Executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette was named Sporting News Executive of the Year Monday night after guiding the Orioles to their first American League East title since 1997.
Duquette received the award from a panel of 33 major league executives who voted before the start of the 2014 postseason. This is the second time the 56-year-old has received the honor after previously winning with the Montreal Expos in 1992.
It’s not often that an executive receives the honor in the same year his most expensive acquisition — right-handed pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez — was an utter failure, but Duquette made plenty of savvy moves including signing slugger Nelson Cruz to a one-year, $8 million contract. His best work, however, may have come during the season when he acquired left-handed reliever Andrew Miller at the non-waiver trade deadline and outfielder Alejandro De Aza before the waiver trade deadline in late August.
Other below-the-radar moves that paid major dividends for the Orioles in 2014 included Duquette being able to persuade Steve Pearce to re-sign after he was designated for assignment in April as well as adding right-hander Brad Brach, who blossomed into a reliable member of the Baltimore bullpen, and pinch-hitter extraordinaire Delmon Young last winter.
Duquette edged Kansas City Royals general manager Dayton Moore by one vote to receive the honor.
The Baseball Writers’ Association of America will name its American League Manager of the Year Tuesday night with Orioles manager Buck Showalter one of three finalists.
