Dukes, still just 25-year-old, is a great athlete with loads of potential. He can hit for power, has shown the ability to be patient at the plate (.386 OBP in '08). and can also play all three outfield positions. He showed some of that potential in 2008, when he hit .264/.386/.478 with an OPS+ of 127.He is coming off a down year in 2009, hitting just .250/.337/.393 for the Nats. And while I did mention that he can play all three outfield positions, he doesn't necessarily play them well. Since I keep hearing people say that when looking at UZR, look at the big picture and not just one season, so I'll go with his career mark, which makes him a below average -7.5.
Dukes has also his share of off-the-field trouble in the past (hat-tip to WasWatching):
His former GM, Mike Rizzo, even said today that with Dukes gone "The clubhouse will be more united,” and they'll "have a better feel around the ballclub. We’ll gain just by that alone.”In 1996, Dukes' father was convicted of second-degree murder. One year later, Dukes was arrested for the first time. Dukes has been arrested at least three times for battery, and once for assault. According to court records, he fathered at least five children with four women between 2003 and 2006.
On May 23, 2007, it was reported that his wife filed a restraining order after he threatened to kill her. On June 12, a 17-year-old foster child who was living in the care of a relative of Dukes accused him of impregnating her. Police said the sex was apparently consensual. When the girl confronted Dukes, he allegedly got angry and threw a bottle of Gatorade at her.
Dukes has received anger-management training. When Dukes was traded to the Nationals, the team also hired an ex-police officer in the role of "Special Assistant: Player Concerns". This person accompanies Dukes everywhere to ensure that he keeps himself free of trouble
The Yankee clubhouse is not something I wouldn't want to see the Yankees mess up for someone who will probably be Brett Gardner's backup. But could Dukes really mess up a clubhouse with guys like Jeter, Rivera, Pettitte and Posada? Would they stand for it? On the other hand, they have people like CC, AJ and Swisher, who seem to keep everyone loose. So maybe, with this team, his attitude issues won't be a problem. Playing for a winner might help too.
It wouldn't be the worst idea to take a chance on Dukes. He'd likely be an upgrade over Randy Winn, Marcus Thames and Jamie Hoffmann, and the money won't be an issue either because he's not likely to get much more than the $440K he made last year. I still have my concerns about his presence in the clubhouse, and whether or not he can reach his potential, but at least he's staying away from the off-the-field problems. It may be worth a shot.
So, should the Yankees take a chance on Dukes?
