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

[SouthSideRyan]

but I still feel he will be a high 280s, low 290s 350-360s OBP guy.

 

The problem is with a complete lack of power, a 350-360 OBP guy isn't very valuable. He's fine as a #8 hitter.

[jersey cubs fan]

 

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.

 

Not sure why I'd be offended, but no, I didn't expect that out of Theriot last year. But he was at his peak age so a career year wasn't at all crazy. And he still wasn't good. He had a singles inflated OBP but his overall production was mediocre and weighed down heavily by double plays and outs on the basepaths. It wasn't just about sending him too much. Theriot is a pretty dumb baserunner. Cedeno takes all sorts of heat for dumb mistakes, but Theriot does the same crap. He's just not good, and I'd rather there were better hitters atop the lineup. And eventually a better player taking over shortstop.

[TommyJohn]

I'm not going to rehash the semantics of what a freak injury is, but in case anyone is wondering and I said this before - I would not say that Milton Bradley is fragile based on him tearing his ACL. It didn't happen because he just stepped funny as one poster suggests. It happened because he was being restrained by his coach and he essentially suffered a clipping injury similar to what wrestlers and football players get. THIS IS A KNOWN MECHANISM TO CAUSE AN ACL TEAR. If it was your knee and it was subjected to a valgus force like that with your cleats firmly planted, you'd probably tear your ACL too. Granted the whole situation was a bit freaky, but again the mechanism and the result was pretty much normal if anything.

 

I don't know the rest of Bradley's injury history to say that he is injury prone or to be concerned about his ability to stay healthy. But that specific incident of him tearing his ACL should not factor in his ability to stay healthy otherwise and play a full season unless he is having signs of instability after the reconstruction or persistent effusion.

 

Furthermore, in speaking in terms of injury history I would be more concerned with chronic or repeated injuries of a similar nature. If someone has several isolated injuries that are pretty different than each other, I would be more apt to saying that he has bad luck than being fragile. Or maybe his proprioception is so off that he can't tell when his body is going to be in trouble - but I doubt that is the case with someone like Bradley.

[Soul]

 

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.

 

Not sure why I'd be offended, but no, I didn't expect that out of Theriot last year. But he was at his peak age so a career year wasn't at all crazy. And he still wasn't good. He had a singles inflated OBP but his overall production was mediocre and weighed down heavily by double plays and outs on the basepaths. It wasn't just about sending him too much. Theriot is a pretty dumb baserunner. Cedeno takes all sorts of heat for dumb mistakes, but Theriot does the same crap. He's just not good, and I'd rather there were better hitters atop the lineup. And eventually a better player taking over shortstop.

 

We might be able to regain some of that productivity by simply realizing he shouldn't be sent stealing very often, if at all.

[JGalt73]

Wittenmeyer on injury wording of contract:

 

Bradley’s history of injuries have kept him from playing more than 101 games in all but two of his seven full seasons in the majors, and his new contract is believed to contain language that protects the team on the back end of the deal if Bradley misses significant playing time on the front end.

[wade]

Wittenmeyer on injury wording of contract:

 

Bradley’s history of injuries have kept him from playing more than 101 games in all but two of his seven full seasons in the majors, and his new contract is believed to contain language that protects the team on the back end of the deal if Bradley misses significant playing time on the front end.

 

Holy crap, I may have been right.

[cubsfan26]

Wittenmeyer on injury wording of contract:

 

Bradley’s history of injuries have kept him from playing more than 101 games in all but two of his seven full seasons in the majors, and his new contract is believed to contain language that protects the team on the back end of the deal if Bradley misses significant playing time on the front end.

 

 

Thats very good news, and very smart move by Hendry.

[Cubswin11]

Wittenmeyer on injury wording of contract:

 

Bradley’s history of injuries have kept him from playing more than 101 games in all but two of his seven full seasons in the majors, and his new contract is believed to contain language that protects the team on the back end of the deal if Bradley misses significant playing time on the front end.

 

 

Thats very good news, and very smart move by Hendry.

Hendry isn't stupid, he is going to just guarantee $30 mil. to a guy with the Injury/Personal/Temper issues Bradley has had in the past. I fully expected a deal to be very incentive laden and have clauses that allowed the Cubs to pay less/get out if he didn't play/reach required innings/games/AB's etc.

[Guest]

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

 

I know Carrie says otherwise but Guzman will not be out of options due to his injury last year.

[Post Count Padder]

Not a bad deal. The potential is there and I like this possible injury clause in the contract.

[BleedCubbieBlue81]

I'm alright with this as long as Hendry includes some sort of injury clause or games played scenario into the contract. If we can just land a decent starter now to fill out the rotation (I'd prefer that his name rhymed with Schmeavy, but I know it's not likely), I won't hate this offseason as much as I did yesterday.

[Old Style]

Hendry isn't stupid

You obviously don't read this forum very often.

[17 Seconds]

 

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.

 

I doubt Theriot has a .387 OBP next season.If he did has a .387 OBP it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to have him at the top of the order, but I don't like how you completely discredit the most obvious answer as to why people might not want him there, and then ask people what's wrong with having him there. People constantly use that argument because it's a pretty good one. You can't just take it away because you think people say it too much.

[17 Seconds]

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.

 

I think he's saying he is fearing what would happen if Bradley got off to a slow start and people started booing him

[Schwarber Fan]

new sig

[17 Seconds]

that looks really real

[Roast]

new sig

Impressive.

[Schwarber Fan]

can't take credit... its from the bleacher report... lol

[CUBZ99]

Bradley led the AL in several offensive categories last year, so Hendry did get one of the best RF available. Lets just hope that he can find a way to stay healthy. If not, this will be a terrible deal.

[Little Slide Rooter]

In a perfect world, Bradley stays healthy and Fukudome re-adjusts to the majors. That would be a beautiful thing.

[Post Count Padder]

Bill James has Bradley posting these numbers next year:

 

.287/.391/.489 20 HR 68 RBI in 442 at bats

[Little Slide Rooter]

Bill James has Bradley posting these numbers next year:

 

.287/.391/.489 20 HR 68 RBI in 442 at bats

 

Whats he hitting, leadoff? Youd think hed have more RBI with those kind of numbers.

[Clem Fandango]

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.

 

Well a lot of that is due to injuries. If you look at his numbers he clearly has the ability to hit anywhere in the range of 25-35 home runs, but he's never been healthy enough to do so. I mean he had 11 home runs through 40 games playing with the Padres in 2007, and 6 of those 11 home runs came in Petco. The dude has the strength to hit home runs, it's just been an issue of durability to give him the longevity in the season to reach the "home run hitter" totals

[Monco]

Bill James has Bradley posting these numbers next year:

 

.287/.391/.489 20 HR 68 RBI in 442 at bats

 

How about Pie's numbers ?

[17 Seconds]

Keep in mind that until last year, he had played absically his entire career in big time pitchers' parks, so his home run numbers are kind of skewed

 

Really I see him as being the type of hitter as Aramis was in 2008. I'm not saying he'll be as good, I'm just saying I think that's the type of player he is at his point. Good but not great average, good but not great power, but a really good on base guy. Nothing wrong with that