Baltimore Orioles general manager Dan Duquette has started a campaign to get his Pittsburgh Pirates counterpart Neal Huntington to be named 2015 MLB Executive of the Year.
The Pirates players are on board, too.
“What he’s done this year is really what he’s put together the past seven years he’s been here,” Jared Hughes said. “He’s changed the mentality of our squad and organization. He finds guys with character and hires them both on and off the field.”
Hughes almost referred to honoring Huntington as a lifetime achievement award for the time Huntington spent with the team.
Pirates fans have been tough to please, after all an entire generation had not witnessed a winning team for the duration of their lives. The past three years on a tight budget, Huntington has pushed the right buttons and the Pirates have made the playoffs.
This year was no different.
“When you go out of the box and sign Kang and bring someone like that in, it’s not an easy job,” Indianapolis Indians manager Dean Treanor said. “The players have come in and fit in well.”
The Kang signing was an interesting signing in that it was not something the team would normally do. Instead, the Pirates set the market in Korea, a move which may be a blessing and/or a curse in future negotiations. Early returns on the Kang signing have been very encouraging and it showed the Pirates were willing to take a risk, something which fans were wary of at first but clearly trust now.
Huntington also hit a home run at the trade deadline, as Joe Blanton, J.A. Happ, Michael Morse and Joakim Soria have all made positive contributions to this year’s team.
“It would be hard not to recognize,” said Hughes. “It would be one thing if it were one time and he picked a guy up but it’s happened time and time again. We’re picking quality major league players that come here and do outstanding. It definitely speaks to how good of a job Neal Huntington has done.”
In addition to his contributions to the make-up of the on-field product, Huntington behind closed doors values input from those that comprise the front office and also try to prepare them to take that next step whether it is with the Pirates or with another team. Hughes said the staff all has great eyes and those Huntington hire seem to have an eye for when an acquired player is on a hot streak.
“Neal’s been such an influence for all of us that have had a chance to work with him here,” director of baseball operations Tyrone Brooks said. “He’s given us plenty of opportunities here to grow. We all have a chance to contribute here to the operation and that’s thanks to him and the way he does it. You definitely want to see him get recognized for his work.”
There are many in the running, but the endorsement of Duquette, the 2014 winner of the award, may carry some weight. Theo Epstein of the Chicago Cubs, John Mozeliak of the St. Louis Cardinals and Jeff Luhnow of the Houston Astros are among others in contention for the award.
Huntington has been close to the award before when then-Boston Red Sox GM Ben Cherington won the award when Huntington was considered the favorite by many.
All told, the race, much like the season, is close, and there is no clear cut winner.
Photo credit: LA Times
