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Report: Blue Jays refuse to part with prospects, end Duquette negotiations

Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

The Toronto Blue Jays have reportedly ended their pursuit of Baltimore Orioles executive Dan Duquette.

Sportsnet's Shi Davidi reports negotiations between the two clubs are over after Toronto refused to part with a pair of first-round draft picks in exchange for the Orioles vice president of baseball operations. The Blue Jays had targeted Duquette, whose contract with the Orioles runs through the 2018 season, to replace Paul Beeston as the club's next president and CEO.

Although the Blue Jays are not believed to have offered specific names during the negotiating process, Davidi reports Orioles managing partner Peter Angelos sought a package that included right-handed pitcher Jeff Hoffman and catcher Max Pentecost, the ninth and 11th overall picks in last year's draft.

From Davidi:

The Blue Jays are believed to have been willing to offer a package of minor-leaguers similar to past precedents - think fringe right-hander Chris Carpenter going from the Chicago Cubs to the Boston Red Sox for Theo Epstein - with the baseball departments of both clubs negotiating the names once a deal for Duquette was reached, and Major League Baseball acting as a mediator if needed (as it did in the Epstein case).

A previous report noted that Beeston would remain in his role through the end of this year while ownership continued to search for his replacement.

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