Duquette interview on WEEI

[bej6789]

Love that interview! My favorite line, oddly enough, was when DD said he missed the paycheck from being a GM. That was a clear indicator that he doesn't really have a filter, in my book.

Quick question though, and maybe I'm reading into this too much. DD stated that the team doesn't have a pitching program in place, and that is one of his primary tasks. Just out of curiosity, how long has Buck been here? What did Andy preach since the second he got here? Grow the arms, buy the bats? What the **** was Macphail doing if he wasn't setting up a proper program for pitchers in the minor leagues? That goes for Buck, as well. Not to say that a big league manager should be responsible for that type of thing -- but I don't view Buck as a normal everyday big league manager. Why on earth did Macphail not have a pitching program set up in this ball club?

[Dipper9]

Love that interview! My favorite line, oddly enough, was when DD said he missed the paycheck from being a GM. That was a clear indicator that he doesn't really have a filter, in my book.

Quick question though, and maybe I'm reading into this too much. DD stated that the team doesn't have a pitching program in place, and that is one of his primary tasks. Just out of curiosity, how long has Buck been here? What did Andy preach since the second he got here? Grow the arms, buy the bats? What the **** was Macphail doing if he wasn't setting up a proper program for pitchers in the minor leagues? That goes for Buck, as well. Not to say that a big league manager should be responsible for that type of thing -- but I don't view Buck as a normal everyday big league manager. Why on earth did Macphail not have a pitching program set up in this ball club?

Umm, really?

[Dipper9]

So, was Double D's interview on WEEI part of a new "This Old House" episode?

This week, on This Old House, Dan Duquette tries to reconstruct this 56 year old franchise that has been in ruins for 2 decades.

[33rdst]

Definitely shouldn't expect it. As I kind of said in my previous post, Nick has been the 11th-best first rounder drafted from 2001-2005, so he's in the top 10% of all first rounders, meaning an average team takes a worse player than Nick about 90% of the time.

Even limiting that to top 10 picks, Nick is probably the ~6th-best top 10 pick in those years, meaning that he's still around a 90th percentile pick.

Yes, of course, because that would be a success rate far, far beyond the average MLB team.

Drungo, the information you've provided has caused me to rethink my original reaction to Duquette's comments. While I appreciated him being forthright, I'm now concerned with his comments regarding Nick's production as a "right fielder". Given that, thanks to you, Markakis has been shown to be one of the most productive players drafted between 2001 and 2005, Duquette's comments come off as a little glib and somewhat irresponsible. Given what LaCava knows about player valuation, could you see him making this kind of comment about one of his best players.?

[DrungoHazewood]

Why on earth did Macphail not have a pitching program set up in this ball club?

Unlike resigning BJ Surhoff and Raffy, a minor league pitching program doesn't sell this year's season ticket packages. There's only so much money, let's try to spend it on things casual fans might notice right now.

[Dipper9]

Drungo, the information you've provided has caused me to rethink my original reaction to Duquette's comments. While I appreciated him being forthright, I'm now concerned with his comments regarding Nick's production as a "right fielder". Given that, thanks to you, Markakis has been shown to be one of the most productive players drafted between 2001 and 2005, Duquette's comments come off as a little glib and somewhat irresponsible. Given what LaCava knows about player valuation, could you see him making this kind of comment about one of his best players.?

Make no mistakes....Nick has been tailing off every year over the past three. Double D "motivating" him is a good sign!

[DrungoHazewood]

Drungo, the information you've provided has caused me to rethink my original reaction to Duquette's comments. While I appreciated him being forthright, I'm now concerned with his comments regarding Nick's production as a "right fielder". Given that, thanks to you, Markakis has been shown to be one of the most productive players drafted between 2001 and 2005, Duquette's comments come off as a little glib and somewhat irresponsible. Given what LaCava knows about player valuation, could you see him making this kind of comment about one of his best players.?

I actually don't have a problem with management making some subtle prods at players. Sometimes that's what it takes to light a fire under someone. Nick's an adult, he's a public figure, he's being very well compensated, he can take it. I think it's a legitimate criticism of past O's GMs and managers that they were afraid to speak the truth.

Nick is very good, he's been far more valuable than an average 1st round pick. But he's done better in the past and needs to continue to work hard to improve.

[33rdst]

Make no mistakes....Nick has been tailing off every year over the past three. Double D "motivating" him is a good sign!

I disagree that Nick needs to be motivated. He plays close to 162 games a year, he plays hurt, and he refuses to to come out of the line up. If anything Nick needs more rest during the season. His decline in production is more a function of him trying to do too much to help bad ball club. His decline in OBP is evidence of that IMO.

[Fan4Life]

I disagree that Nick needs to be motivated. He plays close to 162 games a year, he plays hurt, and he refuses to to come out of the line up. If anything Nick needs more rest during the season. His decline in production is more a function of him trying to do too much to help bad ball club. His decline in OBP is evidence of that IMO.

This club / organization has lacked leadership... now it has some. We'll see where it takes us.

[Dipper9]

I disagree that Nick needs to be motivated. He plays close to 162 games a year, he plays hurt, and he refuses to to come out of the line up. If anything Nick needs more rest during the season. His decline in production is more a function of him trying to do too much to help bad ball club. His decline in OBP is evidence of that IMO.

I really don't care what the reason is, the fact is his numbers need to pick up, and DD told him so!

[33rdst]

I really don't care what the reason is, the fact is his numbers need to pick up, and DD told him so!

Actually, DD didn't say anything to Nick. He made a glib comment to an internet reporter. If he's really concerned about his right fielders performance I think Duquette should talk to Nick directly.

[Tony-OH]

I disagree that Nick needs to be motivated. He plays close to 162 games a year, he plays hurt, and he refuses to to come out of the line up. If anything Nick needs more rest during the season. His decline in production is more a function of him trying to do too much to help bad ball club. His decline in OBP is evidence of that IMO.

Says you, but let's not make it out to be fact. I've heard from more than one source that Markakis is not a hard worker in the offseason and really uses it to get away from baseball. When your stats start to decline three straight years, it's only natural that there will be concerns about his off season "routine." Last season Nolan Reimold took time to work with Brady and his improvement in his speed was very noticeable and he went from a below average outfielder to an average outfielder. That to me showed some dedication on Nolan's part. I think we would all like to know Markakis has he same dedication to improving himself now that his stats have fallen to a point that he no longer is producing like a productive major league right fielder.

[Dipper9]

Its amazing to me the excuses people make to defend their favorite players, myself included in this. If our players are so great and deserve to be defended, then why the hell have we been the laughing stock of the Majors for the past 14 years?

[Sports Guy]

Says you, but let's not make it out to be fact. I've heard from more than one source that Markakis is not a hard worker in the offseason and really uses it to get away from baseball. When your stats start to decline three straight years, it's only natural that there will be concerns about his off season "routine." Last season Nolan Reimold took time to work with Brady and his improvement in his speed was very noticeable and he went from a below average outfielder to an average outfielder. That to me showed some dedication on Nolan's part. I think we would all like to know Markakis has he same dedication to improving himself now that his stats have fallen to a point that he no longer is producing like a productive major league right fielder.

YEa, I have to agree.

I don't think its unfair to question Nick's offseason dedication.

And, if he is working out, I think it is fair to ask if he knows what he is doing and if he is concentrating on doing what he needs to do to improve on his physical weaknesses.

[clapdiddy]

Its amazing to me the excuses people make to defend their favorite players, myself included in this. If our players are so great and deserve to be defended, then why the hell have we been the laughing stock of the Majors for the past 14 years?

I've said it before...Markakis is my favorite Orioles player and I'd hate to see him wearing another uniform. If we were presented with a fair offer that would help our team and plans were made to fill his shoes with someone else, I would definitely be open to it.