Changes: Jim Duquette Gone

Well, it looks like part of the two-headed front office outfit has departed today. According to the Baltimore Sun, Jim Duquette has resigned from the Baltimore Orioles.

From the Sun: “Unsatisfied with his role in the Orioles’ front office, vice president Jim Duquette resigned today after two seasons with the club. Duquette had one year left on his contract, but he’s decided to seek a front office opportunity elsewhere.

Duquette, 41, was hired from the New York Mets after the 2005 season to work in tandem with executive vice president Mike Flanagan. However, the June hiring of president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail and the possibility that MacPhail will bring in another executive to serve as his top aide would have left Duquette with significantly less responsibility and less of a voice in the club’s decision-making process.”

also…

“It’s unclear at this point if Duquette was forced out or if he left on his own volition. It also isn’t known what effect Duquette’s resignation will have on the status of Flanagan, who also has ceded some responsibility.

The departure of Jim Duquette should not come as surprise to anyone. Considering Any MacPhail has been brought in as the Chief Operating Officer of the organization, the power and influence of both he and Flanagan have been diminished. Certainly, both men have not been visible as of late.

I personally have gotten to know Duquette on a casual level, as I have spoken to him from time to time at Camden Yards and he always took out the time to talk me when he saw. He was always good to me, took a keen interest in my photos and life as a fan. For that, I will think nothing but the best about him; however, things just did not work out here in Baltimore and no doubt changes were needed.

You can’t fire the players, but you can always replace the manager and the front office.

Big move, perhaps; alas, it shows now Balitmore is looking forward and changing the way they do business.

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Roch Kubatko, Sun beat writer and blogger has his thoughts on the departure of Jim Duquette. Like Roch says, he's a good man and the situation did not work out in Baltimore; therefore, he'll find a job somewhere in the majors. More on the development from the Orioles MLB site, & Baltimore Examiner.

The million-dollar question is will Mike Flanagan be back?

Meanwhile, Ray Frager mentions that finally might be migrating to HD for some of their games & it is now the matter of getting the HD channels on the various cable/satellite providers.