Posted by  jamarcus campbell, tampa,fl on 09/13  at  08:51 PM

LOOK I KNOW ELIJAH PERSONALLY THE MEDIA JUST WANT TO MAKE THINGS BIGGER THEN WHAT IT REALLY IS. ILL SNAP TO IF MY SUPPOSED TO BE WIFE CLEARD MY BANK ACCOUNT ELIJAH IS A GOOD PERSON BEHIND DOOORS HE VISITS SCHOOLS AND ALL BUT THE MEDIA PUTS IN PEOPLE FACES THAT HE IS SOME KIND OF JERK THEY DOSENT WANT THE PUBLIC TO SEE WHO HE REALLY IS…...I OFTEN SEE HIM GO OUT AND VISIT HIS FORMER HIGH SCHOOL HILLSBOROUGH HIGH SCHHOL AND PRACTICE WITH MY BROTHER KEVIN WHO PLAYS BASEBALL HE HAS SOME ISSUES EVERYBODY DOES. EVERY PERSON IN THIS WORLD HAS SOME KIND PROBLEMS GOING ON IN THIS WORLD…..THE MEDIA JUST NEED TO STAY OUT OF PEOPLE LIVES AND LET HIM LIVE HIS LIFE!!!

Posted by  Keisha Bryan, Tampa, Fl on 07/12  at  01:41 PM

If he wasn’t in the media noone would care.Everything he does is under a microscope.He has alot of kids what does that have to do with baseball?Alot of you have kids outside of your marriage.He went too far to threaten his kids life not saying its right.butanyone would go off the deep end if someone tried to take everything away that they did not help you to get.She’s a teacher where would she get money from to put a down on a brand new escalade?just trade him so he can do better outside of his home town so most of you biggits can mind your dang business.No one is perfect look at yourselves before you judge.He has always had issues so why is everyone surprised.On a good note he does sponsor kids noone wants to hear thatjust the bad stuff.

Posted by  B. Pitler, LA, CA on 06/23  at  08:12 PM

I don’t get how any person here can think this is a racist move by the Rays or that if someone writes about his unethical behavior as being racist either. How many 22 yrs old do you know have 5 children with 4 different women and another one on the way with a 17 yr old minor? That alone is enough to ask, “What is wrong with this picture?” Dukes has problems and he needs to start with himself first. The Rays were absolutely correct in letting him go. And if anybody thinks this type of behavior that is acceptable then that person should also take a look at themselves. I commend the Rays for taking this action and as for Mr Dukes I don’t feel sorry for him one bit because he needs to take full responsibility for everybody involved.

Posted by  R.J. Mayernik, Fullerton, CA on 06/23  at  01:13 PM

Dr. Richardson

What in my comments do you construe as racist? Do you consider them racist just because it is a man of color we’re talking about? Heck, his actions speak for themselves and my opinion of him would be the same if he were caucasian, asian, eskimo, or Venusian.
There have been some really bad seeds that have been nurtured in the big money, entitled-feeling world of pro sports, but this character ranks up there with the worst.

Posted by  R.J. Mayernik, Fullerton, CA on 06/23  at  11:17 AM

“... he isn’t all that bad… ” !?
Let’s see… he’s been arrested six times, he’s been suspended five times as a professional baseball player, he’s had five children by four different women and recently impregnated a 17 year old girl, he slugged a teacher while in high school… Hmmmm… Doug, I don’t know what your definition of ‘bad’ is, but he fits my definition perfectly. Here are some other definitions that I feel fit him, ‘arrogant’, ‘immoral’, ‘conscienceless’, ‘immature’, to cite just a few.

Posted by  Ivan Aviles, Wesley Chapel on 06/23  at  12:21 AM

C’mon, I agree with sending him down, he was hitting below the Mendoza line, what are we suppose to do? Keep him in the Bigs? He can’t hit!

Posted by  Mark Litt, Orlando on 06/22  at  11:12 PM

If Rays management hadn’t bungled the Josh Hamilton situation, dealing with Dukes would have been much easier.

Now to clear space for Mohr, Rocco has to go on the 60 day DL, not so much for his injury, but is “procedural” in nature to send down Dukes and bring up
Mohr.

Speaking of bungled, why doesn’t Maddon let Cantu play consecutive games and get some AB’s instead of that old stiff Norton?

Posted by  Doug Coogle Jr, Tampa, FL on 06/22  at  06:15 PM

Look, Elijah has had problems recently and much of his highschool career. But he isn’t all that bad. If the recent allegations about him are true, then he should be repremanded to a certain extent. He is human however, how many times have you gotten so angry that you did something that you regreted later? It might not have been to this extreme, but you might not have been raised the way he was raised. Elijah’s mom did have her problems in the past, but it’s not fair to pass judgement on her now. She doesn’t live the life of most professional players moms, but she does have a good, caring heart.

If you want judge him and his family, make sure you don’t have anything in your past to be criticized about!

Posted by  Jim Shorts, New Tampa on 06/22  at  06:10 PM

WOW. It is about time the RAYS came to their senses about Elijah Dukes. I was only a satisfactory baseball player, i am surprised he lasted this long after the problems he presented last year in Durham. So how is he going to pay for all them babies he fathered?? Maybe he can grow up, mature, make the right decisions and turn his life around in the future, and be a productive member of society.

Posted by  Dr. Eddison Richardson, Holiday, Florida US on 06/22  at  06:06 PM

This man has been charged with nothing. R.J. Mayernik and Mike Jones should be ashamed of their comments. They border on being racist remarks. I myself was once accused of simmiliar accusations with my exgirlfriend. It nearly ruined my life until I had the problem rectified. Mr. Dukes should be allowed to continue to play with the Rays.

Posted by  Todd M. Taylor, Denver, CO on 06/22  at  06:05 PM

People need to lay off the kid a little.  Do any of you idiots know him personally?  Then stop calling him a POS, saying that ‘his mama wont be able to afford her crack,’ and that you hope his day of reckoning is an excruciating one. Yes, Elijah needs help, but so do some of the people posting ignorant (as in ‘uninformed’) comments here.  Especially R.J. Mayernik of Fullerton, CA

Posted by  Jim Martin, St. Petersburg on 06/22  at  05:28 PM

Good riddance.  The biggest shame is that loser is spreading his seed all over the place and is producing a bunch of children that will have him as a sperm donor.

Posted by  Mike Jones, Cleveland on 06/22  at  04:23 PM

Dukes thinks he’s in the NBA where this is all accepted behavior.

Posted by  Marissa Doughty, Tampa,Fla on 06/22  at  03:48 PM

Its 2 sides to every story Don’t just assume that his wife it being truthful she is probably just trying to hurt him and also his career

Posted by  Eddie haskell, Tampa on 06/22  at  03:40 PM

God riddance to the punk! Now his mama wont be able to afford her crack.

Posted by  Kevin Frye, Brandon on 06/22  at  03:39 PM

I agree that he’s a waste right now, and seems to have the mentality of a 12 year old.

The Rays recently gave up on Jeff Allison, a kid who has had nasty drug problems, and couldn’t seem to kick the problem.  Now he’s in Boston - a team that assigned someone to shadow his every move and keep him on track.  He’s doing quite well for them.

I understand that an adult shouldn’t need a babysitter, but I’d hate to see more fantastic baseball talent go away from our area again because of the hassle.  We’re talking millions of dollars here, what’s the big deal?  He’s not paid to be a role model, he’s paid to hit a baseball.

Am I wrong?

Posted by  R.J. Mayernik, Fullerton, CA on 06/22  at  03:09 PM

“Troubled” is too kind a word for this idiot. He is a despicable POS who, unfortunately, has been given athletic skills. He is stupid enough to believe that these skills exempt him from any morality or conscience. One can only hope that this moron’s day of reckoning is an excrutiating one.