Slumping Dukes Is Sent To Class AAA Syracuse

MIAMI, July 1 -- The Washington Nationals sent Elijah Dukes to Class AAA Syracuse on Wednesday morning, saying Dukes was not a "finished product" and needed to play every day rather than sit on the bench in the majors.

The move came in response to the team's acquisition Tuesday of middle reliever Sean Burnett and center fielder Nyjer Morgan in a trade that sent Lastings Milledge and Joel Hanrahan to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

"I don't think we're going to be doing him any help by just sitting him here," Acta said before Wednesday's game against the Florida Marlins at Land Shark Stadium.

Acting general manager Mike Rizzo called the demotion of Dukes "a pure baseball decision" designed to ensure Dukes would get enough at-bats and playing time to continue to develop, but the move also seemed to signal a loss of confidence in a player once considered among the organization's top prospects.

Dukes and Milledge had, as recently as this spring, been considered Washington's outfielders of the future.

"I didn't see the consistent at-bats I wanted Elijah to have," Rizzo said. "I think he understands this is a developmental process. . . . He can use this time to right himself down there."

After a strong start to the season, Dukes has been mired in a slump that sank his batting average to .244. He hit .198 in June. He is expected to play in right and center field in Syracuse.

Dukes, who packed his bags before the game, declined to comment through a team official.

Rizzo's decision to move Dukes also saved the organization the possible loss of a player through waivers. Other Nationals who seemed to be in line for a possible demotion -- such as Austin Kearns and Jesús Colome -- are out of options, meaning Washington could not send either player to the minor leagues without at first allowing other teams the chance to claim him.

New Nats Make the Trip

Morgan and Burnett took a 5:20 a.m. flight out of Pittsburgh that connected in Atlanta to join their new teammates Wednesday. The pair arrived less than an hour before the start of the 5-3 loss to the Marlins. Burnett pitched 1 1/3 innings, but Morgan -- who is expected to start in center field Friday -- did not play. . . .

The official scorer at Land Shark Stadium reviewed one of the three errors charged Tuesday to third baseman Ryan Zimmerman and changed it to a hit by Hanley Ramírez. Zimmerman had mishandled the first-inning bouncer, then thrown it over the head of first baseman Nick Johnson. Before the change, Zimmerman had been charged with two errors on the play.