Elijah Dukes Arrested For Hitting Pregnant Woman-- How Fly...

[Nat of the Living Dead]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/03/03/AR2011030302118.html

TAMPA, Fla. -- Former Major League Baseball player Elijah Dukes is accused of aggravated battery of a pregnant woman.

Hillsborough County Jail records show Dukes is being held without bond after his arrest Wednesday. He also was arrested on charges of driving with a license that has been suspended or revoked and a contempt of court warrant.

Dukes began his career with the Tampa Bay Rays and was traded to the Washington Nationals in 2008. He was released before the 2010.

Dukes signed last June with the independent Newark Bears of the Atlantic League.

Jail records did not indicate whether Dukes has an attorney. Attorney Grady Irvin Jr. says he no longer represents Dukes.

Bum.

[PANatsFan]

Cue Chris Rock: "Whose baby is this? Not my baby!"

Seriously, some people are beyond help.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

It is nice to see the money and time we put into Dmitri Young's mentorship was well spent.

[Tyler Durden]

Wow this guy has serious problems.

I wonder if it will ever get out what he did to get cut so unexpectedly. 

[Lintyfresh85]

My theory is that the Nats cut him because they knew if they sent him to the minors he'd have to go to jail because he wouldn't make enough to pay child support.

At least if he could latch on to another team on the major league level, he'd make enough to pay the bills.

So, when they decided they weren't going to keep him on the major league roster... instead of risking him ending up in jail due to finances they let him go to give him a shot at avoiding jail time.

[PowerBoater69]

My theory is that the Nats cut him because they knew if they sent him to the minors he'd have to go to jail because he wouldn't make enough to pay child support.

At least if he could latch on to another team on the major league level, he'd make enough to pay the bills.

So, when they decided they weren't going to keep him on the major league roster... instead of risking him ending up in jail due to finances they let him go to give him a shot at avoiding jail time.

Why would Rizzo care what happens to this bum?  He was fired because he was not ready to play at a professional level and in any case we should have never signed him to begin with.

Don't worry about Fly Eli, young tough guy like him, he'll thrive in prison.

[Lintyfresh85]

Why would Rizzo care what happens to this bum?  He was fired because he was not ready to play at a professional level and in any case we should have never signed him to begin with.

Don't worry about Fly Eli, young tough guy like him, he'll thrive in prison.

He'd care because he knew if the Nats kept him, he'd go to jail anyways. Why waste the roster spot?



Just my opinion based on absolutely nothing.

[Tyler Durden]

My theory is that the Nats cut him because they knew if they sent him to the minors he'd have to go to jail because he wouldn't make enough to pay child support.

At least if he could latch on to another team on the major league level, he'd make enough to pay the bills.

So, when they decided they weren't going to keep him on the major league roster... instead of risking him ending up in jail due to finances they let him go to give him a shot at avoiding jail time.

If this is the case, I don't think it would have been as much of a surprise to see him cut.  I think many people were expecting him to be our starting RF, not battling for the 5th OF spot or 25th man.

My theory is that there was an incident that occurred that the team has managed to keep quiet so far and that it was severe enough to cause to immediate cessation of ties to him.

[PowerBoater69]

He'd care because he knew if the Nats kept him, he'd go to jail anyways. Why waste the roster spot?

What I meant was, why would Rizzo care what happens to Dukes after he got cut, obviously he wanted Eli off the team as soon it became clear that no other team had the slightest interest in taking on Bowden's greatest folly.

[PANatsFan]

What I meant was, why would Rizzo care what happens to Dukes after he got cut, obviously he wanted Eli off the team as soon it became clear that no other team had the slightest interest in taking on Bowden's greatest folly.

Colten Willems was Bowden's greatest folly. Dukes cost nothing.

[hammondsnats]

surprised PA isn't blaming Kasten on this

Such a sad tragedy really.  Kid had talent, but nobodys home upstairs.

[spidernat]

It is nice to see the money and time we put into Dmitri Young's mentorship was well spent.

   Young's smile didn't have the same impact on Dukes as it had on the Nats record.

AZ interprets this as Dukes not liking women because he prefers men.

[Tyler Durden]

Colten Willems was Bowden's greatest folly. Dukes cost nothing.

What about credibility, pride, self respect?  Dukes is known now and forevermore as 'former Nationals outfielder Elijah Dukes.' 

Willems was just a failed prospect.  We've had plenty of those.

This is a team with basically no recent history.  So to much of the world, at least to non-hardcore baseball fans, we're known as perennial losers and now Elijah 'Fly Eli' Dukes' former team.

[PowerBoater69]

Colten Willems was Bowden's greatest folly. Dukes cost nothing.

Willems was a pitching prospect out of high school, the highest risk choice for a draft pick, the success rate for these guys is about 20%.  He wasn't even a high 1st rounder. 

[JMW IV]

eh, whatever.  what an idiot.

[GburgNatsFan]

I'm pretty sure Dukes got cut because Rizzo, after attending Dukes' father's funeral, thought he had an agreement with Dukes that he'd play winter ball. Dukes decided not to.

[ZIM4MVP]

Charlie Sheen > Elijah Dukes

[Nat of the Living Dead]

Charlie Sheen > Elijah Dukes

THIS. #tigerblood

AZ interprets this as Dukes not liking women because he prefers men.

I almost wish Joe was still here just so I can hear him try to explain how electrifying it is to hit women.

[NatsDad14]

What I meant was, why would Rizzo care what happens to Dukes after he got cut, obviously he wanted Eli off the team as soon it became clear that no other team had the slightest interest in taking on Bowden's greatest folly.

Dukes was hardly his greatest folly. The team got a productive year out of Dukes. That is more than can be said about Kearns or LoDuca.

[PowerBoater69]

Dukes was hardly his greatest folly. The team got a productive year out of Dukes. That is more than can be said about Kearns or LoDuca.

Kearns and LoDuca at least had a chance of working out.  Dukes was a dead end from day one, even if he was a three year All-Star, it was a given that at some point he was going to slap up a pregnant chick.

[HalfSmokes]

LoDuca was terrible form the start, he probably brought more value to the team during his time on the booth than in the field

[Tyler Durden]

Arguing about Bowden's biggest mistake is a tough road to go down.  It's like a never-ending trail of tears.  If we're going to go there, I need to get my bottle of whiskey ready.

[PANatsFan]

LoDuca was terrible form the start, he probably brought more value to the team during his time on the booth than in the field

LoDuca's good attitude was worth more than Kearns and Willems combined.

[PowerBoater69]

LoDuca was terrible form the start, he probably brought more value to the team during his time on the booth than in the field

There's no argument that LoDuca wasn't a bad signing, just that we needed a catcher and the top players generally aren't lining up to come here.  Bowden signed the guy out of desperation and LoDuca was then outed as a roid head who then fell apart physically after going off the juice.  At the time of the signing LoDuca made more sense than Dukes ever did.

[Tyler Durden]

My eyes are starting to bleed reading this argument over whether Dukes or LoDuca was worse.