Bird is the Word

The Gulf Coast could be a perfect place for Dan Duquette to spend six weeks because he seems to suffer from a local affliction, the one where executives can't stay retired.

Duquette's case is unique. Indeed, his first go at retirement was forced upon him in 2002, when the Boston Red Sox fired him. He had been the team's general manger for eight years, and before that, he ran the Montreal Expos for three seasons.

Duquette began to build the Red Sox into a team that would win the World Series in 2004, but the firing forced him out of the big leagues. He stayed close to the game, though. He founded a youth sports academy, brought professional baseball to Israel and bought a summer league baseball team.

Now, like so many other Gulf Coast executives, Duquette, 53, is back in the game. Duquette was named executive vice president of the Baltimore Orioles in November. The Orioles hold spring training in Sarasota, at Ed Smith Stadium.