Toronto Blue Jays Need to Put an End to Dan Duquette Rumours
Toronto Blue Jays Need to Put an End to Dan Duquette Rumours
The reports surrounding the Toronto Blue Jays interest in trading for Baltimore Orioles general manager Dan Duquette reached their peak this week, as a myriad of reports and opinions came flooding onto the internet that ranged from the unthinkable compensation package built around prospect Jeff Hoffman, to the team having zero interest, to the ever interesting twist that deputy chairman of Rogers Communications, Eddie Rogers, is the one fixated on bringing Duquette to Toronto.
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The last report from Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun is downright frightening for Jays’ fans. If Rogers and his sports consultant Roger Rai — neither of which are involved in day-to-day team operations — are in fact the ones pushing for Duquette, who knows what other baseball decisions are being influenced, or forced upon, by the ownership group.
Perhaps it is too early to assume that the mighty Rogers communication is seizing control of our beloved Blue Jays. After all, Paul Beeston is still carrying out his presidential duties as he is in Vancouver for the Blue Jays winter tour, so there is some sort of semblance with that.
However, this whole Duquette to Toronto fiasco must be put to rest immediately.
If the Blue Jays are sticking with Beeston for the 2015 season like Bob McCown of the FAN 590 said on Wednesday, then come out and say it.
Get behind Beeston for one more season. Support him. More importantly, reestablish stability within upper management.
Let’s face it. Sports is as much about having a winning culture, as much as it is about having the right pieces in place on the field. Culture, continuity, stability, those cliché sports terms all matter when trying to take a team on the cusp, much like the Blue Jays are, to the next level.
Right now, the Blue Jays look to be lacking all of that.
Nov 20, 2014; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays catcher Russell Martin smiles as he is introduced at a press conference at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Which is kind of ironic when you consider that the team made clubhouse chemistry and leadership a point of emphasis this off-season when they signed Russell Martin and traded away Brett Lawrie for Josh Donaldson.
Maybe management should take a step back and reevaluate themselves — much like they did their roster back in October — because if they don’t, things could get much worse in a hurry.
How could they get worse you might ask?
Well, for starters, the idea of “tampering” could become a very real issue facing the Blue Jays.
Not only could the Baltimore Orioles slam the Jays with a tampering complaint, so too could the Chicago White Sox. According to Jerry Reinsdorf, owner of the White Sox, Eddie Rogers phoned both him and executive vice-president Kenny Williams in November without written permission to talk Williams about the potential team president job in Toronto.
If true, add that to the list of embarrassing blunders the Blue Jays have suffered at the hands of Rogers questionable decision-making this past month.
Sure, everybody makes mistakes. But own them when you do. That’s exactly what Rogers and the rest of Blue Jays ownership group needs to do with this whole Duquette disaster.
Come out and admit you made a mistake. Say that Beeston, the teams first ever employee, is your guy. Stand behind him and the rest of the organization. If not for the internal culture and stability of the organization, do it for the embarrassment the fans have endured throughout this whole Duquette debacle.
If leadership is important to the Blue Jays, like upper management says it is, then why not come out and support Beeston? It would certainly be a refreshing, bold statement that would show both the players and the fan base that the team is on the same page, from the top-down.
What do you think about all the Duquette to Toronto rumours Blue Jays’ fans? Should the team finally address this issue? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.