Toronto looking for New President to be Duquette.

[weams]

Most of what you say is true based on the public information about the Braves' front office. However, your reasoning for the Braves allowing Wallace to pursue the O's pitching coach gig is speculation. It is a fact that the industry routinely allows executives and coaches to pursue promotional opportunities with other franchises. It happens all the time. Otherwise you would never see teams hiring from other clubs. I do agree with Frobby that the timing is bad and should be a factor in the process. The whole affair is odd from Toronto's end as well as they are in the course of assembling the 2015 roster.

Although I don't know the details of DD's employment contract, I agree with those relying on the law of contracts as a basis for refusing to allow DD to pursue the CEO position with another franchise, however, this position doesn't necessarily jive with accepted industry practice. Baseball is a relationships type of business and rigid outside the norm positions ultimately cut both ways.

Yes it does cut both ways. But we always are the ones getting cut. I say. It ends here.

[Bradysburns]

I'd prefer promote Dan, give Showalter the GM position (because I think he'll get one in the next 5 years) and have Buck hire a manager (because I have faith in his judgement).

Now that is a superb idea. Keep em both. If it's working and we're winning and they're "the guys"... why not?

[weams]

I don't blame him, it's an opportunity that may never pass his way again.

Especially if during the next four year the Orioles become unsuccessful. Agreed.

[mcgraw238]

I don't think it is at all "clear" that DD is unhappy in Baltimore. When someone approaches you about a job with more responsibility and much higher pay, even if you like your current job, you generally want to listen and consider the opportunity. That's what this is, at this point.

On the other hand, I did not think what DD said last weekend, which I heard live on the radio, amounted to "dismissing the rumor." He was not nearly as definitive as I would have expected if someone truly didn't want to listen to a job opportunity. Statement like "my focus here is solely on the Orioles" and "I always honor my contracts" fall short of "I'm complimented that they would consider me, but I have no interest in that position," or something similar.

This!!! You can love your current gig but maintain interest in opportunities that further your career. It's fairly simple. Now, being refused to pursue said opportunities may cause one to love the current environment a little less. I also agree that DD didn't exactly dismiss his interest in the Toronto position.

[Bradysburns]

Dan expressed interest in this exact same position with the Red Sox back when he worked in Boston. I think he knows what the job entails.

Wasn't Larry Luchino the CEO or something at the time? Dan would have had to somehow make him disappear, no?

[Odenton O]

Yeah, but why? A contract is a contract. We let the wealthy middle-aged guy white seek career advancement for more money but not the young hispanic kid? Seems hypocritical.

This has nothing to do with Hispanic vs White.

Its not a matter of white vs. Hispanic, it's a matter of labor vs. management.

[weams]

Wasn't Larry Luchino the CEO or something at the time? Dan would have had to somehow make him disappear, no?

No. He was brought in by John Henry I think as part of his new ownership group.

[Bradysburns]

If I were Peter I would not allow the Blue Jays to talk to Dan. What I would do is talk to Dan about what is appealing about the Blue Jays President position to him. Does he like to run the baseball operations because the President does not do that on the daily basis. AA does. Does Dan want to be in charge of the finance, human resources and marketing departments? Is it a money issue? A title issue?

I think if all that was understood Peter could probably structure an organization the makes Dan happy and keeps him doing what he likes and is valuable to the O's. In other words, why does Dan have to leave the O's to reach his career goals?

I think you have put your finger on the crux of the issue. How do we keep DD happy HERE? Why do we have to sit by, passively, and do nothing, hoping he doesn't do what's natural - which is to continue climbing the ladder to more responsibility, more influence and more ability to craft a whole organization?

We CAN do something to ensure he doesn't jump to another gig. Figure out what that is, and do it... short of human trafficking.

[webbrick2010]

His comments make it clear that he would like to investigate the Toronto opportunity but will honor his contract. I don't think that should impact his job performance in the very near term but if the O's stood in the way of him taking a better position at a significant increase in pay I would expect him to be pretty disgruntled down the road.

O's should let him interview and deal with the consequences

[weams]

No. He was brought in by John Henry I think as part of his new ownership group.

Look at this crap.

http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/team/front_office.jsp?c_id=bos

[Bradysburns]

No. He was brought in by John Henry I think as part of his new ownership group.

Yes! I think Larry fired Dan.

[mcgraw238]

Yes it does cut both ways. But we always are the ones getting cut. I say. It ends here.

Outside of DD, our list of candidates for GM when DD was hired consisted of folks contractually tied to other organizations. Going scorched earth on everything because of the MASN dispute strikes me as counter productive, perhaps even self inflicted cuts. It's going to be fun staffing our organization with folks working for ESPN.

[LoyalBirdFan]

His comments make it clear that he would like to investigate the Toronto opportunity but will honor his contract. I don't think that should impact his job performance in the very near term but if the O's stood in the way of him taking a better position at a significant increase in pay I would expect him to be pretty disgruntled down the road.

O's should let him interview and deal with the consequences

:agree:

Otherwise you are sending a loud message to the free world that you shouldn't deal with the Orioles.

[wildcard]

Dan expressed interest in this exact same position with the Red Sox back when he worked in Boston. I think he knows what the job entails.

I didn't say the DD does know what a president does. I said Peter should talk to him to understand what he likes about the President job. I worked for a company that would structure the job around the person if they valued the person. Some people may like to be in charge of business operations. Others would rather be in charge of baseball operations and only want the presidents title because it means more money.

[weams]

Yes! I think Larry fired Dan.

And Dan sat by the pool and gave his Nixon speech.