MLB: Devil Rays Prospects say What the F?

[DeToxRox]

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/07/29/Rays/Maddon_rips_disgruntl.shtml


Rays/MLB
Maddon rips disgruntled Rays prospects

Dukes, Upton and Young - who else? - trash organization in USA Today over their lack of promotions to parent club.

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO, Times Staff Writer
Published July 29, 2006

NEW YORK - Devil Rays manager Joe Maddon said he was appalled.

Executive vice president Andrew Friedman said it represented, "Disrespect towards the game and the achievement of becoming a major league player."

Prompting the reaction: An article in USA Today, on the front page of the sports section, about Delmon Young, Elijah Dukes and B.J. Upton, Tampa Bay's three prized prospects at Triple-A Durham.

The gist of the article was the players' dissatisfaction with being in the minors. The gist of the Rays' response was anger at what management perceives as the players' misplaced sense of entitlement.

The article had positive moments (Dukes talking about his need to control his well-documented anger and Upton's embarrassment at his recent arrest for suspicion of drunken driving, but they were overwhelmed by the following:

Young on not being called up to the majors: "I don't know what they're waiting for. They're, what, 30 games out of first place? They think they're going to mess up their clubhouse chemistry. B.J. should be up there. What are they waiting for? They always have excuses."

Dukes on Durham: "In the big leagues, you throw your uniform on the ground and it's washed and hung up nicely in your locker. Here, you do that, you come back the next day and find it still on the floor. Those guys up there (in the big leagues) shower in Evian. Here we use sewer water."

Upton: "I can't believe I'm here. The three of us thought we'd all be up in Tampa right now."

The players' history made it worse: Upton's bad defense and, until now, his refusal to switch from shortstop; Young's constant snarkiness toward the organization and the bat-throwing incident; and Dukes' numerous suspensions for run-ins with umpires, coaches and teammates.

No wonder things reached a boiling point.

"I don't know what qualifies people, at any age, to disrespect anybody in the manner that article indicated to me," Maddon said. "It speaks to disrespect in general and it speaks to a sense of entitlement that young athletes have today that I totally disagree with."

"To be honest with you, when I read that, I was speechless," Rays leftfielder Carl Crawford said. "What can you say to that? Maybe that's how they think they're supposed to act. I don't know why."

Maddon and Friedman were particularly angered by the portrayal of the Bulls organization.

"We think it's one of the premier organizations around," Friedman said. "To say these things about Durham didn't sit well with me and it's something I take great exception to."

Will there will be discipline? Friedman said it was too early to tell, though he did say his initial reaction was in a "macro sense to the whole article. We'll consider each individual and where we think they are."

That distinction should be important to Upton, who, after the trade of Aubrey Huff, switched to third base as a quicker route to the majors and was expected soon to be promoted.

On Friday, distinctions didn't matter.

"I think it indicates a lot of work we have to get done within this organization," Maddon said. "It's something we don't tolerate, we don't condone and don't agree with."

Besides, Rays infielder Ty Wigginton joked of Dukes' suggestion big-leaguers shower in Evian.

"We all get individually scrubbed from the trainers," he said. "I go back there and get into a big Jacuzzi and (Paul) Harker and Ronny Porterfield give me a sponge bath."

[DeToxRox]

Does Tampa look at character at all when they draft or no? This is ridiculous. Talent or not, they have a couple of feature Albert Belles on their team and none will stay there past that first contract.

[Logan]

The gist of the article was the players' dissatisfaction with being in the minors because they're getting tired of throwing bats at umpires, actually getting busted for DWI, and not being able to commit 50 errors each season at SS in the big leagues.

Clarification added.

[Young Drachma]

They want to get traded to better teams, so they're being outrageous so the Rays deal them for peanuts.

[miami_fan]

In other news, Devil Rays third baseman and RBI leader Ty Wiggington broke his hand yesterday. I wonder who gets called up to replace him?

[ice4277]

Well, at least they can say they have now stepped up to being major league douchebags.

[miami_fan]

You have to read the whole article to get a full appreciation of their immaturity.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/al/devilrays/2006-07-27-devil-rays-prospects-cover_x.htm

DURHAM, N.C. — It's late morning at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, and already 92 degrees. There is no breeze. No clouds. Just stifling humidity.
"I don't know whose idea this was to play a day game," says Class AAA Bulls third baseman B.J. Upton, wiping the perspiration from his forehead. "It's the hottest time of the year here. It's going to be about 130 (degrees) on the field. And you wonder why we can't wait to get out of this place.

"I still can't believe I'm here. The three of us all thought we'd be all up in Tampa by now."

The "three" consists of Delmon Young, Elijah Dukes and Upton. Two outfielders and a third baseman. None older than 22. And the future of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

"They're not only going to be in the big leagues," says Mitch Lukevics, Tampa director of minor league operations, "but they're going to be impact players. They have a world of talent.

"But sometimes when you're young and talented, you lose some of that focus. They have to realize there is a bull's-eye on them. ... I'm not saying you have to go to the library and be a choirboy, but people are watching."

Tell them about it.

Young, 20, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound right fielder, was suspended 50 games in April by the International League for throwing a bat at an umpire.

Dukes, a 6-2, 240-pound left fielder, has been suspended twice by the Devil Rays — the first time for one week and the second for two weeks — for fights and/or arguments with a teammate and coach.

Upton, 21, a 6-3, 180-pound shortstop, was arrested in June for suspicion of driving while intoxicated.

"Its embarrassing," Upton says. "Those things shouldn't have happened. Not to me. Not to Delmon. Not to Elijah. Then we get lumped together and people have this perception of us.

"I hope to change that.

"Just give us the chance."

Eager for longer trip

Manny and Yvonne Upton, the parents of B.J. Upton, arrived at the ballpark just before game time. They drove three hours in their SUV from their home in Chesapeake, Va., managing to catch at least a couple of games every Durham homestand the last three years.

This time was different.

They came to Durham July 20, believing it might be the final time they would see their son in a minor league uniform.

Friends hugged them and wished them well.

One fan stopped by and asked for their autograph. This was the final game of the homestand, and with an eight-game trip to Toledo and Columbus, B.J. was expected to be in Tampa when the team returned home.

"We've loved coming here," Manny Upton says, "but it's time. I think everybody knows that. That's why everybody is saying good-bye to us.

"The next time we see B.J., it's going to cost me a lot more than gas money."

It hasn't happened yet.

Upton, not wanting to jinx himself by packing any suits or cleaning up his apartment, looks like he'll be right back in Durham on Saturday.

Upton, who's hitting .268 with eight homers and 42 stolen bases, moved from shortstop to third base after the trade of Aubrey Huff to Houston, just like the Devil Rays asked.

Roving instructor Jimy Williams sent in reports informing the Devil Rays he's ready.

But Upton still waits for that one-way ticket to Tampa.

No movement

Devil Rays general manager Andrew Friedman, who called Upton two weeks ago and told him switching to third base could mean a quick call-up to the big leagues, isn't tipping his hand. He is listening to trade offers for shortstop Julio Lugo and third baseman Ty Wigginton. So far, no trades.

No trades means no call-ups.

"I don't know what they're waiting for," Young says. "They're what, 30 games (actually 20) out of first place? They think we're going to mess up their clubhouse chemistry. B.J. should be up there. What are they waiting for? They always have excuses."

Young stops himself.

He has already said too much. Please, he asks, let it be known that he was just venting. Don't take him seriously.

"I just want to show up for work and go about my business," Young says. "That's all. We're just employees here. We do what we're told.

"We've been in enough trouble as it is."

Dukes, the oldest of the trio at 22, laughs and shakes his head. Trouble? He may be the king. He has been suspended four times the last two years, and was ejected five times last year and twice this year.

"The only thing holding me back is me," says Dukes, who is hitting .293 with 10 homers and 50 RBI this season. "I know I can play in the big leagues. On any team. But they want to see whether I can stay away from trouble.

"If I can just do that, if I can just keep my cool, I'll be fine. Because when there is trouble, whether it's my fault or not, I'm the one who's got to pay the consequences."

Dukes is staring disgustedly at his baseball jersey while talking. It has dark stains around the collar. His pants have tears by both knees.

If this were the big leagues, the uniform would be in the garbage.

But this is Durham.

"In the big leagues, you throw your uniform on the ground, and it's washed and hung up nicely in your locker," Dukes says. "Here you do that, you come back the next day and find it still on the floor. Those guys up there (in the big leagues) shower in Evian. Here, we use sewer water."

Waiting for dad

Dukes, a 2002 third-round pick who rejected a football scholarship to play linebacker at North Carolina State, is projected by scouts to be a potential 40-home-run hitter.

If not for the 32-foot-high left-field wall in Durham, says Bulls manager John Tamargo, Dukes might have 25 home runs instead of 10 with his line-drive power.

Besides, Dukes says, he has a fierce motivation to get to Tampa. Dukes, one of six kids, needs to support his family.

"I want to take care of them," he says, "but most of all, I want to make it for my dad. That's my dream. To be in the big leagues and actually have my dad sit in the stands."

The dream will have to wait.

His father Elijah Dukes Sr., is in prison, locked up at the Okeechobee (Fla.) Correctional Institution. He was convicted of second-degree murder with a release date of Sept. 26, 2013.

"I'm still hoping he can be released early in 2008 or so," Dukes says. "I love my dad. He'd come to all of my games. I'd do anything to have to have him with me now."

Says Tamargo, who was suspended himself 10 games this season for bumping an umpire: "Oh my God, he is going to be some special player. You're talking about a guy who can run, throw and is going to hit 40 to 45 homers a year.

"But you're not going to make the big leagues just with your athletic ability. You've got to be mentally tough, too."

Paying the price

It was Upton who stormed into the clubhouse April 26, marched up to Young, and screamed: "Do you know what you just did? Do you know what you did? What were you thinking?"

Young, the No. 1 prospect in Baseball America, had just flipped his bat in disgust after being called out on a third strike.

Young says he meant for the bat to land by the home-plate umpire's feet.

Instead, it stuck to his hand and flipped high into the air and hit the umpire's chest.

It soon was replayed on ESPN over and over for all of the world to see.

Young, hitting .354 this season with five homers and 40 RBI, profusely apologized for the incident, but the penalty was severe.

He couldn't even work out with the Bulls. He lost $145,000 in pay, and served 52 hours of community service.

He donated money to charities. He spoke to groups. He pitched to underprivileged and disabled children, even playing in a wheelchair one day.

"He messed up, and he knows it," Upton says. "It's just something that happened. Just the look on his face, he knew how bad it was.

"But what people don't know is that he's a good guy, a great person. He's all about baseball."

Upton, whose younger brother, Justin, was the No. 1 pick in the 2005 June free-agent draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks, craves the chance to be the torchbearer for the Durham trio. He kept his mouth shut when pulled over for speeding in Chapel Hill and cited with a DWI.

He talks constantly with Young and Dukes, pleading for them to keep their emotions in check, reminding them they are just a phone call away from the big leagues.

Just take a look at him, Upton says. He was in the big leagues at the age of 19, the youngest player in Devil Rays' history to make it. He played 45 games with the Devil Rays in 2004, spending the last two months of the season in the big leagues.

He hasn't been back since, even though temporarily switching to third could mean a call-up any day.

"Hopefully this is not a long-term thing because I still want to play shortstop," Upton says. "I know I made a lot of errors at short this year (28), and there's no excuses. But I know I can do it. But by moving to third now definitely is a quicker way to get up there.

"When I do go to Tampa, I don't want to ever come back here. And I'd love to see Delmon and Elijah with me. We talk about it all of the time how special it would be for us to make it together.

"We've been through so much together, it'd sure be nice to share the same dream, too."

[ISiddiqui]

They want to get traded to better teams, so they're being outrageous so the Rays deal them for peanuts.

I think you got it. None of them want to play for the Rays, so they all decided to say crap about the Rays in hopes of being dealt.

[Crapshoot]

Hell, I think they're right. They're playing for an organization with a history of incompetence.

[ISiddiqui]

Hell, I think they're right. They're playing for an organization with a history of incompetence.

Well there is that :D. They probably should have been called up by now...

[miami_fan]

Hell, I think they're right. They're playing for an organization with a history of incompetence.

A whole 8 year history? of incompetence. Wow. That would give the youngsters for the Royals and Pirates (just to name two) to act like idiots too no?

[Crapshoot]

And I read the article and see guy's who have mistakes, but acknowledge them. Talent wise, there's no reason why Upton or Young/Dukes aren't in the big leagues - hell, I'd wager the latter two outhit the HTWG (Hustling Telegenic White Guy) Badelli right now.

[sterlingice]

This would be a lot more credible, if not considering the source. Logan hit the nail on the head.

Furthermore, that's the game these guys play. You get 6 years plus time in the minors with where you're drafted and then you can go anywhere. So, shut up and put in your damn time, because if I were the Rays I sure as hell wouldn't trade them.

SI

[sterlingice]

Speaking of the Royals above, I love watching KC here rush people to the majors and then either ruin the players or get them for less time. Yes, bringing up a hot prospect in a middle of a lost season to meaninglessly start his service time clock seems so wise, especially when these are teams where they need to count their pennies, so to speak.

SI

[SirFozzie]

Sterling nails it, even if they are ready, they don't want to start the clock on hte major league careers

[JonInMiddleGA]

Hell, I think they're right. They're playing for an organization with a history of incompetence.

I wondered if anybody else was going to notice this overlooked detail.

[Logan]

And I read the article and see guy's who have mistakes, but acknowledge them. Talent wise, there's no reason why Upton or Young/Dukes aren't in the big leagues - hell, I'd wager the latter two outhit the HTWG (Hustling Telegenic White Guy) Badelli right now.

B.J. Upton is a completely atrocious fielder. If he wants to play on the big league level, he has to work out his problems in the minors first. It would be the same if he was a dead fastball hitter and couldn't come close to hitting the curve.

It's like Downtown Anderson in Major League III. If you can't hit the outside pitch, you have to stick in the minors until Scott Bakula shows you how.

[Logan]

I wondered if anybody else was going to notice this overlooked detail.

Not spending money = incompetence?

[st.cronin]

The reputation that basketball players have of being selfish and not caring about the team or the game really belongs more to baseball players these days.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Not spending money = incompetence?

Not spending money well = not committed to being competitive = incompetence

[stevew]

I had read something earlier in the season which was stating that the Rays were planning on keeping Upton in AAA so that he wouldn't hit one full year of MLB experience.

If this was an online league, for instance, and one shitty team still had these 3 guys sitting in AAA when they were better than most of the players on the parent club, people would be outraged for tanking. And the D-Rays are pretty well tanking in a real life environment.

Hell, I think they're right. They're playing for an organization with a history of incompetence.

Exactly

[Logan]

Not spending money well = not committed to being competitive = incompetence

The only way I'll buy that argument is if you're referring to the owners' initial purchase of the team as "not spending money well." Who would ever want to play in that disaster of a park?

[Philliesfan980]

Quite honestly, there's no way Florida should have a baseball team at all. For all the Marlins recent success, the fans treat the team like dogcrap. Sure the stadium sucks, but its not THAT bad. They always have pretty quick re-build plans. I can't believe that a team in the Carolina's wouldn't outdraw what they do down there.

[stevew]

Does Tampa look at character at all when they draft or no? This is ridiculous. Talent or not, they have a couple of feature Albert Belles on their team and none will stay there past that first contract.


They drafted Josh Hamilton, and he's currently a recovering crack addict.

[JS19]

They drafted Josh Hamilton, and he's currently a recovering crack addict.

I actually saw something about him on ESPN i think. Looks like he's clean now and the DRays are giving him another shot.

[Philliesfan980]

I actually saw something about him on ESPN i think. Looks like he's clean now and the DRays are giving him another shot.

Yeah, I've been following him all season, and it seems like the guy is really making a true attempt at staying clean.

[stevew]

I actually saw something about him on ESPN i think. Looks like he's clean now and the DRays are giving him another shot.

Same thing i saw probably.

[kcchief19]

Hell, I think they're right. They're playing for an organization with a history of incompetence.
Of course, part of that history of incompetence includes staking the franchise's future in three guys who lack the maturity to play in the major leagues.

[kcchief19]

I had read something earlier in the season which was stating that the Rays were planning on keeping Upton in AAA so that he wouldn't hit one full year of MLB experience.

If this was an online league, for instance, and one shitty team still had these 3 guys sitting in AAA when they were better than most of the players on the parent club, people would be outraged for tanking. And the D-Rays are pretty well tanking in a real life environment.

Of course, the difference between real life and and online league is that guys don't throw bats and attack umpires in OOTP. And if you have a shortstop who can't make routine plays, he's not going to play in an online league either.

Upton more than the other two could be in the major leagues right now, but even he hasn't exactly dominated AAA. I don't blame the D-Rays for keeping him down right now to keep the clock from running on him, especially when the only thing him being the big leagues might do is help them finish 40 games out of first instead of 41 games out. What's the point?

I'm surprised there are people who two months ago though Delmon Young should still be on suspension for flinging his bat at the ump and now people can't figure out why he's not in the majors.

[cougarfreak]

Maybe these guys should realize, THEY are 13.5 games out of first place. And they are complaining the Drays are out of it, and they should be called up because of it? Hell, they can't even get a AAA team over the top.

[MrBigglesworth]

Upton, who's hitting .268 with eight homers...
All that production and no defense? It's a crime they're keeping him down there!

[miami_fan]

Yeah, I've been following him all season, and it seems like the guy is really making a true attempt at staying clean.

Associated Press


ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Troubled prospect Josh Hamilton had his comeback with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays put on hold because of a left knee injury.


Hamilton, playing for Class-A Hudson Valley, will have the knee examined next week by Dr. James Andrews.


On the restricted list the last two seasons, Hamilton received permission from Major League Baseball on June 30 to play in minor league games the rest of this year. He was hitting .260 with five RBI in 15 games.


The 25-year-old Hamilton, the No. 1 overall pick in the 1999 draft, was suspended in February 2004 for violating baseball's drug policy. He hadn't played since July 2002 because of injuries and unspecified personal issues.


Hamilton received a $3.96 million signing bonus out of high school.

[miami_fan]

BTW Upton was called up and played third last night going 2 for 4 while being booed in his first at bat.

Elijah Dukes was supposed to return from a 5 game suspension for arguing balls by the International League but now he has been suspended indefinitely by the Rays and is thinking about giving up baseball.