Former O's exec Jim Duquette talks about Dan Duquette and the Toronto situation

SAN DIEGO - The Toronto Blue Jays are interested in Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette. The Orioles have him under contract through 2018.

This could get interesting.

For now, he is an Oriole. Dan Duquette just repeated that very comment a few moments ago on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM Radio in an interview at the Winter Meetings with Jim Duquette and Jim Bowden.

ESPN first reported today that Duquette was among the Blue Jays' top candidates to replace longtime CEO Paul Beeston.

In an interview with MASNsports.com's Roch Kubatko, Orioles managing partner Peter G. Angelos said he fully expects Duquette to remain in the organization in his present capacity and has no intention of losing him to the Blue Jays.

Click here to read that story.

Jim Duquette, the former O's executive who is now a commentator for SiriusXM, said Dan Duquette should be flattered by Toronto's interest.

"This should speak about Dan," Jim Duquette said. "You look at the track record and what he has done. It is understandable the Blue Jays would want to talk to him about that type of position.

"When you are a general manager, if you get an opportunity to be a president and CEO, that is probably the ultimate for an executive in our industry to achieve. He would not want to be leaving a situation he is comfortable with unless that opportunity for a promotion existed."

By the reaction of Angelos today, clearly the Orioles and Dan Duquette have no issues brewing that would be leading Duquette to seek a position with another club.

"No, no. Shoot, he loves it there," Jim Duquette said. "He's settled his family there, has a house there and loves the Orioles. I think this is purely an upward move that I think the exact title or job with the Orioles is the owner's position or one of the sons as CEO. That doesn't exist there in Baltimore for someone like Dan.

"At least from reading between the lines, Dan hasn't had any conversations with the Blue Jays as far as we can tell. This sounds like it's at the ownership level. From that standpoint, it's business as usual for Dan and the front office to keep trying to improve the team. Unless Peter gives him permission, Dan is the general manger of the Orioles and he comes out here with that sole focus."

Jim Duquette explained the process that Toronto would have to follow if they do seek an interview with Duquette and it could lead to compensation for the Orioles if he did leave the club.

"In Major League Baseball, the protocol is to submit a permission form to the commissioner's office," Jim Duquette said. "And compensation is an important factor in this. That has to be resolved before anything can be talked about.

"We saw the Cubs grab Theo Epstein from the Red Sox (and) they offered compensation. John Farrell, when he went to the Red Sox, there is compensation that was agreed upon before he was allowed to talk to them."

After the radio interview, Dan Duquette politely declined to talk further with Baltimore reporters. He declined comment when asked if the Blue Jays had sought permission from the Orioles to talk with him.