{allcanada} Report: Jays, Orioles have discussed Duquette compensation

 

The Toronto Blue Jays appear to once again be eyeing Baltimore Orioles executive Dan Duquette.

FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal tweeted Wednesday morning that the Jays and Orioles have discussed a compensation package that might allow the Orioles' Executive Vice-President of Baseball Operations to become the Blue Jays' new CEO.

Reports initially surfaced in December that the Blue Jays were looking to replace current Chief Executive Paul Beeston with Duquette's name - as well as that of Chicago White Sox Executive VP Kenny Williams - floated as possible successors.

Duquette - who also serves as the Orioles GM - remains under contract until 2018. Despite the fact that becoming the Jays' CEO would present an upward move in title, the Orioles want some form of package to enable their divisional rivals to hire a key member of their front office.

Rosenthal added that while talks between the two teams were "not close," they did indicate that Baltimore was "open to his departure." He added that "some O's people want him to go," and that it was an uncomfortable situation for the team.

Duquette has been GM of the Orioles since the end of the 2011 season and has guided the team from a fifth-place finish in 2011 to playoff berths in two of the past three seasons, including the 2014 American League East title. Previously Duquette served as an executive for the Boston Red Sox and Montreal Expos. As Director of Player Development and later GM of the Expos he brought many of the talents to Montreal that shone in the strike-shortened 1994 MLB season. He was Director when the team drafted Vladimir Guerrero and as GM engineered the deal that brought Hall-of-Famer Pedro Martinez to the Expos from the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was responsible for bringing talents like Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon to the Red Sox in the years leading up to their 2004 World Series victory.

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