Bleed Cubbie Blue

Exactly.

What’s the point in fire-storming him? A few, well-placed curses by a few select people will suffice. He’s dead to me.

CubsBullsBears - September 20, 2009 reply

LSA.

No, Milton. It’s YOU. The source of the negativity is YOU. You are your own worst enemy. There isn’t a single player I can think of — with the possible exception of Todd Hundley — who has come to Chicago with high expectations, failed to fulfill them and then blamed everyone but himself for his troubles. I am glad you’ll be elsewhere next year.

So Bradley says he's playing harder than anyone else on the field

I wonder what his teammates think about that.

Indeed.

In addition to everything else, he throws his teammates under the bus?

What a piece of work he is.

Ummm.....

Gameboard doesn’t have any “teammates” — just guys who wear the same color jersey and dress in the same clubhouse.

He’s on an island, remember?

Right.

I forgot. It appears that he doesn’t play for an organization or represent a city, either, since he threw all of that under the bus, too.

What a piece of work.

Derrek Lee's reaction:

Unbelievable

This guy is just a clown. The one group of guys who have tried to defend him and he openly says he’s more honest and a harder worker.

This, I think...

… puts the lie to all the public pronouncements we’ve heard that “he’s a great teammate”.

Use the "sarcasm" font:

Write "he’s a great teammate between the @ symbol. Like so: he's a great teammate.

I like it

make it tiny. real tiny.

TWSS????

gawd I hope not!

Of course it doesn't

Because the next thing will be that he was misquoted

And don't forget

the “only OBP and OPS are important!!!” group. Team chemistry has no effect or way of being measured so it is not important!

Interesting tweet just in from Twittermyer.

Linky

Bradley not here. Team expected to say why in next hour or so. Suspension or DL.

My guess is DL, in which case I believe we have seen the last of him in a Cubs uniform.

We can only hope.

And, is anyone surprised that he’s not even at the ballpark with the team? Dude can’t put on a freaking uniform and sit in the dugout with his teammates? Unbelievable.

He might have been sent home.

Don’t know that, but that’s a possibility, especially if he was suspended.

Under the CBA,

“insubordination” is a legitimate cause for an (unpaid) suspension, though I think there is a limit on the number of days.

Insubordination can include refusal to undergo treatment for an injury or to see a doctor.

Yes but here the "insubordination" is basically is words

I really , really doubt he refused treatment.

I don't.

You may be on to something here.

What would be the "charge" against him?

not with a bang but a whimper

TWSS

N Oakley - September 21, 2009 reply

Wawaweewa

Big news.

Sullivan says it's a suspension

The outspoken outfielder, who took shots at the Cubs in a Saturday interview with the Daily Herald, has been suspended for the rest of the season, according to general manager Jim Hendry.
link

CubsBullsBears - September 20, 2009 reply

Thank you Jim...

Finally.

Finally indeed. Should have happened a long time ago.

But his OBP, his OBP

that is all that matters.

How does this effect his “Underpaid Salesman” role?

clearly this is all the fans' fault

if we hadn’t all been racist, he wouldn’t have thrown his team under the bus

Perhaps we should pay Milton reparations for this season.

not cool

This is borderline racist.

I think we all need to lighten up.

It was a joke. I didn’t take it as anything but that.

It's your site, Al

Seems over the line to me.

LOL

It's a bad joke

Glad to see BCB condones racism, Al.

IT WAS TEH RACISM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111111111

Lighten up.

because slavery jokes are always appropriate

When you get hysterical about such, you empower it

There wasn’t any real racism occurring here.

Taht's ridiculous

So if I call out an injustice, it just makes the injustice worse?

Injustice?

“Your Honor, I have suffered the injustice of crude humor made in slightly questionable taste! I DEMAND JUSTICE!”

you don't like the term 'injustice'?

Fine. If someone makes a comment that is crude, hurtful and very arguably racist, it only empowers that comment if it’s criticized?

No, I will not lighten up on jokes about slavery

Perhaps holocost jokes are hilarious to you too?

Poor analogy

not really

why is it a poor analogy?

I don't see how a joke about how fans are supposedly racist because of what a couple of retards in the Chicago media said is relatable to the Holocaust

No one is calling Milton a slave or speaking cruelly of him because of his race.

so Milton, LaTroy Hawkins and Dusty ...

are “retards in the Chicago media”?

Do you really...

want to put those three on a pillar?

No ...

but they’re not in the Chicago media.

I don't doubt that there are individual racists who have said things to those players

But it’s irresponsible to paint an entire fanbase as racist because of that.

OK, you used the R-word

Die a horrid death and go to hell

What about spelling jokes?

holocaust

ZING!

Go go grammar police!

Grammar Police you say

i know a funny joke about pizzas...

Really?

Wow, please define which historical reference will be acceptable.

Um ...

one that isn’t about enslaving millions of people?

The joke was not about slavery

it was about a historical event that occurred after the Civil War.

wow

Reparations for slavery weren’t about slavery?

What's this got to do with anything?

Someone made a joke about how we’re all supposedly racist due to past things written by the media, and someone else added on a little bit. No one was being racist.

ask a black person ...

with any knowledge of Milton’s time in Chicago whether it’s appropriate and not racist to cite reparations right now. See what kind of reaction you get.

Reparation

Special Field Orders, No. 15 were military orders issued during the American Civil War, on January 16, 1865, by Major General William Tecumseh Sherman, commander of the Military Division of the Mississippi of the United States Army. They provided for the confiscation of 400,000 acres (1,600 km²) of land along the Atlantic coast of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida into 40-acre (160,000 m2) parcels, on which were to be settled approximately 18,000 freed slave families and other black refugees then living in the area.

The orders were issued following Sherman’s March to the Sea. They were intended to address the immediate problem of dealing with the tens of thousands of black refugees who had joined Sherman’s march in search of protection and sustenance. General Sherman issued his orders after meeting in Savannah, Georgia with twenty ministers of the black community and with U.S. Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. Brig. Gen. Rufus Saxton, an abolitionist from Massachusetts who had previously organized the recruitment of black soldiers for the Union Army, was put in charge of implementing the orders.

The orders had little concrete effect, as they were revoked in the fall of that same year by President Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Abraham Lincoln after his assassination.

I know what reparations are

Craig in South Bend - September 20, 2009 reply

Apparently you know a half-assed background of the word.

f off

Apparently you are an idiot.

Craig in South Bend - September 20, 2009 reply

Really?

You can do better than that. Please, enlighten me with more things that make you butt hurt.

you butt hurt?

Craig in South Bend - September 20, 2009 reply

Go on...

no, I'm done

And amazed at the racist radar of posters on this site.

Well then

“Reparations” were an order that was given by a General in the Army, which was revoke by the President of the USA. They were designed to provide aid and comfort to supporters of Sherman. Not for every Slave.

So to the joke:

How about if it was changed to say:

Perhaps we should pay Milton protection and sustenance for this season.

I wonder if Bradley would be happy if he was on an all black team

My guess is he’d still be an ass. I think HE is a racist.

This is closer to the truth

Not a racist

Just an ass who will use anything he can to make himself appear to be the victim, even when he brings it on himself.

I buy that

Well, that was a ridiculous statement.

Well, he can have the 40 acres

but he doesn’t need the mule. He’s already an ass.

mattvegas - September 20, 2009 reply

LOL

even if this is an attempt at irony ...

Are jokes like this really in good taste — especially in a situation where a player was citing racism as a reason for a difficult season? Jokes about slave reparations? Really?

I’m not defending Bradley, but I sure don’t think comments like this help anything. Where are the posters who decry negativity now?

Please define how it was racist?

a black player

has a bad year and a horrible ending with a club, and that situation is belittled by comparing his situation to slavery — and you don’t think it’s racist?

Not compared to Slavery

I'm not sure exactly what that statement meant

If you’re saying you didn’t compare it TO slavery, you certainly cited slavery (or reparations) when discussing a black player.

Stay classy, San Diego.

No one is comparing his situation to slavery

It’s a joke about how Cubs fans are racist according to some in the media.

and a bunch of players

So, you make a joke that reinforces the opinion. Brilliant.

And you blow it completely out of proportion.

How long was the recovery after your successful sense of humor-ectomy?

CubSteve - September 20, 2009 reply

Just Hendry being racist!

bradley just needs to shut up to the media

it will make his life a whole lot easier

I guess you're right...

since “stop being an asshole” doesn’t seem to be an option.

Reddevil - September 20, 2009 reply

Enjoy the game

I am taking a culture break and going to see a production of two new Mamet one acts with some good Chicago actors
( John Pankow & Brian Murray). May be back for the last half but I want to Neil Patrick Harris host the Tony awards.

Neil Patrick Harris is hosting the Emmys, not the Tonys

No offense to Cubs or this site

But I’m far more interested in seeing the Emmy’s and Curb Your Enthusiasm than Cubs/Cards at this moment.

I'll be watching Giants-Cowboys

Curb/Entourage/Bored To Death

The “Cubs Avoidance” Tri-fecta.

Oh, yeah. It’s HBO. It’s Sunday. I’m there.

thanks for the reminder! Now off to program the DVR...

I'm sure if Larry David had the chance

Season 7 would have been about him and Jeff trying to purchase the Cubs. Since Jeff Garlin is one of the biggest celebrity Cubs fans ever it would almost make sense!

After watching last week's special

on the fake Seinfeld reunion plotline, I’m more excited than ever to watch this season.

I've read they're taping a full episode out of it

And that 15 min should air in an hour long finale. I don’t know how true that is though.

I could see them adding the full episode a DVD bonus or part of the Seinfeld syndication package?

Sorry yes , he already hosted the Tonys.

Whatever he is fun to watch. He was AMAZING in a production of ASSASSINS a few years back.

and Bears WON!!

Lineup via Twittermyer

First day of the rest of their lives without Milty. Lineup: fuky, scales, lee, rami, hoff, soto, font, blanco, Z.

Scales batting 2nd?

oh boy

another F you from Lou re Fox.

At least Blanco is playing.

He should play every day from now to the end of the season.

But can he catch all the balls before they get to LF ?

He may have to.

If the Cubs are claiming they aren't going to trade Bradley this offseason

then they’re surely full of it, aren’t they?

They can’t suspend him for two weeks, and expect him to play next April can they?

Are they claiming that?

Fairly certain I read the club has no plans to trade him

in one of the updates

Just when ya think

the Bradley Drama has cooled, he opens mouth. Guy is unreal. Who takes him off your hands? Wow, I mean WOW.

Expecting a 3rd pitching duel/exciting game tonite. Z vs Waino a fantastic matchup. Unfortunately, particularly if he’s MIA, Bradley talk will get way too much airtime.

Unfortunately, you're probably right.

Hopefully, the game will distract from that.

What a terrible, terrible signing Bradley was. I never thought the Cubs could make one worse than Todd Hundley, but they have.

You'll have to let us know Morgan's take

I don’t think I can handle it

I will.

You're a good man, Al

That’s a bullet I wouldn’t take for the rest of you

Captain Morgan? Arrrrrr. He's likes it just fine matey...

wait - I thought it was his left knee...

Boy is ESPN gonna

have a Field Day with this one. Like Morgan or not, be interesting to hear his take on Bradley during the game tonite. Holy Cow …………. Harry’s rolling in his grave right now.

Milton Bradley spelled backwards

is “jackass”?

He can talk as much as he likes

At this point, I doubt anybody’s still listening with an open mind and in full support of his points of view.

I can’t see any team picking him up.

I'd like to see the Cajun Connection kick the crap out of Milton in the lockeroom

If for nothing more than for a great story!

They can also try and beat the Cardinals tonight if they want as well.

WOW

cst_cubs Bradley suspended rest of year for comments to media

Good.

This could come under the category of insubordination — basically throwing the entire organization under the bus.

I hope they have lawyers looking through his contract for ways to void it.

honestly, release his ass right now.

If they did that they'd be on the hook for the rest of the contract.

Better if they can try to find another team to take him, or figure out some way to void the deal.

What an enormous mistake signing him was.

The union will go to bat for him as it were.

I don’t doubt there is an " insubordination " clause in his contract.

The union will have a hard time backing up someone who acts like Bradley has.

c'mon Al, you know how it works. Disdain & disgust doesn't really enter the picture.

The union will back him up because that’s what unions do for their members.

If the Union doesn't back him all the way (within reason)...

THEY could be sued by Bradley. They won’t allow this d**khead to set a precedent like that, so they’ll do what they are contractually obligated to do for him. Nothing more. They know he’s a jerk too…

It depends on what the details are here.

We know only the public pronouncements. There may have been other things done in private. We may never know.

No they won't

It is a contract issue. If they let you suspend a player for bad mouthing his team to the media it will set a precedent. It is
what they are are supposed to do for their members even if I suspect they will not enjoy it.

The question is...

… is this considered insubordination?

I can’t recall ANY major league baseball player EVER saying this about his teammates, his organization and the city he plays in.

Al "insubordination" is a military term

I doubt it is in a contract. I mean if Lou told him to go out and play and he refused then even the Union would not support him. Now there is some kind of "morals’ clause in the contracts but gonna be hard to see how they use that one.

Insubordination...

… can be whatever management defines it to be in a contract.

We don’t know what goes on in private. I will say that this is the first time in recent memory I can remember a Cubs player being suspended by the team, especially for a period as long as two weeks.

That being the case, it’s serious business.

exactly. it's a common cause for dismissal.

Yes. Contracts CAN be voided for such behavior.

Dismissal for just cause. Even under contract, Bradley is still an “at will” employee.

Yep.

I suspect that lawyers are going over that contract right now, and there likely has already been contact made with the MLBPA.

Can anyone here remember ANY player for ANY team being suspended by the team for behavior like this? I can’t.

Dick Allen? Wasn't he suspended in Philly for something similar?

I honestly can’t remember…

Allen was suspended for failing to show up for a game.

And that was 40 years ago. I can’t remember a team suspension for such a thing in the last 40 years.

OK. I couldn't remember the cause, but I do remember it was a big deal at the time.

Shows how old I am I guess ;)

You & me both, my friend.

Denny Neagle had his contract voided by the Rockies a few years ago for soliciting a prostitute

It violated the “morals” clause. I can’t think of another MLB player that’s had their contract voided, though. Hell, Steve Howe failed 7 drug tests, and an arbitrator ruled in his favor. So I think it would be extremely difficult for the Cubs to successfully void Bradley’s contract. I’m sure they’ve got lawyers looking into it right now though.

Agreed.

He's not at will.

His contract has a term limit on it.

But just cause can be cause for dismissal in such a situation.

Arbusto - September 20, 2009 reply

Suspended for the rest of the season

Per Sullivan: Link.

and Twittermyer:

Bradley suspended rest of year for comments to media.

ScottieG33 - September 20, 2009 reply

This may be the topper

to a crappy season. Just unbelieveable. I’m just glad we don’t have to debate all winter whether he’ll be back next year.

mrcubsfan - September 20, 2009 reply

Hopefully...

… traded ASAP after the World Series is over.

But we need the bag of balls and 6 rolls of sports tape NOW, Al. We can't wait until after the WS ;)

I was hoping for a couple of infield rakes to be named later.

Price seems too high.

Do they have a high OBP?

Doesn't Derek Jeter have a reputation

as somewhat of an infield rake? I’ll take him on the Cubs if the Yanks let him go.

mattvegas - September 20, 2009 reply

He certainly is a rake in my eyes ;-)

at least the bears tied the game up ....

boy can this season suck any more

I feel bad that it's come to this with Bradley

Because he could have been a productive Cub.

But the fact that it’s not going to happen is not the fault of Paul Sullivan, Gordon Wittenmeyer, a blogger named “Worf”, “dtpolitt”, “Shanghai Badger”, “Al”, etc. It’s because from day 1, Bradley couldn’t take that chip off his shoulder.

The suspension is a sad ending to a chapter that probably shouldn’t have been written in the first place. I wish Bradley good luck next year, but won’t be surprised when he alienates a new audience.

His career will be over after 2011...

… if not before. It may be that the Cubs might have to eat the contract. If so, it will be worth it.

No one will sign him after his current deal is up. I just hope the Cubs can find someone who will take a chance that Bradley might play better in a smaller market.

Seattle is a possibility.

Seattle

Yeah, guess it’s a possibility. They’ll have a hole at DH after this year, and his skill set would fit in well with their offense since they need everything. However, their organization, and fan base, is really averse to his type of personalities and character issues, and I’m not sure they would give up anything to acquire him or pay much of his salary.

Consider too...

.. that the Mariners aren’t going to re-sign Adrian Beltre, and that might make room for Bradley’s contract.

But you’re right, that the Mariners organization would be leery about the other issues. However, with Seattle, Bradley could play his career out on Pacific time and hardly anyone east of the Mississippi would pay any attention to him at all, which is what he seems to want.

yes...

but they also have to find a replacement for Adrian Beltre… and resign Felix Hernandez to a gargantuan extension. They might give him to the Cubs in a swap for Carlos Silva’s contract (in no way a good idea for the Cubs).

This is a team (although a gm-change) who declined to even offer arbitration to Jose Guillen (who already had big offers coming in) just because they were concerned a steroid-user might actually accept.

As the Heilman deal showed, I really don’t want the Cubs doing any deals with the Mariners. Their GM is a smart guy. We’d be lucky to have a GM like him. He’s going to take that team places. That team has absolutely no business with the record they had this year if you just looked at the roster, but Jack Zduriencik knows what he is doing.

It would be a great place for Bradley to play for the reasons you suggest… but as soon as he opens his mouth or does anything screwy on the field, he’ll be done.

I hope he gets traded to an AL team Cubs play at Wrigley in 2010

He will get boo’d the $h*t out of more than any other player IMO ever at Wrigley.

He already was.

Even more....

yes...

because we haven’t got the chance to give him the booing he really deserves for his latest comments… and without the internal wanting for him to actually do something good for us.

True enough.

Well, if he goes to an AL team, the White Sox, Rangers and Angels will be coming to Wrigley next year. Doesn’t seem likely that any of those teams will be his destination.

Cubs actually are at Texas

The Athletics are coming to Wrigley next season. Maybe Beane will take another chance on him.

I agree with Shanghai, to a large extent. It didn’t have to be this way, but … lesson learned, I guess.

You're right about the schedule.

There’s no way he goes back to Oakland. Texas… maybe. Ron Washington and Bradley apparently got along pretty well.

I disagree with “it didn’t have to be this way”. I think this was headed this way from day one, unfortunately. It could have been predicted, and was, at least by me.

by me as well.

I just didn’t like the signing from day one, for simple risk vs. reward reasons.

I thought he could have been a productive player

and I supported him through the racism stuff, because I honestly believe that’s a problem with some elements of the Cubs fan base. But you can’t say the things he said and get away with it.

I seriously wonder if this franchise ever will be able to win it all.

That problem is not with just some elements of the Cubs fan base...

it’s a problem with some elements of the human race.

Correct.

exactly

I think so.

But, I really feel like we took a step backwards with the Bradley signing. I just don’t feel like adding players like him is condusive to winning.

Agreed.

I’d rather have a journeyman player in the dugout than a “superstar” who can’t play well with others, so to speak.

Blue Heron - September 20, 2009 reply

hmmm...

You know… all three of those teams could probably use him… Rangers could take him back and Angels could go for another stop-gap after Abreu leaves for greener ($$$) pastures. White Sox are crazy enough to take him, but he’s probably not crazy enough to make the decision to play in this city twice. I don’t think he’s a fit for the A’s because of Jack Cust and the presence of better defensive options they already have for the cheap.

Doubt it.

The new management didn’t put up with Bentencourt’s shenanigans. And Don Wakamatsu doesn’t strike me as the kind of guy that would allow it for a minute.

And could there any bigger tragedy than if he got Griffey’s roster spot? Griffey’s been much more than a fan draw this year, he’s been a leader for these kids and kept things loose. Just the opposite of what Milton brings to the table.

patches23 - September 20, 2009 reply

Leadership is overrated though....it doesn't win games...you can't measure it.

Meanwhile, after 100 losses last year, the Mariners might wind up with a better record than the Cubs.

Ichiro hit a walk off home run the other night off Rivera after a rook hit a PH double, and they might just take 2 of 3 from the Hated Yankees. The fans are having fun and the players are having fun. Wakamatsu has been out managing Lou on and off the field all year.

patches23 - September 20, 2009 reply

What do you attribute it to?

It can’t all be Wakamatsu.

no...

in fact, most of it is in spite of Wakamatsu and his lineup construction and bullpen usage. It’s been completely pitching and defense… and lots of luck… which can be much more of a positive for a team that doesn’t score runs than a team who plays a lot of high-scoring games… and when his team has needed something, even a marginal upgrade, their general manager has made the move to get it, whether it was pulling an arm up from AAA like Doug Fister, a leftfielder such as Ryan Langerhans or an infielder such as Jack Hannahan when Adrian Beltre went down, twice. You might be saying, who? And you’d be well in your rights to say so. You wouldn’t want those guys for a full season and have them be your only option. But he’s brought in guys who play defense and limit the runs his team would have to score to luck into the wins they’ve got… and they’ve been lefties, which suit their park. Of course, they also cost his team nothing, which was instrumental in keeping their talent to use in the big trade they made with Pittsburgh to bring in Jack Wilson and Ian Snell, who will probably be their third or fourth starter next year.

He’s done all this building up and tearing down and finding bit parts… while his team has struggled, but still put up a .500+ record all season long. Sure, with a different approach, they might have been a playoff contender, but they got a lot out of this year and are building for the future at the same time.

First big grin of the thread. Thanks, Shanghai!

Turn this one green.

Kudos to Hendry...

for stepping up and telling Milton to catch the next flight home. Some GM’s would allow those comments to go by. But I’m glad we have a GM who won’t tolerate bullshit from a player like “now you know why they haven’t won in over 100 years.”

F Bradley.

we should reward Hendry with his unconditional release from his contract

Yeah, but why'd he bring the guy here in the first place?

He had quite the reputation.

Blue Heron - September 20, 2009 reply

Dear Lord...

Bradley: “I got knee inflammation. I got two knee surgeries. That happens when you got knee surgery, in case you don’t know. What else you got?”

Let’s see, what else have I got? Oh, I know. A blistering case of contempt.

Go. Away.

What do the Bradely supporters have to say to his most recent comments?

Was this because we’re all racists, or because we just didn’t hug it out?

WE DIDNT GIVE HIM A CHANCE

You won't ever get a straight answer to that question.

Because the Bradley supporters cannot bring themselves to admit that his baggage was far more than his performance could ever overcome.

and his "performance" was totally worth the $10,000,000.00

Right.

According, probably, to some spreadsheet measure that has nothing to do with how a winning baseball team is put together.

Al, you won

Bradley ended up finally doing something that was over the top and you’re vindicated. Why is every fourth post in this thread yours? What’s the point of trying to rub it into the people who ended up being wrong about Bradley? There will be enough people doing that, so why not try to be above that and be constructive rather than vindictive?

I’ll admit that I’m one of the group who thinks that Bradley got a bum deal as a Cub. I’ll also admit that he went over the line this past week and the suspension was necessary. Until the past few weeks, I was still prepared to let him make up for his sloppy start to his career as a Cub. Many people had made their judgments a month into the season and there was nothing he could do to change them.

This whole situation has made me more than a little ashamed of being a part of Cubdom.

madcow256 - September 20, 2009 reply

This TEAM has made me a little ashamed of being a part of Cubdom.

Indeed

I'm with you there

$140-something dollars got us second place (hopefully) and bunch of excuses to show for it. No one player was responsible for the unraveling of our season. No vocal leadership by anyone, the manager having no explanation for his poor decisions, and worst of a all, a team that seemed uninterested in trying as hard as possible to dig themselves out of their hole.

By all accounts, Bradley will be gone next season. Unfortunately that doesn’t leave us with a very likable team, nor one that I expect to return anywhere near 2008 levels of success without a major change in attitude.

madcow256 - September 20, 2009 reply

Change in personnel, more than change in attitude.

How about changes in lattitudes and changes in attitudes?

Damen Jackson - September 20, 2009 reply

One can hope

We’ll have to see what leadership Ricketts wants in place, as well as what resources he’s willing to part with to make it happen. Unfortunately, there is a very real possibility we end up trotting out a similar team next year – or worse, a team with parts shuffled around just for the sake of shuffling (see this past offseason for an example).

madcow256 - September 20, 2009 reply

Now, the real question for me...

Is this enough to get Hendry shipped out of here as well? 18-year old bloggers knew signing Bradley — especially at this price — was a bad idea. it was sheer hubris on Hendry’s part to do it, and I think you really have to wonder if this is gonna cost him his job.

Depends, I suppose...

… on whether Hendry can ship his contract somewhere else.

Let's hope we get both.

I’d like the Cubs to go out and get someone like DeRosa. His enthusiasm is infectious.

Blue Heron - September 20, 2009 reply

I'm really NOT trying to say "told you so"...

… what I’m saying is that this should never have happened in the first place. It was a bad signing the day it happened, for both on-field and off-field reasons. I had no idea it would end this way, but if someone had told me in January that this was going to happen, I would have said, “I won’t be surprised.” And I’m not.

well, you're NOT saying it an awful lot... ;-)

I haven't said it even once.

But since you seem to want me to:

“I told you so.”

nope - what I meant was...

whatever it is you’re saying instead of “I told you so”, you’re saying it a lot.

Horseshit.

“I told you so” is EXACTLY what you’re saying.

I was a Bradley supporter at first

I even got a road jersey of his.

I have never worn it. It literally has been in my closet since i bought it.

I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, I wanted him to succeed, I really did. But after months and months of the same old bullshit, I’m glad this ass clown is leaving.

My only regret is that there is little to no chance the Cubs can save face.

Time to burn the Bradley uni.

heine41 - September 20, 2009 reply

Must be nice to have disposable income.

Not my best purchase

But I buy all my toys with money from playing cards, so its not like I wasted money from a paycheck on it

heine41 - September 20, 2009 reply

Good for you!

Glad to hear your hobby is lucrative.

can I light the match?

You could always take "BRADLEY" off the back...

… and replace it with “SOSA”.

"MARQUIS"

"JOHNSTONE"

Ah, a LIKEABLE Cub screwball

Or you could rearrange the letters and go by "Dr. Bayle".

Or it might read

YER BALD

That's just about perfect.

Ah. Even better.

Al, do you want to take this jersey off heine41’s hands?

(Sorry. ;)

LOL

Thanks, but no.

Imagine what good could have been done with all that money instead of giving it to Bradley.

I applaud Hendry for finally cutting this “individual” loose, but he NEVER should have signed him in the first place. I know hindsight is 20-20, but you didn’t need a Magic 8 Ball to see this coming well before the season started.

Agreed.

Take that money and what they gave to Aaron Miles, and they could have had a decent closer, another good middle reliever, and Bobby Abreu in RF.

+1 for the Abreu love!

He still has a high OBP

it doesn’t matter that the “Underpaid Salesman” throws the team, his team-mates, the Club, or the city under a bus, he gets on base, what else do you want?

Let's start with "Shutting your damn mouth or at least not saying incredibly stupid things."

I agree with you

I just like to remind people what was said about Bradley, I didn’t want him here to begin with.

So how does this suspension...

affect the 3rd year of the deal?

Well as someone who tried hard to give him the benefit of the doubt

and thought fans & the press just piled on him from day one, I admit it is over. Unless he says he is on drugs and needs to go into rehab and does a tearful interview on Oprah I don’t see how you get past those quotes.

Shhhh.

Don’t give him any ideas.

Would anyone take Vernon Wells' entire contract

if Toronto would take Gameboard’s????

vernon wells contract is sorianos on steroids

Yes, I think I'd do that.

Wells, at least, has a track record of performance, though this year has been pretty mediocre. I’d give him at least a 50-50 shot at recovering his previous performance level.

Is he left-handed?

Nope.

But that lefthanded hitting thing isn’t working out too well, is it?

Nope.

Piniella’s obsession with lefty hitters is wrongheaded.

Blue Heron - September 20, 2009 reply

That would be a horrid decision

I’m not commenting on Milton, but no matter how much you hate him you can’t possibly think that having his 25 million on the bench the next two years is better than having Vernon Wells waste space for even longer and waaaaaaaay more money.

That would almost be as dumb as trading for a guy like Holliday.

Wells, like Holliday...

… might thrive in the weaker National League.

It might be worth simply dumping Bradley’s contract, to get Wells. Toronto might do it, just to save the money.

If Milton wants to play without any attention, Toronto is the perfect place. The media will ignore him and no one comes to the games.

wells contract is horrid

plus MB will be able to hear

O Canada 81 times a year!

162

They play it on road games as well?

My bad.

Sure, because they show the hospitality to the road teams

I suppose it’s been a few years since the Expos came to town, so it may have been easy to forget!

Yeah,

we treat our Canadian friends quite well.

Wells in my eyes

Seems like it could sink the Cubs organization with another horrible contract.

10:$12.5M, 11:$23M, 12:$21M, 13:$21M, 14:$21M

For a guy who this season

Has a .746 OPS, a 90 OPS+, and a -16.9 UZR/150

He sucks, sucks, sucks. Only an idiot would trade Milton Bradley for him.

For a second there I thought you were talking about Soriano

With his .726 OPS and -11.5 UZR

and naturally the Cubs need TWO of those guys

That would be a really sound baseball decision.

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/articles/2009/09/20/measuring_the_managers/?page=4

Zambrano might be a Red Sox in 2010 (link):

See “Updates on Nine” from today’s Boston Globe:

ronsanto10 - September 20, 2009 reply

Trading Zambrano would be a huge mistake

that’s all I am going to say about it.

bheidge - September 20, 2009 reply

the way the front office has been running things they'll probably do just that

This won't happen, but

What if they got Jacoby Ellsbury and Clay Buchholz? Would it be a mistake then?

The point of my hypothetical is, if they get value back for him, why not?

I just got a boner.

hahahahaha ... ::snort:: hahahahaha

i think jimbo might need to throw in scales to get them

:)

I did preface it by saying it won’t happen . . . .

uh

if they get scales, it probably would happen. or maybe miles, they need a SS

You really think the Sox would make that trade?

If so, I’d pull the trigger on it in a heartbeat.

no

Because I was beginning to wonder if you'd turned too much water into wine . . .

the red sox are the ones that do the ace and an old guy for a superstar deal

I disagree.

He’s not as bad as Bradley, but he’s a headcase. If we want to get to the playoffs and do well there, we need a fireballer who’s got his head on straight.

Blue Heron - September 20, 2009 reply

Here's what the article says about that

Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune first reported that the Cubs will explore a deal for Zambrano, who will consider going only to the Red Sox, White Sox, or Dodgers.

As we all know, NTC’s can be waived under a variety of conditions. The Dodgers could probably afford him, and that would allow him to continue to hit.

Trading him to the South Side? Intriguing. Ozzie Guillen loves Z. It could happen.

I find that statement odd

Only to Red Sox, White Sox or Dodgers. 2/3 are in the AL and he said he wants to hit. I call BS on that article.

z said he would waive his NTC if he went to boston

Aight well I never read that

But I guess anything is possible with him…

I could see them trading Z

to fill several holes on this team

Odder still - I heard the Tigers were acceptable to Z as well.

For Leyland!

I keed . . . .

Holey Socks! Z in Comerica?

There would be a record number of triples hit off him the first season, that’s for sure.

Huh.

Leyland wouldn’t put up with as much nonsense from the Big Z. That would be interesting.

Blue Heron - September 20, 2009 reply

+1

Zeke - September 21, 2009 reply

Ok, everybody - you got your wish. Bradley is gone for the rest of this year...

…and in all likelihood, gone from this team for good.

So what are the odds that folks here will now turn their attention and emotions to supporting and improving the Cubs the rest of this season and into next year?

Yeah, that’s what I thought – somehow, it’s much more satisfying to kick, pound, annihilate, mince, dice, slice, crush, kill, destroy, tenderize, beat, pulverize, punch, crunch, grind, smash and mutilate that dead horse to death.

Well, have at it and enjoy…

Well, you know me...

… I’m going to turn my attentions to exactly that. Hope the team finishes strong and they can move past this and make the necessary changes to make a winning team in 2010.

Now would be a good time to start.

Raise your staff and lead us to the promised land…

I'd rather raise a stout...

LOL

Let’s do both!

Leave Milton Alone!

actually, I was kinda hoping you'd do a couple of Captain Ahab's...

One Captain Al hunting down the great white (black?) Milton and one of Captain Doggie hunting down the great white Lou.

You know what?

It’s not my damn job to build a team.

This team is here to serve me, not the other way around.

I'm glad somebody said it quicker and more eloquently

I was thinking the same thing. I’m supposed to turn my attention to improving the team? I’ll gladly take the job if it’s offered, but I have no control over what the team does to improve

fair enough.

but surely you can come up with a better use of your time and emotions than piling on Bradley, can’t you?

Oh, and Worf, let me know when Lou or Jim or any of the players serve you a nice cold tall one. And I hope you tip well…

By serve... I mean serve my entertainment needs

I feel no more responsibility to fix the Cubs than I do to fix my favorite TV show when it has a bad episode or a movie that disappoints me.

I’m the customer. Do better.

agreed

And why are our actions important in fixing the Cubs? We’re not Jim Hendry or Lou.

I think its safe to say

Bradley has played his last game as a Cub and I can say, good riddance..

ya

and IT’S HAPPENING!?!?!?!?!??!

So off season plans: 2b and RF

I think we are experiencing the “Curse of Sammy Sosa.” We haven’t found a long-term replacement in 6 years since Sosa was last with the Cubs..

Sigh....and we overlook getting a real SS again.

Not necessarily.

hell get a SS, put Theriot at 2b

you have to admit his bat is better than a bench player, he’d be perfect at 2nd..

Maine and Reyes!

This has been my dream for 2 years.

okay, make a third Captain Ahab for yourself

Captain SWL hunting down the great white Scrappy…

Instead of "thar she blows", he cries out,

“Theriot blows!”

Be careful...

what you wish for.

is that a humpback whale?

A couple of years ago, I was printing out windows so people could have them in cubicles

Wanted one for myself. Made the mistake of Googling “Shanghai window” with an image search at work.

I’ll never make that mistake again….

How about looking for a CF

and returning Dome to RF?

How many 2B (other than Utley, who is obviously not available) are LHBs and run-producers?

That might be a better solution..

… and the Bradley-for-Vernon Wells deal would accomplish that.

Isn't Kenny Lofton available?

This is what I've been thinking a lot about lately.

Or if no decent centerfielders are available – just rolling with a Reed Johnson/Sam Fuld platoon out there? Then have Dome in RF mostly full time, with Jeff Baker playing against tougher LHP?

doofus cubs guy - September 20, 2009 reply

jeremy burnitz did ok

yes, he was fine

but he wasn’t our long-term guy that we need..

ya FIRST DOWN!

and yes i know there is a bears blogging site!

Only 197 more days until the next Cub game that matters.

hendry should package bradley and Z together

just cause that would be really awesome!

BADley and fat z 4 lind and haliday

2legit2quit?

Kudos on the new avatar.

I second that

Very, very cool avatar

ty

This. Is. CHICAGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hmmm

seems like Soto isn’t the only Chicago player to be suffering from the sophomore slump.

So us Cards fan were talking

We will take Milton off your hand if you eat his contract. Our media is not Chicago media. I mean Khalil Greene is crazy so the media just gives him an open pass. He gives no interviews or comments unless he did something great that day.

Milton's dissed the media and fans almost everywhere he's been.

St. Louis would be no different.

gonna go ahead and turn this one green

I am saying he would just be ignored by the media

How can he talking shit on the fans and media if the media ignores him?

he'd find a way

Keep in mind, this is a guy who stormed the Kansas City Royals pressbox.

I doubt St. Louis fans would shout Nigger from the bleachers

yes, no one in St. Louis is racist.

Also, the streets are made of Marshmallows

No racists my ass

Little town outside St. Louis on a school bus a bunch of black kids beat the shit out of a white kid for wanting to sit down

Racism works both ways. But you can bet Jesse Jackson would already be there if it was the other way around….

they would hail him as the 5th coming christ

You couldn’t have said “The N-Word” or blanked out any of the letters? Isn’t it racist to say that word?

Here's the deal: Milton Bradley and Paul Sullivan...

…for Khaliil Greene and that Bernie Miklasz dude.

Deal

Bernie's worse than Sully

but we'd finally get a shortstop - SWL would be happy. I think...

you didn't know? SWL's going to buy us all a round when Scrappy goes...

Campaign Promises...

easily made, easily broken.

No, we won't.

No way, no how, not now, not ever. No Miltie under any circumstances.

How about if I

throw in a nice big plate of fresh from the oven chocolate chip cookies? :-)

Even if Erin Andrews

was carrying the plate in nothing but a Cards hat – NO NO NO. But thanks. :-)

Hey now, don't be so hasty on that image...

Darn......

if erin andrews ever does that

take lots of pictures

She does do that, but only in her hotel room.

Someone already did that

The police are looking for that person.

wow, I'd agree to keep Milton

if Erin Andrews agreed to bring me a plate of chocolate chip cookies, wearing nothing but a Cubs hat

Curtain Jerker - September 20, 2009 reply

Who cares what hat she's wearing if that 's all she's wearing?

I expect him to get traded to KC or Oakland

Oakland doesn't want him back

Why is it that teams don't want him back?

Heh.

Blue Heron - September 20, 2009 reply

This is The End...

…beautiful friend, The End. (Can`t do the musical notes cuz I`m on my phone.)

"Recently it's become intolerable to hear Milton talk about our great fans the way he has," said Hendry.

Jim Hendry: Working hard to save his job since 2002.

But he's only talking about the racist ones.

Isn't that all of the Cubs fans?

You catch on fast.

No, that took me months to figure out

See, I was confused because I have black friends. Also Asian friends and Hispanic friends, but only through the wisdom of BCB posters have I learned that actually makes me more racist.

Seriously though,

This is also a big indictment on Hendry’s tenure. What becomes of him next year?

He gives himself a 5 year deal with a NTC.

Conventional wisdom says Ricketts takes over too late to hire a new GM

Before org. meetings.

I hope they hire a baseball man to oversee Hendry

That's likely to happen.

The Cubs need to do major surgery on this roster before next year.

Unlike last offseason, when Hendry DIDN’T need to do major surgery, but did it anyway.

You guys need to get rid of Hendry

He is a bad GM in my eyes as a Card’s fan

OH.MY.GOD.

I just agreed with Cardinals fan. This season has gone poorly

He didn't do major surgery, Al

but whatever blows your hair back, I guess.

I think that he did.

a 40% roster turnover seems pretty major to me.

Take the bullpen out of it

because that’s the most fungible part of your roster every year.

Virtually all the main guys who were here last year were here this year, too. The only two who aren’t are DeRosa and Wood, and their absense isn’t why the Cubs played the way they did this year.

We don't know that.

Because they weren’t here.

Oh, for Christ's sake, Al

You aren’t this much of a sentimentalist, are you?

If those two guys made that much of a difference, they should be the two highest-paid players in baseball.

I’m done arguing this point, because it’s just idiotic to elevate DeRo and Wood to the level of Pujols and A-Rod.

No one's saying that.

I am saying this: DeRosa would have been a far better replacement when Ramirez was on the shelf.

Despite Wood’s mediocre year in Cleveland, I think he’d have been a better closer than Gregg.

And the leadership of DeRosa and Wood was missed, just as the leadership of Miller and Karros was missed in 2004.

You ARE saying that, Al

Not in those exact words, but you’re saying this team basically failed because it didn’t have those two players.

I think he's saying the team would be BETTER with those two

and I’d agree.

It's not JUST those two.

However, I do believe they would have made a difference. You disagree.

Enough of a difference to make up 11 games? Probably not. But the 2009 Cubs would have been a better team with Mark DeRosa and Kerry Wood on it.

I disagree 200 percent

But no minds are going to change, so debating it any further is pointless.

Probably so.

"disagree 200 percent"

is that like doing a 360? ;-)

Never thought about it that way, BH

Maybe it should be 300 percent? :)

My God, man, you've gone full circle!

I could understand letting Wood go.

He’s been hurt so much.

Losing DeRo, though… That was just lousy.

And Gregg will be gone, right?

Blue Heron - September 20, 2009 reply

You're missing Marquis and Edmonds

those were two vital components last year, imho. Other than that, though, I agree with Al. You don’t overhaul a 97 win team, you tweak as necessary.

The same Marquis whom everybody wanted to dump

and the same Edmonds who is basically retired. Why didn’t any other team pick him up?

Citing Marquis is the biggest red herring of the season. Starting pitching hasn’t been the Cubs’ problem this year.

Now I’m waiting for the Henry Blanco supporters to weigh in.

Marquis, as a fifth starter, was very valuable

I agree that starting pitching wasn't the problem this year...

… especially with the way Wells has produced.

We don’t know what Edmonds would have done. But I’d think the Cubs would have been better off sticking with Fukudome in RF, and an Edmonds/Johnson platoon in CF. It would have been more productive than what we got.

Has anybody bothered to ask Edmonds

if he wanted to play this year at all? If he did, he certainly could have found at least one taker.

He didn’t.

So I think we should end the “keep Edmonds” canard right now.

How do you know?

Did you ask him personally?

Edmonds would of played this year if the situation was right

per Edmonds on the radio in STL

And I'm guessing the Cub situation would have been OK with him.

But they never offered anything.

The proof is in the pudding

Who is Edmonds playing for now? Who?

Maybe he didn't want to play anywhere but Chicago...

… and there was no offer from the Cubs.

We just don’t know.

Gary Gaetti 2.0

Did anybody make an offer for Edmonds?

Sometimes I think Cubs fans deserve everything they get.

That's a very Miltonish thing to say.

There was a kernel of truth in what he said

although it shouldn’t have been said.

I agree with this, actually.

There IS a lot of negativity associated with the Cubs – in the media (Sullivan, Stone, Wittenmyer), in the fanbase (dwelling on curses, booing) and in the blogosphere (Al being a notable exception). I can’t speak to within the organization, of course. And I’m not excusing what Milton said but, like many classic villains, he speaks the truth to a certain extent.

Canseco definitely fits that description

Sigh.

We don’t know if Edmonds said he wouldn’t play anywhere but Chicago. And when no offer came from the Cubs, he decidd to retire.

You can’t assume he would have been Gaetti 2.0.

Why not?

You assume DeRosa and Wood would have made the Cubs better, don’t you?

That's a very simplistic way to look at it.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/05/davidoff-on-free-agents.html

There were quotes...

Back in May that Edmonds would play in the right situation, but that teams were shying away from older players , instead preferring to use talent that was already signed.

Ross - September 20, 2009 reply

the loss of cedeno is why the cubs suck this year

lol!

Leave it to JC

to come up with his/her unique take on the situation. Well played. (You know, he did hit a three-run homer off Gregg recently …)

From Onedec to 10 games back.

RIP ONEDEC

It IS major surgery on a roster that didn't need it.

Tweaks? Sure, every team needs them, even after a 97-win season.

But the Cubs fixed something that wasn’t broke.

And they fixed the hell out of it too.

It WAS broke, Al

What did it do for two consecutive postseasons? Nothing.

Postseasons? You don't make drastic roster changes for the postseason.

And so they blew it up...

… because they had three bad games at the worst possible time? Stupid.

The Cubs didn’t fail to win in the postseason because they “weren’t lefthanded enough”, as Lou put it.

They failed, in part, because their manager did a crappy job of preparing them for the postseason.

They didn't blow it up

And your “preparation” dog doesn’t hunt. What was the excuse in 2007? They didn’t clinch the division until the last weekend of the regular season.

So the fix was to sign a player...

who’s been the most volatile, hotheaded, injury prone asshole in the last 10 years?

They DID blow it up.

More than 1/3 of the roster of a 97-win team was turned over. That’s way more than most such teams would do.

2007? Ran into a hot Diamondbacks team.

The only two players

gone who made a dime’s worth of difference were DeRosa and Wood. And the others the Cubs brough in were just as good statistically as the ones they lost.

It’s called “underachieving.” Baseball teams do it all the time. They also overachieve, too, kind of like the 2003 Cubs.

Statistics don't tell all there is to tell about winning baseball.

Clubhouse leadership is important, too. No, it can’t be measured.

The 2008 Cubs had it. The 2009 Cubs didn’t.

Al, I gotta agree with NBF on where this started, though

They did not “blow it up”.

Main components that remained:
Soriano, Fukudome, Johnson, Ramirez, Theriot, Fontenot, Lee, Soto, Zambrano, Dempster, Lilly, Harden.

You may say that’s semantics, but it really isn’t, because you started by saying they blew it up. I think the philosophy was bad and the execution horrible, but it wasn’t an overhaul.

Well, they didn't blow it up

in the sense of a complete destruction of the machine.

But a little sand in the gears can “blow up” a perfectly good, running engine as efficiently as a powerful explosive can.

If you tinker with just the right parts in just the wrong way…well, we’ve all seen the results.

No, not really, goodie

We’ve seen underperformance by a lot of players and key injuries to others. Those guys are the “right parts.”

Bringing back every single player from last season would not have replicated last season. The Cubs were relatively injury-free in 2008 (Soriano’s injury probably was the most serious) and they won a lot of games in improbable ways. Replicating that probably wasn’t going to happen.

Is it so difficult to accept that what happened to the Cubs this year happens all the time in baseball? (See 2008 Detroit Tigers, 2009 Cleveland Indians for examples.)

It's not uncommon for a team to have to learn how to be successful in a playoff situation.

This happens all the time in sports. Teams may take several years before they break through and win it all.

Ripping apart 1/3 of a team that wins 97 games over a season was overreaction.

well said.

+1

These are my thoughts exactly. It was clear in the off season and it's sadly even clearer now

Couldn't agree more.

And if the players on this team played to their historic levels

we wouldn’t be having this conversation today.

Once in the postseason, though

it’s all about matchups. ANY team can win a best of 5 series. The season is a marathon, and in a lot of respects it’s all about just “getting there”, and taking your chances. Sadly, we aren’t getting a chance this year.

It's a shame then

that something as trivial as our regular season record will prevent us from seeing how Jim Hendry’s roster fixes would have improved our chances in the post-season this year. Ah well, next year…

those off season trades last year

were so blatantly bad, I’m still shaking my head over it…

I still don't get this line of thinking...

Jim Hendry IS a baseball man. At least he’s supposed to be.

If you feel the need to bring in a “baseball” man, why not just fire Hendry?

To reign in impulsive moves

Like Miles, J Jones, etc. Bruce Miles summed it up better.

Anyway, they likely CAN’T get a new GM in time for next season, because org. meetings are in October and the sale won’t be complete until at least November.

Maybe Ricketts thinks Hendry’s got strong points. Anyway, it’s not up to me to keep or fire him.

The Dread Pirate Graybar!

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!

It must have returned for International Talk Like a Pirate Day! Albeit a bit late...

Heavy traffic on the high seas!

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!

doofus cubs guy - September 20, 2009 reply

maybe hendry will suspend himself

I supported Milton

but you don’t throw your team under the bus. It’s time for him to leave. I feel bad that it has come to this because I had hoped he could help this team. It may be such a relief to his team mates that they come out tonight and just kick ass.

It must be a tense clubhouse right now

regardless of how Bradley got along with his teammates.

Yeah, this was the last straw

It’s one thing to rip the fans, but when you start saying publicly that you’re playing harder than all your teammates something has to be done. For the most part, I don’t think lack of effort has been a problem for the Cubs this year.

So did I.

And my only excuse is an excess of patience, a stubborn insistence on focusing on results on the field and the now embarassing hope that all this furor over Milton would blow over eventually. It hasn’t and it won’t. Let’s see if Hendry can work some magic on the trade market.

I think I may spend the game over at Viva El Birdos...

just to be able to make fun of whatever dumb decision Lou decides to make tonight.

Could this be the fire that lights the Cubs to win the next 15 games?

More like the fire that burns up whatever energy and enthusiasm the team had left.

hmm...glass half empty

Maybe.

We’ll see, starting tonight.

glass half full

Always.

Me too.

I keep emptying it, but then it magically fills back up.

Keep it filled up.

You guys must be drinking taquila that's why it's all so magical ;-)

I have been known to enjoy a Guinness or two.

Lager, ales, stouts, it doesn't matter

Keep ’em coming, now more than ever.

you mean like this?

Whatever it takes.

glass tipped over

I stopped caring about Milton Bradley some time ago

You should all, too. You’ll be better for it. My stress level went way down.

Caring about the Cubs and caring about Bradley are two different things.

I do the former, I don’t the latter…

I still care about the Cubs

Though I’m in football mode right now since we our season is pretty much done. I’ll be around more often once the WS is wrapped up and the hot stove action heats up.

thanks Zeke - that's what I was trying to say earlier

but you did it much better and more succinctly.

We may eventually hear more from the players about Bradley

Most thing usually come out sooner or later!

Saratoga - September 20, 2009 reply

If only Canseco were on the team...

he’d tell us.

I'll bet most of them...

… won’t say anything, probably preferring just to move on.

I hope that is the case.

and on here as well

fat chance

It will depend on Bradley

if he lobs a few verbal grenades, I would expect one or two guys to return fire.

Or they may just "consider the source" and let it go. Which is more likely...

There's always the unknown source!

One of the players will whisper in some reporters ear. It’s inevitable! Hard to keep secrets.

Saratoga - September 20, 2009 reply

I'd hope that all of our players are more professional than that

Or Sullivan will just make something up.

That's more likely

I agree!

I think that everyone should put this experience behind them. It was painful to say the least. I feel bad for everyone involved.

Saratoga - September 20, 2009 reply

This sounds like the time I lost my virginity.

TMI

rofl!

TWSS

Let me see if I have everything straight...

In 2008, Gameboard led the entire AL in OPS. His team, the Texas Rangers, could provide him with:
1. The ability to DH whenever his knee was sore;
2. A low-key media that just tries to fill the few miscellaneous column-inches that aren’t taken up by the ‘Boys;
3. A black manager;
4. A team that is rebuilding and didn’t expect to win in 2009;

and their GM, Jon Daniels, refused to offer Gameboard more than a one-year contract for 2009.

Jim Hendry, having no experience handling Gameboard, decided that Gameboard was the best RF available (which may be true if only playing ability is taken into account) and was worth a three-year $30M contract.

And Tom Ricketts thinks that Jim Hendry is a good GM and should return next season?

What am I missing?

Nothing-You are totally correct

You have a valid point.

Hendry had a horrendous offseason; the Aaron Miles signing, when he had equivalent or better players (Scales, Blanco) available at minimum salary, is another indictment.

However, Hendry is under contract for three more years. They may have to eat part of Bradley’s salary to move him; they’ll likely eat all of the Miles deal. There’s no way they eat three years of Hendry’s deal.

He’ll get one more chance.

I bet one year of Miles costs more than 3 years of Hendry

If you are willing to eat Miles contract why wouldn’t you eat Hendry’s

I'm not so sure about that.

I doubt Hendry makes 500k a year

Disagree.

Larry Rothschild makes about 500k a year. Hendry has to make more than that.

Larry can go as well....

Agreed.

Enough of Larry, already.

OK. Now I'm REALLY depressed ;)

I agree but he will be on thin ice

I am sure Ricketts in his first year does not want the same crap as this year. If he has a GM spending his money wrong and a manager who does not care, I think he will make changes.

A lot of GM’s have fallen for the Milton trap

Sordid - September 20, 2009 reply

That's very true.

It will be hard to find one now.

As I noted, Toronto might be a place — with Cito Gaston as manager, Bradley’s act might be controllable there. Plus, they might be willing to take on the deal to get rid of Vernon Wells’ contract.

Give me one good reason to take Vernon Wells' contract

He's black.

Because Wells has produced in the past...

… and AL players coming to the NL frequently hit better.

And the Cubs HAVE to get rid of Bradley’s contract. That might be one way to do it.

You realize you would be writing about HAVING to dump Wells' contract right?

It’s the one deal more backloaded and stupid than Soriano’s. He’s horrid in center and at the plate. Putting Bradley on the bench for two years is more productive financially.

Yes they have but they should all have it figured out by now.

He is worth nothing more than a 1 year incentive built contract. Make him earn it and my guess is he would be suddenly healthy and productive.

There is another possibility in all this:

The comments was a carefully thought out plan by Bradley to FORCE the issue and help speed the end of his tenure in Chicago- if we give him that much credit, which I’m skeptical of…

Well, I think Milton's remarks were essentially a plea for a trade.

I don’t think he expected to get suspended, but maybe he was more than willing to take that risk.

A rational man with any integrity would have just gone to the GM privately and asked for a trade.

Rec'd

On this

we agree, Al.

As far as an exit strategy

really not much difference between what Bradley’s done & what Manny did to get outa Bawston. Although, RSox only had to eat 1/2 yr’s salary.

I think Milton's lack of rationality has been well-established.

San Diego Smooth Jazz Man - September 20, 2009 reply

It worked for Jay Cutler, after all.

So do we look for a center fielder or a right fielder?

I say centerfielder.

Both-Dome is a 4th OF on a good team

Kosuke will be fine

and I’m not sure that we have the money to acquire two starters in the OF

wonder how much input Ricketts gave on this

obviously he would have to approve such a measure. I like that he understands what negative influence this chump is.

DC Cubbie - September 20, 2009 reply

Why?

No salary was moved or added. I don’t think he had to weigh in at all.

I have a question:

Has anyone ever seen a photograph of Kanye West & Milton Bradley together? Ever? I’m just wondering if they’re not the same person ……….

hendry needs to accept responsibilty

And Resign as General manager as the Cubs at the end of the season.

Ami Hasagawa - September 20, 2009 reply

And you need to find something sharp and pointy

and stick it in your eye

c'mon, Rev. Worf - practice what you preach

I’m disappointed in you guys
Responding even twice to the troll was too much.

Preach on, Brother BH!

I haz a mad

and wants to take it out on someone

can it wait until just before the 5th inning of the next Cubs home game?

then you can do your best MB impersonation and storm the radio booth at Wrigley.

I’m sure we can raise enough here on BCB to pay your bail…

I can't believe you

are still posting on here.

Did anyone hear Ronnie right now?

Just said he’s relieved and that the clubhouse hasn’t been the same since Milton arrived.

The Cubs need a ginuine leader

Problem is who out there in Free Agency is willing to step up and be a leader for the Cubs in 2010.

Ami Hasagawa - September 20, 2009 reply

No, the problem is that your wardens haven't cut off your Internet access

ha!

wow

Sheesh no kidding.

Derrek Lee is pretty good

especially when he ties his shoes!

I'm enjoying a ginuine and tonic.

is that a cross between gin and urine?

...

But some loudmouth Bradley stat-head

crunching numbers while screaming for his Mom to serve him meatloaf knows better than Santo, right?

Curtain Jerker - September 20, 2009 reply

Have you listened to Santo this year?

God bless the man and his life and playing career, but the only person affiliated with the Cubs whose had a worse year than Santo has been Hendry.

I cannot abide by Santo on the air anymore

I hope to heck he scales back to just home games next year.

We know...

you like fans to show no emotion over a loss whatsoever.

Haha, nice...

Curtain Jerker - September 20, 2009 reply

I want an analyst

Not a guy who doesn’t pay attention. How many times does he ask Pat how the guy ended up at third.

Granted, it isn’t a huge problem, but it is still annoying.

If Santo wants to be a fan

he can sit somewhere where there isn’t a microphone and be as much of a fan as he wants.

If he wants to be a color commentator, he can listen to the other 29 or so people who do that job and realize he falls far, far short in it.

Listening to Keith Moreland while Santo was gone this summer was a real revelation.

I'm not in any way comparing Ronnie with Ernie Harwell

but with Ernie dying of cancer, I’ve come to appreciate Ron’s passion more and become far less judgmental about Ronnie’s “shortcomings” as a color guy. We should enjoy him while he’s still with us…

This was not meant to be a commentary on Ron's work

Just that he has forgotten more about baseball — and how players interact — than all of us know.

I love Santo as much as anybody

His life story and his personal travails have been an inspiration. I’ve witnessed this personally on some Cubs road trips.

I would just love him to not be sitting next to Hughes in the radio booth.

Poor Ronnie. God bless him.

God bless us all.

+1

Here's some fallout:

from the Trib.

Demp's remarks echo Al's.

Looks to me like the players aren't going to be shy on this one

I think the undercurrent of the article is basically, “We’re tired of you shitting on the paying customers, Bradley”

DLee's remarks are incredibly damning.

Reed Johnson went to town

Reed Johnson, whom Bradley said gave him sound advice early in the season, appeared to have washed his hands of the outfielder. Johnson said it was a privilege to play at Wrigley Field, and most players understand that.

“You had guys like Eric Karros and Jason Kendall say if you play major league baseball over a long career, you should spend at least one year with the Chicago Cubs,” Johnson said. “All of us are really surprised that a player could come here and not have the time of his life…. In a way, I feel sorry for him. He can’t enjoy the same things the rest of us enjoy.”

Bradley told the Tribune in June he felt “isolated” in the clubhouse. Johnson, Dempster and others disputed that comment.

“From our standpoint, nobody was making an effort to isolate him from groups,” Johnson said. “For the most part, that was his choice.”

"Hopefully this is a little bit of a wake-up call for him and he'll realize how good of a gig you have."

Should we try and figure out how many times someone has made that comment about Bradley.

He’s never going to wake up

WOW. I have never seen THIS many players go on the record in this fashion.

Clearly, we (the fans) have only seen the tip of the iceberg with Bradley. Bradley will never put on the Cubs uniform again. There’s NO walking this back for him.

He did pretty much throw his teammates under the bus

When you start implying that your teammates aren’t playing hard, you can’t expect them to go out of their way to defend you. I won’t pretend to know what’s gone on in the clubhouse this year, but at the very I imagine his teammates are tired of being asked about him every day.

that should say "at the very least"

Tyler Colvin is coming up tomorrow, per Lou on pregame.

(pleasebegood, pleasefulfillpromises, pleasebegood)

He'll look overmatched at times

but this will be a good experience for him

Of course.

But I hope this little stint helps him and becomes our next pride and joy.

He too can watch Scales play left I suppose

yahooo

nice

Good things

So, who will you be rooting for next year?

Any ideas on where Bradley is going? That will be your new favorite team, right?

I will be rooting for the Cubs still

I will also be rooting for Milton next season. There still isn’t a better alternative production wise then what Milton would more than likely give.

Unless he starts producing Bonds numbers

it will not be worth the assholery

If you say so

the Cubs organization seems to agree

I realize that playing D&D while waiting for your mom to run to the store for more Mountain Dew

leads you to think numbers are all that matters, but it isn’t like that in the real world.

Classy with the personal attacks

I’m glad that’s allowed now.

Sorry...

I’m sure you got your own Mountain Dew

Yeah, but I don't drink mountain dew

nor did I give you a single “number” because I realize statistics are no longer accepted on this site.

??????

Milton has an OPS+ of 100 right now. He’s been the definition of average. You’re telling me the Cubs can’t find an above average outfielder this winter?

While paying Milton

which they will have to do if they want to trade him. Working within a budget, I’ll bet Hoffpauir and Fox end up out there.

I'd take that combo...

over MB every single day of the week.

How 'bout Dome in RF...

…with Baker playing occasionally vs. LHP. And Fuld/Reed Johnson in CF?

then who plays 2b?

Fontenot and Blanco.

jesus christos - September 22, 2009 reply

the idea of fontenot starting at 2b

scares me again

If only we had a young center fielder with

a gold glove and the ability to OPS around .800

Then I wouldn’t have an issue

Clark Addison - September 20, 2009 reply

We won't have Badley

to kick around any more.

but we still have

miles

And dont forget

Jim Hendry, Lou pinella, Kevin Gregg, Carlos Marmol.

Ami Hasagawa - September 20, 2009 reply

and Heilman, and Gregg

So let me get this straight

Both Soriano and Bradley are gone for the season and Fox STILL does not play…..
I think playing Scales like this is a big middle finger to everyone from Lou.
I was thrilled when they hired Lou, even going into this year. But he has become very Dusty like and seems like a bitter old man. I hope he quits at the end of the season and goes home to his front porch.

Also I would like to see Hendy say he screwed up on Bradley. It won’t happen but it would be nice.

it does seem a bit odd that the other two times Scales was up

Lou barely played him, but now he can’t find a way OUT of the lineup.

Has anybody seen anything on MLBN or ESPN about this issue?

CubsWin!Oregon - September 20, 2009 reply

All I can think at this point is, if Bradley wants out of town, he did NOTHING to help

the Cubs move him this off season with this latest outburst. My guess is the Cubs have to move him to a smaller market AL team so he can DL where there is little media or fan interest. Maybe Toronto or Tampa Bay need him?

I too have been one trying to stay positive on MB all year, but enough is enough. I am glad that Hendry showed some spine today—better late than never.

LAcarl519 - September 20, 2009 reply

Sigh...

Same ol stupidity about Bradley from Cub fans, I see.

The source of all the negativity was the fans Al, not Bradley. Bradley reacted poorly to it to be sure (because he has the skin-thickness of an egg), but he didn’t come in and announce that all of Chicago sucks with no lead in. Fans got on him and he didn’t have the maturity to react to it well.

I realize Hendry is doing his job more or less when he makes those comments about the Cubs having the “best fans in the world,” but how many of us really believe that? We have a lot of good fans, and we have a lot of dumbass fans. But especially this season, with the continual ratcheting of expectations, a sense of inexplicable entitlement, and the self-importance to assume that everyone should value their desire to voice their displeasure, the dumbass fans are sucking all the air out of the room.

This season has been a huge disappointment. But I feel that the number of idiot fans that have reared their ugly heads are an embarressment as well. Bradley wasn’t a good fit here because of the nature of Cub fandom now; but that doesn’t mean that the fans are in the right either. A pox on both their houses.

You don't get it, do you?

If all he did was insult the fans, he’d still be here.

He threw his teammates under the bus repeatedly.

That, and uttering the phrase...

“you start to see why they haven’t won in 100 years” should be the most automatic ticket out of town that there is.

Yeah, Bradley has simply been the victim of other people everywhere else he went

the poor guy. The whole world is after him

CubsWin!Oregon - September 20, 2009 reply

If you read what I wrote,

you’d realize I didn’t say that at all.

I agree with a lot of this

Bradley’s hands ultimately are the dirtiest. But a lot of Cubs fans have jumped the shark.

I think you are on to something about the fans.

In my opinion, a large portion of the Cubs fanbase is still chasing those last five outs, and they’ve been doing it for six years now.

They’re like addicts who got that taste, and they’ve been chasing down that high ever since, and they’re starting to come down again. And they don’t really like it.

That's the stupidest thing I have ever heard.

Sorry. Didn’t mean to be insulting. But blaming the fans is beyond pathetic.

nickler - September 21, 2009 reply

So much for all this...

“Milton is a great clubhouse guy” and that “all of his former teammates loved him” garbage that anyone would any sort of rational mind KNEW wasn’t true.