The beginning of the end of the Elijah Dukes Era in D.C.

(AP Photo. Not even the Little League Moms could save Elijah Dukes this time.) Operation De-Bowdenization rumbles along... Elijah Dukes sent packing to AAA Syracuse. Austin Kearns, Ronnie Belliard somehow survive Mike Rizzo's axe for another day. Rizzo and Manny Acta say it's for Dukes' own good, but we don't believe they believe that for a second. Our "sources" with no knowledge of the situation say there's a 50/50 chance you'll never see Elijah Dukes in a Washington Nationals uniform again. "I didn't see the consistent at-bats I wanted Elijah to have. I think he understands this is a developmental process... He can use this time to right himself down there." (Mike Rizzo, via Nationals Journal, 7/1/2009) "He's not a finished product. Obviously, he was in a little bit of a slump the last month here. He needs to get down there and...