06-26-2009, 08:00 PM
<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->Lou blew.
Finally.
After absorbing criticism for not showing fire, Cubs manager Lou Piniella fired on problematic outfielder Milton Bradley.
In fact, he flat fired Bradley for the last 3½ innings of Friday’s crosstown showdown against the White Sox at The Cell.
“I told him to take his uniform off and go home," Piniella said of his own little showdown in the sixth inning.
The confrontation was preceded by Bradley’s flying out to left, swinging at a 2-and-0 pitch after Sox starter Jose Contreras had to be tended to for back spasms. Bradley came back to the dugout, threw his helmet, went after the Gatorade cooler, sent water flying, and then headed down the tunnel with an angry manager right behind.
“[I] followed him up into the clubhouse and we exchanged some words," Piniella said.
“I’m tired of watching those things."
He’s tired of his players showing emotion? Or tired of needing a Kevlar uniform every time one of his players fails, and they have failed a lot this season, you’d better believe.
One man’s emotions are another man’s brattiness, I guess.
With Bradley, though, it continues a blasting-cap history that has seen him move through seven teams in his major-league career, four in the last three seasons. He has gone at it with everyone from a general manager to a manager to a teammate to a reporter to an announcer.
And now with a manager again.
When asked after the game whether Bradley has to change his ways or if the outfielder was apologetic, Piniella said he’d talk about it Saturday. He also said he would put Bradley back in the lineup Saturday.
But Lou blew on Friday, finally, and an inning after the Blowout in the Dugout, Geovany Soto bombed a tie-breaking, three-run homer that proved to be the difference. Coincidence?
Maybe the manager’s explosion was as contrived as his ejection that day in June, 2007, after Carlos Zambrano went upside Michael Barrett, maybe not, but the outcome Friday was as productive as the turnaround that followed two years ago.
Truth is, the story Friday should’ve been Soto belting a tie-breaking, three-run homer a day after admitting to testing positive for pot at the World Baseball Classic. Confession is good for the soul, and apparently the run production, as well.
Or the story could’ve been about Randy Wells throwing seven innings of five-hit, two-run ball. Or Sean Marshall’s throwing one pitch to induce a rally-ending double play, or even Jake Fox’s providing a spark by going deep again.
Heck, the day could’ve been about the Cubs finally winning a game on this confounding, frustrating, almost choking road trip and doing it in the crosstown series.
But maybe the story was about the day it changed for the Cubs, the day the manager showed the kind of obvious fire he has been known for throughout his career and stubbornly refused to provide this season<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Finally.
After absorbing criticism for not showing fire, Cubs manager Lou Piniella fired on problematic outfielder Milton Bradley.
In fact, he flat fired Bradley for the last 3½ innings of Friday’s crosstown showdown against the White Sox at The Cell.
“I told him to take his uniform off and go home," Piniella said of his own little showdown in the sixth inning.
The confrontation was preceded by Bradley’s flying out to left, swinging at a 2-and-0 pitch after Sox starter Jose Contreras had to be tended to for back spasms. Bradley came back to the dugout, threw his helmet, went after the Gatorade cooler, sent water flying, and then headed down the tunnel with an angry manager right behind.
“[I] followed him up into the clubhouse and we exchanged some words," Piniella said.
“I’m tired of watching those things."
He’s tired of his players showing emotion? Or tired of needing a Kevlar uniform every time one of his players fails, and they have failed a lot this season, you’d better believe.
One man’s emotions are another man’s brattiness, I guess.
With Bradley, though, it continues a blasting-cap history that has seen him move through seven teams in his major-league career, four in the last three seasons. He has gone at it with everyone from a general manager to a manager to a teammate to a reporter to an announcer.
And now with a manager again.
When asked after the game whether Bradley has to change his ways or if the outfielder was apologetic, Piniella said he’d talk about it Saturday. He also said he would put Bradley back in the lineup Saturday.
But Lou blew on Friday, finally, and an inning after the Blowout in the Dugout, Geovany Soto bombed a tie-breaking, three-run homer that proved to be the difference. Coincidence?
Maybe the manager’s explosion was as contrived as his ejection that day in June, 2007, after Carlos Zambrano went upside Michael Barrett, maybe not, but the outcome Friday was as productive as the turnaround that followed two years ago.
Truth is, the story Friday should’ve been Soto belting a tie-breaking, three-run homer a day after admitting to testing positive for pot at the World Baseball Classic. Confession is good for the soul, and apparently the run production, as well.
Or the story could’ve been about Randy Wells throwing seven innings of five-hit, two-run ball. Or Sean Marshall’s throwing one pitch to induce a rally-ending double play, or even Jake Fox’s providing a spark by going deep again.
Heck, the day could’ve been about the Cubs finally winning a game on this confounding, frustrating, almost choking road trip and doing it in the crosstown series.
But maybe the story was about the day it changed for the Cubs, the day the manager showed the kind of obvious fire he has been known for throughout his career and stubbornly refused to provide this season<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->