Brenly rips Bradley

[soapy]

 

He cried to the media about hatred while being intentionally vague and the obvious question was does that mean race is involved. The media didn't bait him. He brought up the hatred idea. Up until that point he had a couple guys in the media, namely Kaplan and Stone, who ragged on him constantly, and a handful of fans giving him a hard time. Since that time it's been horrible. But he brought the whole thing up in the first place.

 

Yes, he started the whole thing about feeling hatred. I'm sure part of him feels he is treated differently because he's black (which is probably partially true for some fans). I didn't see him say anything (vaguely or not) that accused the Cubs fan base of being rascist though.

 

edit: I honestly don't remember how the "hatred" story started. Did they ask him about how fans treat him or did he just randomly bring it up?

[SouthSideRyan]

Our team isnt good. The good thing about the 2008 team is that there were no easy outs on that team.

 

That lineup was a thing of beauty. Now you have Lee, Ramirez, and Fukudome and then find a way to stack the rest of the turds around them.

 

Milton Bradley is the hardest guy to get out on the team.

He passed up Kosuke?

 

Yep, 394 for Bradley, 384 for Kosuke.

[SouthSideRyan]

 

He cried to the media about hatred while being intentionally vague and the obvious question was does that mean race is involved. The media didn't bait him. He brought up the hatred idea. Up until that point he had a couple guys in the media, namely Kaplan and Stone, who ragged on him constantly, and a handful of fans giving him a hard time. Since that time it's been horrible. But he brought the whole thing up in the first place.

 

Yes, he started the whole thing about feeling hatred. I'm sure part of him feels he is treated differently because he's black (which is probably partially true for some fans). I didn't see him say anything (vaguely or not) that accused the Cubs fan base of being rascist though.

 

edit: I honestly don't remember how the "hatred" story started. Did they ask him about how fans treat him or did he just randomly bring it up?

 

That's the issue, you never know what is prompting what a player says. I kinda doubt Bradley sought out the ugliest man in the room and said, you know what I'm feeling a lot of hatred lately, let me tell you all about it.

[soapy]

well, whatever. it's too bad it's gotten to this point. i admit Bradley shares some of the blame, but it's still way over the top at this point.

[illiniguy]

well, whatever. it's too bad it's gotten to this point. i admit Bradley shares some of the blame, but it's still way over the top at this point.

I just hope Milton is our right fielder again next year. If Milton Bradley was the worst thing about the team this year. We would have won well over 100 games.

[jersey cubs fan]

edit: I honestly don't remember how the "hatred" story started. Did they ask him about how fans treat him or did he just randomly bring it up?

 

I asked Bruce Miles about that and he said:

 

Milton has been productive. He can blame himself for the controversy of a week or so ago. He was asked an innocuous question about feeling comfortable at the plate, a total baseball-only question, and he turned it into "adversity and hatred" and wanting to get the hell out after nine innings.

[soapy]

fair enough. there's no denying Bradley has a bit of a history with these things. i still haven't seen evidence of him calling the entire fan base rascist or any other reason why he shouldn't be the Cubs starting RF next season. certainly people need to stop acting like his play is a problem.

[cheapseats]

I'd rather see Brenly gone than Bradley.

[Guest]

I'd rather see Brenly gone than Bradley.

+1

[cubstitlelives]

The biggest question now is will Milty go up to the booth and confront Brenly like he did the KC color guy? :duel:

[Little Slide Rooter]

At least someone gets it

 

Heyman talked to two GMs about the Cubs and Milton Bradley. One thought the Cubs could unload him by eating half his remaining $21MM; another thought they'd need to assume almost all the money. I am not a Bradley apologist; he's certainly been a distraction. But how would subtracting a .394 OBP make the Cubs' middling offense better?

[CubbieBum]

Bradley was on thin ice before he even signed. He had a reputation which meant he had a short rope. He has now lived up to that reputation. I can live with a player being racist. I won't like the player but I can generally live with most anything a player thinks as long as it doesn't affect his play. What I really can't stand is a player who doesn't give 110%. His comment about hoping the game is over after 9 innings so he can get out of there sooner has made me open to trading him. I really don't want players on any of my teams that don't want to be on that team. Bradley has been decent this year but hasn't been what he could be. I don't want him traded for nothing but if we can get rid of a player who doesn't want to be here and causes distractions (while his fault or not) then I am all for it. Just as long as we get pretty good value (not likely). Bradley has brought a lot of this on himself although others are partially to blame. However, the fact is he is now a daily distraction that we pay a lot of money to have.

[Sammy Sofa]

I can live with a player being racist.

 

Is this even something that's coming up? Who is on the Cubs now or was on them in recent history who was openly or busted as being racist?

 

And how is Bradley a "distraction" to anyone besides the fans and the media? Are people really thinking that other players on the team are somehow doing poorly because they have Bradley or his comments on their mind?

[SouthSideRyan]

I've seen no indication that Bradley isn't trying his hardest.

[CubbieBum]

I can live with a player being racist.

 

Is this even something that's coming up? Who is on the Cubs now or was on them in recent history who was openly or busted as being racist?

 

And how is Bradley a "distraction" to anyone besides the fans and the media? Are people really thinking that other players on the team are somehow doing poorly because they have Bradley or his comments on their mind?

 

Supposedly team chemistry isn't very good and nothing like it was last season (forget where I read this at). In general teams are affected by having to answer questions about teammates who are doing dumb stuff off the field. And no I'm not saying that is why the Cubs are losing. However I do want my teams to be able to concentrate solely on baseball and not be forced to answer questions that don't really have anything to do with the game.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I can live with a player being racist.

 

Is this even something that's coming up? Who is on the Cubs now or was on them in recent history who was openly or busted as being racist?

 

And how is Bradley a "distraction" to anyone besides the fans and the media? Are people really thinking that other players on the team are somehow doing poorly because they have Bradley or his comments on their mind?

 

Now thats one thing Ive never understood, the concept of a "clubhouse cancer", they guy who causes other players to do bad because of his off the field personaility. I dont care if you are an investment banker or a fry cook at WHite Castle, your going to work with people you dont like, but that shouldnt stop you from doing your job.

[jersey cubs fan]

I can live with a player being racist.

 

Is this even something that's coming up? Who is on the Cubs now or was on them in recent history who was openly or busted as being racist?

 

And how is Bradley a "distraction" to anyone besides the fans and the media? Are people really thinking that other players on the team are somehow doing poorly because they have Bradley or his comments on their mind?

 

Supposedly team chemistry isn't very good and nothing like it was last season (forget where I read this at). In general teams are affected by having to answer questions about teammates who are doing dumb stuff off the field. And no I'm not saying that is why the Cubs are losing. However I do want my teams to be able to concentrate solely on baseball and not be forced to answer questions that don't really have anything to do with the game.

 

Will you get pissed if they ask Lee about his baby?

 

They aren't asking questions during the game. There is 24 hours in the day and a position player spends about 10 minutes actually playing in a game. They don't just concentrate on baseball.

[CubbieBum]

I can live with a player being racist.

 

Is this even something that's coming up? Who is on the Cubs now or was on them in recent history who was openly or busted as being racist?

 

And how is Bradley a "distraction" to anyone besides the fans and the media? Are people really thinking that other players on the team are somehow doing poorly because they have Bradley or his comments on their mind?

 

Supposedly team chemistry isn't very good and nothing like it was last season (forget where I read this at). In general teams are affected by having to answer questions about teammates who are doing dumb stuff off the field. And no I'm not saying that is why the Cubs are losing. However I do want my teams to be able to concentrate solely on baseball and not be forced to answer questions that don't really have anything to do with the game.

 

Will you get pissed if they ask Lee about his baby?

 

They aren't asking questions during the game. There is 24 hours in the day and a position player spends about 10 minutes actually playing in a game. They don't just concentrate on baseball.

 

Its pretty damn obvious that is a different situation. And yes a locker room cancer tends to have an effect on that teams play. It tends to divide locker rooms/club houses and it forces players to not be able to fully focus on playing the game. Look through recent teams that have had major distractions due to something a player said or did outside of the game. It happens in all sports. Bradley is the T.O. of baseball only not as good of a player.

 

Like I said I'm fine with keeping him next year but I would prefer to trade him if we can get decent value for it.

[TruffleShuffle]

I would prefer to trade him if we can get decent value for it.

 

but we can't, so let's just not bring up the possibility.

[SouthSideRyan]

Look through recent teams that have had major distractions due to something a player said or did outside of the game.

 

Like the Yankees and A-Rod.

[SouthSideRyan]

Look through recent teams that have had major distractions due to something a player said or did outside of the game.

 

Like the Yankees and A-Rod.

 

Or the Dodgers and Manny.

[SouthSideRyan]

Look through recent teams that have had major distractions due to something a player said or did outside of the game.

 

Like the Yankees and A-Rod.

 

Or the Dodgers and Manny.

 

Or the 2003 Cubs and Sammy.

[SouthSideRyan]

Look through recent teams that have had major distractions due to something a player said or did outside of the game.

 

Like the Yankees and A-Rod.

 

Or the Dodgers and Manny.

 

Or the 2003 Cubs and Sammy.

 

And the Braves and John Rocker.

[CubbieBum]

Look through recent teams that have had major distractions due to something a player said or did outside of the game.

 

Like the Yankees and A-Rod.

 

The A-Rod controversy died before he ever came back to play thanks to Manny. And teams can play well with major distractions. Most just don't. I think having strong leadership helps a lot.

[Sammy Sofa]

Its pretty damn obvious that is a different situation. And yes a locker room cancer tends to have an effect on that teams play. It tends to divide locker rooms/club houses and it forces players to not be able to fully focus on playing the game.

 

How?

 

I don't care how bad the locker room situation is: at the moment when a player is hitting/pitching/fielding/etc. nothing else is going to be on their mind except that moment. If they're so easily distracted from that all-important task at hand right at that moment by someone else who has NOTHING to do with what's happening then and there how are they not also effected by basically everything else in their lives? Obviously I'm not saying these guys are robots and they just "switch off" to everything else over the course of a season, but I think you're vastly overstating the impact of a "clubhouse cancer" in terms of a player being able to play. I don't think it's a conincidence at all that these "cancers" tend to not be discovered or nobody pays attention to them until teams do poorly. Then everyone starts to scramble to find all of these various reasons to explain why a team is underperforming. It's a self fulfilling prophecy.