Blue Jays Targeting Dukes?

UPDATE: A reliable source close to the Jays tells me this one is "nonsense."  Sorry to disappoint!

According to our good friends at D-Rays Bay, the Blue Jays and Devil Rays are talking about an Elijah Dukes trade. The proposed deal is pitchers Shaun Marcum and Josh Sowers for Dukes.

Marcum, 25, had a strong showing in Triple A last year as well as an acceptable rookie effort with the Jays.  Sowers, Jeremy's brother, is still in the lower minors.

Not sure where Dukes would fit into Toronto's 2007 plans, as Adam Lind is already looking for a full-time role on the team.

The radio report referenced was from Ronnie Lane of MLB Home Plate on XM Radio.

Comments

[bsox21]

Big diff between Lind and Dukes....

Dukes does just about every baseball related funtion better.

Although there isn't a clear opportunity for Dukes right now, I'm sure he'd play his way into thelineup.

Perhaps Riccardi simply sees an opportunity to get a SICK prospect on the cheap.

[SpecialFNK]

i like Dukes potential, but why would the Jays give up a starting pitcher when thats what they are looking for, for another OF when they allready have enough OF??
could the Jays have an opening in the OF by a possible trade of an OF for a SP? possibly Rios?

[bsox21]

It's simple,

you have 2 pitching prospects that you dont like.

some team is willing to deal u the best offensive prospect in the minors for those pitching prospects.

done deal.

[bobo]

I refuse to believe they couldn't get more for Dukes, attitude and all.

[hood]

You gotta be kidding me the Braves gotta trump that deal Dukes is a stud. If anyone can get him to mature as a person its Bobby Cox. He got that that fatherly touch to him.Give up Davies.

[Guitar Hero]

Wow.

I don't like it. Shaun Marcum is our best option for 5th spot. What would we do with Dukes? I like playing him in RF better than Johnson though. Marcum could be a very valuable pitcher for the D-Rays considering how good they could be with real pitching. This would have made sense if we didn't sign Thomas and could put Lind or Dukes at DH.

Hey I think that's giving up a lot for Dukes. Marcum is really good.

[Guitar Hero]

I thought it would be nonsense. The Jays 1 position where they have enough depth for now is in OF with Adam Lind in the minors.

[bdid]

haren to mets is back on.
http://www.gothambaseball.com/news/1168616368.php

[Guitar Hero]

I'm dispoapointed now...shucks.

[Dev0]

I don't see this as unreasonable, get Dukes then flip him for a starter or deal Rios.

[SpecialFNK]

from what im hearing there is another potential deal for the Jays involving Rios. not sure how accurate is but it would/could be Rios along with McGowan, Reed Johnson OR Adam Lind, plus possibly another prospect to the Dodgers for Penny and Billingsly.
apparently that is from the Jays scout website.

if thats true id make sure the TB deal for Dukes is done first, because i would hate to trade 2 OF to the Dodgers and then have the Dukes trade not happen.

[Guitar Hero]

Hey what does everyone think of a Reed Johnson for Mark Prior trade. Reed is great defensively and can play CF, and is a good leadoff hitter. The Cubs have about 8 guys on their SP depth chart, and no CF.

[Baseballfan79]

No way the cubs give up prior for Reed Johnson maybe for Rios. Despite the injuries he is only 24 years old and very talented.

I do expect to see Rios dealt if this happend to a team with extra pitching like the marlins or Angels or Dodgers.

All three of them could use a player like Rios.

[bsox21]

No way this deal happens.

Marcum and Sowers are garbage compared to Dukes.

ALtho TB treats him like shit becuz he's black, they realize what he is going to become.

No way they want the reputation as the team that dealt him for 1 shitty pitcher (Sowers is crap) and 1 league average-ish pitcher (Marcum).

Dukes will carry and offense one day.

[Devil Ray Boy]

Marcum and Sowers for Dukes deal. I will do that in a heartbeat. Dukes is a cancer in the organization. Take Upton with him too while at it. Devil Rays have to make a deal that does not involve the Dodgers and Astros.

[Devil Ray Boy]

Elijah Dukes is a reincarnation of Wily Mo Pena. An average 4th outfielder that will hit 15 HR's a year. This bsox21 person does not know what he is talking about. Next one is Upton; he had Ozzie Smith in the offseason to work on his defense but he is still bad. Marcum had shown signs that he can be a descent starter

[bsox21]

I want to ask you idiots something,

People love to about "make up" problems and such....

Lets say the media is representing Dukes fairly, which as a black man in America, we all know is fucking impossible. For arguments sake, let's just pretend everything being said about him is true.

Would you rather watch a bunch of nice guys on your favorite team who SUCK, or a team of "bad guys" who kick ass?

Have you ever thot for a second about that garbage the media feeds you about "clubhouse cancers"?

Jeff Kent, Kevin Brown, Randy JOhnson, Barry Bonds, Albert Belle, Jose Canseco....

The list of cancers goes on forever. NONE of these guys had any problems making the playoffs and/or winning the world series.

People may say stupid shit here like, "I don't want him. He's a bad seed.", but I GUARANTEE you this.

If you have MLB ticket or MLB.tv and can access every game in the country, and you have a nice guy with a .740 OPS at the plate in one game, and a "bad guy" with a .920 OPS in another, you will ALL be watching the latter.

Put 2 stadiums next to each other, and put David Eckstein in one stadium and Barry Bonds in the other, and see who sells more tickets.

Deep down, the media wants us to talk shit about the guys they dont like. Meanwhile, those are the same fuckers that are glued to the TV when the Bonds' and the Belle's, and eventually the Dukes' are at the plate.

GOOD PLAYERS win games and kick ass.

There are TONS of assholes in the playoffs every year.

I don't buy my ticket so I can watch some nice guy ground out weakly to the shortstop.

I'd MUCH rather watch an "asshole" hit 420 foot shots.

MOst of the time, the guy that is telling you who the assholes are in the game, are assholes themselves.

They just wish they could be assholes that get paid to play baseball.

[Thrillhouse26]

I love the black/ white good character guys who suck vs Aholes with talent analogy. What about the Pujols, Beltrans, Howards, Jeters, D. Lees, Cabreras, Vlads, Wrights, Utleys who are good if not great character guys and also great players. They sell the jerseys and sell the tickets better.

Talent is talent but suspensions and bad publicity have to come in to play somewhere. I don't think he's that bad of a guy just seems to always be in trouble. Like he wants to be the new Bonds, just an anti social curmudgeon whose no saint but not a bat thrower either.

And as an aside no one cares about your over sensitive bleeding heart for all these athletes oppressed by racism. Carl Crawford is black and is doing pretty well down in TB.

[hood]

I wouldn't put Miguel Cabrera as the best teammate to have I believe he went after one of his pitchers in the dugout last year. Scott Olsen I believe but nobody questions his character.

[bullsball22]

bsox21 obviously has a deep love for Dukes. But i'm not sure if he knows that he was arrested I believe 5 times last offseason. Then, he has a great spring, and everyone starts to fall in love with him, but he then goes to Durham only to get suspended for his tyraids he has with teammates, coaches, training staff, and the entire organization. I know where Dukes grew up and heard his comments about how the major league players take showers in Evian water while the guys at Durham shower in sewer water. Dukes is more than a cancer to any team he will play for. He has gotten in trouble his entire life, and obviously there are no signs of him changing his ways. No one questions his talent, although by you saying he will carry an offense some day might be a little over the top. He is a great prospect in terms of his playing ability, but when you have a guy who has had so many suspensions, you have to really question his character. It's not a black/white issue either. The guy is a jerk, but not because the media portrays him that way. He just simply is a jerk. Anyone who grew up in the TB area will tell you that they're surprised the guy isn't in jail right now. Let's just call him what he is: a great, GREAT prospect, who will end up being suspended numerous times by whatever team he plays for because he doesn't know how to control his angry temperament.

[boomshwa12]

why don't the rays and dodgers make a deal involving penny/billingsley and maybe another prospect for dukes and maybe upton if they want more. gives the dodgers more hitting options and gives the rays another respectable arm in their rotation

[GoBoSox420]

Penny AND Billingsley for dukes and MAYBE upton?

Wow...

[boomshwa12]

no i meant penny or billingsley

[GoBoSox420]

Billingsley is about as untouchable as it gets. Plus the Dodgers need a proven bat, not another prospect. They have some of the best propsects in the game, not trading a quality starter for yet another one.

[DRayDude]

Dukes grew up in a bad neighborhood. Dukes went to 3 different High Schools in 4 years due to his personality problems (joining Gary Sheffield and Doc Gooden as alumni of Hillsborough High). Dukes could have gone anywhere to play Football and/or Baseball at the college level. Dukes signed because he needed the money. Dukes got suspended last year after so many of his problems bubbled over. Dukes was lucky to be suspended. LUCKY. I've been hearing that the suspension had a BIG impact on him recently because he realized that without baseball, he's got nothing. He realized that without an attitude change, he ain't got Baseball. I hope he has changed and will succeed in the future, no matter where he is playing, but he still needs to prove himself. The expectations, behavior wise, are so low that I am ecstatic that he hasn't been arrested in the off season so far. Bottom line is: Kid can play, let's evaluate his attitude once Spring rolls around and he's got baseball back.

Also, bsox21, I don't know what impression you've got about the Rays but it is horribly wrong. Black players do well and excel and are not treated unfairly with the organization. How many chances have been given to Dukes, Upton, and Delmon after their episodes of bad conduct? Carl Crawford is the FACE of the franchise. Hell, how much patience was used with Dewon Brazelton, who refused to show up after being sent to the minors? Stop talking crap about this team, ask your 'ace' Curt what happened when he ran his mouth about Kaz. He's the biggest asshole in my book and I don't watch him, I pray the he gets creamed every start he makes.