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

[Little Slide Rooter]

i didn't realize he had flipped out this recently

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200809133469162&c_id=tex

 

i like when he starts giving the finger to the fans

 

God save the any ump soul who is brave enough to make a bad call to which both Lou and Milton are furious about.

 

May as well unleash Zambrano on em too just for good measures

 

 

 

Every time Bradley does something well, I hope people throw Hungry, Hungry Hippos on the field.

 

 

 

Im guessing thats some kind of inside joke from his Indians days? I dont know about Cleveland, but around here, Hungry Hungry Hippos don't grow on trees. :grin:

[UMFan83]

I'm guessing its a joke about his name...

[OleMissCub]

He averages around 97 games a season, so at 10 million a year that works out to $103,000 a game for him.

[davearm2]

I'm going to do this even though it's against my better judgment..

 

When I was young my mother would tell me: "Never argue with unreasonable people; because you can't reason with them". But here I go anyways.

 

A freak accident should be defined as: An accident that occurs when you would otherwise NOT expect one to occur.

1. D. Lee breaking his wrist: No way anyone would not expect that to happen after his hand, wrist were hit like they were. Take 100 people in the exact same situation and probably 80% it would have resulted in a break.

2. Any pitcher who has arm issues: The arm issue would be a result of the violent movement of the arm when throwing a baseball (arm should include elbow, shoulder and so on).

3. Mark Prior taking a line drive to the elbow; of course he got hurt, nothing freaky about that. The fact he got hit could be called a "freak" thing because players don't often get hit with baseballs when on defense. However his being injured once hit; nothing freaky about that. Anytime someone is hit with a hard object going over 100mph I would have to say an accident is expected.

4. A player swinging a bat; you can't break down every injury that could be expected; but side (oblique’s), back, wrists, fingers, thumbs and possibly hips could become injured during this process. Nothing freaky about that, because one could reasonably expect it to happen.

THE LIST GOES ON.....

 

I would have to say anyone tearing an ACL when being held back is not something you would reasonably (keyword) expect to happen. Take 100 people in the exact same situation and a LOT less than 80% would end in an ACL tear. That to me makes it a freak accident.

Sammy Sosa sneezing and hurting his back (out 30 days); to me that is a freak accident; you just don't NORMALLY expect someone to miss 30 days because of a sneeze.

The sneeze analogy perfectly illustrates what I've been trying to explain. People sneeze all the darn time, and nothing comes of it.

 

Just like as dextermorgan has explained, professional baseball players step awkwardly on their leg all the darn time, and nothing comes of it.

 

So if throwing your back out sneezing is a freak injury (since you've sneezed countless times with no injury occurring), then by the same logic, tearing your ACL stepping awkwardly is also a freak injury (since you've stepped awkwardly countless times with no injury occurring).

 

Except people almost never get hurt sneezing. That's why it's a freak injury. People get hurt by twisting their legs. You're leaving out that very huge difference. Also, I'd say that there's a pretty big difference between a sneeze and a twisting of your leg. One is a natural thing that the body does by itself. The other is something that your body is put through due to a mistake.

Your definition of a freak injury is: something people almost never get hurt doing (reference the bolded statement above).

 

You've told us over and over and over again how baseball players step awkwardly on their leg all the time without getting hurt.

 

Therefore by your own definition of the term, when a baseball player gets hurt stepping awkwardly, it's a freak injury.

[Keener98]

http://chicagocubsonline.com/archives/2009/01/bradley_cubs_1.php#more

 

Updated - 9:46pm C.T. - Bruce Levine just reported on XM Radio with Joe Casellano that the third year on Bradley's contract is not guaranteed. The third year is a vesting option based on games played in the first two seasons.

 

 

 

So if the 3rd year isnt guaranteed, I wonder if its a straight 2 year 20 million, or if maybe something like 8mil the 1st year, 10mil the 2nd year, and 12 the 3rd year? I havent seen any breakdown to the contract but Id be very surprised if we are paying him 10 mil this season. Im guessing its more like a 2 year deal for 18mil with the vesting option making it 3 and 30. If this is the case, I love this deal.

[cubfan]

http://chicagocubsonline.com/archives/2009/01/bradley_cubs_1.php#more

 

Updated - 9:46pm C.T. - Bruce Levine just reported on XM Radio with Joe Casellano that the third year on Bradley's contract is not guaranteed. The third year is a vesting option based on games played in the first two seasons.

 

 

 

So if the 3rd year isnt guaranteed, I wonder if its a straight 2 year 20 million, or if maybe something like 8mil the 1st year, 10mil the 2nd year, and 12 the 3rd year? I havent seen any breakdown to the contract but Id be very surprised if we are paying him 10 mil this season. Im guessing its more like a 2 year deal for 18mil with the vesting option making it 3 and 30. If this is the case, I love this deal.

 

I doubt that you could defer money to a year that was not guaranteed. Maybe if the option year had a 2 mil buyout it could fly.

[BigbadB]

I'm going to do this even though it's against my better judgment..

 

When I was young my mother would tell me: "Never argue with unreasonable people; because you can't reason with them". But here I go anyways.

 

A freak accident should be defined as: An accident that occurs when you would otherwise NOT expect one to occur.

1. D. Lee breaking his wrist: No way anyone would not expect that to happen after his hand, wrist were hit like they were. Take 100 people in the exact same situation and probably 80% it would have resulted in a break.

2. Any pitcher who has arm issues: The arm issue would be a result of the violent movement of the arm when throwing a baseball (arm should include elbow, shoulder and so on).

3. Mark Prior taking a line drive to the elbow; of course he got hurt, nothing freaky about that. The fact he got hit could be called a "freak" thing because players don't often get hit with baseballs when on defense. However his being injured once hit; nothing freaky about that. Anytime someone is hit with a hard object going over 100mph I would have to say an accident is expected.

4. A player swinging a bat; you can't break down every injury that could be expected; but side (oblique’s), back, wrists, fingers, thumbs and possibly hips could become injured during this process. Nothing freaky about that, because one could reasonably expect it to happen.

THE LIST GOES ON.....

 

I would have to say anyone tearing an ACL when being held back is not something you would reasonably (keyword) expect to happen. Take 100 people in the exact same situation and a LOT less than 80% would end in an ACL tear. That to me makes it a freak accident.

Sammy Sosa sneezing and hurting his back (out 30 days); to me that is a freak accident; you just don't NORMALLY expect someone to miss 30 days because of a sneeze.

The sneeze analogy perfectly illustrates what I've been trying to explain. People sneeze all the darn time, and nothing comes of it.

 

Just like as dextermorgan has explained, professional baseball players step awkwardly on their leg all the darn time, and nothing comes of it.

 

So if throwing your back out sneezing is a freak injury (since you've sneezed countless times with no injury occurring), then by the same logic, tearing your ACL stepping awkwardly is also a freak injury (since you've stepped awkwardly countless times with no injury occurring).

 

Except people almost never get hurt sneezing. That's why it's a freak injury. People get hurt by twisting their legs. You're leaving out that very huge difference. Also, I'd say that there's a pretty big difference between a sneeze and a twisting of your leg. One is a natural thing that the body does by itself. The other is something that your body is put through due to a mistake.

Your definition of a freak injury is: something people almost never get hurt doing (reference the bolded statement above).

 

You've told us over and over and over again how baseball players step awkwardly on their leg all the time without getting hurt.

 

Therefore by your own definition of the term, when a baseball player gets hurt stepping awkwardly, it's a freak injury.

 

To resolve the whole freak injury discussion for good, I will finally explain the true definition of what constitutes a freak injury.

 

Freak injury = WHO FREAKING CARES?

 

Are any of you honestly listening to yourselves argue about what adjective should be in front of the word injury? Absolute nonsense.

 

Bud Black should have manned up and helped Milton Bradley punch that umpire in the face repeatedly until all racial prejudice seeped out of his pores. If Black would have done that, Bradley may never have blown out his knee.

[sneakypower]

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 and Lee aren't HR hitters and we'll have Gathright, Miles, Theriot, Bako, Johnson playing prominent roles on the team. that's about the last thing i'm worried about.

[ConstableRabbit]

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 and Lee aren't HR hitters and we'll have Gathright, Miles, Theriot, Bako, Johnson playing prominent roles on the team. that's about the last thing i'm worried about.

I honestly don't think Gathright and Bako will be playing prominent roles.

[BigbadB]

I just noticed on Milton Bradley's baseball reference page that he was traded by Cleveland for Franklin Gutierrez and Andrew Brown.

 

Later, he was traded from Oakland to San Diego for Andrew Brown.

[sneakypower]

the roles Miles and Bako do play will be made much more noticeable by their glaring lack of offensive production

[jersey cubs fan]

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 and Lee aren't HR hitters and we'll have Gathright, Miles, Theriot, Bako, Johnson playing prominent roles on the team. that's about the last thing i'm worried about.

I honestly don't think Gathright and Bako will be playing prominent roles.

 

Neither is going to play 100 games (hopefully), but they will both probably get significant time on the field, and, unfortunately, at the plate.

[Lefty]

Bradley has put up his best numbers batting 4th, I would think Lou will put him somewhere 3-5 so here are his numbers in those respective spots

 

3rd: 281G 1059 AB's .266/.358/.433/.792 51 2B/40 HR

4th: 180G 613 AB's .331/.443/.566/1.009 52 2B/30 HR

5th: 108G 388 AB's .268/.352/.433/.785 18 2B/14 HR

 

 

Irrelevant. Where did he bat in Texas last year? Doesn't that kind of skew the stats? It doesn't matter where he bats.

[Wilson A2000]

the roles Miles and Bako do play will be made much more noticeable by their glaring lack of offensive production

 

Backup catcher? Are you kidding me? No backup catchers are good hitters, because that's why they are backups.

[jersey cubs fan]

the roles Miles and Bako do play will be made much more noticeable by their glaring lack of offensive production

 

Backup catcher? Are you kidding me? No backup catchers are good hitters, because that's why they are backups.

 

It's possible for a backup catcher to put up competent numbers. Of all the backups, they get the most playing time. Bako has averaged 226 plate appearances the last three year, and had an OPS+ of 28, 42 and 62. Blanco was at 83 last year. The overall catcher production is going to be determined primarily by Soto, but it can be significantly influenced by the backup, or god forbid if Soto gets injured, it will be primarily determined by that backup.

[mdwilla]

Wasn't bako brought in on a mInor league deal? Hill might out hit him this spring and steal the job. Sure I would have rather had Greg Zaun but Paul Bako is the least of my worries.

[jersey cubs fan]

Wasn't bako brought in on a mInor league deal? Hill might out hit him this spring and steal the job. Sure I would have rather had Greg Zaun but Paul Bako is the least of my worries.

 

He's probably about the least of mine as well, unless Soto gets hurt. But along with Miles and Gathwright, plus potentially Vizcaino, the Cubs have too many 25th men again.

[YearofDaCubs]

Not to get too much off topic but I agree why sign Bako when you have a really good def catcher in K Hill? Save that money and put it elsewhere.

[CubColtPacer]

Not to get too much off topic but I agree why sign Bako when you have a really good def catcher in K Hill? Save that money and put it elsewhere.

 

Bako is going to essentially make major league minimum. It doesn't cost them anything more to have Bako be on the major league squad and Hill on Iowa then to have Hill on the major league squad and another minor league player on the 40 man.

[jersey cubs fan]

Not to get too much off topic but I agree why sign Bako when you have a really good def catcher in K Hill? Save that money and put it elsewhere.

 

Bako is going to essentially make major league minimum. It doesn't cost them anything more to have Bako be on the major league squad and Hill on Iowa then to have Hill on the major league squad and another minor league player on the 40 man.

 

It doesn't cost them anything in terms of dollars, but it's a roster spot filled by a horrible player.

[CubColtPacer]

Not to get too much off topic but I agree why sign Bako when you have a really good def catcher in K Hill? Save that money and put it elsewhere.

 

Bako is going to essentially make major league minimum. It doesn't cost them anything more to have Bako be on the major league squad and Hill on Iowa then to have Hill on the major league squad and another minor league player on the 40 man.

 

It doesn't cost them anything in terms of dollars, but it's a roster spot filled by a horrible player.

 

He asked why not just go with Koyie Hill. He already was assuming the Cubs would go cheap and really bad in that spot.

 

If the Cubs wanted quality for their backup catcher, they should have accepted Blanco's option. Instead, they decided to go cheap for their catcher. There is no real difference between Hill and Bako. They are going to get paid about the same amount (in fact, the payroll estimate thread would say that Hill would make slightly more if he makes the team than Bako would if he does) and they have about the same skills.

[YearofDaCubs]

Not to get too much off topic but I agree why sign Bako when you have a really good def catcher in K Hill? Save that money and put it elsewhere.

 

Bako is going to essentially make major league minimum. It doesn't cost them anything more to have Bako be on the major league squad and Hill on Iowa then to have Hill on the major league squad and another minor league player on the 40 man.

 

It doesn't cost them anything in terms of dollars, but it's a roster spot filled by a horrible player.

 

He asked why not just go with Koyie Hill. He already was assuming the Cubs would go cheap and really bad in that spot.

 

If the Cubs wanted quality for their backup catcher, they should have accepted Blanco's option. Instead, they decided to go cheap for their catcher. There is no real difference between Hill and Bako. They are going to get paid about the same amount (in fact, the payroll estimate thread would say that Hill would make slightly more if he makes the team than Bako would if he does) and they have about the same skills.

Yeah but isn't Bako already 36 or 37?

[Cubzfan64]

I like the gamble to sign Bradley - I would have liked it much more if it had only been for 2 years, but you can't have everything.

[JGalt73]

Keith Law's take - same as most - IF healthy (and able to play a decent OF) a great addition.

 

If Milton Bradley can stay healthy enough to give the Cubs 450 to 500 plate appearances, his signing will prove outstanding for Chicago. The question is whether his body will permit him to play that much.

 

The 2008 season was Bradley's second in which he qualified for the batting title, and he just barely did so after missing games here and there with wrist, knee, quad, shoulder, hamstring and back problems. Now the Cubs will ask him to play the field 120 or so times, and they have no designated hitter spot to use to hide him when he's healthy enough to hit but too hurt to field. It's a big risk to take given his track record of injuries great and small.

 

Bradley is an excellent hitter who has power and patience and delivers lots of hard contact from both sides of the plate. He's also -- or at least was before his knee injury -- a very good defensive outfielder who's plus in a corner and at least average in center. He's at least a one-win upgrade over the players he's replacing (mostly Jim Edmonds), more if his defense hasn't slipped thanks to the knee injury he suffered at the end of 2007, but the risk entailed in giving such an injury-prone player a three-year, $30 million deal seems excessive.

[Soul]

Keith Law's take - same as most - IF healthy (and able to play a decent OF) a great addition.

 

If Milton Bradley can stay healthy enough to give the Cubs 450 to 500 plate appearances, his signing will prove outstanding for Chicago. The question is whether his body will permit him to play that much.

 

The 2008 season was Bradley's second in which he qualified for the batting title, and he just barely did so after missing games here and there with wrist, knee, quad, shoulder, hamstring and back problems. Now the Cubs will ask him to play the field 120 or so times, and they have no designated hitter spot to use to hide him when he's healthy enough to hit but too hurt to field. It's a big risk to take given his track record of injuries great and small.

 

Bradley is an excellent hitter who has power and patience and delivers lots of hard contact from both sides of the plate. He's also -- or at least was before his knee injury -- a very good defensive outfielder who's plus in a corner and at least average in center. He's at least a one-win upgrade over the players he's replacing (mostly Jim Edmonds), more if his defense hasn't slipped thanks to the knee injury he suffered at the end of 2007, but the risk entailed in giving such an injury-prone player a three-year, $30 million deal seems excessive.

 

Yeah but it's only 3 years. It's not like we're locking ourselves in for half a decade or more. I don't see how the risk is excessive.