Negotiations for Orioles Exec VP/Baseball Operations Dan Duquette to join the Blue Jays "are over" after the Blue Jays "refused to consider" the Orioles’ demands for former first-round pick P Jeff Hoffman and two other prospects as compensation, according to Shi Davidi of SPORTSNET.ca. A deal between the AL East rivals "was at no point close." Orioles Owner Peter Angelos "refused to release" Duquette from a contract that runs through '18 "unless an exorbitant return came back." It is believed that at "no point did the Blue Jays put forth any names for consideration." The Blue Jays now are "expected to turn their focus elsewhere" in the search for President & CEO Paul Beeston’s successor. What happens next with the Orioles also "bears watching," as keeping Duquette in the organization "after all that has transpired may prove to be difficult" (SPORTSNET.ca, 1/25). In Baltimore, Eduardo Encina cites a source as saying that this "isn’t the first time the Blue Jays have pulled away from compensation talks, and the belief is that Orioles ownership isn’t budging from its demands." Compensation for front-office execs in the past "has been minimal, usually just a fringe player or an exchange of cash." The Blue Jays were "believed to be open to offering the Orioles a compensation package of minor leaguers more in line with past deals" for front-office execs, like the '11 Cubs-Red Sox deal for Theo Epstein that involved a minor league pitcher (Baltimore SUN, 1/26).
BALTIMORE CHOP: The Baltimore SUN's Encina wrote Duquette on Saturday at the Orioles' annual FanFest now will be "under a bigger spotlight." The "sense is that the Orioles would like clarity about his future" prior to Duquette's Q&A with fans. Encina: "Expect something to happen by FanFest." While the Orioles "haven’t made next Saturday a deadline of any kind, they know any doubt over Duquette's position would add awkwardness to the offseason’s feel-good event" (BALTIMORESUN.com, 1/24). In Baltimore, Peter Schmuck wrote this "interminable saga needs a definitive end before it actually begins to hurt the Orioles front office's ability to put the finishing touches on its spring roster." But there is "room to wonder how much damage already has been done." Duquette "certainly deserves the benefit of the doubt after engineering three straight winning seasons in a city that had just suffered through 14 straight losing ones." There "comes a time when enough is enough, however, and this seems to be that time" (Baltimore SUN, 1/25).
