Report: Blue Jays end negotiations for Duquette

Has the story of the Blue Jays pursuing Dan Duquette for the position of president and CEO finally reached its conclusion? Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca, reported today that the Blue Jays have ended negotiations to acquire Duquette due to the Orioles' insistence on receiving three top prospects. I'm told that the Orioles have no knowledge of the Blue Jays' current intentions regarding Duquette. One person close to the situation said there were no real negotiations because the Orioles rejected the Blue Jays' offers. "They were advised that what they were proposing was not acceptable," the source said. I received confirmation today that the Orioles wanted pitcher Jeff Hoffman, the ninth overall pick in the 2014 First-Year Player Draft, and catcher Max Pentecost, the 11th overall pick. Davidi reported that the Orioles also sought infielder Mitch Nay, the 58th overall pick in 2012. I've been told again that a deal was never close despite reports to the contrary. Duquette, with four years remaining on his contract as executive vice president, has declined comment since the story broke on Dec. 7. He's scheduled to participate in a Q&A session with fans at the Aberdeen IronBirds' Hot Stove Dinner Thursday night at Ripken Stadium and at the annual FanFest event Saturday at the Baltimore Convention Center. Duquette didn't attend last night's BBWAA awards dinner in New York. If Duquette is staying in Baltimore, the Orioles must decide whether to file tampering charges. One official said the Blue Jays' actions were "blatant," but that doesn't necessarily mean the club will go through with it. It's known within the organization that Duquette had interest in the job, which could complicate matters. This story can't truly be put to rest until the Blue Jays make their intentions known that they're moving in another direction and Duquette addresses the reports. Stay tuned.