The Orioles are expected to announce today that they've hired Florida Marlins national cross-checker Joe Jordan as their new scouting director, a position he hadn't interviewed for until sitting down with club executives last week at the general managers meetings in Key Biscayne, Fla.
Jordan, 42, beat out Orioles East Coast cross-checker Jeff Taylor and Montreal Expos pro scouting director Lee MacPhail. He replaces Tony DeMacio, whose contract wasn't renewed after the season.
"I don't think I've got all the answers, but the most immediate task I've got is trying to become familiar with the existing staff," he said last night. "I know five or six of the guys fairly well. There are some good baseball people in Baltimore, guys that I've always respected."
Jordan spent the past two years as the Marlins' national cross-checker. He was an area scout and Midwest supervisor in Montreal when Orioles executive vice president Jim Beattie served as the Expos' general manager.
One of his first tasks will be hiring a national cross-checker. Jordan said he plans to interview at least one person inside the organization and probably "a handful" from the outside. He can't bring along any scouts from the Marlins for two years.
"I need to get that done as quickly as I can, get the guy that I want," he said.
Eventually, Jordan will be judged most by the players he drafts.
"You've got to look for athletes, and we're going to look for athletes," he said. "You've got to look for tools because that's what helps teams win at the big league level. And then baseball players. If you can find those three ingredients in enough guys, then you're going to have good drafts and you're going to have good minor league teams, and eventually those guys are going to work their way to the big leagues.
"I honestly doubt that's very different from what they've done, how they've approached things. My conversations with Jim Beattie have been very positive as far as what we're going to be allowed to do. We're going to try to outwork the other teams. We'll make enough good decisions if we just get our work done on them.
"You can't try to complicate this anymore than you have to. It's about tools, it's about athletes and guys who know how to play the game."
Jordan joins a player development staff that includes David Stockstill, who recently was hired as director of minor league operations.
Pursuing Pavano
The Orioles are continuing their attempts to bring free-agent pitcher Carl Pavano to Baltimore for a grand tour, but they might have to wait until later in the month or early December.
Pavano is scheduled to meet with his personal trainer in Montreal this week to arrange his off-season workouts, and also participate in a Marlins charity golf outing. He's in demand, and not just by clubs hoping to sign him.
"We haven't finalized anything yet, but we're definitely going to visit," said Pavano's agent, Scott Shapiro. "We just need for Carl to get his workout routine set.
"It's like a four-cycle routine. And don't forget Thanksgiving's coming up. We don't expect [team executives] Jim Beattie and Mike Flanagan to miss Thanksgiving."
The Marlins offered Pavano $21 million over three years after he went 18-8 with a 3.00 ERA this season. He was regarded at last week's general managers meetings as the pitcher most likely to receive a four-year deal.
Just as they do during the season, the Orioles are receiving stiff competition from within their division. The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox have interest in Pavano, and he was quoted this week as saying he would be comfortable pitching in both markets.
The Orioles don't expect to bring in any free agents before Thanksgiving. They made recent contact with agent Scott Boras, who represents pitcher Derek Lowe and outfielders Carlos Beltran and Magglio Ordonez, but he usually isn't receptive to having his clients make recruiting visits.
Boras is expected to return from Puerto Rico tomorrow.
