08-12-2009, 01:50 PM
<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec--><!--sizeo:4--><!--/sizeo-->The main culprit speaks
<!--sizec--><!--/sizec-->
By Paul Sullivan
Milton Bradley had perhaps his biggest hit of the season in Tuesday night's 12-inning loss to Philadelphia, driving in the game-tying run in the ninth inning.
Bradley is now hitting .400 in the month of August, with a .514 on-base percentage and a .500 slugging percentage. He's also hitting .476 in the No. 2 hole, with a .542 OBP.
Since he's not a big run-producer, at least not this year, Bradley seems to be a perfect fit near the top of the order, where he can take his walks and not have to put up the kind of power numbers expected from the No. 5 or No. 6 hitter.
During his post-game interview session, Bradley referred to himself as the "main culprit" during the Cubs lackluster series in Colorado, and also admitted he was has been part of the team's inconsistent offense this year.
"I had a lousy first four months," he said. "But hopefully the last two months I can play the way I'm capable of."
Koyie Hill's recent plea that Cubs players need to be "accountable" seems to have found an audience, unless Bradley was just in a good mood in a near empty clubhouse after one of his better days as a Cub.
Bradley came to Chicago with great expectations, but obviously has not lived up to the hype, much less the $30 million contract. The fans have booed him, his manager called him a "piece of (expletive)" during a highly-publicized confrontation, and his teammates have sometimes made him feel, in his own words, "like an island."
No matter how much money you make, it still has to hurt.
"Coming home from Colorado, it was the first time all year I was glad to be coming back to Chicago," he said Tuesday.
It's a shame when a player feels more comfortable on the road than in his own ballpark. But that's apparently what has happened with Bradley in his first year on the North Side. Much of it was his own fault, and Bradley still needs to understand the whole world isn't against him.
As badly as things have gone for him, however, Bradley still has time to redeem himself. All he needs is to continue to hit, get on base, bring energy to the top of the lineup, make a few more shoestring catches and help lead the Cubs into the posteason.
Instead of being the main culprit, Bradley can transform himself into being the main man.
Is it in him?<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--sizec--><!--/sizec-->
By Paul Sullivan
Milton Bradley had perhaps his biggest hit of the season in Tuesday night's 12-inning loss to Philadelphia, driving in the game-tying run in the ninth inning.
Bradley is now hitting .400 in the month of August, with a .514 on-base percentage and a .500 slugging percentage. He's also hitting .476 in the No. 2 hole, with a .542 OBP.
Since he's not a big run-producer, at least not this year, Bradley seems to be a perfect fit near the top of the order, where he can take his walks and not have to put up the kind of power numbers expected from the No. 5 or No. 6 hitter.
During his post-game interview session, Bradley referred to himself as the "main culprit" during the Cubs lackluster series in Colorado, and also admitted he was has been part of the team's inconsistent offense this year.
"I had a lousy first four months," he said. "But hopefully the last two months I can play the way I'm capable of."
Koyie Hill's recent plea that Cubs players need to be "accountable" seems to have found an audience, unless Bradley was just in a good mood in a near empty clubhouse after one of his better days as a Cub.
Bradley came to Chicago with great expectations, but obviously has not lived up to the hype, much less the $30 million contract. The fans have booed him, his manager called him a "piece of (expletive)" during a highly-publicized confrontation, and his teammates have sometimes made him feel, in his own words, "like an island."
No matter how much money you make, it still has to hurt.
"Coming home from Colorado, it was the first time all year I was glad to be coming back to Chicago," he said Tuesday.
It's a shame when a player feels more comfortable on the road than in his own ballpark. But that's apparently what has happened with Bradley in his first year on the North Side. Much of it was his own fault, and Bradley still needs to understand the whole world isn't against him.
As badly as things have gone for him, however, Bradley still has time to redeem himself. All he needs is to continue to hit, get on base, bring energy to the top of the lineup, make a few more shoestring catches and help lead the Cubs into the posteason.
Instead of being the main culprit, Bradley can transform himself into being the main man.
Is it in him?<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->