt Garza Torii Hunter Wilson Betemit

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White Sox Notes: Danks, Williams, Contracts

By Mark Polishuk | December 29, 2011 at 8:20pm CDT

Here are a few items about John Danks' five-year, $65MM extension with the White Sox, which was officially announced today…

  • Danks has a full no-trade clause for the first year of his contract, reports MLB.com's Scott Merkin.  Danks will have partial no-trade protection for the remaining four years, able to block deals to six teams.
  • The extension "really did come out of nowhere," Danks told media (including CSN Chicago's Chuck Garfien) during a conference call today.  "Obviously, there was a lot of trade talk, and you can’t help but wonder and think…But I think I kind of took the attitude that until something happens I was going to prepare to be with the White Sox. Fortunately, this came along and I couldn’t be happier.”
  • As Garfien notes, this is the first time the White Sox have ever given a pitcher a five-year deal.  Owner Jerry Reinsdorf prefers to keep pitchers on contracts of three years or less due to concerns about health and consistency.
  • From the same conference call, GM Kenny Williams said his comments earlier this month about the White Sox beginning a "rebuilding" phase were misconstrued.  "We are still in win mode,” Williams said. “But at the same time that you’re in win mode, you can be in a little bit of a rebuilding phase, and I tried to articulate that, although I guess that message got lost after I said we were rebuilding. I tried to articulate that it wouldn’t be dominoes falling in terms of a true rebuilding because we have too many good veterans, and veterans looking to bounce back.”
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Chicago White Sox John Danks Kenny Williams

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White Sox Notes: Williams, Quentin, Pierre, Morel

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | September 14, 2011 at 3:51pm CDT

Dylan Axelrod, the son of agent Barry Axelrod, provided the White Sox with six solid innings in his first MLB start this afternoon. Here's the latest on the White Sox, who have 14 games remaining after today…

  • White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf has told GM Kenny Williams that he’ll be back in 2012, according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. 
  • Manager Ozzie Guillen told Cowley that he could work for anyone, including Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria. 
  • In a chat with fans, Doug Padilla of ESPNChicago.com says there's a very high chance that the White Sox trade Carlos Quentin this offseason.
  • Juan Pierre is expected to sign elsewhere when he hits free agency after the season, according to Padilla. Pierre "has the most respect of anybody in the White Sox clubhouse," so there's a chance he'll be back. 
  • Brent Morel will definitely be playing third next season and the White Sox will expect a little more on offense from Morel in 2012. I mentioned the White Sox as a possible destination for Aramis Ramirez earlier today, noting that the club probably can't afford him. 
  • The White Sox will definitely reduce payroll from $127MM next season, Padilla writes.
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Chicago White Sox Miami Marlins Carlos Quentin Juan Pierre Kenny Williams

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Odds & Ends: Hahn, Daniels, Edmonds

By Tim Dierkes | October 13, 2010 at 4:23pm CDT

Links for Wednesday, in the lull before the Yankees and Rangers face off in Texas on Friday…

  • White Sox assistant GM Rick Hahn interviewed for the Mets GM position yesterday, and Kenny Williams told Dan Martin of the New York Post, "I know I'm gonna lose him, and it's gonna be a heavy blow."  Williams explained that Hahn has been picky with previous opportunities.  Josh Byrnes was scheduled to interview for the Mets job today.
  • The Mets won't be plucking Jon Daniels from the Rangers.  Owner Chuck Greenberg told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, "He's not going anywhere" (Twitter links).  Greenberg also spoke to ESPN's Richard Durrett about his desire to retain Cliff Lee, after the lefty's dominant start last night gave the Rangers their first playoff series win.
  • Jim Edmonds told Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "I'm kind of in wait-and-see mode right now" in terms of playing next year.  Edmonds expressed his desire to land a backup first baseman gig for 2011.
  • Talking about his next contract, Jose Bautista told Morgan Campbell of the Toronto Star, "The differences of $50,000 or $100,000 may not seem huge but it’s actually really stressful when you’re about to commit."  For much more on Bautista's arbitration case, check out Ben Nicholson-Smith's article from earlier today.
  • RotoAuthority explains why Homer Bailey is a fantasy baseball sleeper for next year.
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Chicago White Sox New York Mets RotoAuthority Texas Rangers Toronto Blue Jays Cliff Lee Jim Edmonds Jon Daniels Jose Bautista Kenny Williams

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GM Trade Histories: AL Central

By Tim Dierkes | January 5, 2010 at 10:00am CDT

Brendan Bianowicz has more GM Trade History series updates for us.  Click below to download Excel spreadsheets with info on the AL Central GMs (trades, free agent signings, and top draft picks).

  • Minnesota Twins – Bill Smith
  • Chicago White Sox – Ken Williams
  • Cleveland Indians – Mark Shapiro
  • Detroit Tigers – Dave Dombrowski
  • Kansas City Royals – Dayton Moore
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Chicago White Sox Cleveland Guardians Detroit Tigers Kansas City Royals Minnesota Twins Bill Smith Dave Dombrowski Dayton Moore GM Trade History Kenny Williams Mark Shapiro

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Heyman On Lowell, Tejada, White Sox

By Tim Dierkes | November 30, 2009 at 3:47pm CDT

The latest from SI's Jon Heyman…

  • The Phillies had a "brief talk" with the Red Sox about Mike Lowell, but Heyman finds a free agent signing more likely.
  • A competing agent believes Fern Cuza might be able to get a three-year deal for Miguel Tejada, which seems unlikely to me.  Heyman says Tejada is drawing interest from the Cardinals, Astros, Giants, Phillies, and Rangers.  The Rangers keep getting linked to starting infielders, but they're really only looking for a backup.
  • Heyman notes that the White Sox signing Andruw Jones represents a rare Kenny Williams-Scott Boras matchup.  He says Boras tried to sell the Sox on bringing back Joe Crede, prior to their Mark Teahen acquisition.
  • Kendry Morales apparently advised Aroldis Chapman to switch from API to the Hendricks brothers.
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Boston Red Sox Chicago White Sox Houston Astros Philadelphia Phillies San Francisco Giants St. Louis Cardinals Texas Rangers Andruw Jones Aroldis Chapman Joe Crede Kendrys Morales Kenny Williams Miguel Tejada Mike Lowell Scott Boras

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