Dukes Heads Home

 

Outfielder considers baseball future after another suspension

 

By Chris Kline

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August 1, 2006 Print this article

 

 

As the Devil Rays' world turned this week, it looked like the news would be good for the talented prospects at Triple-A Durham, with B.J. Upton getting his long-awaited promotion to the big leagues.

 

It didn't take long for things to turn sour again, however, with the club announcing on Tuesday that it was suspending outfielder Elijah Dukes indefinitely, and Dukes responding that he might be through with baseball.

 

The Devil Rays said in a release that they were suspending Dukes indefinitely "pending a review of the incident which led to his suspension by the International League." The 22-year-old outfielder was suspended for five games by the IL after arguing balls and strikes on July 25, a matter that wouldn't seem to require a lot of further review. He had been scheduled to return to the lineup at Triple-A Durham Tuesday night.

 

It was Dukes' second suspension of the season, and he was also placed on the temporarily inactive list in May after he was involved in an argument with Bulls hitting coach Richie Hebner. A week before the second suspension, Dukes and Bulls manager John Tamargo got into a heated argument in the dugout after the outfielder ran through a stop sign at third base.

 

"I have no idea when or if I'll be back," Dukes said in a telephone interview. "I packed up all my stuff and I'm headed home. To be honest, I don't even know about baseball anymore. Everything is just wearing on me and this year has just been so frustrating. I'm trying to keep my nose clean and keep to myself, but things just keep getting turned around. I'm tired of it."

 

The Devil Rays declined to comment on Dukes' suspension, but a spokesman said the team would release a statement regarding Dukes soon.

 

Dukes is a five-tool outfielder who was recruited heavily as a linebacker out of Hillsborough High in Tampa, and he said he is contemplating his future as a baseball player.

 

"I just don't know about baseball anymore," he said. "All this stuff keeps following me and now this. I'm tired of it. I don't know if I'm coming back or what. I don't know about the (Arizona) Fall League. I don't know about anything other than I'm going home.

 

"I'm not saying I should have tried to get to the NFL, but maybe I should have done something else."

 

Dukes came into spring training with an optimistic outlook, and he talked in a Baseball America story before the season about his tough upbringing and previous clashes with authority and how he wanted to put it all behind him. Both he and the Devil Rays looked forward to a breakout year for Dukes and the continued development of Upton and outfielder Delmon Young at Durham.

 

It hasn't worked out that way. All three have run into problems either off the field or on, and it has been a bad year from both a development and public-relations standpoint for the players and the Devil Rays and Bulls. Young gained national attention for throwing a bat at an umpire in May and earning a 50-game suspension, while Upton was charged with driving while impaired in June.

 

The latest pothole came last week in a USA Today story reviewing the problems the three players have had this season. The story focuses on the players' bitterness about not being in the big leagues and quotes Dukes criticizing conditions in Durham, saying in part, "Those guys up there (in the big leagues) shower in Evian. Here, we use sewer water."

 

Dukes says he was misquoted by another reporter who's trying to make him and his teammates look bad.

 

"I love playing in Triple-A and I'm not (ticked) off about not being in the big leagues," he said. "If they want to give me a 10-year contract to play in Durham, I'd do it. I never said anything about my uniform being dirty or whatever. It's a joke."

 

Dukes has avoided trouble away from baseball this year, but repeated disciplinary action from the Devil Rays shows he and the organization still aren't seeing eye to eye.

 

"It's all the same thing," Dukes said. "They've all been saying that I'm a bad influence on those two guys for two years. I didn't room with Delmon this year (Dukes was Young's roommate at Double-A Montgomery in 2005), but still I'm the bad apple.

 

"I didn't tell Delmon to throw his bat at that umpire. I didn't tell B.J. to go driving his car after he had some drinks. I don't even hang out with those guys. It was always just me in my apartment after games or whatever. I think I went out twice and both times I got a cab because I don't need any more hassle than I already have on me

 

Yusmeiro Petit for Elijah Dukes :whistle

Right now the Rays would take Nick Ungs for him. They need to move him. It's not doing neither him or the rays any good keeping him.

Well...the team could get on the phone with the D-Rays and work out a pre-set deal for him, the D-Rays place him on waivers, and we could get him then.

Things just keep getting better in Durham.

Obviously he needs a change of scenery. It would be sad to see a talent like him give up on baseball so soon.

If the marlins traded for him, he would be in the majors right now for CF and would be happy then.

If the marlins traded for him, he would be in the majors right now for CF and would be happy then.

 

He would fill one of our needs, yes.

 

However, I would want out management to make sure that he still wants to play baseball before they pull the trigger.

bunch of cry babies

Despite Elijah's great talent, I wouldn't want him after all the trouble he and has gotten himself into. The guy could turn out to be a real clubhouse cancer. This goes for Upton and Young as well. They all have major attitude problems. The D'Rays must have something for headcases. From what I read, the big prospect (Guzman) they got back in the Lugo trade also has attitude problems.

Most of their attitude problems have come with the Rays dilly dalling and not finding a place for them when they have been more than ready for a while now.

Most of their attitude problems have come with the Rays dilly dalling and not finding a place for them when they have been more than ready for a while now.

 

true. they need to send the three of hem up so they get a taste and they are ready. and also some of the vets will set them in their place and that should help the 3 mature.

BJ Upton should be a mainstay at 3B, hopefully he does well there. An outfield of Crawford/Baldelli/Young is just WOW. Dukes may still be left out sadly. Bring up Bankston and Brignac when their time comes and dang thats just a very nice IF, going along with Upton and Cantu.

 

Adding onto what I said, not only did the Rays make no concernable effort to find places for them, while scrubs like Gathright and Hollins got more than a few opportunities, as well as Huff...whom I like...but over the last few seasons has struggled at different times.

I agree with you Spike..... I think the Rays would be better right now if they bring up Young, Bankston and Guzman.... I guess they plan on playing Guzman at 1st and 3rd, so he may end up in Bankston's way. If not for this latest development with Dukes, they could have an outfield of Crawford, Young and Dukes and perhaps trade Rocco for some pitching. That is going to be their big need. Theyve got some good ones in the minors right now who aren't ready. I think they could just hold onto Crawford and Cantu and be better and definitely more interesting to watch. I'd definitely be interested

Niemann and Hammell will be up soon enough. Who knows, maybe the smaller deals which brought in Talbot and Howell will fit into a nice little rotation after Kazmir whos their #1, potentially for a decade.

 

Once the young players gel, much like this Marlins team, the D-Rays will be quite a good team.

Dukes for Jeff Allison???

 

:whistle

I read that they were going to play Guzman at first and third, but he played in left field tonight. Keep things going, call up Bankston and get Travis Lee out of the lineup. A guy who hits .208 is going to run out of chances sooner or later whether he can play great defense or not. They should start their youth movement and market it as such and try to get more people to the park to see what the future may hold. Plus, free parking is pretty nice.

He must be really good for the Rays to keep him soooooooooooooooooo long

 

 

they must feel like this: :banghead

I also blame Tampa management for this, Young and Dukes should have started the year with the big club, come on they had Gathright in centre. These guys must look to the Marlins' centre field situation and want to scream, they know in almost any real organisation they would either be starting now or have been traded and starting elsewhere. Hopefully Tampa doesn't leave him to rot, and trades him to somewhere who may actually give a sh*t.

Dukes Heads Home

 

Outfielder considers baseball future after another suspension

 

By Chris Kline

E-mail this article

August 1, 2006 Print this article

 

 

As the Devil Rays' world turned this week, it looked like the news would be good for the talented prospects at Triple-A Durham, with B.J. Upton getting his long-awaited promotion to the big leagues.

 

It didn't take long for things to turn sour again, however, with the club announcing on Tuesday that it was suspending outfielder Elijah Dukes indefinitely, and Dukes responding that he might be through with baseball.

 

The Devil Rays said in a release that they were suspending Dukes indefinitely "pending a review of the incident which led to his suspension by the International League." The 22-year-old outfielder was suspended for five games by the IL after arguing balls and strikes on July 25, a matter that wouldn't seem to require a lot of further review. He had been scheduled to return to the lineup at Triple-A Durham Tuesday night.

 

It was Dukes' second suspension of the season, and he was also placed on the temporarily inactive list in May after he was involved in an argument with Bulls hitting coach Richie Hebner. A week before the second suspension, Dukes and Bulls manager John Tamargo got into a heated argument in the dugout after the outfielder ran through a stop sign at third base.

 

"I have no idea when or if I'll be back," Dukes said in a telephone interview. "I packed up all my stuff and I'm headed home. To be honest, I don't even know about baseball anymore. Everything is just wearing on me and this year has just been so frustrating. I'm trying to keep my nose clean and keep to myself, but things just keep getting turned around. I'm tired of it."

 

The Devil Rays declined to comment on Dukes' suspension, but a spokesman said the team would release a statement regarding Dukes soon.

 

Dukes is a five-tool outfielder who was recruited heavily as a linebacker out of Hillsborough High in Tampa, and he said he is contemplating his future as a baseball player.

 

"I just don't know about baseball anymore," he said. "All this stuff keeps following me and now this. I'm tired of it. I don't know if I'm coming back or what. I don't know about the (Arizona) Fall League. I don't know about anything other than I'm going home.

 

"I'm not saying I should have tried to get to the NFL, but maybe I should have done something else."

 

Dukes came into spring training with an optimistic outlook, and he talked in a Baseball America story before the season about his tough upbringing and previous clashes with authority and how he wanted to put it all behind him. Both he and the Devil Rays looked forward to a breakout year for Dukes and the continued development of Upton and outfielder Delmon Young at Durham.

 

It hasn't worked out that way. All three have run into problems either off the field or on, and it has been a bad year from both a development and public-relations standpoint for the players and the Devil Rays and Bulls. Young gained national attention for throwing a bat at an umpire in May and earning a 50-game suspension, while Upton was charged with driving while impaired in June.

 

The latest pothole came last week in a USA Today story reviewing the problems the three players have had this season. The story focuses on the players' bitterness about not being in the big leagues and quotes Dukes criticizing conditions in Durham, saying in part, "Those guys up there (in the big leagues) shower in Evian. Here, we use sewer water."

 

Dukes says he was misquoted by another reporter who's trying to make him and his teammates look bad.

 

"I love playing in Triple-A and I'm not (ticked) off about not being in the big leagues," he said. "If they want to give me a 10-year contract to play in Durham, I'd do it. I never said anything about my uniform being dirty or whatever. It's a joke."

 

Dukes has avoided trouble away from baseball this year, but repeated disciplinary action from the Devil Rays shows he and the organization still aren't seeing eye to eye.

 

"It's all the same thing," Dukes said. "They've all been saying that I'm a bad influence on those two guys for two years. I didn't room with Delmon this year (Dukes was Young's roommate at Double-A Montgomery in 2005), but still I'm the bad apple.

 

"I didn't tell Delmon to throw his bat at that umpire. I didn't tell B.J. to go driving his car after he had some drinks. I don't even hang out with those guys. It was always just me in my apartment after games or whatever. I think I went out twice and both times I got a cab because I don't need any more hassle than I already have on me

I would go for that trade in a heartbeat

Yusmeiro Petit for Elijah Dukes :whistle

I also blame Tampa management for this, Young and Dukes should have started the year with the big club, come on they had Gathright in centre. These guys must look to the Marlins' centre field situation and want to scream, they know in almost any real organisation they would either be starting now or have been traded and starting elsewhere. Hopefully Tampa doesn't leave him to rot, and trades him to somewhere who may actually give a sh*t.

 

I agree with you there Gathright shouldn't have started in center it's obvious that he can amount to nothing more than a Juan Pierre clone.