UPDATE: The Orioles have confirmed that Andy MacPhail has decided to walk away.
11:02 AM: This flew a little bit under the radar with all the excitement of the Diamondbacks-Brewers and Cardinals-Phillies yesterday, but Andy MacPhail will indeed step down as Orioles’ president. According to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun, he is leaving the team to tend to family and personal obligations.
Most expected MacPhail to walk away following the season, but Connolly reports that Orioles owner Peter Angelos tried to convince him to stick around after a meeting last Thursday. However, those efforts proved unsuccessful.
No word on who might replace MacPhail, but Orioles manager Buck Showalter is not expected to leave the dugout for the front office.
While MacPhail is regarded as one of the most respected executives in the game, the Orioles struggled miserably during his four-plus years at the helm, going 307-432 with four consecutive last-place finishes.
