Bradley

[jstraw]

<!--quoteo(post=69250:date=Nov 16 2009, 08:38 AM:name=veryzer)-->QUOTE (veryzer @ Nov 16 2009, 08:38 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=69231:date=Nov 15 2009, 10:47 PM:name=KBwsb)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (KBwsb @ Nov 15 2009, 10:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->BT, I agree with you that teams do due diligence. I was just pointing out that what Hendry did was WAY out of the ordinary. I literally can't think of another example in baseball history when the GM kicked a star player off the team in the middle of a pennant race just because he was pissed of at him. (There may be another of example of this. I just can't think of one, although the Padilla/Rangers thing last year was similar).

And BT, I'm like you when it comes to Hendry; I'm much closer to the middle of the spectrum than the extreme side that tom seems to think. Jim has his good and bad points, like all GM's do. I admit that I lean toward the side that thinks we could get someone better, and you probably lean toward the side that thinks he's doing the best job he can, and he's had some bad luck.

But I don't hate any Cub, or Cub employee.
That said, Jim is coming off a calendar year that might be the worst of his career; it's truly been a bad 12 months. So yeah, he'll get questioned for poor performance, just like Bradley did for his poor performance.

Frankly, I'd like to see them both have stellar years next season.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

miller huggins sat babe ruth down for half a season for attitude. it happens kb. i bet it happens more than you think.
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But that team could afford a short roster. Most can't.

[cherp]

<!--quoteo(post=69222:date=Nov 15 2009, 08:08 PM:name=jstraw)-->QUOTE (jstraw @ Nov 15 2009, 08:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=69220:date=Nov 15 2009, 07:27 PM:name=Rappster)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rappster @ Nov 15 2009, 07:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=69218:date=Nov 15 2009, 07:02 PM:name=jstraw)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (jstraw @ Nov 15 2009, 07:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=69205:date=Nov 15 2009, 05:55 PM:name=Rappster)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rappster @ Nov 15 2009, 05:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=69201:date=Nov 15 2009, 04:55 PM:name=jstraw)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (jstraw @ Nov 15 2009, 04:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=69194:date=Nov 15 2009, 04:03 PM:name=Rappster)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rappster @ Nov 15 2009, 04:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=69193:date=Nov 15 2009, 03:40 PM:name=jstraw)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (jstraw @ Nov 15 2009, 03:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=69192:date=Nov 15 2009, 03:04 PM:name=Rappster)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rappster @ Nov 15 2009, 03:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Milt comes back and apologizes...this thing is ancient history before the ink is dry on the next edition. Cub fans are a very forgiving lot.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Right...till the very first 2010 bump in the road..which WILL happen.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I always love when people tell me what WILL happen...
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

You think there's a chance Milt would be be a drama-free Cub in 2010?
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I don't think he'll ever be drama-free...but, I think he could return to being less dramatic than he was last year.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

The sensitivity to bullshit from Bradley will be acute. It would take only the slightest drama to put him right back on the shit list. Everyone can make nice but unless he's trulay drama free, we'd be right back where we were.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Then why so many presumed trade suitors for him?
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

That question doesn't even make sense. He's on thin ice in Chicago because of what he did last season and what he had to say about the Cubs and the fans. What does that have to do with any other team? No other team has to forgive him. They just have to get past the history, not mend fences.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

And in all likelihood they will get him for virtually nothing with the Cubs picking up a big chunk of his contract, or they will unload their own hot garbage.

If I were a small market team, I'd be interested in this guy right now. The presumption is that Hendry is willing to do just about anything to get rid of him. That's the Pirates/Royals/Rays/etc. dream. A star calibre player (if he returns to form in Texas) and the Cubs will pick up a lot of the 10+mm per year for 2 years or will take back bad contracts? And they don't even have to give up much for him? I struggle to see downside for a small market club. So he's a douche...Who cares? It isn't like they have media or fans in some of these towns anyhow. :-)

[Rappster]

<!--quoteo(post=69249:date=Nov 16 2009, 08:37 AM:name=jstraw)-->QUOTE (jstraw @ Nov 16 2009, 08:37 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=69248:date=Nov 16 2009, 07:44 AM:name=Rappster)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rappster @ Nov 16 2009, 07:44 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=69220:date=Nov 15 2009, 07:27 PM:name=Rappster)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rappster @ Nov 15 2009, 07:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=69218:date=Nov 15 2009, 07:02 PM:name=jstraw)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (jstraw @ Nov 15 2009, 07:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=69205:date=Nov 15 2009, 05:55 PM:name=Rappster)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rappster @ Nov 15 2009, 05:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=69201:date=Nov 15 2009, 04:55 PM:name=jstraw)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (jstraw @ Nov 15 2009, 04:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=69194:date=Nov 15 2009, 04:03 PM:name=Rappster)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rappster @ Nov 15 2009, 04:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=69193:date=Nov 15 2009, 03:40 PM:name=jstraw)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (jstraw @ Nov 15 2009, 03:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=69192:date=Nov 15 2009, 03:04 PM:name=Rappster)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rappster @ Nov 15 2009, 03:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Milt comes back and apologizes...this thing is ancient history before the ink is dry on the next edition. Cub fans are a very forgiving lot.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Right...till the very first 2010 bump in the road..which WILL happen.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I always love when people tell me what WILL happen...
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

You think there's a chance Milt would be be a drama-free Cub in 2010?
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I don't think he'll ever be drama-free...but, I think he could return to being less dramatic than he was last year.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

The sensitivity to bullshit from Bradley will be acute. It would take only the slightest drama to put him right back on the shit list. Everyone can make nice but unless he's trulay drama free, we'd be right back where we were.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Then why so many presumed trade suitors for him?
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

So...you're saying that teams don't look at the emotional track record of a potential player?

Because, I think you're wrong.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

No. That's not what I'm saying.

What I'm saying is that Cubs fans are generally pissed off at him. I'm saying that this may be something that can be smoothed over to some degree before opening day. I'm saying that the gloves will come off FAST in Chicago at the slightest sign of the 2009 headcase issues. The fan/press/management fuse will be shorter or longer depending on his performance but the sword of Damoclese will be over his head.

He has baggage wherever he winds up but this part of it will be acute if he stays in Chicago in a way it won't be if he plays elsewhere.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

OK...I hear that. My feeling is that...if all we're looking to do is off-load Bradley, while eating his salary...and bringing back something akin to a doorstop...we might as well keep him, and try to smooth it over.

Because...if we do that, and he goes off the deep end again...we can accomplish the same thing by cutting him as soon as it happens. We might still be on the hook for salary...the only difference is that we haven't taken on someone else's baggage, too.

[jstraw]

<!--quoteo(post=69287:date=Nov 16 2009, 03:43 PM:name=Rappster)-->QUOTE (Rappster @ Nov 16 2009, 03:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=69249:date=Nov 16 2009, 08:37 AM:name=jstraw)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (jstraw @ Nov 16 2009, 08:37 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=69248:date=Nov 16 2009, 07:44 AM:name=Rappster)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rappster @ Nov 16 2009, 07:44 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=69220:date=Nov 15 2009, 07:27 PM:name=Rappster)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rappster @ Nov 15 2009, 07:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=69218:date=Nov 15 2009, 07:02 PM:name=jstraw)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (jstraw @ Nov 15 2009, 07:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=69205:date=Nov 15 2009, 05:55 PM:name=Rappster)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rappster @ Nov 15 2009, 05:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=69201:date=Nov 15 2009, 04:55 PM:name=jstraw)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (jstraw @ Nov 15 2009, 04:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=69194:date=Nov 15 2009, 04:03 PM:name=Rappster)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rappster @ Nov 15 2009, 04:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=69193:date=Nov 15 2009, 03:40 PM:name=jstraw)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (jstraw @ Nov 15 2009, 03:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=69192:date=Nov 15 2009, 03:04 PM:name=Rappster)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rappster @ Nov 15 2009, 03:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Milt comes back and apologizes...this thing is ancient history before the ink is dry on the next edition. Cub fans are a very forgiving lot.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Right...till the very first 2010 bump in the road..which WILL happen.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I always love when people tell me what WILL happen...
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

You think there's a chance Milt would be be a drama-free Cub in 2010?
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I don't think he'll ever be drama-free...but, I think he could return to being less dramatic than he was last year.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

The sensitivity to bullshit from Bradley will be acute. It would take only the slightest drama to put him right back on the shit list. Everyone can make nice but unless he's trulay drama free, we'd be right back where we were.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Then why so many presumed trade suitors for him?
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

So...you're saying that teams don't look at the emotional track record of a potential player?

Because, I think you're wrong.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

No. That's not what I'm saying.

What I'm saying is that Cubs fans are generally pissed off at him. I'm saying that this may be something that can be smoothed over to some degree before opening day. I'm saying that the gloves will come off FAST in Chicago at the slightest sign of the 2009 headcase issues. The fan/press/management fuse will be shorter or longer depending on his performance but the sword of Damoclese will be over his head.

He has baggage wherever he winds up but this part of it will be acute if he stays in Chicago in a way it won't be if he plays elsewhere.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

OK...I hear that. My feeling is that...if all we're looking to do is off-load Bradley, while eating his salary...and bringing back something akin to a doorstop...we might as well keep him, and try to smooth it over.

Because...if we do that, and he goes off the deep end again...we can accomplish the same thing by cutting him as soon as it happens. We might still be on the hook for salary...the only difference is that we haven't taken on someone else's baggage, too.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

You might be right...if it's just for a doorstop but Hendry needs to see what's possible....who might be available during the off season that's better than doorstop.

[Coldneck]

The Reds are trying to get out of the Arroyo and Harang deals. They also are weak at LF, although they have a top prospect named Stubbs that was a September call-up. I doubt they'd be interested in Bradley unless we took on a lot of money, but perhaps they'd be a decent trade partner for Bradley.

Harang has 1 yr/$12.5 remaining plus a $2M buyout or a club option for 2012 for $12.75M. Arroyo has 1 yr/$11M, plus a $2M buyout for 2012 or club option for $11M.

[leonardsipes]

I like Arroyo. Over the past year and a half he has been great, and he never gets hurt. If the Cubs have to pay half Bradley's salary, though, I would keep shopping.

[dk123]

Whenever I am scrolling through a page and the word "calibre" catches my eye, I know Cherp has been here.

[ColoradoCub]

<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->The Rays have become the "clear-cut favorite" to acquire Milton Bradley from the Cubs, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.
The two parties have been linked for a while, with Pat Burrell-for-Bradley as the rumored swap. Bradley is owed $21 million over the next two seasons while Burrell will make $9 million in 2010. The difference in contracts has reportedly been the biggest stumbling block on a deal. Nov. 19 - 12:47 pm e<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

also...

<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->The Yankees are "quietly" letting teams know that Nick Swisher is available, says Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
Swisher is owed $15.75 million over the next two seasons, with a $10.25 club option for 2012, a pretty reasonable contract considering what he was worth in 2009. The 28-year-old outfielder batted .249/.371/.498 with 29 homers, 89 RBI with a career-high .869 OPS. Remember, the Yankees dangled Swisher in trade talks after acquiring him last winter, so it's no surprise to see his name come up again. We're a long way from seeing him being dealt, but the Yankees could have a say in Matt Holliday or Jason Bay after all.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Bradley for Swisher? Just to give Butch an annyuerism.

[Coach]

<!--QuoteBegin-"Jayson Stark"+-->QUOTE ("Jayson Stark")<!--QuoteEBegin-->Tampa Bay, Texas and Toronto look like the three most feasible destinations for Milton Bradley these days. But the Cubs are telling teams that <b>(A) they're not interested in digesting all or most of Bradley's money (two years, $21 million) just for the sake of moving him, and (B) the hiring of his old hitting coach, Rudy Jaramillo, means they no longer think they have to trade him. </b>So they seem to be zeroing in on clubs that might be willing to swap one messy contract for another. Pat Burrell would be that guy in Tampa Bay, but the money doesn't match up and the Cubs would have to find a third team interested in Burrell. Lyle Overbay seems to fit that mold in Toronto, but the Cubs would need a third team to take him, too, since Derrek Lee is still occupying first base. And Kevin Millwood might still be a possibility with Texas, but certainly not one-for-one. Potential deals with the Angels (for Gary Matthews Jr.) and Diamondbacks (for Eric Byrnes) look dead at the moment.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[rok]

I don't want Swisher by any means, but I think I could live with him over Bradley. Pick your poison, I guess.

Now, I feel foolish for saying it.

[Coldneck]

Milwood for Bradley is crazy talk. I'd do that in a second flat.

[kbwsb]

Swisher would be fantastic. He's basically a younger, more pleasant Bradley.
But I can't imagine the Yankees really wanting Bradley. He fits their "type" numbers-wise, but can you imagine Milton freaking Bradley under the hot NY spotlight?

No way, and Cashman isn't going to want to mess with a championship clubhouse.

[dk123]

<!--quoteo(post=69681:date=Nov 19 2009, 08:44 PM:name=KBwsb)-->QUOTE (KBwsb @ Nov 19 2009, 08:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Swisher would be fantastic. He's basically a younger, more pleasant Bradley.
But I can't imagine the Yankees really wanting Bradley. He fits their "type" numbers-wise, but can you imagine Milton freaking Bradley under the hot NY spotlight?

No way, and Cashman isn't going to want to mess with a championship clubhouse.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
So are you saying Cashman would <i>never</i> trade for Milton Bradley?

[kbwsb]

[img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif[/img]

[1060Ivy]

Just what a guy like Milton Bradley needs a quiet town without much of a media presence.
Yeah, NY is the perfect city for Milton Bradley.