New O’s GM Dan Duquette leaves a fine legacy
When Dan Duquette was summarily dumped as Red Sox GM in 2002, it was always assumed his return to a front office was a matter of when, not if.
But perhaps so toxic was the atmosphere at the end of his Boston tenure that it took an entire baseball generation to finally allow for Duquette’s re-entry.
After nine years of exile — and just two weeks after the man who essentially replaced him in Boston formally ended his time on Yawkey Way — Duquette has emerged again, this time at Fenway South.
Duquette will be named today as general manager of the Baltimore Orioles, signing a three-year deal and attempting to reverse years of bad Baltimore management and dysfunctional ownership.
That’s not too dissimilar from the task that greeted him in Boston in 1994.
It’s much easier to see now through the lens of history that Duquette’s Red Sox legacy is far more about 2004 than 2001. Think back to Games 3 and 4 in St. Louis, and at every iconic turn is a Duquette move: Manny, Pedro, Damon, Lowe.
Sprinkle in Varitek and Wakefield, and then consider the Josh Beckett-Mike Lowell deal, which turned on a Duquette draft pick in Hanley Ramirez.
You’re welcome, Ben Cherington.
Meanwhile …
There’s plenty going on around the AL.
Mike Maddux withdrew his name from consideration for the Red Sox manager job. The Texas pitching coach — and Greg’s brother — was scheduled to be interviewed today.
Sandy Alomar Jr. will reportedly interview for the Boston gig tomorrow.
The Royals took a potential Red Sox trade target off the market, acquiring Giants LHP Jonathan Sanchez in exchange for OF Melky Cabrera. Sanchez went 4-7 with a 4.26 ERA in 19 starts this season, after posting a career year in 2010.
