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Duquette says that he will boost
Orioles' international scouting efforts |
Dan Duquette was officially introduced yesterday morning as the Orioles Exec VP/Baseball Operations, "bringing with him more than two decades of experience and a new beacon of hope for an organization in dire need of a turnaround after 14 consecutive losing seasons," according to Brittany Ghiroli of MLB.com. Duquette, who signed a three-year contract with the club, said that he "has an international plan that he will immediately implement to help boost Baltimore's much-maligned international efforts." He also mentioned that he plans to "overhaul personnel and change infrastructure with several new hires and internal reassignments." Duquette "assumes the role vacated last month by president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail, and he wasn't shy on Tuesday in acknowledging the challenge that lies before him." When asked if the team needs a total rebuild, Duquette -- who is the organization's "eighth top executive under" Owner Peter Angelos -- "wasn't in total agreement, but he made it clear that the emphasis will be on stockpiling inventory in the farm system over signing big-name free agents." Duquette is expected to "work closely" with manager Buck Showalter, who "places heavy value on scouting and player development" (
MLB.com, 11/8). In Baltimore, Dan Connolly notes Duquette was the "sixth and final candidate to interview for the club's top executive spot." Two of those candidates "took their names out of consideration, and a third turned down the position." That left Duquette, who said that his "nine-year absence from big league baseball was mainly because he tended to other priorities, including family and upstart baseball ventures, as the unquestioned favorite in the shrinking field of candidates" (
Baltimore SUN, 11/9). In N.Y., Tyler Kepner writes rebuilding the Orioles "is a monumental undertaking, from the top down." Angelos has "exasperated previous general managers and the team needs a scouting director, among other hires" (
N.Y. TIMES, 11/9).
NOT GONE FOR LONG: In Minneapolis, Joe Christensen reports Twins insiders "believe Bill Smith will return after being fired as GM on Monday." The team "offered him a position that would let him tackle some of his former administrative duties for both" new interim GM Terry Ryan and team President Dave St. Peter. Meanwhile, the return of former assistant GM Wayne Krivsky, who has been rehired as a special assistant to the GM, "won't change current assistant GM Rob Antony's duties." Antony "has been the Twins' point man on contract negotiations" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 11/9).
