Cubs close to deal on Chutes & Ladders [Forum Archive]

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Cubs close to deal on Chutes & Ladders

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Posted by: soxmuscle

The St. Petersburg Times reports that Milton Bradley is expected to sign with the Cubs this week.

***

It's been inevitable all offseason, but he should be signing with the Cubs here in the next couple of days.

It's good to see the free agent market finally getting over Mark Teixeira.

Teams are looking smarter and smarter by waiting it out.

Posted by: min0 lee

Clubhouse cancer, Cubs to finish third.

Posted by: soxmuscle

Disagree.

I think Bradley will be an excellent addition to that team.

Posted by: min0 lee

Let's see.

Posted by: soxmuscle

For multiple reasons:

“We need to break up our righthanded hitting,” manager Lou Piniella said.

Bradley, a switch-hitter, allows that to happen. The Cubs have had an all right handed line-up for years.

“Milton wants to win as much as any player I’ve ever been around,” Rangers manager Ron Washington said. “Sometimes, that’s misunderstood, and that’s unfortunate. Milton gets a bad rap, and it’s not because he doesn’t care. It’s because he cares too much.”

Sure, he's somewhat of a head case, but he's a heck of a ballplayer and I don't necessarily mind his attitude.

I also think Pinella will be excellent for him.

Posted by: soxmuscle

ESPN reports that the Cubs and Milton Bradley have agreed to terms on a three-year, $30 million contract.

***

$10 million per year seemed alright before the Burrell signing.

At three years, Bradley shouldn't have gotten any more than Burrell in my opinion.

Posted by: lnvanry

Lou is equipped to handle Bradley...I'm more than happy to welcome him to Wrigleyville

Posted by: min0 lee

10 bucks Milton will try to choke Pinella by the Summer.

Posted by: min0 lee

He will break down mentally or physically during crunch time. Trust me, wait till the bleacher crowd gets sick of him.

Quote:

In one fell swoop yesterday Milton Bradley managed to confirm both highly-publicized knocks against him, and did so in spectacular fashion. One being that he's constantly injured and the other that he's a raging nonsensical time bomb capable of exploding all-up-on-your-shit at any given moment. Only a Bradley/umpire face-off could end with someone being carried off the field like he had just been given a devastating figure-four leglock from Ric Flair in his prime.

By tearing his ACL and ending his season just days before a potential playoff run, Bradley joined an exclusive club of clowns who've missed some playing time in less than admirable fashion.

Rangers' Milton Bradley upset with Royals announcer
Milton Bradley stormed out of the Texas Rangers clubhouse after an 11-5 victory Wednesday night over Kansas City and bounded up four flights of stairs looking for Royals television announcer Ryan Lefebvre.

Bradley, who was the designated hitter, heard what he considered derogatory remarks made by Lefebvre on a TV in the Rangers clubhouse.

Posted by: min0 lee

That above is just a pinch of the trouble he is.

In a snap, Bradley may not be worth trouble

Quote:

January 6, 2009
BY CHRIS DE LUCA cdeluca@suntimes.com
It has been a strange winter on the North Side. They played a hockey game at Wrigley Field last week, and now a team coming off its first back-to-back postseason appearances in 100 years is taking drastic measures to get over the biggest hump in sports.

Milton Bradley -- barring a snafu with his physical -- officially will become the Cubs' new right fielder this week. And Bradley -- barring a personality change at 30 -- eventually will snap as a member of the Cubs.

Sure, everyone snaps. But Bradley's snaps create national headlines. By the time he's done with the Cubs -- the guess here is long before the oddly worded three years expire on his contract -- they'll be begging for Sammy Sosa's boombox back in the clubhouse.

When healthy, Bradley can put up the kinds of numbers the Cubs crave. When angry, Bradley is everything the Cubs don't need.

Manager Lou Piniella is completely on board with this risky move. He looks at the switch-hitting Bradley's statistics and sees exactly what he feels the Cubs were missing last season.

Yes, he can provide the kind of lefty bat opponents must respect, but it's doubtful he would've made a postseason-altering difference.

Piniella believes he can handle Bradley. Maybe he can, though he nearly has lost his grip on Carlos Zambrano, did lose his grip on Michael Barrett and wants nothing to do with Kosuke Fukudome.

When Jacque Jones joined the Cubs, he was one of the friendliest, most easygoing players. After his stint in right at Wrigley -- absorbing more than your ordinary share of boos -- he left a bitter man. Imagine how Bradley will react if the fans turn on him after a cold start in April or a dropped fly or a slow trot down the first-base line.

During the Dusty Baker era, the Cubs kicked the tires on Bradley. Baker, sources say, had dinner with Bradley as part of the feeling-out process. After the dinner, the trade talks immediately screeched to a halt. Even Baker -- ever the players' manager -- wasn't willing to roll the dice on Bradley.

In 2008, playing for Rangers manager Ron Washington and preparing for the free-agent market, Bradley put together a career year. He forged a relationship with Washington during their days in Oakland, and it paid off in Texas.

Piniella, though, can take some time getting used to -- just ask Mark DeRosa. DeRosa had a rough beginning with Piniella but weathered the storm. The veteran quickly emerged as a clubhouse leader, talking to reporters every day to take heat off his teammates and make life easier for those around him.

DeRosa would be the ideal teammate for the volatile Bradley, but he was traded to the Indians last week to make room for Bradley's contract.

Yes, these are strange times on the North Side.

I do think Baseball helped this guy out though....he would surely be behind bars if it wasn't for the life baseball gives him.

Posted by: soxmuscle

Absolutely, Min0.

He's pretty much been a menace on every team he's been in.

With the money both Burrell and Giambi got, I'm starting to like this deal less and less for the Cubs.

Still, Burrell wouldn't have worked, they were going hard after a left handed stick. It's too bad they don't have an owner or Peavy would have joined the club as well.

Posted by: min0 lee

Giambi has to become a DH, probably the worst first baseman I ever saw.

Posted by: soxmuscle

Quote:

Originally Posted by min0 lee

Giambi has to become a DH, probably the worst first baseman I ever saw.

An industry source told MLB.com on Monday afternoon that the A's could sign Jason Giambi this week, likely to a one-year deal with a possible second-year option.
With Tampa Bay picking Pat Burrell, it makes sense that Giambi back to Oakland could get done quickly. Toronto is the only other team that would really seem to be a good fit, but what interest the Jays had seemed to disappear when the team's budget shrunk. Giambi could play first base in Oakland, with Daric Barton returning to Triple-A. Giambi at DH, Jack Cust in left field and Matt Holliday in right field would be a less likely scenario.

***

From everything I've read, it seems like Oakland's intentions is to make him their first baseman.

Posted by: min0 lee

He's a good guy but a turrible fielder, his bat was OK.

Posted by: soxmuscle

Quote:

Originally Posted by min0 lee

He's a good guy but a turrible fielder, his bat was OK.

ESPN's Buster Olney reports that the A's are on the verge of completing a one-year, $5.25 million deal with Jason Giambi.
If Olney's numbers are correct, it's a major steal for Oakland. The contract also carries an option for 2010 worth just $4 million. Giambi made $23.5 million last season and hit .247/.373/.502 with 32 dingers and 96 RBI.

***

He gets on-base, hits for power and does everything that Billy Beane wants in a player.

This is Moneyball all over again for Oakland. Teams are undervaluing Jason Giambi when he was one of the best first baseman in baseball last year and the A's are going to swoop in and get him for a very reasonable $5 million.

Posted by: lnvanry

He will be loved if by us bleacher fans as long as he plays well....if not, he'll get heckled by cubs fans.

We are tougher on our own than the visitors in wrigley

Posted by: dekroon

I think bradley is a good pick up he's deff an upgrade offensively and deffensively over fukodome who was brutal to watch last year. I really don't know what the cubs are doing this offseason other then picking up Bradley these moves don't make any sense to me.

Posted by: min0 lee

The Meltdown has started.

MLB suspends Cubs' Bradley 2 games

Cubs outfielder Milton Bradley has been suspended two games and fined an undisclosed amount by Major League Baseball for his actions after a strike-three call during a 7-4 loss Thursday to the visiting Cardinals.

Bradley, whose right groin injury has limited him to the one pinch-hitting appearance since Sunday, will continue to be eligible to play until an appeal is heard and processed.

[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast
Milton Bradley argues with home plate umpire Larry Vanover after being called out on strikes Thursday against the Cardinals.
He was out of the starting lineup against the Cardinals again Saturday, a game the Cubs won 7-5 thanks to Aramis Ramirez's game-winning, two-run home run in the 11th inning, but Bradley did ground out in a pinch-hit appearance in the ninth.

Cubs manager Lou Piniella was asked during a pregame interview why Bradley wouldn't take the suspension now considering his groin strain.

"That's a good question, but Milton believes that a two-day suspension for what occurred isn't right," Piniella said. "We support Milton in his decision to appeal it."

Bradley, who was ejected during the bottom of the sixth inning, got in umpire Larry Vanover's face and made contact with him. Bradley was caught looking with the bases loaded.

Bradley, suspended twice previously in 2004, had been on his best behavior since joining the Cubs on a three-year, $30 million deal and had downplayed his reputation as a hothead. He has one hit in 18 at-bats this season.

Though television replays made it appear Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright received a generous call, he said the pitch "was too close to take."

On Friday, Bradley refused to talk about the incident, while Piniella backed his player, saying "it didn't look like a good pitch to me."

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa countered Piniella's take.

"I don't know how the Cubs get away with making the comments they make about umpires," he said.

Posted by: min0 lee

Bradley still on mend from groin injury
Associated Press

CHICAGO -- After playing one game at far less than full speed, Milton Bradley is back on the Chicago Cubs' bench, nursing a lingering groin injury.
"When he's 100 percent, I'll put him out there," manager Lou Piniella said Thursday, one day after Bradley played right field for the first time in more than a week. "Until then, I'll use [Reed] Johnson and [Micah] Hoffpauir in the outfield."
Despite Bradley's long history of serious injuries, the Cubs signed the switch-hitter to a three-year, $30 million contract during the offseason to bat cleanup and provide balance to what had been a predominantly right-handed lineup.
He had only one hit in the season's first week before sustaining the groin injury April 12 at Milwaukee. After going hitless in two pinch-hitting appearances, he returned to right field Wednesday and went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. The one time he did hit a grounder, he didn't run to first base and was out even though the ball was bobbled. He was booed repeatedly throughout the 3-0 loss to Cincinnati.
A career .280 hitter, Bradley is batting .043 this season. He's 1-for-23 and has struck out seven times.
He also was ejected for arguing a called third strike during his April 16 pinch-hitting appearance and was suspended two games for making contact with an umpire. Rather than serve the suspension while he recuperates, Bradley has appealed, telling Piniella it's a matter of "principle."
Bradley has not spoken to the media in at least a week and told team officials he would not talk Thursday.
"I don't play people unless they're totally healthy," Piniella said. "When I get him out there, I expect him to run hard and play hard the way he always has."
When Bradley does return, he'll be dropped from cleanup to the No. 6 spot, Piniella said, "where he might be a little more comfortable."
Piniella said Bradley would be available to pinch-hit.
Hoffpauir, a 29-year-old rookie who has been Bradley's main replacement, entered Thursday's game against Cincinnati batting .375. Johnson was hitting .294 and made one of the best catches in the majors this season, leaping to rob Milwaukee's Prince Fielder of a grand slam.
The Cubs also called up right-hander Jeff Samardzija from Triple-A Iowa and designated right-hander Luis Vizcaino for assignment.
Samardzija, who made a name for himself as a star receiver at Notre Dame, was impressive as a rookie reliever in 2008. The Cubs sent him to Iowa to begin this season to groom him as a starter but Piniella wanted another power arm in the bullpen.

Posted by: min0 lee

Quote:

Originally Posted by soxmuscle

Disagree.

I think Bradley will be an excellent addition to that team.

Not even a month and every prediction I made was right.

Quote:

Originally Posted by soxmuscle

For multiple reasons:

“We need to break up our righthanded hitting,” manager Lou Piniella said.

Bradley, a switch-hitter, allows that to happen. The Cubs have had an all right handed line-up for years.

“Milton wants to win as much as any player I’ve ever been around,” Rangers manager Ron Washington said. “Sometimes, that’s misunderstood, and that’s unfortunate. Milton gets a bad rap, and it’s not because he doesn’t care. It’s because he cares too much.”

Sure, he's somewhat of a head case, but he's a heck of a ballplayer and I don't necessarily mind his attitude.

I also think Pinella will be excellent for him.

This isn't fantasy baseball, a bad attitude can ruin a team.
Your asking a lot from Pinella, the guy is a nutcase.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lnvanry

Lou is equipped to handle Bradley...I'm more than happy to welcome him to Wrigleyville

I hear he's not too happy with already.
[quote=soxmuscle;1853675

This is Moneyball all over again for Oakland. Teams are undervaluing Jason Giambi when he was one of the best first baseman in baseball last year and the A's are going to swoop in and get him for a very reasonable $5 million.[/QUOTE]

Next time play close attention to how badly he fields at first, in my 35 plus years of watching baseball he is one of the worst fielders I have ever seen.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lnvanry

He will be loved if by us bleacher fans as long as he plays well....if not, he'll get heckled by cubs fans.

We are tougher on our own than the visitors in wrigley

Heckled already, he's a bum.

Posted by: dekroon

well so far it looks like i couldnt have been more wrong. bradley is a sorry a$$ and fukodome is off to a great start at the pllate hopefully he can do it all season unlike last year

Posted by: lnvanry

Its too early to judge....but so far Bradley is bum and I'd boo him if I was in the bleachers, hehe.

And his meltdown, wasn't a meltdown. he yelled at a ump...whoopty doo. Lots of ballplayers do that, and they suspended him for touching the umps hat bill, with his own hat bill. LAME.

and the pitch was CLEARLY a ball....not even close to being a strike. I'm glad he got upset. At least he shows the team/fans he cares that he's playing like shit

Posted by: min0 lee

It showed how he hurts a team, his usual tantrum let his team down, they are paying him a lot of money and he knows the umpire despise him....just play the damn game.

Posted by: soxmuscle

You can't decide whether or not a multi-year deal is a failure or a success after a month of baseball.

The Cubs have featured an entirely right handed line-up, I was less impressed with the idea of signing Bradley and more impressed with the idea of getting a legit left handed/switch hitter in the middle of the line-up to separate all of the right handed batters.

It's looking like Adam Dunn would have been a better choice, but hey, that's why the Cubs haven't won anything in ages.

Posted by: min0 lee

Quote:

Originally Posted by soxmuscle

You can't decide whether or not a multi-year deal is a failure or a success after a month of baseball.

You always do.

Posted by: soxmuscle

Quote:

Originally Posted by min0 lee

You always do.

haha - you really are something else.

what player have I deemed a failure less than a month into his contract?

Posted by: min0 lee

You make wild predictions regardless of contracts.

Quote:

Originally Posted by soxmuscle

Josh Beckett, my Cy Young prediction for the American League, has the best line of any pitcher yet this year.

He seems to be lights out in odd years, hopefully it keeps up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by min0 lee

Its .....only...one....game....

Quote:

Originally Posted by soxmuscle

Yup, one very very good game.

He's going to win it.

Posted by: soxmuscle

hahahahahahah

you're a joke in the sports forum these days.

Posted by: min0 lee

Just going along with your game.....so you deny these statements?

Posted by: min0 lee

Piniella and Bradley have it out; Bradley leaves ballpark

By Paul Sullivan

After flying out in his last at-bat Friday in the sixth inning, Milton Bradley threw his helmet in the Cubs dugout and took after the Gatorade cooler. Manager Lou Piniella then followed Bradley to the tunnel leading to the clubhouse, where the two exchanged angry words.

Bradley was replaced in right field by Ryan Freel.

And don't expect any postgame explanation for Bradley's confrontation with Piniella.

Bradley was spotted in street clothes headed to the players' parking lot at U.S. Cellular Field, and sources confirm he has left the park.

Piniella will give his side of the story in his postgame interview session, which will be broadcast live on Comcast Sports Net following Ozzie Guillen's press conference.

Posted by: lnvanry

Its all good....He played today and said the dispute was over.

he better start performing or you'll be seeing me in bleachers booing his ass every time he steps out there.

Posted by: min0 lee

Quote:

Originally Posted by lnvanry

Its all good....He played today and said the dispute was over.

he better start performing or you'll be seeing me in bleachers booing his ass every time he steps out there.

They already started without you. That man has so much talent, why can't he just go seek help?

Posted by: min0 lee

Lou Piniella apologizes for comment to Milton Bradley

Milton Bradley and Lou Piniella hugged it out Saturday morning at U.S. Cellular Field, following a nasty confrontation on Friday in which Piniella called Bradley a "piece of [expletive]."

Piniella apologized to Bradley for the comment, which came after he told him to go home following a dugout explosion.

"I told him it wasn't right, and I apologized for it," Piniella said. "But I also told him we just can't continue to have the shenanigans that we've put up with. I told him he's going to hurt somebody. He's going to hurt himself. But I did apologize for that last comment."

Bradley said he appreciated Piniella's candor and is glad the highly publicized incident is over.

Posted by: min0 lee

Cubs suspend Milton Bradley for rest of season

By R.B. FALLSTROM, AP Sports Writer R.b. Fallstrom, Ap Sports Writer 2 hrs 26 mins ago

ST. LOUIS – Milton Bradley's season is finished. Perhaps his days with the Chicago Cubs are, too.

The Cubs suspended their volatile outfielder for the rest of the season Sunday, one day after he criticized the team in a newspaper interview.
Bradley was disciplined for conduct detrimental to the team. General manager Jim Hendry said he decided to send Bradley home after learning of the player's remarks in the (Arlington Heights) Daily Herald of Illinois.

Bradley, scratched from Saturday's lineup with a sore left knee, was quoted as saying "you understand why they haven't won in 100 years here."
Bradley has two years remaining on a three-year, $30 million contract that he signed as a free agent last offseason. Hendry said he doesn't know if the relationship can be salvaged.

"The last few days became too much for me to tolerate," Hendry said. "I just decided late last night that's what I was going to do, and I didn't give it a lot of thought what's going to transpire moving forward."
Cubs manager Lou Piniella agreed with Hendry's move.

"Jim made the decision and I support it," the manager said. "I really do."
Chicago signed the switch-hitting Bradley to provide balance in the lineup, but he struggled throughout his first season with Chicago, batting .257 with 12 homers and 40 RBIs. He was booed vigorously by home fans at Wrigley Field.

The Cubs, who haven't won the World Series since 1908, began the day eight games out of the NL wild-card spot with 15 to play. They were 11 games behind first-place St. Louis in the NL Central.

Piniella said whether the 31-year-old Bradley is with the team next season will be entirely Hendry's call. He wasn't sure why Bradley was unhappy in Chicago, and maintained he did his best to deal with a player who he quickly learned required plenty of space.

"I don't know what I could have done. I really don't," Piniella said. "I tried to make it as comfortable as I possibly could for Milton."
In the newspaper story, Bradley also was quoted as saying the team did not have a "positive environment." He said he didn't know if he'd be back next season.

"I need a stable, healthy, enjoyable environment," Bradley told the newspaper. "There's too many people everywhere in your face with a microphone asking the same questions repeatedly.
"Everything is just bashing you. It's just negativity."
Cubs outfielder Reed Johnson had trouble understanding why Bradley was so unhappy.

"I came from Toronto and come here and just like fall in love with the city and fall in love with the organization," Johnson said. "It's just hard for me to believe that you can come to this city, come to this organization, and not enjoy your time here."

Johnson didn't think Bradley had any reason to feel isolated from the rest of the team, saying "I think for the most part that was his choice."
Hendry was surprised to learn that Bradley wasn't enjoying Chicago after seeking a deal with the Cubs in the offseason.

"That's why it was so disconcerting to hear about negativity," Hendry said. "It's a great place to play. Great ballpark, great city, greatest fans in the world.
"That's just something that's intolerable to me, to blame the fans and the other things that were blamed."

Micah Hoffpauir played right field, Bradley's spot, for the third straight game in the finale of a three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday night. Outfielder Tyler Colvin, a first-round draft pick in 2006, was recalled from Double-A Tennessee.
The oft-injured Bradley has a history of boorish behavior during 10 years in the majors with seven teams.

He was sent home by Piniella during a June game following an angry outburst in the dugout, and suspended for a game after arguing with umpire Larry Vanover when he was called out on strikes with the bases loaded April 16.

In 2004, Bradley was ordered to undergo anger management counseling while with the Dodgers after being suspended for charging a fan in the stands who had thrown a bottle near him. During the NL playoffs that year, he called a reporter an "Uncle Tom."

[quote=min0 lee;1853577]He will break down mentally or physically during crunch time. Trust me, wait till the bleacher crowd gets sick of him.

Quote:

Originally Posted by soxmuscle

hahahahahahah

you're a joke in the sports forum these days.

Told you so, Not much of a joke ha? You owe me $10.00.

Posted by: I Are Baboon

LMAO

min0 FTW

Posted by: IainDaniel

HAHA I love it.

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