Didn’t RTA or any of the articles on this subject but I have been seeing the headlines.  Nonetheless I have an opinon.  We all know Dukes, due to his immaturity and irresponsibility, is broke.  I think his agents keep him afloat knowing that if he fulfills his potential there will be a big payoff for everyone.  All that to say, I think at this point he really needs the $500.

Because there’s a different bond between a Major League ballplayer and little leaguers than there is between Regis Philbin and the East Alton, IL Rotary Club?  Or at least there should be. Major Leaguers aren’t obligated to do anything, but I’d like to think that if I were one I’d at least show up for the Little Leaguers for free.  Yes, I realize that’s not a very rational argument, but I’m entitled to those once in a while.

More rationally, I’d say it’s because Dukes, in defending himself from the fine is saying “hey, I was out giving back to the community!” When in fact he wasn’t really doing that. He was making a paid personal appearance.

1.5 million, with agent fees, high marginal tax rate, family, child support payments, youth and irresponsibility?  Hell yeah he could be broke.

Isn’t the Little League a charitable (or at leaset non-profit) organization?

If so, they have a legal requirement to spend a certain amount of money each year, and getting ballplayers to come do this sort of thing is the best way to do, as it is applicable to the organization.

You would hope the ballplayes would donate that money to charity, and we don’t know Dukes wasn’t going to do that. Probably not, but lets hear his side.

But if any organization invited any of us bloggers to come give a talk about what we do to a journalism class at the local high school, and then said there was a $500 fee involved, how many of us would be more likely to go then, instead of not going at all?

I’m not necessarily going to give Dukes a chance, but he did go.

How many major league players wouldn’t?

Elijah did earn his money - acc. to the Washington Post part of the gig was sitting through a parade of FIFTY FOUR little league teams and signing autographs, which works out to less than $1 per!

“If Dukes accepts this money, in effect doubling his dubious appearance fee, there will be no words that can sufficiently describe the sheer fail on his part.”

This is a bit over the top… why do writers constantly hyperbolize everything?  If I wasn’t so bored, I’d stop reading this stuff.

What’s amazing is that you figure $500 for a ballplayer is a joke in comparison with the league average, even the league minimum, right?

But when I think about getting a $500 fine for showing up for work late, I’d puke. $500 is serious money for most of us. And if Dukes is broke, $500 is serious food money to him too.

Anyway. It goes to show you should take nothing for granted…

Did Denny Mclain die?  I missed that.

I think the Little League event was a fund raiser, so they pay alittle to get some celebrity buzz going for the crowd.  This is common if not universal now—-charity events, etc., part of ‘being’ a celebrity.

The team and the league don’t get the money.

All fine money goes to charity, as per the CBA.

So, actually, everyone but Dukes is coming out ahead.