Sure, he has some flaws, in his swing and in his character, but does Elijah Dukes really deserve to take a beating worse than the D-Rays bullpen on a near-daily basis? Maybe it is sympathy. Maybe it is a little bit of empathy. Maybe I just like local-boy-does-right stories a tad too much, but I just don’t think that Dukes is a lost project just yet.

Seriously, I think the Devil Rays organization needs to take their fair share of the blame in this situation; they created this monster, the least they can do is keep him from being lynched like a center-fielding Frankenstein.  After all, it isn’t like Dukes is the first 22-year old from the suburban pseudo-ghettoes of St. Pete to have one too many “baby’s mommas” and it isn’t like the D-Rays didn’t know he had some issues when they drafted him. (he was suspended for 6 weeks by the FHSAA for berating a football official)

What did anyone truly expect? The Rays gave Dukes the keys to the ride in the breeding grounds of his demons. Why not let him start the year at Durham? Crawford, Baldelli, Young, Wigginton, Norton and even Upton (it was only a matter of time before that transition was made seeing as he has more boots than Kenny Chesney) could have manned the outfield while Dukes found some maturity in Durham. At least he wouldn’t have the temptations he has had here in the bay area (and a major league paycheck to bankroll those temptations.)

This is not to absolve Elijah from wrongdoing but alarm bells should have been ringing in the D-Rays front office. Last year in the minors Dukes managed to build up a lengthy rap sheet and gained a black sheep reputation despite having teammates who got caught driving drunk and assaulting and battering an umpire. It got so bad for him that the organization actually sent him home before the season was over. Maybe home isn’t always the best place to be.