The Nats won't get wins
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Even I cant argue that this (Dukes release) doesnt have atleast some failure to it.
We, as fans, had some high hopes for him this season as he performed well last year once he was recalled from Syracuse. He was even using what I would call the "right" rhetoric to generate a sense of belief in him once the season was over. This, to me, smells too much like off the field issues that Riggleman has already says isnt the issue. If its not the case, then why not send him back to Syracuse to start out the year since he has 1 more option left? Plus he is only making 400k .....
Wow. Elijah Dukes? released? whew.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Elijah Dukes GM Handbook
http://twitter.com/masnBen/status/10626843836Quote:
Rizzo said the #Nats made many attempts to trade Dukes, but could not find an interested team
And you can't play a guy like that. Not even as a 4th outfielder. Not where your starters are:
Josh Willingham
Nyjer Morgan
Willie Harris
Justin Maxwell
Roger Bernadina
Ok - Willingham is decent. Morgan a speedy one. Harris is passable, right? So worst case scenrio, Dukes as a 4th OF'er and PH? And if he pulls it all together this year - or even platoons well - he could get to a starter role.
I've never heard of Maxwell or Bernadina...are these better options that Dukes?? I cannot conceptually get this move into my brain.
Maxwell probably deserves a shot.
He's big, he's fast. He strikes out a ton. Has some pop. His upside would be something like well...Elijah Dukes but less refined.
Bernadina is a fast CFer who doesn't hit.
Over the last two years, Maxwell has basically done in AAA what Dukes has done in the majors.
The only thing that might make sense is if they decided that Dukes was going to be the 4th outfielder, but that he didn't want to accept that role. The difference between Dukes and the next option as a 4th outfielder would probably be less than a win, and that might not have been worth the headaches they expected him to cause.
Keeping in line with the Nats/Dukes/Failure line of thinking, don't forget Willy Tavares is a Nat now (although I don't know that him or Morgan have a RF arm), and I've seen rumors about the Nats' interest in Jermaine Dye.