Nats release Elijah Dukes

[LastingsMilledge85]

Wow, I'm surprised he was released without even getting a chance for the 2010 season.

[platinum1]

Wow, I'm surprised he was released without even getting a chance for the 2010 season.

WOW I dont understand this move but I do hope the White Sox give him a spot.

[allstarsplus]

WOW I dont understand this move but I do hope the White Sox give him a spot.

I have represented Elijah for his game used and I am shocked by this. Hoping to talk to Elijah tonight.

He makes $440,000 which is slightly above the league minimum so it isn't like his salary is much of a gamble.

[kellsox]

Quick releases of players with salaries that low are usually justified- he must have really pissed someone off or done something seriously wrong. His rap sheet sure points to that- kind of a bad dude if you ask me

[allstarsplus]

Quick releases of players with salaries that low are usually justified- he must have really pissed someone off or done something seriously wrong. His rap sheet sure points to that- kind of a bad dude if you ask me

He isn't a choir boy but if you grew up for years in a shelter and your mom sold crack and your dad murdered the crack dealer when you were 10 years old it kind of affects your childhood development.

I decided not to pre-judge Elijah when I met him upon coming to Washington in 2008. I liked him and tried to be a mentor to him. He had a spotless record for behavior in Washington and was cited 1 time for being late to the clubhouse---his excuse was verified that he was helping a local Little League team and the time ran over.

Some people can change. Some cannot. I just hope this doesn't put him in a bad place.

Cut the guy a break and include him in your thoughts and prayers.

[LastingsMilledge85]

Rizzo has said that he wants "baseball" people on the team and didn't want guys with bad on field attitudes hence the trading of Lastings Milledge. Whether Elijah has a bad attitude towards the game is unknown to me. In 2008 he did provoke fans on camera at a game at Shea Stadium, but he did change a lot in 2009 which was a wake up call year for him after being exiled to the minor leagues. Good luck to he and whoever fills in. I'm a Maxwell fan and maybe we could see Desmond in right if Maxwell and Bernie can't succeed. Desmond looks like the real deal.

[dcgreg25]

He isn't a choir boy but if you grew up for years in a shelter and your mom sold crack and your dad murdered the crack dealer when you were 10 years old it kind of affects your childhood development.

Some people can change. Some cannot. I just hope this doesn't put him in a bad place.

Cut the guy a break and include him in your thoughts and prayers.

Well said Andrew. Clearly something happened here to cause the release. None of us know what happened or his situation. Good, bad or ugly it will come out.

[dcgreg25]

The latest on the story courtesy of the Washington Post:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/nat..._released.html

The story (and the Nationals) call it a "strictly baseball decision" and seem adamant that there was nothing off the field. The story implies some potential clubhouse issues but hopefully Dukes can catch on somewhere else.

[LastingsMilledge85]

Riggleman certainly doesn't sound like he was a Dukes fan calling him great. If he was "great", why would you release him? As I said earlier, this is Rizzo making a move to keep "baseball" guys on this team and dispose of those who don't have a "baseball" mentality. Dukes will certainly find a home, I'm going to bet on the Royals, but I have no clue.

[sox83cubs84]

Those like Andrew who know him better can maybe refute the press' reports about him, but from what I've read in baseball-related papers and have been exposed to on talk radio and the Internet, Dukes seems to usually be portrayed as an apprentice Milton Bradley.

Dave M.
Chicago area