Which player has the best chance of reaching the majors

by buckos2k on Aug 5, 2006 11:13 AM EDT

Now I realize the chances of two of these players making it is close to zero Dukes might have blackballd himself with his antics so here it is which player has the best chance of reaching the majors and playing for at least half a season. and the choices are

Josh Hamilton
Jeff Allison
Elijah Dukes

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Dukes

Allison isn't even in baseball right now (he's still only 21) and Hamilton is injured at age 25 in A Ball. Dukes will get traded this offseason and be up sometime next year in all likelihood.

by jaffmasterj on Aug 5, 2006 11:16 AM EDT reply actions

Dukes easy

Dukes will play in the majors, probably next year, for someone. Hammy blew out his knee and is having surgery (again) and might be done with baseball in the shortest comeback ever. Allison might be a Northern League all-star someday...

"If there wasn't nine guys out in the field, I'd have a hit every time except when I strike out." - Delmon Young

by Brickhaus on Aug 5, 2006 11:39 AM EDT reply actions

Dukes

TB finally relents and trades him for some arms. If Florida needed OF help something along the lines of Sanchez would get it done. I really don't know who else has the arms ready for the majors that could deal from strength that both teams would feel like they made out okay.

"Strikeouts are good...groundballs are better. Home runs are okay...but walks SUCK!" Mike Caldwell

by Torncuff on Aug 5, 2006 11:44 AM EDT reply actions

TB already tried to trade him

and found no one offering anything during the deadline. He has little to no value right now.

by andwoo on Aug 5, 2006 12:26 PM EDT up reply actions

Well

Considering that Hammy and Allison probably have close to a 0% chance of playing in the majors, then it's still Dukes by default. I'm sure someone will take him as a throw-in to another trade involving Jorge Cantu or something.

"If there wasn't nine guys out in the field, I'd have a hit every time except when I strike out." - Delmon Young

by Brickhaus on Aug 5, 2006 12:49 PM EDT up reply actions

dukes

by Havok1517 on Aug 5, 2006 12:19 PM EDT reply actions

dukes...but

my guess is dukes is the only one who gets to the majors, but i imagine it'll just be a sniff and won't be for several years. people act as if the Rays owe it to Dukes to trade him, but they have no interest in doing so. the guy has no trade value but a high ceiling -- they're supposed to hand such an asset to another team? hardly. baseball is a business, not a charity, and I doubt the Rays are inclined to give a break to a guy who has been such a jerk to them, in any case. and, if it worked out for that team, to have it shoved in their face for the rest of Dukes' career. Where's the upside for Rays in that?

the Rays will keep Dukes until he either shapes up and plays for them, or he's no longer under their control. my guess is he'll only make it to the pros in a few years, after not developing due to his maturity problems. if he is ever to be a productive player, though, it'll likely be with the Rays if he's straightened out his act. i'm dubious on that, though.

by scooter on Aug 5, 2006 5:14 PM EDT reply actions

Upside for TB

You mean besides getting rid of [supposedly] an incredible team cancer responsible for the antics of both BJ Upton and Delmon Young? Maybe worth it.

by ian on Aug 5, 2006 7:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Huh?

Dukes is responsible for what Upton and Young have done? That makes no sense at all . . .they're not 15 year old kids who need to be coddled from outside influences. They're 20-somethings who should know better than to throw bats at umpires and CERTAINLY should know better than to drive drunk.

It doesn't sound like either player associates with Dukes to a significant extent outside of the normal team activities. I'm aware that Delmon roomed with Dukes last year, but it's wrong to just assume that they got along swimmingly and are close confidantes. It may very well be that they didn't really like each other all that much, which wouldn't be a surprise considering we're talking about two poster childs for anger management, with at least one of them having a rather prominently inflated opinion of himself.

by mrkupe on Aug 6, 2006 11:10 AM EDT up reply actions

Good observations

You make a lot of sense, and I think this is probably what the Rays will do. It's not exactly like he's going to waste away sitting in Durham for the next while.

I think the team will move him if they can get an intriguing young pitching talent who isn't far from the majors, but otherwise it's not that big a deal to anyone other than those who have Dukes sitting on their fantasy keeper rosters.

by mrkupe on Aug 6, 2006 10:59 AM EDT up reply actions

Anyone think it would make sense...

... for them to trade Dukes for Oliver Perez? The Mets love high upside young guys and the Rays need more young pitching. Both players have issues and are at a low point of their trade value and both have immense talent if they can get straightened out. Honestly I think it would have made more sense if Perez was still with Pitt but it would still be a good idea I think.

by grozzy on Aug 6, 2006 11:46 AM EDT up reply actions

No

The Rays will trade Dukes, but they will get a better prospect than Perez, who everyone is seeming to forget has lost 6-8 MPH on his fastball and hasn't hit the high 90's since 2004. Perez needs to regain his velocity before he is considered an immense talent again.

by jaffmasterj on Aug 6, 2006 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Perez

Perez lost some velocity, but he's been sitting at 91-92 and hitting 93 this year.

He can still be effective there, but he needs to have much better command.

Rays in '08....

by youALREADYknow on Aug 6, 2006 1:05 PM EDT up reply actions

I Said That

he had lost the velocity (although he's been 89=90 in the starts I've seen). Yes he can still be effective but without the 97 MPH fastball he isn't the second coming of Randy Johnson anymore (or even remotely close).

by jaffmasterj on Aug 6, 2006 1:29 PM EDT up reply actions

and...

... Dukes will have to get his head on straight before being considered a real top prospect. I think this would have upside and risk both ways.

by grozzy on Aug 6, 2006 2:50 PM EDT up reply actions

Guillen and Bradley

Jose Guillen and Milton Bradley were both in similar situations to Dukes before either of them made any kind of impact in the majors, and both of them were traded for value when their respective teams were trying to dump them. I don't think the Rays will have an issue getting something back for him, especially if he's part of a package. I think the Rays would be willing to trade him for the Zach Day / Humberto Cota equivalent.

"If there wasn't nine guys out in the field, I'd have a hit every time except when I strike out." - Delmon Young

by Brickhaus on Aug 7, 2006 7:42 AM EDT up reply actions