Nats looking @ Elijah Dukes...

[Air Zimmerman]

BRING DUKES TO DC!

He can finally be the stability at CF that we are craving. Dukes can also bat lead-off, a power hitter like him at lead-off would be dangerous. Give the guy a chance, he needs a change of scenery.

I support Dukes 100% and would love to see him rocking the navy red and gold.

You guys need to realize the talent this guy has. I watched a D-Rays game vs the Yankees, and he hit a laser line drive home run effortlessly. The ball never went more than 10 feet in the air, he is a beast.

[saltydad]

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"Can't we, well, you know..."

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"Remember me?  I was a U.S. Astronaut!  I am completely sane!"

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[Air Zimmerman]

By the way, his 10 homers would lead the team.

[2k6nats]

By the way, his 10 homers would lead the team.

Thank you for using some common sense here.  I can't believe that anyone here would think he wouldn't be an improvement.

[UMDNats]

Dukes is hitting .199, has attitude problems, but does have power.

There's no reason to trade Balester or Flores for this kid. He'd probably hurt our team chemistry. He would add some pop, but the long-term risks are pretty high.

[shoeshineboy]

Thank you for using some common sense here.  I can't believe that anyone here would think he wouldn't be an improvement.

Also, while minor league performance is not a guarantee of anything, numbers that younger players put up in the minors are the best indicators of a player's potential. Dukes has consistently put up solid numbers, batting close to .300 with a .400 OBP while hitting with power and stealing bases.

[JMW IV]

I hope that everyone against duke also can't wait to get rid of dmitri young

[PC]

This is the worst idea I've ever heard, really.  I can't believe anybody would take the risk of adding a player who's accused of threatening to kill his wife and children and then sending her a email with a picture of him with a gun!  He makes adding Terrell Owens to your team look like a good idea.

Just considering it, is probably corrosive to team chemistry, without him even being on the roster!

[natsfan1a]

I think a notable difference is that Young reportedly had behavioral issues due to substance abuse and untreated diabetes, both of which he dealt with before being called up by the Nats. I recall reading about only one isolated incident in Young's case rather than a string of incidents as in Duke's case. And we hear only good things about Dmitri's clubhouse presence and influence. That said, I was also apprehensive about Young when he was first signed.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

"Let he who lives without sin cast the first stone."


Jesus says, "Bring it on, nag!"

[JMW IV]

I think a notable difference is that Young reportedly had behavioral issues due to substance abuse and untreated diabetes, both of which he dealt with before being called up by the Nats. I recall reading about only one isolated incident in Young's case rather than a string of incidents as in Duke's case. And we hear only good things about Dmitri's clubhouse presence and influence. That said, I was also apprehensive about Young when he was first signed.

I have no opinion either way, because I don't even know who Elijah Dukes is.

however, if we are going to be making personnel recommendations based purely on character, then the standard should apply for everyone.

Disclaimer: the following is not directed at anyone in particular -

most people here, as far as I know, are not opposed to Young as our AS representative, but are opposed to Dukes even coming here.

Dukes threatened his wife...Young actually hurt his. (as far as I know).  if we are judging by morals, neither should be on this team.

i'm just saying, be consistant if you are going to play the character card..  if one is not worthy of a second chance, then neither is another.

[nospinzone1]

Due to the geographic borders in this area, Dukes has the potential to become involved in domestic relations court cases in as few or as many as seven or more jurisdictions here:
1. DC
2. Prince Georges Co., MD
3. Montgomery Co, MD
4. Arlington, VA
5. Fairfax, VA
6. Alexandria, VA
7. Falls Church, VA

In addition to any time missed from MLB suspensions, the team would also have to consider how many games he'd miss because of court dates, and the need to travel for them.

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you are not kidding

[nospinzone1]

"Let he who lives without sin cast the first stone."

(Image removed from quote.)
Jesus says, "Bring it on, nag!"

blasphemous. even the jewish prince takes ofense to taking the name of Jesus in vain.

[nospinzone1]

I have no opinion either way, because I don't even know who Elijah Dukes is.

however, if we are going to be making personnel recommendations based purely on character, then the standard should apply for everyone.

Disclaimer: the following is not directed at anyone in particular -

most people here, as far as I know, are not opposed to Young as our AS representative, but are opposed to Dukes even coming here.

Dukes threatened his wife...Young actually hurt his. (as far as I know).  if we are judging by morals, neither should be on this team.

i'm just saying, be consistant if you are going to play the character card..  if one is not worthy of a second chance, then neither is another.

I was not awre of Young hurting his wife. Can you refresh our memories, please?

[Dave B]

BRING DUKES TO DC!

He can finally be the stability at CF that we are craving. Dukes can also bat lead-off, a power hitter like him at lead-off would be dangerous. Give the guy a chance, he needs a change of scenery.

I support Dukes 100% and would love to see him rocking the navy red and gold.

You guys need to realize the talent this guy has. I watched a D-Rays game vs the Yankees, and he hit a laser line drive home run effortlessly. The ball never went more than 10 feet in the air, he is a beast.

fricking laser

april 5th

http://tampabay.devilrays.mlb.com/multimedia/tp_archive.jsp?c_id=tb&ym=200704

[Nat of the Living Dead]

blasphemous.

[JMW IV]

I was not awre of Young hurting his wife. Can you refresh our memories, please?

sorry, not his wife. his girlfriend.

Former Tigers DH Young sentenced to probation

Associated Press

Updated: September 26, 2006, 3:38 PM ET

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    * Print

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. -- Former Detroit Tigers player Dmitri Young was sentenced Tuesday to a year of probation for assaulting his former girlfriend.

Young pleaded no contest in June to a domestic violence charge but changed his plea to guilty Tuesday so the case can be dismissed in a year. He was accused of assaulting 21-year-old Michelle Schumaker of Toledo, Ohio, at a Birmingham hotel April 14. Young had faced up to three months in jail and a $500 fine.

"I'm sorry that the incident happened," Young told Judge Diane D'Agostini. He then turned to Schumaker and said, "Michelle, I'd like to apologize for what happened and I wish you the best of luck."

D'Agostini denied Young's request to complete his probation in his home state of California or to travel to Florida to visit family.

The Tigers released the designated hitter Sept. 6. He spent 30 days at a California rehabilitation center this summer for depression and alcohol abuse.

Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2603471

[PC]

most people here, as far as I know, are not opposed to Young as our AS representative, but are opposed to Dukes even coming here.

Dukes threatened his wife...Young actually hurt his. (as far as I know).  if we are judging by morals, neither should be on this team.

i'm just saying, be consistant if you are going to play the character card..  if one is not worthy of a second chance, then neither is another.

For me, one of the problems with Dukes is that his accusations are SO new and there's nothing to mitigate them.  They just recently happened, a, and b, he's hasn't played long enough or well enough for his play to compensate the risk.

There's nothing to indicate that this just isn't who he is.  I'll throw in another, probably better football example than Terrell Owens.  Lawrence Phillips would be the more accurate comparison to Dukes.  Some people are just bad and can't be fixed.

[nats2playoffs]

...Young actually hurt his. (as far as I know).  if we are judging by morals, neither should be on this team.

Young's side of the story was that his girlfriend was going crazy and hitting him.  He said that he held her down to stop her from hitting him, which caused bruises on her arms (which she played for all it was worth.)  Unlike Dukes, I don't think there was any evidence that he was threatening to kill his ex-wife and children. 

It is notable that Young's ex-wife, (not the woman who made the domestic relations claim), got him to the emergency room when his blood sugar went off the charts last winter, which should have killed him.  He learned through his stay in intensive care that he had diabetes.  He had already been in rehab for alcohol in 2006.  I'm kind of amazed that no medical testing would have found diabetes before, but many people don't contract it until middle age.

So the two big differences between Dukes and Young are:
1. Young has a much better batting average, and
2. Young nearly died and was saved by his ex-wife, whereas Dukes repeatedly threatened to kill his ex-wife.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

"Hi! I'm Darryl Strawberry!  I did crack and I am an acting ambassador to the game!  I was at the 2007 Draft and you weren't!"

[Kenz aFan]

Why shouldn't we care about character issues. These guys have to be together eight monthes out of the year. Dukes has shown a good nack at being selfish and the team should look into it and decide if it is just a young guy making a mistake or if he won't change before any trade is made. I have faith in Manny Acta to be able to get most people to fly straight, but there are just some people that won't change. Dukes very well could end up like John Rocker who the Braves dumped off to Cleveland at a young age, but he never got his head straight to become a good teammate. Who knows what will happen with Dukes. The talent is great, but the patern is also alarming. If this is truly a bargain dump them we should provide the place for him to be dumped.

A man much wiser than I once said, "There are no bad boys. There is only bad environment, bad training, bad example, bad thinking." and to me, Dukes is a victim of all 4 bads quoted. There's no arguing that he has a ton of talent, but comparing him to any kind of low life is just plain one hundred percent wrong. In the Devil Rays minor league system, he had guys like Delmon Young to help influence him along the way, not the best roll model to have. I truly believe Dukes is a product of his environment. The Nats organization is filled with class players and coaches, those that had any problems turned it around because of the people around them, so I would fully expect that Dukes would turn things around as well.

I have a long time friend, who when he was in his late teens to mid 20's, was expected by everyone who knew him, to end up dead or in prison. But he changed his circle of friends, and is today one of the most respected people in the community. People are people no matter where they are, and people can help change people. With that thought, I would prefer it was the Nats that helped make Elijah Dukes a better person and reap the rewards, not some other team.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

This is ridiculous and I completely agree with JMAD.

Young, has had problems and there is no guarntee that they will not come back so we might as well stop pretending he is some "just add water-Jesus."  He has well documented issues as does Dukes.  They are in the same freaking boat.

Also, have we forgotten the pink elephant demons in JimBo's closet?

Ronnie Belliard impregnated some guy's wife (who miscarriaged).  Oh, Belliard was married and had two kids of his own at the time too.

[natsfan1a]

Thanks for showing us the other side of the story. It is interesting that the diabetes wasn't detected earlier, but as you say it doesn't always come on until middle age. Wonder whether Dmitri has ever done any PSA's re. diabetes? If not, that would be a cool thing for him to do.

Young's side of the story was that his girlfriend was going crazy and hitting him.  He said that he held her down to stop her from hitting him, which caused bruises on her arms (which she played for all it was worth.)  Unlike Dukes, I don't think there was any evidence that he was threatening to kill his ex-wife and children. 

It is notable that Young's ex-wife, (not the woman who made the domestic relations claim), got him to the emergency room when his blood sugar went off the charts last winter, which should have killed him.  He learned through his stay in intensive care that he had diabetes.  He had already been in rehab for alcohol in 2006.  I'm kind of amazed that no medical testing would have found diabetes before, but many people don't contract it until middle age.

So the two big differences between Dukes and Young are:
1. Young has a much better batting average, and
2. Young nearly died and was saved by his ex-wife, whereas Dukes repeatedly threatened to kill his ex-wife.

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[2k6nats]

fricking laser

april 5th

http://tampabay.devilrays.mlb.com/multimedia/tp_archive.jsp?c_id=tb&ym=200704

Try April 29th.  This guy has some POP.

[PC]

Young and Belliard were free agents.  All they cost was money.

We'd actually have to give up a player/players to get Dukes.  Who are you going to tell, "Despite the fact that you haven't threatened to kill your wife and children, I'm going to trade you for a player who HAS threatened to kill his wife and children, on the off-chance that he doesn't turn out to be a sociopath"?