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I've been giving this topic some thought over the past few days. I've always said that chemistry is overrated and that chemistry is there if the team is winning. I've also discounted the idea of "clubhouse cancers" and that if a guy can produce, he can be the biggest douchebag in the world and it wouldn't make a bit of difference to the team chemistry.
Well...maybe I need to rethink this a little. It seems like the entire Cubs clubhouse disliked Bradley and that his presence was a major distraction. Is it possible that his piss-poor attitude was just as responsible for derailing our season as the injuries?
Just throwing it out there to discuss. Thoughts?
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Quick question?
Are these players professionals, or pussy crybabies?
Are they grown men, or teenage girls in a locker room?
There's nothing better than to realize that the good things about youth don't end with youth itself. It's a matter of realizing that life can be renewed every day you get out of bed without baggage. It's tough to get there, but it's better than the dark thoughts. -Lance
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If the Yankees could win with Reggie Jackson, we could have won with Milton Bradley.
I still think "chemistry" is a by product of winning. And an excuse for losing.
I wish that I believed in Fate. I wish I didn't sleep so late. I used to be carried in the arms of cheerleaders.
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I know...I get that.
But you've read what some of these guys have said. Hell...Aramis spoke up against Milton and Aramis hardly ever says a word about anything.
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<!--quoteo(post=64102:date=Sep 22 2009, 10:19 PM:name=BT)-->QUOTE (BT @ Sep 22 2009, 10:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->If the Yankees could win with Reggie Jackson, we could have won with Milton Bradley.
I still think "chemistry" is a by product of winning. And an excuse for losing.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Speaking of Reggie, his former team, "The Fightin' A's," were well known for having about the most volatile locker room in baseball. There were constant verbal bashings, actual fistfights (Reggie himself missed a week from injury after a locker room brawl with Bill North), name-calling in the press...it was fucking chaos!
Oh, they also won 3 consecutive world championships, (beating the Steve Garvey Dodgers, the Tom Seaver mets, and the Big Red Machine.)
There's nothing better than to realize that the good things about youth don't end with youth itself. It's a matter of realizing that life can be renewed every day you get out of bed without baggage. It's tough to get there, but it's better than the dark thoughts. -Lance
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Is it Bradley's fault that Soto has sucked this year? Fontenot? Soriano? Just more lame excuses if you ask me...
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<!--quoteo(post=64104:date=Sep 22 2009, 10:26 PM:name=Butcher)-->QUOTE (Butcher @ Sep 22 2009, 10:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I know...I get that.
But you've read what some of these guys have said. Hell...Aramis spoke up against Milton and Aramis hardly ever says a word about anything.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Baseball players are pussies. Not that I don't like them. I do.
But it's a well-known fact that they would rather have a mediocre but popular teammate than a volatile superstar.
A GM makes a mistake when he lets the whinings of his players and manager influence his decisions.
There's nothing better than to realize that the good things about youth don't end with youth itself. It's a matter of realizing that life can be renewed every day you get out of bed without baggage. It's tough to get there, but it's better than the dark thoughts. -Lance
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I think some of you are underestimating the effect someone can have on others, when they spend as much time together as baseball players do during the course of the season and spring training. Of course, it's not a simple equation, but that a guy can be a huge distraction is not surprising to me at all.
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Let's put it in perspective. If you're working with a coworker that is constantly spewing negativity and bogging everyone down, throwing fits and has a terrible attitude, does it affect your work? In most professions, I'd imagine the answer is yes. Baseball is one of em.
I hate my pretentious sounding username too.
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<!--quoteo(post=64114:date=Sep 23 2009, 02:16 AM:name=Destined)-->QUOTE (Destined @ Sep 23 2009, 02:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Let's put it in perspective. If you're working with a coworker that is constantly spewing negativity and bogging everyone down, throwing fits and has a terrible attitude, does it affect your work? In most professions, I'd imagine the answer is yes. Baseball is one of em.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Good point--and you're right about most jobs. But baseball is played on the field, not in the clubhouse. I think the notion that just because a baseball player has a teammate who is an ass--that this negatively affects his on field performance is a bit of a stretch.
I'm 100% fine with this. I'm just glad there's an actual plan in place that isn't, "Let's load up on retreads and hope we get lucky." I'm a little tired of that plan.
Butcher
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To say that his cancerous effect was THE reason is silly.
But it is equally silly to suggest that it was not A reason.
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Which teammates of Bradley's have used him as an excuse for their own performance?
I don't get how they're pussies for looking looser and happier with him gone.
The only one that blamed the lack of chemistry for his suckage was Bradley. Having a crazy person in the clubhouse may not have made anyone play worse but I doubt it helped the team gel much.
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<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->3 straight without Bradley. Cubs 17-9 when he doesn't play.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
That's 61-63 with him.
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The Reggie example is interesting, but the difference is that he was a jerkoff who produced. Bradley didn't.
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<!--quoteo(post=64125:date=Sep 23 2009, 07:39 AM:name=rok)-->QUOTE (rok @ Sep 23 2009, 07:39 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->The Reggie example is interesting, but the difference is that he was a jerkoff who produced. Bradley didn't.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
The other difference was...as noted...the clubhouse was chaos...it wasn't one guy being a distraction. It was the culture of that clubhouse.
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