Inside The Trenches With Duquette

[weams]

A very good and insightful post. Thanks for taking the time to let us all see in through your window.

[soxhotcorner14]

I was wondering if the Sox system was consistent at each level and everyone was on the same page? I think the O's have the problem of not each level being on the same page.

Great question/observation! Prior to Duquette coming to Boston... We were all doing our own thing at each level.. There was disconnect between a lot of the player personnel and coaches from top to bottom.

When Duq showed up he implemented from top down the Red Sox way.. So from the big league club down to the GGL team; everybody was doing everything the same way.. from cut offs-relays, to bunt plays, 1st and 3rds, pick off plays., baserunning. you name it.. Every level did it the same way... His belief was, when he called on people from his organization to help the big club, or called up from A ball to AA ball.. he didn't want anyone having a learning curve to what that team was doing fundamentally. He wanted a guy that could come right in and contribute right away.

[Fan4Life]

Great question/observation! Prior to Duquette coming to Boston... We were all doing our own thing at each level.. There was disconnect between a lot of the player personnel and coaches from top to bottom.

When Duq showed up he implemented from top down the Red Sox way.. So from the big league club down to the GGL team; everybody was doing everything the same way.. from cut offs-relays, to bunt plays, 1st and 3rds, pick off plays., baserunning. you name it.. Every level did it the same way... His belief was, when he called on people from his organization to help the big club, or called up from A ball to AA ball.. he didn't want anyone having a learning curve to what that team was doing fundamentally. He wanted a guy that could come right in and contribute right away.

I've always been curious as to how it works when you grow up as a kid rooting for one team all your life and find yourself playing against them one day? I'm sure as a professional you separate those things... but do you root for that team when your not their opponent?

[Tony-OH]

Thanks for the amazing post Tony!

Can't wait to see how DD goes about this off season (and many off seasons to come). He seems like great baseball guy and someone that tells it how he sees it. I loved watching his presser yesterday, I got the feeling that he isn't going to sugar coat anything and that he will be very swift in making key decisions that need to be made.

Just to be clear here, this thread was started from Soxhotcorner, not me.

[Skeletor]

This organization has long needed this kind of structure and accountability. Good to hear.

[Frobby]

Great question/observation! Prior to Duquette coming to Boston... We were all doing our own thing at each level.. There was disconnect between a lot of the player personnel and coaches from top to bottom.

When Duq showed up he implemented from top down the Red Sox way.. So from the big league club down to the GGL team; everybody was doing everything the same way.. from cut offs-relays, to bunt plays, 1st and 3rds, pick off plays., baserunning. you name it.. Every level did it the same way... His belief was, when he called on people from his organization to help the big club, or called up from A ball to AA ball.. he didn't want anyone having a learning curve to what that team was doing fundamentally. He wanted a guy that could come right in and contribute right away.

My question is, do the Orioles do this now? I recall this exact same topic arising when Doc Rodgers took over as Farm Director in 2002 when Beattie and Flanagan came in. Rodgers was adamant that all levels of the organization would do things the same way, and there were articles describing what he was doing to implement that. Did he get it implemented as he wanted? Have the Stockstills continued that approach, or did they abandon it? If they abandoned it, why? I really don't have a feel for how consistent the approach and instruction is these days; all I know is, the results haven't been very good.

[CrimsonTribe]

My question is, do the Orioles do this now? I recall this exact same topic arising when Doc Rodgers took over as Farm Director in 2002 when Beattie and Flanagan came in. Rodgers was adamant that all levels of the organization would do things the same way, and there were articles describing what he was doing to implement that. Did he get it implemented as he wanted? Have the Stockstills continued that approach, or did they abandon it? If they abandoned it, why? I really don't have a feel for how consistent the approach and instruction is these days; all I know is, the results haven't been very good.

I swear that MacPhail said he was going to do this too.

[Frobby]

I swear that MacPhail said he was going to do this too.

And Buck has talked about it.

[soxhotcorner14]

My question is, do the Orioles do this now? I recall this exact same topic arising when Doc Rodgers took over as Farm Director in 2002 when Beattie and Flanagan came in. Rodgers was adamant that all levels of the organization would do things the same way, and there were articles describing what he was doing to implement that. Did he get it implemented as he wanted? Have the Stockstills continued that approach, or did they abandon it? If they abandoned it, why? I really don't have a feel for how consistent the approach and instruction is these days; all I know is, the results haven't been very good.

I can't speak for MacPhail and how he went about implementing his philosophy because I wasn't around or witnessed it. But I can tell you when I played, the O's were in absolute disarray. It was ran like a summer league baseball team with a Dad heading up the team. Maybe Tony or someone closer to the organization can get that answer for you. But I can say, if we didn't follow the policy or tried to do things differently, we were reprimanded with playing time being taken away. So it was more of fall in line, or get out of line. Don't get me wrong, this wasn't ran like a boot camp.. they just wanted it done a certain way and wanted everyone prepared and the players hit the ground running no matter what stop on the chain they were.

Duq gave you a small glimpse of how he makes everyone do the same thing by mentioning making everyone read the Earl Weaver book.. It seems small, but he will make sure you read the book. We were given something to study up on over the offseason one year.. I'm not kidding you.. I got calls from 3 coaches checking in to see where my progress was. When he does something, he expects you to take it seriously and get something from it.

[lovetoaster]

I've always been curious as to how it works when you grow up as a kid rooting for one team all your life and find yourself playing against them one day? I'm sure as a professional you separate those things... but do you root for that team when your not their opponent?

I have a friend that grew up a huge Reds fan that was a top pick of the Twins a few years back. He had a Reds plate on the front of his car, but when he was picked by Minnesota, it got replaced by a Twins one. He had a few unfortunate injuries and was out of their system after a few years. He spent some time in a few other organizations before officially hanging it up about two years ago. And that Reds plate went back on the front of his car. I asked him about how he handled that when he was still with the Twins and he said that he still paid attention to the Reds, but was not vocal about being a fan.

[Fan4Life]

I have a friend that grew up a huge Reds fan that was a top pick of the Twins a few years back. He had a Reds plate on the front of his car, but when he was picked by Minnesota, it got replaced by a Twins one. He had a few unfortunate injuries and was out of their system after a few years. He spent some time in a few other organizations before officially hanging it up about two years ago. And that Reds plate went back on the front of his car. I asked him about how he handled that when he was still with the Twins and he said that he still paid attention to the Reds, but was not vocal about being a fan.

Thanks... I imagined that's how it would work. I mean you dream about yourself in lets say an Orioles uniform as a kid and as you grow up. You have your favorite player on that team etc... then one day... you're at the plate waiting for the pitch.. and you see ORIOLES on the jersey of the guy you're facing....

[WEAVERMAN]

Outstanding stuff, thanks so much, SoxHotCorner.

[srock]

Based on when you said you were drafted and your hometown, I did a quick search. Is this you? - http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=bowles001joh

I think its this guy.

From Rockville and played with the Red Sox...with Babe Ruth!

[Greg Pappas]

This was one of the most detailed and insightful posts in the history of the OH... and that's saying something. My hope for better days ahead were raised just a bit... and it's greatly appreciated. Thank you SoxHotCorner.

Mr. Duquette, you have the floor. Show me and WE what you can do. Welcome to Baltimore.

[Going Underground]

Thanks SoxHotCorner,great insite. I heard from people that the O's system is still lacking. They don't spend alot of time preparing for games and doing fundamentals. Remember last year,when Buck asked if any guys can bunt,most of them said they never practiced in the minors. The O's farm teams sort of just show up. Also the Spring Training facility for the minors was a joke. I heard it got a little better the last two years.