The Devil Rays have done many things right recently. Owner Stu Sternberg has gone to great lengths to repair the team’s image, both locally and nationally. The fact they’re playing better baseball helps, of course, but Sternberg is extremely image-conscious and doesn’t accept anything that portrays the Rays in a negative light.

But the ongoing saga of Elijah Dukes is one of the biggest tests of the Sternberg era. Bad news follows Dukes like ducks follow bread crumbs and every story reinforces the notion that the Rays have a time bomb on their hands. The simple answer is to trade Dukes and be done with him, but the reality is much more complicated. First, you have to have a willing trade partner. Teams like the Washington Nationals are kicking the tires, perhaps hoping to scarf Dukes up for pennies on the dollar, but so far there has been no firm offer for the Rays’ talented but troubled outfielder.

Even if there is an offer, it would be shocking if the Rays can get close to equal value for Dukes’ talent.

They need to take what they can get anyway.

The Rays have stuck by Dukes throughout all of his problems because of his enormous talent and you always hope things will get better. But this latest issue - an allegation that he is the father of a baby being carried by a woman who is now 18 years old - should be enough to convince the team this is never going to end. He needs a new start away from here and the Rays need to be done with him. They may be a little gunshy after seeing the success ex-Ray Josh Hamilton is having with Cincinnati, and there is always a chance - maybe a good one - that Dukes will hit 35 home runs a year for a new team.

If so, so be it.