(Photo by Reuters Pictures. Elijah Dukes can't seem to keep people focused on what happens to him ON the field.)
"Listen, Elijah is having a pretty good season. He is doing well. He is current on his child support. His wife, NiShea, will go to any length to smear him. She won't even grant a divorce. Elijah has been trying to get a divorce. All this is over attorney's fees. This is not child support. If Elijah Dukes isn't paying child support, it's a different story."
(Grady Irvin, Elijah Dukes' lawyer, via Washington Post, 5/30/2009)
D.C. area Moms plan biggest bakesale ever.
On the heels of news that Elijah Dukes must pay $39,767 in legal fees for his wife's lawyers by June 5th at 5PM or head to jail for 90 days, anonymous, unnamed sources with no knowledge of the situation tell The Nationals Enquirer that Little League Moms across the DC-area will band together to raise the $39,767 for Elijah Dukes by holding the largest bake sale ever seen within the Beltway.
This, of course, will be the second time this season that Little League Moms have rushed to the aid of the chronically troubled Dukes; in April, the Great Falls Little League raised $501 to pay off the fine levied by cold-hearted Nationals Manager Manny Acta, who benched and fined his outfielder after he showed up late for work, following an appearance at a local Little League function.
Two questions come to mind: 1. Would it be worse to spend 90 days in jail, or be forced to attend 90 Nationals games? 2. What would the reaction be in the Nats' clubhouse if Dukes has to go to jail for 90 days? Just a little over a week ago, in a piece by ESPN's Tim Kurkjian, there was this interesting comment by an anonymous Nationals player about Dukes' presence in the clubhouse:
And it's difficult to depend on another center fielder, Elijah Dukes (currently on the DL), because of his disruptive nature in the clubhouse. "If he were gone," one National said, "the clubhouse would be a happier place."
Makes you wonder.
Silent Stan Kasten, unavailable for comment.