Milton's act wouldn't play in Cincinnati. He's running out of venues, if he was a NFL guy he'd be looking at the CFL.
Milton's act wouldn't play in Cincinnati. He's running out of venues, if he was a NFL guy he'd be looking at the CFL.
When guys like Abreu and Dunn were getting less money and less years than Bradley, how do you say that he received a reasonable contract in relation to the market? Those guys aren't travelling sideshows, aren't chronically injured and didn't have a lot of their success tied to DHing and playing in a notorious hitter's park. And they have had a fair amoutn of success in the league as well.
Where both contracts were bad ideas, Taveras' was much more favorable due to the terms of the contracts. $30MM contracts for injury prone guys who are as stable as francium who are coming off of career seasons in perfect elements trump $6MM contracts for stiffs any day.
Let's look at this logically...they gave Bradley a 3 year guaranteed contract when, in his 10 seasons in baseball, he has never played more than 216 games with one team. Common sense flew out the window when this deal was struck.
Unfortunately + whatever is received in a trade for Arroyo/Harang/Cordero could be easily be better long term than those 3. And it's also possible that Milton Bradley plus whatever is received in a trade for any or all of those 3 ultimately makes the Reds better.
Or, it could make them dreadfully worse. Can't really know the outcome until it would happen and the dust settles.
I understand the argument that this team needs talent, and Bradley has talent. The numbers back that up. But if you are going to use numbers to back up acquiring Bradley, you need to look at this number as well.
Bradley is 6 for 6 in wearing out his welcome for his current team. He has played for the Expos, Indians, Dodgers, A's, Rangers and Cubs. Every one of them decided that the problems he brought to the club with his attitude and poor sportsmanship (to put it politely) hurt the team more than his production helped the team.
Now maybe Bradley will be a changed man with his next team. Maybe he will do nothing but produce, and only help the team with the numbers that he puts up. But the stats don't lie. It is easy to project from that stat that it is very likely that any team he is on, will want him gone in less than two years, most likely, one.
"Imagination is more important than knowledge." -- Albert Einstein
If the Reds were to bring in Milton Bradley and his contract, what would be the next move?
LF Jonny Gomes*
CF Drew Stubbs
RF Jay Bruce
OF Wladimir Balentien
OF Willy Taveras
OF Chris Dickerson
OF Laynce Nix*
* the Reds own the rights to the player but would have to offer arbitration to keep him
Sources: Bradley won't appeal
By Jayson Stark
ESPN.com
Updated: September 24, 2009, 7:26 AM ET
Milton Bradley has agreed not to appeal his suspension for the rest of the season, sources familiar with the situation told ESPN.com on Wednesday.
That decision came after Bradley formally apologized to the Cubs, and the team informed him it would suspend him with pay for the final 15 games of the season.
"I chose Chicago as a free agent because I wanted to be part of finally bringing a championship to the Cubs' fans. I expected to have a great season and I am deeply disappointed by my performance and the team's struggles," said Bradley, who signed a $30 million, three-year contract in the offseason.
Bradley stood to lose more than $400,000 in salary had the Cubs chosen to suspend him without pay. But had they done so, the players' union almost certainly would have filed a grievance challenging that discipline.
So indications were that Cubs management worked out a more informal resolution of the case with Bradley and his agents, Seth and Sam Levinson.
"We're done," Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said, according to the Chicago Sun Times. "MLB has notified the union and everybody has signed off and it's done and Milton has made a statement."
Bradley was suspended Sunday after he lashed out in a story in the Arlington Daily Herald at the "negativity" emanating from Cubs management and fans, and said: "You understand why they haven't won for 100 years."
Bradley said his frustration and disappointment caused him to act in a way he regrets.
"I wish that I handled certain things different and I apologize for those things that did not work out for the better," he said in a statement. "The air has been cleared, and we all want to move on and look forward to better days."
Cubs manager Lou Piniella said he appreciated Bradley's comments.
"I'm happy to see that he issued the statement and apologized," said Piniella, who clashed with Bradley several times this season. "You know -- put that behind us and we just go forward."
Hendry wouldn't say before the Cubs took on the Brewers whether the switch-hitting outfielder will return next year.
"We'll worry about next season when this season is over," Hendry said. "We've got the rest of the season to play and we're going to finish it up."
Bradley's mother said on Tuesday that her son would consider returning to the Cubs if they will have him back.
Speaking to the Sun-Times, Charlena Rector said: "All the people on TV keep saying, 'Oh, Milton has played his last game for the Cubs.'" But, she added, that won't be the case if Bradley has any say with management.
"Milton eats, sleeps and drinks baseball. He loves it. That's all he wants to do," Rector told the newspaper.
The mood of the clubhouse in Milwaukee has been upbeat, and the Cubs won three in a row heading into Wednesday's action. Hendry said he hasn't spoken to Bradley, only with his agent, Seth Levinson.
When might Bradley and Hendry talk directly?
"No idea," Hendry said. "Nothing to talk about now. He's home for the rest of the year."
Senior writer Jayson Stark covers MLB for ESPN.com. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
My man Milt...from Rotoworld
www.rotoworld.com
Milton Bradley, ejected from two games last week, told the Seattle Times' Geoff Baker Monday that he's "not changing."
Brilliance. "I mean, I'm not changing," Bradley said Monday amid questions about his ability to keep his head in check. "I've gotten this far being me, it's been 31 years, and nothing changes about me, ever." It seems a lot of people sort of assumed he'd be able to stay calm and collected in the great Northwest, and maybe he will, but he's off to a rough start down in spring training.
I saw one ejection, it was a joke, a complete joke, he dropped his bat, took his gloves off and then picked his bat up... tossed.
Bush AAA umpire.
I am a great believer that a leopard doesn't change his spots.
More worrisome for Mariner fans should be that Bradley looked like he lost some bat speed last year. If his game deteriorates on top of his mental issues, it won't be pretty
At least Milt is keeping it real wherever he goes. From rotoworld:
A source tells Mike Salk of 710 ESPN in Seattle that Milton Bradley left the team in the middle of Tuesday's game against the Rays.
Bradley was frustrated after striking out looking with the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth inning. He yelled at the umpire from the bench until Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu warned him to settle down. Just minutes later Bradley reportedly told Wakamatsu, "I'm packing my stuff. I'm out of here." Mariners General Manager Jack Zduriencik didn't address the matter specifically on Wednesday, other than to say something that happens between the manager and his players should be handled internally. We're guessing that Wakamatsu might not have to worry about Bradley much longer.
Everyone knows how Bradley is going to act so it should be no surprise that hes still making a fool of himself.
Nobody to blame but the people who continue to sign him.
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