Dan Duquette
Encyclopedia
Daniel F. Duquette is the Executive Vice-President of Baseball Operations for the Baltimore Orioles
. He was the General Manager of the Montreal Expos
from September through January and for the Boston Red Sox
from through March . He was also a founding member of the Israel Baseball League
in 2007.
Duquette oversaw quick turnarounds during his tenure as GM of the Expos and Red Sox, expanding fan interest in both markets. As farm system director of the Expos from 1987 to 1991, Duquette helped build the player development operations.
, Duquette attended Amherst College
, where he was a catcher
on the varsity baseball team.
as a scouting assistant with the Milwaukee Brewers
in after a fellow Amherst alumnus, Harry Dalton
, the Milwaukee general manager, saw his letter seeking employment in the game.
, Cliff Floyd
and Rondell White
and signed Vladimir Guerrero
, Javier Vazquez
, Orlando Cabrera
and many other major leaguers. Duquette replaced Dave Dombrowski
as Expos' GM on September 19, 1991. Under Duquette the Expos acquired elite pitchers Ken Hill
, John Wetteland
, Jeff Shaw
and traded for Pedro Martínez
from the Dodgers for second baseman
Delino DeShields
. Duquette is credited with building the 1994 Expos team
, which had the best record in baseball at the time of the 1994-95 Major League Baseball strike.
The Red Sox went 656-574 in the 8 seasons under Duquette, setting attendance records every year after 1998 winning the AL East once and finishing 2nd behind the Yankees 5 other seasons. The Red Sox won the AL East pennant in 1995 before bowing to the Cleveland Indians
in the ALDS and made the playoffs as a Wild Card in 1998 and 1999, only to lose to the Cleveland Indians
again in the ALDS and the New York Yankees
in the ALCS.
Under Duquette, the Red Sox made exceptional strides in improving their dismal history of poor race relations as an organization in the hiring of both coaching and administrative personnel with minority candidates. The Minor League facilities and coaching availability were upgraded at every level during his tenure, and Red Sox favorites such as Nomar Garciaparra
and Kevin Youkilis
were drafted into the system. Other notable draftees in his Red Sox term were future MLB shortstops David Eckstein
, Adam Everett
and Hanley Ramirez
as well as second baseman Freddy Sanchez
.
In 1996 Duquette signed Jaime Moyer to a free agent contract and then traded him to Seattle for outfielder Darren Bragg
when manager Kevin Kennedy
didn't pitch him much and Moyer expressed he didn't like playing in Boston. Despite being only 66-77 at the time of that trade, Moyer went on to win 139 games in just over 9 seasons with the Mariners and achieved over 250 wins in his career. Duquette is also famously known for his quote about Roger Clemens
in which he said that "we had hoped to keep him in Boston during the twilight of his career" in after Clemens left as a free agent following a 39-40 record over his last four seasons pitching in Boston. Clemens would go on to win the Cy Young Award
and the pitching Triple Crown in both of the next two seasons. The free agency losses of Clemens and first baseman Mo Vaughn
were major points of discontent amongst some Red Sox fans with regards to Duquette. He also did not resign Jose Canseco
or Mike Greenwell
. At present, Clemens remains under an indictment for lying to Congress that he used performance enhancing drugs (PED's) beginning in the period immediately following his departure from Boston to Toronto.
Duquette is also noted for several major acquisitions that would ultimately play a part in the Red Sox 2004 World Championship, including acquiring knuckleballer Tim Wakefield
in , Pedro Martínez
in from Montreal, the 1997 trade with Seattle for both pitcher Derek Lowe
and All-Star catcher Jason Varitek
the free agent signings of Manny Ramírez
in and Johnny Damon
in December, and the Sox traded over 35 players in Duquette's farm system to staff the team including LHP Jorge De la Rosa
traded for Curt Schilling
.
He was dismissed from his general manager post in 2002 when John W. Henry
bought the team from the JRY Trust
, headed by John Harrington
.
. The academy is described by its website as "a sports training center for boys and girls ages 8–18 who are interested in learning baseball, softball, basketball and life skills from distinguished high school, college and professional coaches."
Duquette worked to start the Israel Baseball League
after being appointed director of baseball operations, but the league had financial difficulties and folded in 2008 after one season. He had a role in a Western Massachusetts community theatre production of Damn Yankees
.
Duquette is also past president and owner of the Pittsfield Dukes, a summer collegiate baseball team in the New England Collegiate Baseball League
. He purchased the team, formerly known as the Thread City Tides of Willimantic, Connecticut
, after the 2003 season, and moved the team to his Dan Duquette Sports Academy in Hinsdale
. After negotiating a deal with the city of Pittsfield, he moved the franchise again in 2005 to historic Nokona Stadium at Wahconah Park. In the fall of 2008, Duquette partnered with Chairman Buddy Lewis and CEO Jerry O'Connor from Nokona and Terry Allvord, founder of the U.S. Military All-Stars "Red, White and Blue Tour" to acquire a new Can-Am independent professional team called the American Defenders of New Hampshire
and rename his NECBL team the "Pittsfield American Defenders" featuring top collegiate prospects alongside players currently enrolled at our nations service academies and military institutions.
' ownership.
, is a former executive of the Baltimore Orioles
and the New York Mets
.
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
. He was the General Manager of the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
from September through January and for the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
from through March . He was also a founding member of the Israel Baseball League
Israel baseball league
The Israel Baseball League was a six-team professional baseball league in Israel. The first game was played on June 24, 2007...
in 2007.
Duquette oversaw quick turnarounds during his tenure as GM of the Expos and Red Sox, expanding fan interest in both markets. As farm system director of the Expos from 1987 to 1991, Duquette helped build the player development operations.
Early life
A native of Dalton, MassachusettsDalton, Massachusetts
Dalton is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. Dalton is the transition town between the urban and rural pieces of Berkshire County, Massachusetts. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 6,892 at the 2000 census.- History...
, Duquette attended Amherst College
Amherst College
Amherst College is a private liberal arts college located in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Amherst is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution and enrolled 1,744 students in the fall of 2009...
, where he was a catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
on the varsity baseball team.
Early career
Duquette got his start in professional baseballProfessional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
as a scouting assistant with the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
in after a fellow Amherst alumnus, Harry Dalton
Harry Dalton
Harry I. Dalton was an American front-office executive in Major League Baseball. He served as general manager of three American League teams, the Baltimore Orioles , California Angels and Milwaukee Brewers , and was a principal architect of the Orioles' dynasty of 1966–1974 as well as the only AL...
, the Milwaukee general manager, saw his letter seeking employment in the game.
Montreal Expos
In he became Montreal's director of player development. In his three years in that role, the Expos drafted Marquis GrissomMarquis Grissom
Marquis Deon Grissom is a former Major League Baseball player. He excelled in baseball at Lakeshore High School, under the tutelage of baseball coach Mike Juenger. He currently resides in College Park, Georgia...
, Cliff Floyd
Cliff Floyd
Cornelius Clifford Floyd, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball outfielder.-Early years:Floyd was born to parents Cornelius Clifford Floyd, Sr. and Olivia Floyd. After spending 13 years as an only child, Floyd was joined by brother Julius...
and Rondell White
Rondell White
Rondell Bernard White is an outfielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball. His career batting average currently stands at .284 and his career slugging percentage is .462....
and signed Vladimir Guerrero
Vladimir Guerrero
Vladimir Alvino Guerrero is a free agent Major League Baseball right fielder and designated hitter.In , he was voted the American League MVP...
, Javier Vazquez
Javier Vázquez
Javier Carlos Vázquez is a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. Previously, he pitched for the Florida Marlins , Atlanta Braves , Chicago White Sox , Arizona Diamondbacks , New York Yankees and Montreal Expos . Vázquez was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico...
, Orlando Cabrera
Orlando Cabrera
Orlando Luis Cabrera, nicknamed "O-Cab" and "The OC", is a Colombian-American baseball infielder.He won a World Series championship in 2004 with the Boston Red Sox. He has played for the Montreal Expos, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, Minnesota Twins,...
and many other major leaguers. Duquette replaced Dave Dombrowski
Dave Dombrowski
David Dombrowski is the current president, CEO, and general manager of the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball.-Chicago White Sox:...
as Expos' GM on September 19, 1991. Under Duquette the Expos acquired elite pitchers Ken Hill
Ken Hill
Ken Hill was a critically acclaimed English playwright, and theatre director.He was a protege of Joan Littlewood at Theatre Workshop...
, John Wetteland
John Wetteland
John Karl Wetteland is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who specialized as a closer. During a 12-year career , he pitched for four different teams: the Los Angeles Dodgers, Montreal Expos, New York Yankees, and Texas Rangers.-Playing career:Wetteland was signed by the Dodgers as their second...
, Jeff Shaw
Jeff Shaw
Jeffrey Lee Shaw is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher who had a 12-year career from 1990 to 2001...
and traded for Pedro Martínez
Pedro Martínez
Pedro Jaime Martínez is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He is an eight-time All-Star, three-time Cy Young Award winner, and 2004 World Series champion...
from the Dodgers for second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
Delino DeShields
Delino DeShields
Delino Lamont DeShields is a former second baseman in Major League Baseball who enjoyed a 13-year career with 5 teams. He is currently the manager for the Dayton Dragons in the Cincinnati Reds organization....
. Duquette is credited with building the 1994 Expos team
1994 Montreal Expos season
The Montreal Expos finished the season with the best record in Major League Baseball. The Expos had 74 wins compared to 40 losses. The 1994 Major League Baseball strike forced an end to the season and any postseason aspirations that the franchise had...
, which had the best record in baseball at the time of the 1994-95 Major League Baseball strike.
Boston Red Sox
Duquette became the GM of his hometown Red Sox and built a baseball operations department which has allowed the Red Sox to be the only team in MLB to set attendance and revenue records every year since 1998.The Red Sox went 656-574 in the 8 seasons under Duquette, setting attendance records every year after 1998 winning the AL East once and finishing 2nd behind the Yankees 5 other seasons. The Red Sox won the AL East pennant in 1995 before bowing to the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
in the ALDS and made the playoffs as a Wild Card in 1998 and 1999, only to lose to the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
again in the ALDS and the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
in the ALCS.
Under Duquette, the Red Sox made exceptional strides in improving their dismal history of poor race relations as an organization in the hiring of both coaching and administrative personnel with minority candidates. The Minor League facilities and coaching availability were upgraded at every level during his tenure, and Red Sox favorites such as Nomar Garciaparra
Nomar Garciaparra
Anthony Nomar Garciaparra is a former Major League Baseball player. After playing parts of 9 seasons as an All-Star shortstop for the Boston Red Sox, he played third base, first base, and designated hitter for the Oakland Athletics, first base and third base for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and...
and Kevin Youkilis
Kevin Youkilis
Kevin Edmund Youkilis , also known as "Youk" , is an American professional baseball player with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball...
were drafted into the system. Other notable draftees in his Red Sox term were future MLB shortstops David Eckstein
David Eckstein
David Mark Eckstein is a former American professional baseball player who was an infielder in Major League Baseball for ten seasons. He played college baseball for the University of Florida, and has played professionally for the Anaheim Angels, St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays, Arizona...
, Adam Everett
Adam Everett
Jeffery Adam Everett , is an American professional baseball shortstop who is a free agent. He played collegiate baseball at the University of South Carolina...
and Hanley Ramirez
Hanley Ramirez
Hanley Ramirez is a shortstop in Major League Baseball for the Miami Marlins. Ramírez was named 2006 NL Rookie of the Year by the Baseball Writers Association of America. In 2009, Ramírez won the NL batting title and is a three-time All-Star starter...
as well as second baseman Freddy Sanchez
Freddy Sanchez
Frederick Phillip "Freddy" Sanchez, Jr. is a Major League Baseball second baseman for the San Francisco Giants. Sanchez has previously played for the Boston Red Sox and the Pittsburgh Pirates and the San Francisco Giants...
.
In 1996 Duquette signed Jaime Moyer to a free agent contract and then traded him to Seattle for outfielder Darren Bragg
Darren Bragg
Darren William Bragg is a former Major League Baseball outfielder who played 11 seasons in Major League Baseball. He played for the Seattle Mariners , Boston Red Sox , St...
when manager Kevin Kennedy
Kevin Kennedy
Kevin Kennedy may refer to:*Kevin Kennedy *Kevin Kennedy *Kevin Kennedy , screenwriter of The Assassination of Richard Nixon*Kevin J. Kennedy, former CEO of JDSU, current CEO of Avaya* Kevin Kennedy, Ed.D.,...
didn't pitch him much and Moyer expressed he didn't like playing in Boston. Despite being only 66-77 at the time of that trade, Moyer went on to win 139 games in just over 9 seasons with the Mariners and achieved over 250 wins in his career. Duquette is also famously known for his quote about Roger Clemens
Roger Clemens
William Roger Clemens , nicknamed "Rocket", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who broke into the league with the Boston Red Sox, whose pitching staff he would help anchor for 12 years. Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards, more than any other pitcher. He played for four different teams over...
in which he said that "we had hoped to keep him in Boston during the twilight of his career" in after Clemens left as a free agent following a 39-40 record over his last four seasons pitching in Boston. Clemens would go on to win the Cy Young Award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
and the pitching Triple Crown in both of the next two seasons. The free agency losses of Clemens and first baseman Mo Vaughn
Mo Vaughn
Maurice Samuel 'Mo' Vaughn , nicknamed "The Hit Dog", is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. He played from 1991 to 2003...
were major points of discontent amongst some Red Sox fans with regards to Duquette. He also did not resign Jose Canseco
José Canseco
José Canseco Capas, Jr. is a Cuban-American professional baseball manager, outfielder, and designated hitter for the Yuma Scorpions of the North American League and former Major League Baseball player. He is the identical twin brother of former major league player and current teammate Ozzie Canseco...
or Mike Greenwell
Mike Greenwell
Michael Lewis Greenwell is a former left fielder in Major League Baseball who played his entire MLB career with the Boston Red Sox . He briefly played a few games for the Hanshin Tigers in Japan , before retiring. Greenwell was nicknamed "The Gator." He batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
. At present, Clemens remains under an indictment for lying to Congress that he used performance enhancing drugs (PED's) beginning in the period immediately following his departure from Boston to Toronto.
Duquette is also noted for several major acquisitions that would ultimately play a part in the Red Sox 2004 World Championship, including acquiring knuckleballer Tim Wakefield
Tim Wakefield
Timothy Stephen Wakefield is an American professional baseball pitcher. Wakefield began pitching with the Red Sox in 1995, making him the longest-serving player currently on the team. Wakefield is also the oldest current active player in the majors, and one of two active knuckleballers, the other...
in , Pedro Martínez
Pedro Martínez
Pedro Jaime Martínez is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He is an eight-time All-Star, three-time Cy Young Award winner, and 2004 World Series champion...
in from Montreal, the 1997 trade with Seattle for both pitcher Derek Lowe
Derek Lowe
Derek Christopher Lowe is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Cleveland Indians. He throws and bats right-handed. He is 6'6" and 230 pounds.-Early years:...
and All-Star catcher Jason Varitek
Jason Varitek
Jason Andrew Varitek is an American professional baseball catcher who is a free agent. After being traded as a minor league prospect by the Seattle Mariners, Varitek has played his entire major league career for the Boston Red Sox...
the free agent signings of Manny Ramírez
Manny Ramírez
Manuel "Manny" Arístides Ramírez Onelcida is a retired Dominican-American professional baseball outfielder. He was recognized for great batting skill and power, a nine-time Silver Slugger and one of 25 players to hit 500 career home runs. Ramirez's 21 grand slams are third all-time, and his 28...
in and Johnny Damon
Johnny Damon
Johnny David Damon is an American professional baseball outfielder and designated hitter. From 2000–2008, he was third among active players in runs and seventh in hits and stolen bases . He is currently second among active leaders in triples , five behind Carl Crawford...
in December, and the Sox traded over 35 players in Duquette's farm system to staff the team including LHP Jorge De la Rosa
Jorge de la Rosa
Jorge Alberto de la Rosa Gonzalez is a starting pitcher for the Colorado Rockies.-Minor leagues:...
traded for Curt Schilling
Curt Schilling
Curtis Montague "Curt" Schilling is a former American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He helped lead the Philadelphia Phillies to the World Series in and won World Series championships in with the Arizona Diamondbacks and in and with the Boston Red Sox. Schilling retired with a...
.
He was dismissed from his general manager post in 2002 when John W. Henry
John W. Henry
John William Henry II is a futures and foreign exchange trading advisor who founded John W. Henry & Company . He is the principal owner of the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool F.C., and co-owner of Roush Fenway Racing. In March 2006, Boston Magazine estimated his net worth at $1.1 billion, but noted...
bought the team from the JRY Trust
JRY Trust
After the death of Jean Yawkey in 1992, her interest in the Boston Red Sox passed into the JRY Corporation, later renamed the JRY Trust, headed by John Harrington, who was also CEO of the team. The trust's interest was sold to John Henry and his group of investors in 2002....
, headed by John Harrington
John Harrington (Red Sox CEO)
John L. Harrington is an American business manager. He was the CEO of the Boston Red Sox.-Early life and career:He graduated from Boston College in 1957, and received his MBA from Boston College in 1966. After college, he was an officer in the U.S. Navy, then worked for both the General Accounting...
.
After Boston
After being fired by the Red Sox, Duquette started a sports academy for children in Hinsdale, MassachusettsHinsdale, Massachusetts
Hinsdale is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. The academy is described by its website as "a sports training center for boys and girls ages 8–18 who are interested in learning baseball, softball, basketball and life skills from distinguished high school, college and professional coaches."
Duquette worked to start the Israel Baseball League
Israel baseball league
The Israel Baseball League was a six-team professional baseball league in Israel. The first game was played on June 24, 2007...
after being appointed director of baseball operations, but the league had financial difficulties and folded in 2008 after one season. He had a role in a Western Massachusetts community theatre production of Damn Yankees
Damn Yankees
Damn Yankees is a musical comedy with a book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop and music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. The story is a modern retelling of the Faust legend set during the 1950s in Washington, D.C., during a time when the New York Yankees dominated Major League...
.
Duquette is also past president and owner of the Pittsfield Dukes, a summer collegiate baseball team in the New England Collegiate Baseball League
New England Collegiate Baseball League
The New England Collegiate Baseball League is a 12-team collegiate summer baseball league founded in 1993 and sanctioned by the NCAA and Major League Baseball. Each NECBL team plays an eight-week, 42-game schedule during June and July, with a playoff in early August...
. He purchased the team, formerly known as the Thread City Tides of Willimantic, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, after the 2003 season, and moved the team to his Dan Duquette Sports Academy in Hinsdale
Hinsdale, Massachusetts
Hinsdale is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. After negotiating a deal with the city of Pittsfield, he moved the franchise again in 2005 to historic Nokona Stadium at Wahconah Park. In the fall of 2008, Duquette partnered with Chairman Buddy Lewis and CEO Jerry O'Connor from Nokona and Terry Allvord, founder of the U.S. Military All-Stars "Red, White and Blue Tour" to acquire a new Can-Am independent professional team called the American Defenders of New Hampshire
American Defenders of New Hampshire
The Pittsfield Colonials were a baseball team in the independent Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, based in Pittsfield, Massachusetts...
and rename his NECBL team the "Pittsfield American Defenders" featuring top collegiate prospects alongside players currently enrolled at our nations service academies and military institutions.
Baltimore Orioles
Duquette was introduced as Vice President of Operations for the Baltimore Orioles on November 8, 2011. He becomes the 14th top executive in Orioles history and the eighth under Peter AngelosPeter Angelos
Peter G. Angelos , is an American trial lawyer.Angelos is also the majority owner of the Baltimore Orioles, a baseball team in the American League East Division.-Career:...
' ownership.
Personal
Duquette's cousin, Jim DuquetteJim Duquette
James "Jim" Duquette was the general manager of the New York Mets for the 2004 season, before the team replaced him with Omar Minaya. Duquette subsequently stayed with the Mets in a front office job for a full season before moving on to the Baltimore Orioles...
, is a former executive of the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
and the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
.