Orioles: Party Like Its 1999

[Deadrody]

Dan Duquette, new GM of the Orioles!

What the... ?

 

[suzyq]

Dan Duquette, new GM of the Orioles!

What the... ?

I got some weird tweet this weekend syaing something aobut Duquette but it made no sense. I hope he makes them relevant again. Iti's a shame what's happened to that franchise.

 

[Waquoit]

Dan Duquette, new GM of the Orioles!

What the... ?

Y'know the Duke has undergone a bit of a career reevaluation over the last few years. He brought in Manny, Pedro, Tek and Lowe and didn't give up much besides money. And I'm pretty sure gutting the farm system wasn't his idea. Why wouldn't he get another chance?

 

[Danzz]

Y'know the Duke has undergone a bit of a career reevaluation over the last few years. He brought in Manny, Pedro, Tek and Lowe and didn't give up much besides money. And I'm pretty sure gutting the farm system wasn't his idea. Why wouldn't he get another chance?

He did a good job for the Sox overall. Hope he is able to turn around the Orioles.

 

[Deadrody]

Y'know the Duke has undergone a bit of a career reevaluation over the last few years. He brought in Manny, Pedro, Tek and Lowe and didn't give up much besides money. And I'm pretty sure gutting the farm system wasn't his idea. Why wouldn't he get another chance?

Just odd that he has been out of the game since he left the Sox 8 years ago. Weird that he would pop up again so much later and didn't get another job sooner if he were good enough to be a GM again.

Eh, maybe the Clemens PED situation caused people to re-think a little

 

[Waquoit]

Eh, maybe the Clemens PED situation caused people to re-think a little

That's a good point. People killed him for the "twilight of his career" comment.

 

[Danzz]

Just odd that he has been out of the game since he left the Sox 8 years ago. Weird that he would pop up again so much later and didn't get another job sooner if he were good enough to be a GM again.

Eh, maybe the Clemens PED situation caused people to re-think a little

Clemen had a couple of mediocure years and they basicly replaced him with martinez. He also got rid of Greenwell who was Clemens buddy. Those Sox teams had too many of the same time of hitters: decent average, below average power and not much speed. Duquette did a lot to change that but in the process ticked off some veterans like Clemens.

 

[Deadrody]

That's a good point. People killed him for the "twilight of his career" comment.

Exactly. After Clemens put up the numbers he did in Toronto, I think that comment made Duquette toxic waste as far as GM qualifications go. Turns out he was more right than people gave him credit for, though I still think letting the face of the franchise leave like that is not a particularly wise move. They could have kept Clemens AND added Pedro. Would have been a helluva tandem.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Exactly. After Clemens put up the numbers he did in Toronto, I think that comment made Duquette toxic waste as far as GM qualifications go. Turns out he was more right than people gave him credit for, though I still think letting the face of the franchise leave like that is not a particularly wise move. They could have kept Clemens AND added Pedro. Would have been a helluva tandem.

Duquette also keeps looking better and better as Theo Epstein's big signings became less hits and more misses. But its the Orioles so its not as if he's suddenly GM of a team with an actual chance or intention to truly compete.

 

[Cheddie]

Peter Angelos (and Showalter) is a big reason why Duquette was able to come back as a GM. He's one of the most meddlesome and difficult owners in baseball. Nothing against Duquette, but a lot of the "hot" GM prospects likely wanted no part of working for him. Showalter is also a very opinionated manager who likely will clash with Duke over the first trade he doesn't like.

 

[The Viking]

Duquette was regarded by fellow GM's as maybe the biggest in the GM circles. Wouldn't call GM's back when he said he would, had horrific all around people skills. The Sox at the end of 01 were an absolute mess on and off the field.

He was a mystery. Outstanding at trades (Pedro for Pavano/Armas/etc) and of course Slocumb for Lowe and Varitek. He made a ton of pickups off the scrap heap. Some worked (Wakefield, O'Leary, Daubach) and most didn't. But he was HORRIFIC at developing a minor league system which is strange since that was his calling card when coming to Boston from Montreal. The Sox system was barren when Theo took over.

Is it barren now? Well at the top yes. But at the A and A+ level they have a lot of talent, mostly positional players. At the AA and AAA level they're pretty empty because they traded 6 players for Victor Martinez and Adrian Gonzalez and lost their top overall prosect to brain issues at the age of 19 a couple years ago.

But anyway glad to see Duquette back and hope he's learned from past mistakes.