Your 2009 Chicago Cubs

[Clapp]

I found a couple things but there was more Bradley discussion I can't find. Anyway, I posted these pictures and the following post:











Things I like about Milton Bradley:
*Switch-hitter, very good from both sides of the plate.
*Tons of talent as he put on display this year. Plenty of power and just a very good overall hitter. 3rd in the AL in batting average, 4th in slugging percentage in 08.
*Great eye at the plate-10th in walks in the AL, #1 in obp, and #1 in ops.
*Fire. Dude has plenty of fire and confidence, I think he'd do well in October.

Things I don't like:
*Raging psycho.
*Injury history
*Because of those things, he only has 400 at bats twice in his career over 9 years.
*And also because of the the above things... he tore his acl arguing a call with an umpire. As Matt Watson of Fanhouse said:"Yes, that's right: he literally hurt himself by getting angry and defying authority. Has a player ever summed up his entire career more succinctly with one play? I'm not kidding, Bradley's entire Wikipedia entry needs to be erased and replaced with a video of this exchange: it defines his entire essence."
*He confronted a Royals announcer in Kansas City because of what the guy said about his history on the air, while Milton was watching in the locker room after being ejected. You can't let that stuff get to you as a Major Leaguer.
*"Bradley has had several issues with his temper. He was suspended for the final five games of the 2004 season when he slammed a plastic bottle at the feet of a fan in the box seats in the right field corner at Dodger Stadium after someone threw it on the field. Nobody was injured. He had anger management counseling during the offseason, and kept his temper in control last season -- even when discussing Kent, although his comments were scathing."
*1.001 OPS at a hitter-friendly park in Texas with 16 homers in 193 at bats, .872 OPS on the road with 6 homers in 221 at bats. Still very good though and we'd gladly take it.


He's the Rasheed Wallace of baseball and injury prone. If you get Milton healthy and on his best behavior for the most part like the Rangers did, you've got yourself an All-Star. But 90% of his career he's either been hurt or causing trouble. It's a gamble, but I'd be fine with it. I'd rather just get Ibanez though.

[savant]

Clapper that Rasheed Wallace comparison is spot on. The crazier he seems, the more I want him.

[Fella]

<!--quoteo(post=1524:date=Dec 5 2008, 04:46 PM:name=Clapp)-->QUOTE (Clapp @ Dec 5 2008, 04:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->We talked about this in the Confines on the old SOI, there's ton of more stuff that's happened that's not on his wikipedia page.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Yeah there have been many more, he was traded by the Indians for fights with Eric Wedge and causing team problems, he went after a fan while he was in LA, threw the bag of balls on the field, had a scuffle with Joe West, etc. etc. He has had far more than 3 big incidents.

That said, I kinda agree with Savant, maybe a psycho like him is what we need.

[PcB]

I can't believe that there's one person on earth who thinks Bradley's actions are understandable. That being said, I'd take him but I'd rather have Ibanez.

[Clapp]

<!--quoteo(post=1545:date=Dec 5 2008, 06:40 PM:name=Fella)-->QUOTE (Fella @ Dec 5 2008, 06:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=1524:date=Dec 5 2008, 04:46 PM:name=Clapp)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Clapp @ Dec 5 2008, 04:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->We talked about this in the Confines on the old SOI, there's ton of more stuff that's happened that's not on his wikipedia page.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Yeah there have been many more, he was traded by the Indians for fights with Eric Wedge and causing team problems, he went after a fan while he was in LA, threw the bag of balls on the field, had a scuffle with Joe West, etc. etc. He has had far more than 3 big incidents.

That said, I kinda agree with Savant, maybe a psycho like him is what we need.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yeah I don't disagree with that at all, like I said he'd probably be perfect for October. All I was saying was you can't deny the baggage that comes with him. They're serious concerns. But if he stays healthy and out of trouble, he's an absolutely perfect fit for us.

[savant]

Clapp, I agree that the guy is crazy. In B movie lingo he is the definition of a loose cannon. He has been as brittle as a china doll. I understand that, but the guy can hit. He is as talented of a hitter as anyone that is available this offseason. He might get suspended, and he is for sure going to spend a significant amount of time on the DL. With Fontenot/Derosa/Fuku/Johnson/Pie on this team we will be fine in the regular season, just let us have his bat in the lineup for the playoffs.

[rok]

This would really piss me off. I know the guy finished poorly, but he was great before the injury, and not to mention he can start and be a solid middle reliever when healthy. I hope these douches at Rotoworld and Trib are just wildly speculating. I know $2+ million isn't chump change, but we're getting pretty thin in the relief dept and can't afford to just let guys go for nothing in return like this.
<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->from rotoworld.com
According to the Chicago Tribune, "it wouldn't be surprising if the Cubs non-tendered" Chad Gaudin next week.
Gaudin came to Chicago as part of the Rich Harden deal, but posted a 6.26 ERA in 27 1/3 innings out of the bullpen. Gaudin made $1.8 million last season and the Cubs may not be willing to give him a raise via arbitration, but as a 25-year-old with a 4.45 career ERA who can start or relieve he'd draw plenty of interest on the open market.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[Clapp]

<!--quoteo(post=1653:date=Dec 5 2008, 08:33 PM:name=rok)-->QUOTE (rok @ Dec 5 2008, 08:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->This would really piss me off. I know the guy finished poorly, but he was great before the injury, and not to mention he can start and be a solid middle reliever when healthy. I hope these douches at Rotoworld and Trib are just wildly speculating. I know $2+ million isn't chump change, but we're getting pretty thin in the relief dept and can't afford to just let guys go for nothing in return like this.
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE <!--quotec-->from rotoworld.com
According to the Chicago Tribune, "it wouldn't be surprising if the Cubs non-tendered" Chad Gaudin next week.
Gaudin came to Chicago as part of the Rich Harden deal, but posted a 6.26 ERA in 27 1/3 innings out of the bullpen. Gaudin made $1.8 million last season and the Cubs may not be willing to give him a raise via arbitration, but as a 25-year-old with a 4.45 career ERA who can start or relieve he'd draw plenty of interest on the open market.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yeah I don't know what Sullivan's thinking, and he said that right after he posted this quote from Lou saying how they're going to need Gaudin to pitch well.
<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->"Well, we have Cotts and we have Marshall," Piniella said. "I thought they did a very representative job last year. Marshall, this will be the second year [working out of the pen], so he should be more acclimated. From the right side, we picked up Gregg from the Marlins, but we're going to have to have a guy like [Chad] Gaudin pitch well for us. And [Kevin] Hart, [ Angel] Guzman … we're going to have some young people who are going to have to come through for us too."

That's risky business.

Gaudin was ineffective and is arbitration-eligible. It wouldn't be surprising if the Cubs non-tendered him. Hart spent much of the season at Triple-A Iowa. Guzman, a former top prospect with a series of arm injuries, had six appearances in September after missing most of the year rehabbing from Tommy John surgery.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[rok]

For Sullivan to say he was ineffective, well I guess he doesn't remember how well he pitched in July and half of August before hurting his back. What a know-nothing.

[Scarey]

<!--quoteo(post=1545:date=Dec 5 2008, 07:40 PM:name=Fella)-->QUOTE (Fella @ Dec 5 2008, 07:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=1524:date=Dec 5 2008, 04:46 PM:name=Clapp)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Clapp @ Dec 5 2008, 04:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->We talked about this in the Confines on the old SOI, there's ton of more stuff that's happened that's not on his wikipedia page.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Yeah there have been many more, he was traded by the Indians for fights with Eric Wedge and causing team problems, he went after a fan while he was in LA, threw the bag of balls on the field, had a scuffle with Joe West, etc. etc. He has had far more than 3 big incidents.

That said, I kinda agree with Savant, maybe a psycho like him is what we need.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


I'm not ignoring that he's had other things in the past besides the most well known incidents. But, you have to recognize that he's acknowledged his problems and worked on them. To me, the 'confronting the broadcaster' incident isn't really an issue (if you or anyone else does, please please please read the article I posted about the affair). So, he hasn't really done anything that's too entirely out of line since the bottle incident in LA. And somebody threw a bottle at him for crying out loud! I would have done exactly what he did in that situation!

[Scarey]

Also, people wanna bring down Bradley for throwing balls on the field and taunting fans... but ball players do that all the time! Kerry Wood has done both of those things and he is very well thought of around baseball.

[Captain]

Sullivan's an idiot. Always has been. Right? Why would that change now?
I can see Gaudin traded because of his value...but certainly not non-tendered.

[PcB]

Knowing Scarey personally, I think he's identifying with Bradley. I really do think Scarey would do everything and more that Bradley had done. He's justifying it because he's trying to make himself feel better about being a nutbar. :-)

[Scarey]

<!--quoteo(post=1747:date=Dec 6 2008, 02:55 AM:name=PcB)-->QUOTE (PcB @ Dec 6 2008, 02:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Knowing Scarey personally, I think he's identifying with Bradley. I really do think Scarey would do everything and more that Bradley had done. He's justifying it because he's trying to make himself feel better about being a nutbar. :-)<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Blow me.

[PcB]

<!--quoteo(post=1751:date=Dec 6 2008, 04:10 AM:name=Scarey)-->QUOTE (Scarey @ Dec 6 2008, 04:10 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=1747:date=Dec 6 2008, 02:55 AM:name=PcB)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (PcB @ Dec 6 2008, 02:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Knowing Scarey personally, I think he's identifying with Bradley. I really do think Scarey would do everything and more that Bradley had done. He's justifying it because he's trying to make himself feel better about being a nutbar. :-)<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Blow me.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Never. Unless it was covered in chocolate and you payed me $20.