The Nationals: could this team be any worse? / Eli Dukes' situation handled innapropriately?

[billyhallfan]

Could this team be any worse?

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Nationals-bench-Dukes-after-Little-League-relate?urn=mlb,157410

 

Not just the performance on the field, but the organization as a whole, I just wonder what Stephen Strasburg will do to try and not be on the Nationals...He could stay another year at SDSU...

 

 

(edit: title --1992)

[razzzorsharp]

I hear Montreal needs a team.

[stoutdude04]

Look at the unis on the bottom. With Dunn and such...funny

[logan82]

Can't expect much when the manager is starting Austin Kearns over Dukes as much as they are. As of right now they have given Dukes 6 starts and Kearns 7.

[billyhallfan]

Acta can't have a job through the month of may.

[pretendastronaut]

Wow, I really didn't expect an article of that much absurdity when I clicked the link. I kind of forgot Stan Kasten was the president over there. He was pretty respected in Atlanta, but that ship is just embarrassing.

[Hart Of Milwaukee]

Could this team be any worse?

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Nationals-bench-Dukes-after-Little-League-relate?urn=mlb,157410

 

Not just the performance on the field, but the organization as a whole, I just wonder what Stephen Strasburg will do to try and not be on the Nationals...He could stay another year at SDSU...

The only problem is theyll probably land the worst record this year too.

[Marc Newfield of Dreams]

I've always wondered if the DC market can support a team.

 

I tend to think it cannot long term. Proximity to the Orioles aside, there are not a lot of "DC Natives." It has to be hard to establish a solid fanbase when a good portion of the population are transplants. And being in the NL takes away the Yanks/Boston games that would likely sell out at least 6 times per yr.

 

It'll be interesting to see how that goes. The ballpark looks fantastic, and I'd like to see them become competitive.

[valpocrewsader]

The Dukes stuff in the article sounds pretty one-sided. I wouldn't be surprised if in actuality there was ample time to go from charity work to the ballpark but Dukes horsed around and ended up being late. I also wouldn't be surprised if in actuality it was more than 5 minutes. Maybe he did some charity work, played some video games, stopped at an Arby's, and strolled in 15 minutes late. I could see that, and I could see a sports writer spinning that into something like this just to make a story, too.

 

The "Natinals" thing is pretty funny. And those statues look like a horror movie -- just terrible.

[RU Rah Rah]

I've always wondered if the DC market can support a team.

 

I tend to think it cannot long term. Proximity to the Orioles aside, there are not a lot of "DC Natives." It has to be hard to establish a solid fanbase when a good portion of the population are transplants. And being in the NL takes away the Yanks/Boston games that would likely sell out at least 6 times per yr.

 

It'll be interesting to see how that goes. The ballpark looks fantastic, and I'd like to see them become competitive.

I have a good friend who lives in Vienna, in northern VA. He's a baseball fan, and he was ecstatic when the Expos moved -- it meant that he wouldn't have to handle the ordeal of getting back and forth to Camden Yards to see MLB games. I think there are a lot of people like him, especially in northern VA, which is really growing in terms of overall population.

 

The problem is the franchise itself, which is not just dreadful -- it's bordering on downright embarrassing. As long as they stink, people are going to go to Wolf Trap or whatever instead of the ballpark. (I don't think the average DC-area fan experiences blind geographic loyalty.)

[Fatter than Joey]

The Dukes stuff in the article sounds pretty one-sided.

 

That was my interpretation as well... Not many people can stroll into work late, and then expect to get off the hook because they were doing "charity work".

 

I was impressed that Dukes is seeming to try to get his personal life on track.

[endaround]

My guess is Dukes has "zeroo tolerance" policy in place. And its not like playing Dukes over Kearns will make a huge difference for the Nats' season and Kearns playing well means more to the Nats because they can trade him.

[Invader3K]

This just seems like one of those stories the Nats should have kept under wraps, whether or not they decided to discipline him. Edit: Worth noting that the Nats just agreed to a five year extension, worth $45 million, with Ryan Zimmerman. MLB Trade Rumors has the story up on it. I suppose it's debatable whether it's a good move for them at this stage, but at least you can't say they aren't spending some money.

[CrewDood]

I've always wondered if the DC market can support a team.

 

I tend to think it cannot long term. Proximity to the Orioles aside, there are not a lot of "DC Natives." It has to be hard to establish a solid fanbase when a good portion of the population are transplants. And being in the NL takes away the Yanks/Boston games that would likely sell out at least 6 times per yr.

 

It'll be interesting to see how that goes. The ballpark looks fantastic, and I'd like to see them become competitive.

I guess the third time here is not the charm...

[CheezWizHed]

Cool! Can we get a 4 armed pitcher too???

 

Sort of unrelated: A parking lot near where I work, just put up some temporary signs so you can remember where you park (Fastenal was having a big shin-dig with Dale Ernheart Jr's Nascar, blah blah blah...). Each sign had a letter and a sport team that starts with that letter.

 

I had to laugh when I saw E for Expos... Brand new signs too! And they didn't even use the whole alphabet either (no P for Packers, V for Vikings, T for Twins, but did have B for Bears instead of Brewers). Just goes to show a lack of respect (or recognition) for the Nationals.

[RobertR]

My guess is Dukes has "zeroo tolerance" policy in place. And its not like playing Dukes over Kearns will make a huge difference for the Nats' season and Kearns playing well means more to the Nats because they can trade him.

 

This is why Zero Tolerance policies are dumb. You want to fine him for being late, then that's fine. Benching him and threatening to send him to the minors, as allegedly happened, is simply not seeing the big picture.

 

Since Dukes doesn't pitch, it doesn't make a big difference in the record, but that's no excuse for behaving like a hall monitor with delusions of grandeur. Dukes has a much higher upside than Kearns does at this point, so developing him is a high priority. There's probably enough playing time to go around, especially since Dukes can play multiple positions, so I'm not buying the lack of playing time on anything other than shortsightedness.

 

Robert

[PlayerHader]

Well they just pinch hit for their pitcher with runners on 2nd and 3rd with two outs in the bottom of the 6th. They put in Alex frickin Cintron who flied out to center. Their starter had 72 pitches, 51 for strikes and the only runs he gave up came on a 2-run homerun to Matt Diaz. It was Wisconsin native, Jordan Zimmermann, making his ML debut. If their bullpen blows this, I'd be disgusted as a Nat's fan.

 

BTW, Zimmermann was pumping fastballs in at 94/95 all night. Very nice slider, curve and even a nice change or 2. Looks like they might have something to look forward to anyway.

 

After cooling down and taking off my Jordan Zimmermann fan club glasses, I realize that it wasn't such a dumb move, especially if it works. That said, I'd have kept him in. He was really cruising the last few innings.

[logan82]

That is a tough call to make. The score was 2-3 Nat's correct?

 

 

And its not like playing Dukes over Kearns will make a huge difference for the Nats' season and Kearns playing well means more to the Nats because they can trade him.

 

Then why call up Dukes to spend half his season on the bench? Is he out of options?

[PlayerHader]

Yeah, they were up 3-2. So far so good, though. They have the lead yet in the top of the 9th. Zimmie should get the win if Hanrahan can hold them.

[liveforoctober]

I understand that a one game benching and a $500 fine isn't that big of a deal for a major league baseball player... but I can't help but get a bad taste in my mouth for what Nationals' management did in this instance. Here is a kid who has had noted off and on the field issues in the past... he is paid a very modest $500 to go speak at a little league baseball grand opening of some sorts... there is a parade that he has to sit through, then talks to the kids... reports say he took off sprinting to his car because he knew he might be late.

 

Now, to be fair... I have no idea what Manny Acta and the Nationals' top layer said to him. It could very well have been "Listen, we love what you did today. We thought it was great you were trying to help out those kids and be an example and we encourage these types of acts in every regard, but we do have rules that we shouldn't bend and although you have a legitimate reason as to why we should let this go... we have to be fair to everyone, so here is your punishment..." but the way Manny Acta pulled off the whole macho man "We are changing the culture around here" nonesense... I really don't think that is what happened.

 

Is it just me or did they handle this completely wrong?

 

 

**edit** And for the record... I absolutely love that the Little League where Dukes spoke is stepping up and paying the fine. They are sending a message to Dukes that he really did do a great thing and they are also sending a message to Nationals' management that 2-10 isn't their biggest problem right now... love it.**

[zurch1818]

The "Natinals" thing is pretty funny.

http://cdn.faniq.com/images/blog/997d8054bdd3614e617cc13f998e08d9.jpg

[Teatoe993]

When I first got wind of this situation was last weekend reading the little ticker on MLB Network. It read something along the lines of "Dukes fined $500K for arriving late to team meeting" or something along those lines. I immediately went to my computer to try to find more info on the story because I thought fining a guy $500,000 was absolutely insane. I was a little disappointed to find out later on that it was only $500. Based on the information the public has been given, I think Dukes wasn't given a fair deal. I highly doubt Acta will still have his job by June anyway.

[WV Brew]

Lastings Milledge blew off two practices and was sent to AAA earlier. I'm sure the remaining players were read the riot act. They had been warned. With Dukes' previous behavior, he should have been on better behavior.

[liveforoctober]

With Dukes' previous behavior, he should have been on better behavior.

Better behavior? I have to disagree. He was speaking at the opening of a local little league season. He's making the Nationals look good and trying to clean up his own image. That is probably in the definition of GOOD behavior.

[jaybird2001wi]

The Nationals should be ripped on with this deal in every way. They are struggling to find an identity in Washington, they are trying to find their franchise player to lead the team, they are playing lousy and they fine a guy $500 for being a positive representative of the franchise in the community? A guy showing minutes late after being a positive representative to the franchise is the problem? Their losing and struggles to find that franchise player are not the problem?

I can see Dukes being fined if his date with a woman ran late or that he overslept because of a faulty alarm clock, but he was doing this as part of a positive image to the FRANCHISE and they fined him? In a sense his appearance at the Little League function is a part of team business because as I stated before, he represented the team as a member of the Washington Nationals.