CHANGE MY LOCATION
Sports
Los Angeles Examiners
Los Angeles Lakers Examiner
Most Recent Post
Phil Jackson gets aggressive in loss
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Examiner
Most Recent Post
Hello CC Sabathia? Goodbye Jered Weaver?
Multimedia News
Dukes, Acta clash
SEE THE LATEST ON THIS STORY
Related Topics: WASHINGTON
From the day the organization traded for the gifted, but troubled, 23-year-old last December, his conduct has been under a microscope. A string of suspensions, arrests and court appearances during his time with the Tampa Bay Rays, including one last year for threatening his wife by text message, made Dukes’ acquisition a risky one.
In the ninth inning of Tuesday night’s 7-6 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates, Dukes engaged in a heated shouting match with Nats manager Manny Acta in the dugout. The confrontation occurred just after teammate Lastings Milledge hit a go-ahead two-run home run.
Team officials, including Acta prior to last night’s game with the Pirates, wouldn’t disclose what started the argument. Television replays showed Acta and Dukes yelling at each other before Nats outfielder Wily Mo Pena stepped between them. During the postgame handshake, Dukes refused to shake Acta’s hand.
“Manny and I met with Elijah after the game,” Nats general manager Jim Bowden wrote in an e-mail. “The issue was handled behind closed doors. I support Manny 100 percent. The incident is now behind us.”
That remains to be seen. Last Thursday, Dukes appeared to taunt home plate umpire Doug Eddings after blasting a game-winning home run against the St. Louis Cardinals. Earlier in the season, he led teammates in boisterous dugout cheers that angered New York Mets pitcher Nelson Figueroa.
Is this unfair scrutiny over relatively minor incidents? Or more trouble from an immensely talented player viewed by some as combustible? Either way, Dukes, who was 9-for-28 with three doubles, a triple and a home run in his last eight games, was back in the lineup Wednesday.
Comments from Examiner Readers
9:17 AM MST on Tue., Aug. 5, 2008 re: "Rookie Balester is beginning to gain confidence"
Report as inappropriate
8:46 PM MST on Fri., Jul. 18, 2008
re: "Council considers raising taxes on Nationals tickets"
Report as inappropriate
2:18 AM MST on Tue., Mar. 18, 2008
re: "No easy access near ballpark for disabled"
Report as inappropriate
11:32 AM MST on Sat., Mar. 15, 2008
re: "Shuttle service, beer sales among issues still to work out before Opening Day"
Report as inappropriate
11:34 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 10, 2008
re: "Police: Nearly $2M owed for security at Nats games"
Report as inappropriate
8:58 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 10, 2008
re: "Police: Nearly $2M owed for security at Nats games"
Report as inappropriate
7:47 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 10, 2008
re: "Police: Nearly $2M owed for security at Nats games"
Report as inappropriate
7:06 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 10, 2008
re: "Police: Nearly $2M owed for security at Nats games"
Report as inappropriate
6:23 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 10, 2008
re: "Police: Nearly $2M owed for security at Nats games"
Report as inappropriate
9:01 PM MST on Mon., May. 28, 2007
re: "Nationals’ stadium art project at a standstill"
Report as inappropriate
4:10 PM MST on Mon., May. 28, 2007
re: "Nationals’ stadium art project at a standstill"
Report as inappropriate
12:17 PM MST on Mon., May. 28, 2007
re: "Nationals’ stadium art project at a standstill"
Report as inappropriate
5:46 AM MST on Tue., May. 22, 2007
re: "Deal should clear the way for stadium art"
Report as inappropriate
Examiner Reader said:
Collin Balester is the real deal. His fastball is his #1 pitch however that Changeup of his is#1A. He brings life and energy to the Clubhouse and he will be a positive influence on the Nats for years to come. Quoting Balester..." I want to play baseball til I'm 50 years old!!" Tongue in cheek. Ask J Moyer for the "How do you do that" Book!! Go Nats!
11 agree | 6 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Not paying the rent? Kick them out! They are a losing team anyway.
7 agree | 7 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Now how did "progressive, caring" DC happen to forget about the Americans with Disabilities Act which requires that public facility projects consider access for the disabled?
14 agree | 14 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
"The most extreme example might be June 29, when United faces off against David Beckham and the L.A. Galaxy as 12:30 p.m., and the Nationals play the Baltimore Orioles an hour later." well that was some brilliant scheduling there....lets stuff 100,000 people into the area over a two hour span
15 agree | 15 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Considering where the new stadium is, you can bet that the cost of security will skyrocket!!!
16 agree | 13 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
If DC knew that they couldn't afford to pay the police department they shouldn't have never opened up the Stadium. You have so many poor people living in the DC area and all the taxes we citizens have to pay could have been going into better use. we have to pay all this money and we are not going to see where the money is going. Who cares, right.
13 agree | 16 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Mike Licht said:
Re:$2M owed for security at Nats games -- Since the "quasi-governmental" D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission won't pay the $2 million it owes the Metropolitan Police Department for security at Nats games, why not get those "quasi" Commission members and paid staff out directing traffic on game days? At $55 an hour, it should only take them 36,364 person-hours to work off their debt.
15 agree | 13 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
"Whether the [commission] is paying it or MPD is paying it, it comes out of the same pot,” Mayor Adrian Fenty’s spokeswoman Carrie Brooks said in a statement. WHAT? Good grief, no wonder the city is in so much trouble. Everyone is aware the budget process means nothing in D.C., and that is why money is misspent and missing everywhere, but to come out an officially admit it, wow - good work Brooks.
14 agree | 15 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
The city charges baseball $55.00 per hour, the officers are paid their regular hourly rate. For most officers that about $32.00 per hour. What is the city doing with the difference?
15 agree | 16 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Mike Licht said:
miqcie: Art is good. The DC government should make sure that it is part of the environment throughout our city, and encourage the community cultural groups and gifted DC artists who create it. The stadium is private property, owned by the Lerner family, who can well afford to buy their own art.
302 agree | 322 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
miqcie said:
I'm hopeful that this funding will be restored and is appropriate use of financing for public art. As a denizen of this city, I'd don't mind a part of my tax dollars going to projects like this that are truly community goods.
330 agree | 302 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Mike Licht said:
The Commission claimed the site-specific art for the private baseball stadium was just being "loaned" to the stadium but still owned by the commission. That is like saying your dental work is on loan from someone else. Public art projects like this are normally paid for by the developer, and the public arts agency gives technical assistance in the project's execution. This poor judgment by the Commission has cost the DC arts community $850,000 in much-needed capital funds.
356 agree | 302 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Mike Licht said:
Update: The deal is now for a $206,000+ site-specific sculpture to be "loaned" to the stadium by the DC Arts Commission. That is like saying that you "borrow" your dental work, an obvious falsehood. Shame.
363 agree | 356 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree