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Duquette “absolutely” has ownership’s backing to add pieces at the deadline
The Orioles are in it to win it this year, as executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette said Saturday that he has the ownership’s full backing to add pieces externally if need be. Baltimore entered the day 1 1/2 games out of first place in the American League East and will approach the Trade Deadline as buyers, looking for ways to continue what has been a surprising start to the season.
“We’re in contention, and we need to look at all the options we have to help our team,” Duquette said. “But we have some pretty good options in our Minor League system to bolster the team that we have here.”
Speaking before the game, along with manager Buck Showalter, to season ticket holders as part of the club’s annual “State of the Orioles” address, Duquette told the group assembled principal owner Peter Angelos “wants to win this year”. He reiterated that sentiment in meeting with the media, saying that he “absolutely” had the support of the Orioles ownership to do whatever he feels is in the team’s best interest.
“We are in contention, so we are going to do whatever we can to make the playoffs,” said Duquette, who inherited an organization with 14 consecutive losing seasons when taking the reins this winter.
Under previous president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail’s four Trade Deadlines, the club was in a decidedly different state, trading away relievers George Sherrill, Will Ohman and Koji Uehara and first baseman Derrek Lee in hopes of bringing back something for the future.
Duquette – who has stressed building the organization through the amateur and international efforts — made it clear he wouldn’t sacrifice the Orioles’ top prospects, but he wouldn’t hesitate to make a move that betters this year’s club without crippling the current farm system.
“I like to build an organization, so that we have depth throughout the organization,” Duquette said.
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