Bradley Signs with Cubs 3/$30 million (p. 33)

[PrimeTime]

In his blog, Bruce says the Marquis deal will be announced tommarow.

[PrimeTime]

Cubs.com

 

Switch-hitter Milton Bradley is expected in Chicago later this week to undergo a physical, and if all goes well, could sign a three-year contract with the Cubs.

 

Bradley, 30, led the American League in on-base percentage last year while batting .321 with 22 homers for Texas. Other teams had been courting the free agent, including the Rays, who apparently opted to sign outfielder Pat Burrell.

 

There were reports Monday that Bradley will sign a three-year, $30 million contract with the Cubs, but the team would not confirm those reports. FoxSports.com reported the deal will be finalized after the two sides work through "language issues" in the contract and Bradley passes a physical.

Edited January 5, 2009 by PrimeTime

[Cubswin11]

The 40 man roster is now full. Either Bako will be getting a minor lge deal or someone will have to go shortly.

I fully expect a trade of some sort within the next few days, we have too many spare parts/guys out of options in Pie, Cedeno, Wuertz, R.Hill, Hart, Gaudin, Vizcaino (assuming Marquis is gone), and Ascanio. Not that we could get much for any of those guys but most of them can be on a 25 man somewhere in the league. Also I know you have to have filler guys but why the [expletive] are Sam Fuld, Justin Berg, and Marcus Mateo on the 40 man? They all scuk. I would also expect Rich Hill to be let go in ST if he can't turn things around there, so that could free up space.

[DiamondMind]

 

I also hope Theriot is nowhere near the top. Hopefully Fukudome improves enough to get bumped up there.

 

I'm fully expecting the "Theriot shouldn't have the most AB's on the team" comment, but what is wrong with a .387 OBP guy (85 runs) leading off? Could be worse.

 

There's always something to complain about, I'd save it for something more worthwhile than Theriot.

Edited January 5, 2009 by DiamondMind

[Butterscup1679666578]

Our line up looks so deep now.

 

We have at least five home run hitters (or at least close) in Soriano, Ramirez, Soto, Bradley and Lee.

 

Hopefully we're not a home run or nothing team though.

 

Bradley's not really a HR hitter.

[Butterscup1679666578]

 

I also hope Theriot is nowhere near the top. Hopefully Fukudome improves enough to get bumped up there.

 

I'm fully expecting the "Theriot shouldn't have the most AB's on the team" comment, but what is wrong with a .387 OBP guy (85 runs) leading off? Could be worse.

 

There's always something to complain about, I'd save it for something more worthwhile than Theriot.

 

No one is really expecting Theriot to repeat last year.

[shnsajax]

The 40 man roster is now full. Either Bako will be getting a minor lge deal or someone will have to go shortly.

I fully expect a trade of some sort within the next few days, we have too many spare parts/guys out of options in Pie, Cedeno, Wuertz, R.Hill, Hart, Gaudin, Vizcaino (assuming Marquis is gone), and Ascanio. Not that we could get much for any of those guys but most of them can be on a 25 man somewhere in the league. Also I know you have to have filler guys but why the **** are Sam Fuld, Justin Berg, and Marcus Mateo on the 40 man? They all scuk. I would also expect Rich Hill to be let go in ST if he can't turn things around there, so that could free up space.

 

I wouldn't.

[DiamondMind]

Why? .362 OBP in ~1300 AB's, and he's 29 years old (peak production).

 

Give me a reason besides just saying it won't happen.

[Abe Frohman]

SS Theriot

1B Lee

RF Bradley

3B Ramirez

LF Soriano

CA Soto

2B Fontenot

CF Fukudome

[rchap24]

Projected 2009 lineup

 

Soriano

Theriot

Lee

Ramirez

Bradley

Soto

Fukudome

Fontenot

I really doubt they group two of the three lefties at the bottom of the lineup.

 

I agree with that. That said, what can you do here?

 

(2009 projected Marcel's wOBA)

 

Soriano (358)

Lee (359)

Bradley (384)

Ramirez (371)

Soto (369)

Fontenot (355)

Theriot (331)

Fukudome/Johnson (326/329)

 

That probably would be the best lineup

[Cubswin11]

The 40 man roster is now full. Either Bako will be getting a minor lge deal or someone will have to go shortly.

I fully expect a trade of some sort within the next few days, we have too many spare parts/guys out of options in Pie, Cedeno, Wuertz, R.Hill, Hart, Gaudin, Vizcaino (assuming Marquis is gone), and Ascanio. Not that we could get much for any of those guys but most of them can be on a 25 man somewhere in the league. Also I know you have to have filler guys but why the **** are Sam Fuld, Justin Berg, and Marcus Mateo on the 40 man? They all scuk. I would also expect Rich Hill to be let go in ST if he can't turn things around there, so that could free up space.

 

I wouldn't.

Isn't he out of options? I doubt they put him on the 25 man just to hold onto him if he is still sucking through ST.

[shnsajax]

The 40 man roster is now full. Either Bako will be getting a minor lge deal or someone will have to go shortly.

I fully expect a trade of some sort within the next few days, we have too many spare parts/guys out of options in Pie, Cedeno, Wuertz, R.Hill, Hart, Gaudin, Vizcaino (assuming Marquis is gone), and Ascanio. Not that we could get much for any of those guys but most of them can be on a 25 man somewhere in the league. Also I know you have to have filler guys but why the **** are Sam Fuld, Justin Berg, and Marcus Mateo on the 40 man? They all scuk. I would also expect Rich Hill to be let go in ST if he can't turn things around there, so that could free up space.

 

I wouldn't.

Isn't he out of options? I doubt they put him on the 25 man just to hold onto him if he is still sucking through ST.

 

I didn't think he was, but that would change things.

[jersey cubs fan]

 

I also hope Theriot is nowhere near the top. Hopefully Fukudome improves enough to get bumped up there.

 

I'm fully expecting the "Theriot shouldn't have the most AB's on the team" comment, but what is wrong with a .387 OBP guy (85 runs) leading off? Could be worse.

 

There's always something to complain about, I'd save it for something more worthwhile than Theriot.

 

He's not a .387 OBP guy just because he did it one year. I don't expect him to loop enough singles to right to keep that OBP as high. He's 29 now, and no longer the base runner he was once rumored to be. His double plays and outs on the basepaths are enough of a drag to significantly offset the one thing he does okay, which was getting on base last year. I'd bet he's be closer to his 2007 or career averages than what he OBPd in 2008.

[chuckywang]

Im getting flashbacks of Jaque Jones going hitless in his first 20 or 30 AB's and getting booed..God I hope that doesnt repeat with Bradley

 

Jacque Jones wasn't bad that season.

 

.285/.334/.499 108 OPS+

[Cubswin11]

The 40 man roster is now full. Either Bako will be getting a minor lge deal or someone will have to go shortly.

I fully expect a trade of some sort within the next few days, we have too many spare parts/guys out of options in Pie, Cedeno, Wuertz, R.Hill, Hart, Gaudin, Vizcaino (assuming Marquis is gone), and Ascanio. Not that we could get much for any of those guys but most of them can be on a 25 man somewhere in the league. Also I know you have to have filler guys but why the **** are Sam Fuld, Justin Berg, and Marcus Mateo on the 40 man? They all scuk. I would also expect Rich Hill to be let go in ST if he can't turn things around there, so that could free up space.

 

I wouldn't.

Isn't he out of options? I doubt they put him on the 25 man just to hold onto him if he is still sucking through ST.

 

I didn't think he was, but that would change things.

He is and so are Pie, Cedeno and Guzman. Here are some articles that mention it a recent mailbag that talks about it, there was also a mention on MLBTR but the article linked in the story no longer works, and if you go to Hill's player page on Foxsports it says he's out of options.

 

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/print.jsp?ymd=20081221&content_id=3724917&c_id=chc&affiliateId=comments_pagelink

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player?statsId=7578

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2008/11/cubs-rumors-pea.html

[JeffH]

The 40 man roster is now full. Either Bako will be getting a minor lge deal or someone will have to go shortly.

I fully expect a trade of some sort within the next few days, we have too many spare parts/guys out of options in Pie, Cedeno, Wuertz, R.Hill, Hart, Gaudin, Vizcaino (assuming Marquis is gone), and Ascanio. Not that we could get much for any of those guys but most of them can be on a 25 man somewhere in the league. Also I know you have to have filler guys but why the **** are Sam Fuld, Justin Berg, and Marcus Mateo on the 40 man? They all scuk. I would also expect Rich Hill to be let go in ST if he can't turn things around there, so that could free up space.

 

I wouldn't.

Isn't he out of options? I doubt they put him on the 25 man just to hold onto him if he is still sucking through ST.

 

I didn't think he was, but that would change things.

 

Rich Hill, Felix Pie, and Ronny Cedeno are all out of options.

[UMFan83]

Im getting flashbacks of Jaque Jones going hitless in his first 20 or 30 AB's and getting booed..God I hope that doesnt repeat with Bradley

 

Jacque Jones wasn't bad that season.

 

.285/.334/.499 108 OPS+

 

I think he's just worried about him starting off slow and then going insane when the fans get on him.

[davearm2]

With all this talk about acquiring LH hitting to balance the lineup, I suspect we'll see a lefty batting second (Fuku or Fontenot), Bradley splitting up Lee and Ramirez, the other lefty hitting 7th, and Theriot batting 8th.

 

Soriano

Fontenot

Lee

Bradley

Ramirez

Soto

Fukudome

Theriot

[erik316wttn]

Im getting flashbacks of Jaque Jones going hitless in his first 20 or 30 AB's and getting booed..God I hope that doesnt repeat with Bradley

 

Jacque Jones wasn't bad that season.

 

.285/.334/.499 108 OPS+

 

I think he's just worried about him starting off slow and then going insane when the fans get on him.

 

He's going to go off the first time the fans boo him.

[wade]

Is there any chance that the language in the contract has anything to do with Bradley's health? I know the Tigers had things put in for Pudge for sure, and maybe Maggs, where the club could opt out. BUT, those guys had a def. preexisting injury (back / knee), so that type of thing may not fly easily with the Player's Association in most cases.

 

I guess games played bonuses are more likely.

[cubsfan26]

 

I also hope Theriot is nowhere near the top. Hopefully Fukudome improves enough to get bumped up there.

 

I'm fully expecting the "Theriot shouldn't have the most AB's on the team" comment, but what is wrong with a .387 OBP guy (85 runs) leading off? Could be worse.

 

There's always something to complain about, I'd save it for something more worthwhile than Theriot.

 

He's not a .387 OBP guy just because he did it one year. I don't expect him to loop enough singles to right to keep that OBP as high. He's 29 now, and no longer the base runner he was once rumored to be. His double plays and outs on the basepaths are enough of a drag to significantly offset the one thing he does okay, which was getting on base last year. I'd bet he's be closer to his 2007 or career averages than what he OBPd in 2008.

 

 

No offense, but you probably said Theriot had no shot a 350 OBP a year ago, let alone a 387 one. The guy has been a good average/OBP hitter his last few seasons in the minors, and hit in the majors besides 07. So lets see what happens, he wouldn't be the first guy to overachieve and have a good career. Personally I feel he will drop off some, but I still feel he will be a high 280s, low 290s 350-360s OBP guy. With how consistent Theriot was last year it's hard for me to feel it was a complete fluke. But I expect his baserunning to be better next year, personally I blame Lou for running him so much early in the season and trying to make Theriot something he's not. If Theriot picks his spots, he can be a 21 outta 25 or 25 of 30 type base stealer in the big leagues. Lou sending Theriot 16 times in the first month and half of the season was way too much.

[B]

 

I also hope Theriot is nowhere near the top. Hopefully Fukudome improves enough to get bumped up there.

 

I'm fully expecting the "Theriot shouldn't have the most AB's on the team" comment, but what is wrong with a .387 OBP guy (85 runs) leading off? Could be worse.

 

There's always something to complain about, I'd save it for something more worthwhile than Theriot.

 

No one is really expecting Theriot to repeat last year.

I am. He's awesome.

[Wilson A2000]

Our line up looks so deep now.

 

We have at least five home run hitters (or at least close) in Soriano, Ramirez, Soto, Bradley and Lee.

 

Hopefully we're not a home run or nothing team though.

 

Bradley's not really a HR hitter.

 

I was surprised to find that he has only hit 100 or so homeruns in his 9 year career.

[erik316wttn]

Our line up looks so deep now.

 

We have at least five home run hitters (or at least close) in Soriano, Ramirez, Soto, Bradley and Lee.

 

Hopefully we're not a home run or nothing team though.

 

Bradley's not really a HR hitter.

 

I was surprised to find that he has only hit 100 or so homeruns in his 9 year career.

 

Seems like a decent #2 guy.

[cbbryan]

Im getting flashbacks of Jaque Jones going hitless in his first 20 or 30 AB's and getting booed..God I hope that doesnt repeat with Bradley

 

 

huh? I think Bradley's a much stronger player then JJ.