Duquette interview on WEEI

[CA-ORIOLE]

Are you suggesting that Maris used a corked bat in '61? I always thought it was just that he figured out how to pull the ball better since it was 296 ft down the RF line at old Yankee. In any case, like I said, it doesn't matter. Corked bats don't really do anything.

No, I was talking about the protection argument (whether it was legit or not). That season and Maris hitting 61 in front of Mantle was basically its genesis.

[DrungoHazewood]

No, I was talking about the protection argument (whether it was legit or not). That season and Maris hitting 61 in front of Mantle was basically its genesis.

Oh, ok. Funny how things like that get into popular myth. In 1960 Maris hit 4th more often than third, and hit dramatically better while batting behind Mantle than in front of him.

[SoBo]

I was listening to MLB on xm the other day and Jim Duquette hammered Nick for not being in great shape. Saying he had lost 15 lbs during the season. And that he looked like a rail thin slap hitter by the end of the season. Said DD needed to make it clear to Nick he had to hit the gym this offseason. First time I've heard this criticism on a national level.

[CA-ORIOLE]

Oh, ok. Funny how things like that get into popular myth. In 1960 Maris hit 4th more often than third, and hit dramatically better while batting behind Mantle than in front of him.

I guess investigative reporting wasn't really all it was cracked up to be back then.

[CA-ORIOLE]

I was listening to MLB on xm the other day and Jim Duquette hammered Nick for not being in great shape. Saying he had lost 15 lbs during the season. And that he looked like a rail thin slap hitter by the end of the season. Said DD needed to make it clear to Nick he had to hit the gym this offseason. First time I've heard this criticism on a national level.

Is that an exact quote?

[SoBo]

Well, it was two days ago and I'm sleep deprived but as close as I can remember it. He was answering a caller from Baltimore that was asking that since DD had not mentioned Markakis as part of the core would he look to trade him? JD said the above and said he shouldn't trade him now and try and get him to get in better shape.

[.500_OR_BETTER]

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

2010: HR's 12

2011: HR's 15

Technically he improved from 2010 but yes he should be around 20+ HR's a season

[Frobby]

I was listening to MLB on xm the other day and Jim Duquette hammered Nick for not being in great shape. Saying he had lost 15 lbs during the season. And that he looked like a rail thin slap hitter by the end of the season. Said DD needed to make it clear to Nick he had to hit the gym this offseason. First time I've heard this criticism on a national level.

Of course, Nick had an .848 OPS after June 10, so losing weight over the season had no correlation to why he had a down year. He had a poor start to his season and that's the beginning and end of this story.

[clapdiddy]

Of course, Nick had an .848 OPS after June 10, so losing weight over the season had no correlation to why he had a down year. He had a poor start to his season and that's the beginning and end of this story.

Stop letting the facts get in the way of a Jim Duquette rant.

[weams]

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I missed the paychecks.

[brooksiefan]

This is a quirk of Duquette's that I've picked up from the start . May be just me being picky but,he never refers to the organization as "WE".

"It's all about pitching, pitching, pitching, and pitching" - That's been his catch phrase a few times now.

"Well, I could use a lot of things on my ball club. You know, it's a question of affordability and value now."

"Well, um, you know the team has, uh, had a history of drawing over 3 million people, in their heyday. You know that was back in the 90s, and last year they drew like a million seven. Um, they do have some similarities to the Red Sox in that they have the MidAtlantic Sports Network, so we have our own regional sports network, so that gives us another revenue...generator. Um, but, you know, I think that, uh, it will probably be flat this year, and you know to the extent that we build the team, make it interesting and exciting and more people come out, I think then we will have some more resources to invest in the team.

But, um, Mr. Angelos, uh wants to have a winning team; um, I believe he's committed to having a winning team. I'm going to do everything I can to give him that team."

[Can_of_corn]

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I missed the paychecks.

We all know how well coming back for the paychecks worked for Earl...

[JTrea81]

I'm going to be real intrigued to see how he can have a flat payroll and still field a competitive team next year...

You can't field a 75 win team and expect to increase your resources ticket sales wise. Fans need to actually want to watch the product.

He's going to need to field an 85-90 win team to increase attendance dramatically, which it sounds like that what he wants to do to generate more revenue.

And I highly doubt he'll have players that can put up the necessarily overachievements to do that without premium FAs or a major trade involving our top prospects.

It's interesting you haven't heard him say a thing about Machado or even Bundy...

[Frobby]

I'm going to be real intrigued to see how he can have a flat payroll and still field a competitive team next year...

You can't field a 75 win team and expect to increase your resources ticket sales wise. Fans need to actually want to watch the product.

He's going to need to field an 85-90 win to increase attendance dramatically, which it sounds like that what he wants to do to generate more revenue.

Maybe, just maybe, Dan Duquette has a time horizon that lasts longer than one year.

I could see the team winning 85 games next year with some minor good moves if the breaks go its way. But the main thing is to see measurable progress.

[JTrea81]

Maybe, just maybe, Dan Duquette has a time horizon that lasts longer than one year.

I could see the team winning 85 games next year with some minor good moves if the breaks go its way. But the main thing is to see measurable progress.

Duquette has said he wants the team to be competitive next year. 75 wins is not competitive and neither is 81 really. Competitive is 85+

Progress doesn't sell tickets, winning does.