Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette today refuted a report that the organization is interviewing executives, including former Los Angeles Dodgers GM Ned Colletti.
“My understanding is it’s not true,” Duquette told BaltimoreBaseball.com Saturday.
Duquette wouldn’t comment as to whether he gleaned that information in a discussion with a specific member of ownership – managing partner Peter Angelos or his sons, Lou and John.
“My understanding is it’s not true,” Duquette said. “That’s all I can tell you.”
On Friday evening, Ken Rosenthal of TheAthletic.com tweeted that sources have told him the Orioles have interviewed Colletti, currently an analyst for SportsNet LA, for an executive position. Rosenthal added the team also has interviewed others, but it has not asked permission to talk to anyone currently with another club.
Rosenthal tweeted a second time, saying that he did not know exactly what impact the interviews would have on Duquette or manager Buck Showalter, whose contracts expire at the end of this season.
The ramifications for Duquette, however, would be clear if ownership hires an executive soon — with the July 31 trade deadline weeks away and the Orioles positioned as unquestioned sellers with the worst record in baseball.
That plan has precedent. Peter Angelos hired Andy MacPhail to be the team’s president in June 2007, and placed him ahead of then-executive vice president Mike Flanagan and vice president Jim Duquette without Flanagan and Duquette knowing that a change was coming.
Duquette, however, said Saturday that he wants to stay with the Orioles and return them to a position in which they make the postseason and have a chance to get to the World Series.
He would not comment on whether he has been given assurances that he will have the chance to build this team for the future – through this season or beyond.
“You know, my heart is in Baltimore and I want to do whatever I can in my power to get this team back into a competitive position,” he said. “We have a pretty good idea of what we need to work on — we have a very intimate idea of what we need to work on. And a lot of experience and a proven track record. There’s a lot of work that needs to be done. We have the people that can do the job. We’ve done the job.”
Duquette has been the organization’s executive vice president since Nov. 2011, and the Orioles have made the playoffs three times during his seven-season tenure. The Wild Card team in 2012 broke the club’s streak of 14 losing seasons.
However, the Orioles fell apart in the second half of 2017 and have been the majors’ worst team this year – partially because of a one-dimensional offense that has struggled to score.
The sense is that within the last year vice president Brady Anderson has garnered more organizational decision-making power and has been a key liaison to the Angelos’ sons, who are seemingly taking on more responsibilities from their 88-year-old father, who has been in charge of the team since 1993.
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I feel like someone with the last name "Angelos" read my response to your post yesterday.
I should've made my #1 "Give me a couple million dollars of that sweet, sweet MASN money."
There’s always time, I suppose.
Like Dan Duquette is in the loop of these decisions. I believe now , more than ever one voice needs to be leading this organization. Who that is , I have no idea who that person is but I am sure whoever ever interviews I am sure the topic of Chris Davis is the top of that candidates list.
I dunno. Seems to me that conversation has already been had.
What a mess...i wish we could get John Hart or Dan O'Dowd
Well, both have Baltimore ties.
John Hart did a WONDERFULL job overseeing Coppy in Atlanta. That's why Atlanta let him "resign".
They are on the cusp of being swept by the Marlins. The MARLINS. At HOME.
Fire Duquette and Showalter tonight.
There is a third game to play. Happy Father’s Day.
Fire them all. Sell the team. How much is this team even worth?
A ton. All major league franchises are worth a ton.
Cal needs to grab a bat, head down to the Warehouse, and walk tall.
Loved DD’s quote “ We have a pretty good idea on what we need to work on...”. OMG! There is so much to comment upon I can’t even start.
Ok then.
Duquette knows intimately how the franchise was scuttled. He’s clearly part of the problem, but the Angelos Way is the bigger problem. The baseball fan citizens of Baltimore need to show how they feel en masse. Show the Angelos clan an empty hitters ballpark regularly.
I honestly don't know enough about Colletti to have an opinion on him as decision maker for the O's but I've been saying since it became clear that Duquette was one foot out the door that I want the team to go hard after one of the assistants from the Cubs/Astros/Braves. I want someone who has been part of a total rebuild that was shown successful or at least is showing signs of success. Don't beat around the bush, let's just go all in.
Again, I caution that no matter who is GM is going to have to build consensus.
This is typical of how Angelo's management team operates. Those rumors are likely true and Dan will be replaced. They are probably denying it but he knows the eventual outcome. He is not going to publicly criticize management because he hopes to land another job elsewhere.
All likely sentiments.
Danny boy can’t possibly be expecting to be extended, let alone last the rest of the season, can he? Your moves, your “reloading” and terrible roster construction have led to possibly the worst Oriole team of all time. I’ll be thrilled when he’s shown the door.
It is a bad team. No doubt.
Save Duquette!
Sell the team.
Haha. I knew this cry would be heard.
Coletti's name is very appealing but unless he gets free reign to run it "his" way, all is mute. Hope he has demands AND a talented group that will follow him in. Tell Brady to go back to being a conditioning advisor(or whatever the hell it was he did). New direction.
Don’t see the latter happening. He is very much a part of this tram’s future.
Let's be honest. He would be the last one to know. He has made some very bad signings the last few years - Wade Miley, Jeremy Hellickson, etc. Time to go.
Well, technically both of those were trades. And what he gave up was minimal. But there have been some signings that didn’t work out. Yes.