Bradley "never comfortable" playing at Wrigley

[jersey cubs fan]

I [expletive] love Milton Bradley.

 

People have let the actual [expletive] like Paul Sullivan and his band of jolly ugly cohorts determine how they feel about the guy that Cub fans should adore.

 

You don't need Sullivan around to realize Milton is a jackass cry baby.

 

I think he's a passionate person who wears his heart on his sleeve.

 

Yes, and when things go bad he makes excuses, cries about how he's treated, exaggerates about how poorly he's treated. You can be passionate without being a jackass cry baby.

[laurens]

 

That he's happy when he gets on base and shows it, therefore shows that he cares. One of the problems people have with Bradley is that he looks like he doesn't care. I'm saying this isn't true.

 

Got it.

 

Yeah sorry I kinda wrote that in a hurry, after reading that again it didn't make sense to me either.

[SouthSideRyan]

I [expletive] love Milton Bradley.

 

People have let the actual [expletive] like Paul Sullivan and his band of jolly ugly cohorts determine how they feel about the guy that Cub fans should adore.

 

You don't need Sullivan around to realize Milton is a jackass cry baby.

 

I think he's a passionate person who wears his heart on his sleeve.

 

Yes, and when things go bad he makes excuses, cries about how he's treated, exaggerates about how poorly he's treated. You can be passionate without being a jackass cry baby.

 

I'd imagine most professional athletes point the finger when something goes wrong for them. Milton just has no inner monologue. When you're one of the best in the world at what you do, you think you are.

 

And didn't Milton essentially come out earlier in the year and say, "I've sucked this year?" Unless Bradley played at an all-star level this season, the fans decision was already made for them by the media.

[jersey cubs fan]

Unless Bradley played at an all-star level this season, the fans decision was already made for them by the media.

 

That is completely BS.

 

I was very scared with how the fans would treat Milton. I was worried they'd jump on him early and contribute to a meltdown. But that did not happen at all. They gave him all sorts of leeway even during a horrendous start. People took a while before they started jumping on him. And really, they didn't even do that. His biggest critics have been Stone and Kaplan. He hasn't really been hounded by those who follow the Cubs closely and the fans have not come close to treating him like public enemy #1 even though people insist on pretending they have. Soriano takes so much more heat (as well he should), and plenty of others have taken the brunt.

[SouthSideRyan]

I didn't see the same leeway that you did coming from the people packing the stadium. The boos started early, and never really went away. I'd compare Milton's treatment to Jacque Jones's.

[jersey cubs fan]

I didn't see the same leeway that you did coming from the people packing the stadium. The boos started early, and never really went away. I'd compare Milton's treatment to Jacque Jones's.

That's exactly what I'd fear, and exactly not what happened. Everybody knew Jacque was wrong for the team, he sucked in the field, on the bases and at the plate right from the beginning, and people were on him from the start. People were excited about Bradley and gave him much more of a break to start. But he had just as bad a start, including whining about unfair treatment.

[SouthSideRyan]

The first reference to Milton getting booed on this site was May 3rd. Bradley's 16th game played.

[Old Style]

That he's happy when he gets on base and shows it, therefore shows that he cares. One of the problems people have with Bradley is that he looks like he doesn't care. I'm saying this isn't true.

Caring and hustling are 2 different things. Milton may care, but he certainly doesn't hustle or stay in the game mentally.

[SouthSideRyan]

I Remember that game that Milton brought pop-up books and a baggie full of a cheerios out to RF.

[Connor McConnor]

I [expletive] love Milton Bradley.

 

People have let the actual [expletive] like Paul Sullivan and his band of jolly ugly cohorts determine how they feel about the guy that Cub fans should adore.

 

 

You are correct. Don't leave out Mr. Miles who mentions in the comments section of his article today over at the Herald how Bradley snaps at reporters who are asking him an easy question in the locker room. Maybe Bradley doesnt feel like answering innane questions all the time from the Cubs "beat" reporters slinking around all the time. So what?

 

I've noticed a few times in the last week or so Bruce Miles mentioning how Bradley doesnt fit and "should go" (paraphrasing).

 

Obviously some of these reporters have had their feelings hurt and it is coloring their opinions on the matter. You can certainly see it in the way they write about Bradley.

 

That being said....Milton certainly can take some of the blame for this uninspiring club.

[javy knows my name]

Who's the [expletive] in the Comcast studios who makes no attempt to conceal his disdain for Bradley? I'd argue he's definitely poisoning some minds there.

 

I love Bradley, as well. It sucks to hear him make excuses this late in the season, especially after he's started really contributing to the team, but like ssr said, there is no filter there. He has definitely not been treated 100% fairly this year, but I agree with Jersey in that the boos took longer to come than I thought they would. That is not to say they were justified, however.

 

The worst thing that could happen right now is that everyone starts whining and making excuses. I really don't hate this team yet. Don't make it 2005 again

[CubColtPacer]

The first reference to Milton getting booed on this site was May 3rd. Bradley's 16th game played.

 

I tend to give players a long leash (so I'm not really supporting booing that early) but to be fair, that was after a miserable April for Bradley in all respects. He was hitting horribly. He got thrown out of a game for arguing. He didn't hit the DL in April despite only playing 1 full game in a 16 day period. He complained that the media was treating him unfairly and refused to talk to them for a day or two.

 

Everything that could go wrong for Bradley did go wrong. The fact that the fans gave him a month showed that it was nothing like the Jones situation (where the fans booed him after 3-4 days). If it hadn't all come together in the first month, they might have given him a little bit longer.

 

I do hope Bradley comes back next year though. He's regularly making solid contact now which is something he wasn't doing the first two months of the year. I think he would have a much better overall year next year.

[SouthSideRyan]

It was Bradley's 4th start at Wrigley. He had 54 PAs on the year. I can't blame a sensitive person from getting upset about being booed in his home park that early in the year. He was injured, in April, you're booing a guy for being hurt? Everyone knew he was injury prone.

 

The worst part of this offseason is going to be when Bradley gets traded (with a signification portion of his contract picked up) for trash.

[soapy]

It was Bradley's 4th start at Wrigley. He had 54 PAs on the year. I can't blame a sensitive person from getting upset about being booed in his home park that early in the year. He was injured, in April, you're booing a guy for being hurt? Everyone knew he was injury prone.

 

The worst part of this offseason is going to be when Bradley gets traded (with a signification portion of his contract picked up) for trash.

 

Don't worry, they'll put Fuld in CF full-time for the extra spark!! (Fukudome moves back to RF)

[toonsterwu]

I've got nothing against Bradley. He's been solid in the 2nd half. That said, what I would like to see this offseason is for the Cubs to improve their OF defense. I know different metrics have Fukudome graded defensively, but overall, I think most would agree he's better in RF than CF. I'd like to see Fukudome in RF, with someone else in CF (I'd actually be fine with say, Sam Fuld/Reed Johnson). Problem is, I'm just not sure how tradeable Bradley is without eating a huge chunk of the money, and I'm not sure how I'd feel about the Cubs paying a huge chunk of that.

 

What do I expect? What I expect is for Bradley to be back, with Fuld/Fox as bench OF options.

[SouthSideRyan]

I think a healthy Soriano would go a long way towards improving OF defense.

[jersey cubs fan]

I think a healthy Soriano would go a long way towards improving OF defense.

 

I doubt it will go a long way, but it would help. Not sure he can be counted on to get healthy though. Three straight years of leg injuries entering his mid-30s, that may just be who he is.

[Keener98]

That he's happy when he gets on base and shows it, therefore shows that he cares. One of the problems people have with Bradley is that he looks like he doesn't care. I'm saying this isn't true.

Caring and hustling are 2 different things. Milton may care, but he certainly doesn't hustle or stay in the game mentally.

 

 

Im not sure exactly what team you are watching because Bradley hustles his ass off.

[Flames24Rulz]

I'm sure they'll try to do everything they can to ship Bradley out of here in the offseason.

 

And then I'm sure there's going to be tons of idiots blasting Bradley next year when he has a good season asking, "Why couldn't he do that with us?" I love Milton. He's probably one of my favorite players on this piece of [expletive] team. Again if you want to find a scapegoat for this team, look at the numerous black holes in the lineup and the bullpen for your goat(s).

[kujay]

Unless Bradley played at an all-star level this season, the fans decision was already made for them by the media.

 

I don't buy that at all. The media reported the truth about Bradley's history. Maybe we should have listened. They didn't make anything up about him -- he's been a cantankerous jerk everywhere he's been. Did you expect the writers not to question whether he would be a good fit or whether he was worth the headaches?

[erik316wttn]

So what he starts hitting and then he opens his mouth?

 

Results are a band-aid for most everything.

 

If he hits like he's supposed to and runs his mouth anyway, I can guarantee the Cubs would be more likely to keep him than if he struggles and runs his mouth.

[RynoRules]

I am just tired of the bellyaching. It should be as simple as, "Hey, the fans are frustrated by the fact that we have not played well this season. We are too, so I get it."

 

Plus Bradley is targeted for booing more than others b/c:

 

1. He just signed a contract that gets him 10 mill per season and he hasnt put up power numbers that are traditionally associated with a corner OF'er who gets that sort of coin; and

2. His reputation precedes him. He's at least partially responsible for that.

Edited August 26, 2009 by RynoRules

[erik316wttn]

Unless Bradley played at an all-star level this season, the fans decision was already made for them by the media.

 

I don't buy that at all. The media reported the truth about Bradley's history. Maybe we should have listened. They didn't make anything up about him -- he's been a cantankerous jerk everywhere he's been. Did you expect the writers not to question whether he would be a good fit or whether he was worth the headaches?

 

This. There's a reason he's been through so many different teams in his career. Nobody wants to put up with his crap.

[SouthSideRyan]

Unless Bradley played at an all-star level this season, the fans decision was already made for them by the media.

 

I don't buy that at all. The media reported the truth about Bradley's history. Maybe we should have listened. They didn't make anything up about him -- he's been a cantankerous jerk everywhere he's been. Did you expect the writers not to question whether he would be a good fit or whether he was worth the headaches?

 

This. There's a reason he's been through so many different teams in his career. Nobody wants to put up with his crap.

 

Except for all of his teammates that loved him. Since ya know, he gives his all and tries to win every game.

 

Just seems odd that you can get all pissy and offended that Milton is complaining about the fans or the umps, oh grow up Milton, stop complaining Milton!!

 

How bout you grow up? How bout you stop complaining about how a guy carries himself? Why does it bother you that he's upset by fans not liking him? Why does it bother you that he gets pissed about a bad strike zone? Why does Milton have to be this virtuous individual and you can go on season over rants around the 2nd week of the season and do nothing but pout about virtually everything?

Edited August 26, 2009 by SouthSideRyan

[javy knows my name]

Oh I was thinking of Kaplan. Yeah, [expletive] him