27 April 2018

Polls Suggest Fans Growing Less Enamored with Dan Duquette

A lot can happen in the few months.  That is particularly true in baseball as the airiness of the off-season is replaced by actual performance when the season begins.  In those heady times this past January, so much was possible.  Several free agents had yet to sign.  The Orioles were waiting for players to slip through the cracks like they have in the past.  You could either be smitten with possibility or smiting with the lack of movement.

At the time, I asked on Twitter what people wished for (yes, this is unscientific polling).  Do they want Dan Duquette to remain as GM?  Or, perhaps move on to Brady Anderson.  Or, maybe elevate Buck Showalter to the top of the Warehouse.

It was fairly even.  54% of respondents desired Duquette to remain in his role with 50% desiring the status quo of Dan and Buck.  It certainly has been a recipe of success over the years.  The club was the winningest American League club from 2012 through 2016.  The success from this pair has elevated Duquette to being the third most winningest general manager in Orioles history.  He will likely finish 2018 as the second most as he only needs about a dozen wins to overtake Lee MacPhail.

Anyway, since that poll was taken some things have happened.  Several free agents were signed and the players who were signed noted how great Brady Anderson was to work with.  By all optics, it appears that this off-season was dominated by the Brady plan.  Andrew Cashner applauded Brady when he signed.  He has done well, but his peripherals look frightening.  Chris Tillman was re-signed and noted working with Brady on it and he has been...well, he has been.  Let us not talk about that.  Alex Cobb was signed and noted Brady.  Cobb has, surprisingly, been the worst pitcher on the team based only on performance.  On the offensive end, Danny Valencia and Colby Rasmus have been at best uninspiring.

So the club has cratered and the folks who seemed to have been brought in by Brady to make the club competitive have not really worked out yet.  How did that change the poll numbers?

The blame appears to have fallen fully on Duquette with respondent preference dropping from 54% to 19%.  Even though Brady's moves have been at best a mixed bag, he has overwhelming support to take the reins among these options.

Given these choices, what you do think?
I still must say that I would prefer Duquette leading things.  To me, he has shown to be successful in this absurd organization and that means something.  Several have tried and failed.  And, no, I don't think a consolidation of power behind Buck or Brady would be a good thing because their impact on player development has been, to be kind, curious.

10 comments:

Pip said...

If Brady was so heavily involved in the free-agent signings, that is not an endorsement.
There was no justification for giving Tillman a major league contract. Cobb was by all accounts overpaid. Flaherty was ignored until approximately February, when he was apparently only offered a minor league contract, and none of the guys brought in to replace him offers more than he does.
I am well aware that utility infielder Will not make or break a team, but it is obvious that a good one is important, and we do not have one.
I don't know how much responsibility rests with Buck, but I certainly don't think Brady is showing himself well.
I think the best thing we can do is raid the Houston or St. Louis front office. They have a long track record of common sense and success

Unknown said...

Brady as president Buck as GM and Cal jr as coach

Anonymous said...

Just because moves don't work doesn't mean they were not well though out correct moves. Cobb, Cashner, and Tillman were all appropriate signings for a rotation that needed to be filled out. I am non record saying that some of the player position moves NOT made were big mistakes. But the Rasmus signing was defensible. As far as Valencia, Alvarez, and the defense only IFs, they seem to be working as well as could be expected. Araujo seems to be a solid Rule 5 choice as far as Rule 5 choices go. It's hard to get past the injuries and poor offensive performance as the core of the Orioles' problems. Some of that may lay at the door of Santander and Rasmus, but more at the feet of Beckham, Schoop, and Trumbo. For this year the marginal moves have not worked out as well as ones for Cruz or Smith or Kim or Pearce did at one time. Tillman has now made a great start, Cobb is just exiting what might be considered Spring Training, and Gausman has been better than in years past. The bullpen struggles are also unexpected with Brach, O'Day, and Givens especially having trouble. The team will be better but maybe still not god enough.

Anonymous said...

Oh yeah, forgot about Davis. He needs some minor league time to either get straight or get out. I still think a huge dose of Adderall solves the problem.

Unknown said...

#Roger - your suggestion about Davis and Adderall is reprehensible.

Anonymous said...

Joe, it worked before. And he had a TUE for it before.

Unknown said...

Roger, the question is not whether or not Chris Davis' use of a prohibited substance improved his performance. It is that you are seriously advocating that Davis, and by implication the Orioles, knowingly and deliberately violate a rule. That is reprehensible.

Pip said...

Roger although I agree with your comment that "a logical move that doesn't work remains a logical move" I disagree very strongly that is was logical to give Tillman a major league deal and have so much confidence in him that no fall-back plan was prepared. That's inexcusable.
I have no problem with Cashner or Cobb, although Cobb was overpaid and signed too late.
Most of the offseason moves or non-moves of the last 2-3 years are illogical. That they didn't work should be no surprise.

Pip said...

Joe, Davis had an exemption.
He continued taking it without an exemption, but Roger is not suggesting that he returned to taking it illegally, because as I understand it he does have permission to use it at this time.

Jon Shepherd said...

Roger has repeatedly stated that he wants Davis to take a PED until he is caught. That he thinks Davis' performance will improve and that the team would save money once he is caught.

Also...he is not on adderall. He is on another prescription.