Bradley Suspended for the Rest of the Season

[loukycub]

when he throws the entire fanbase under the bus

 

1. When did Bradley do this?

 

2. Who [expletive] cares? Your skin seems to be as thin as Bradley's.

He said the fans were involved in creating a completely negative environment and that he doesn't like playing in Chicago. He's also brought up racism, which rightly or wrongly people tend to take as directed towards a large part of the fanbase. As the head of an organization who survives based on how many people come to a game to see your product, you don't want one of your supposed main attractions saying those types of things to the fans you're trying to get to spend money, especially during times like this.

 

thank you. this was better said than if i responded.

 

really, if you couldn't see my point when i laid it out and i think i did that fairly clearly, you simply didn't want to see it.

 

btw, my skin is pretty thick. milton needs to grow up plain and simple. even if i weren't a cubs fan i'd still say he needs to leave town because of all the stuff he was saying about the fans. you can't expect to call your home fans racist and stating you don't want to be out on your home field for more than 9 innings so you're out on the field the least amount of time and expect to be embraced by the fanbase. i would have done something about him when he said that earlier this season. players should not alienate their fanbase and expect to recieve the benefit of the doubt for anything really. and i think that's teh difference between zambrano and bradley. i haven't heard z badmouth the fans as badly or as much as bradley has, but then again i have only visited chicago for 3 non-consecutive days in my life so i may have missed anything z said locally.

[baseballfan50]

This was quite a thread. I read up to pg 5, so if this has already been said.....As to the OF vacancy: I would not rule out Ryan Ludwick as a possibility. He was missused by LaRussa all year, and if Tony stays with the team I can see him asking out.

 

They have a lot to pull off after the season is over. How to keep Piniero, Holliday and DeRo is the main concearn. Ludwick, ignored all year will be a minor concideration.

 

I wonder who the Cards would want in a trade?

 

I could see some case where we would resign Holliday. The Yankees have said (though it's just words) that they won't pursue Holliday. I doubt you guys will, unless you can dump some salary. DeRosa we might resign. But the front office has said they won't pursue a contract with DeRosa until after his surgery.

 

I've never read anything about him having issues with Tony. I disagree about Ludwick being a minor consideration, though. I would think we would want to lock him up pretty quickly after the season.

 

I'm not sure about trades. It depends on who we can resign. We do have money coming off the books this year. Troy Glaus and Khalil Greene are free agents. Lugo is ours, but the Red Sox pay his salary next year.

 

We may need another starter, depending on what Smoltz and Pineiro do. Franklin is locked up for next year. I think Miller is, too.

 

We'll know more once the season is over and we find out what players will probably get.

[SouthSideRyan]

Milton Bradley could call me a nazi war criminal to my face and I wouldn't care as long as he produced. And that's the crux of the issue. Bradley's not producing as expected, so people are pissed and acting outraged over what he says. What he says to the media doesn't affect the performance on the field so I honestly don't care. (its partially why I've defended him because I hate the majority of sportswriters and Cubs fans too.)

 

The only valid reason for running him out of town and suspending him is if his teammates were taking a stand and basically told Hendry no more. And beyond Dempster's comments, I haven't seen any evidence that Bradley was reviled to that point in the clubhouse. I'm not saying it's impossible that this happened, it definitely could have. I just haven't seen the evidence that Bradley needs to be essentially released(eating his contract for a nothing prospect/worse contract is the same thing)

 

Hendry's publicly stated reason for the suspension just grinds at me so much. Talking about the media and fans. I don't want to say I hope there's more to the story beyond Bradley being an [expletive] to the media, but for Hendry's sake I hope there were legit reasons cause that just seems like PR bull [expletive] to ruin any chance at salvaging the relationship between Bradley and the club so that Paul Sullivan will write nice things about you.

 

I mean does anyone really think a contending ballcub with Bradley on it isn't going to sell out every game? Fans aren't going to stay away from a good team because the RF said mean things about them.

[Keener98]

Milton Bradley could call me a nazi war criminal to my face and I wouldn't care as long as he produced. And that's the crux of the issue. Bradley's not producing as expected, so people are pissed and acting outraged over what he says. What he says to the media doesn't affect the performance on the field so I honestly don't care. (its partially why I've defended him because I hate the majority of sportswriters and Cubs fans too.)

 

The only valid reason for running him out of town and suspending him is if his teammates were taking a stand and basically told Hendry no more. And beyond Dempster's comments, I haven't seen any evidence that Bradley was reviled to that point in the clubhouse. I'm not saying it's impossible that this happened, it definitely could have. I just haven't seen the evidence that Bradley needs to be essentially released(eating his contract for a nothing prospect/worse contract is the same thing)

 

Hendry's publicly stated reason for the suspension just grinds at me so much. Talking about the media and fans. I don't want to say I hope there's more to the story beyond Bradley being an [expletive] to the media, but for Hendry's sake I hope there were legit reasons cause that just seems like PR bull [expletive] to ruin any chance at salvaging the relationship between Bradley and the club so that Paul Sullivan will write nice things about you.

 

I mean does anyone really think a contending ballcub with Bradley on it isn't going to sell out every game? Fans aren't going to stay away from a good team because the RF said mean things about them.

 

=D>

[Flames24Rulz]

when he throws the entire fanbase under the bus

 

1. When did Bradley do this?

 

2. Who [expletive] cares? Your skin seems to be as thin as Bradley's.

He said the fans were involved in creating a completely negative environment and that he doesn't like playing in Chicago. He's also brought up racism, which rightly or wrongly people tend to take as directed towards a large part of the fanbase. As the head of an organization who survives based on how many people come to a game to see your product, you don't want one of your supposed main attractions saying those types of things to the fans you're trying to get to spend money, especially during times like this.

 

He never, not once, said that he doesn't like playing in Chicago.

 

I swear, some people just try to twist his words into believing what they want to believe.

[BeerHere]

when he throws the entire fanbase under the bus

 

1. When did Bradley do this?

 

2. Who [expletive] cares? Your skin seems to be as thin as Bradley's.

He said the fans were involved in creating a completely negative environment and that he doesn't like playing in Chicago. He's also brought up racism, which rightly or wrongly people tend to take as directed towards a large part of the fanbase. As the head of an organization who survives based on how many people come to a game to see your product, you don't want one of your supposed main attractions saying those types of things to the fans you're trying to get to spend money, especially during times like this.

 

He never, not once, said that he doesn't like playing in Chicago.

 

I swear, some people just try to twist his words into believing what they want to believe.

The statement was something like..he wanted the home games to end quickly so he can leave as soon as he can. I don't know about you, but that tells me the guy doesn't like playing in Chicago.

[rocket]

when he throws the entire fanbase under the bus

 

1. When did Bradley do this?

 

2. Who [expletive] cares? Your skin seems to be as thin as Bradley's.

He said the fans were involved in creating a completely negative environment and that he doesn't like playing in Chicago. He's also brought up racism, which rightly or wrongly people tend to take as directed towards a large part of the fanbase. As the head of an organization who survives based on how many people come to a game to see your product, you don't want one of your supposed main attractions saying those types of things to the fans you're trying to get to spend money, especially during times like this.

 

He never, not once, said that he doesn't like playing in Chicago.

 

I swear, some people just try to twist his words into believing what they want to believe.

 

how else do you interpret "i pray the game is only 9 innings so i can be out there the least amount of time possible"?

 

and i like bradley, but it's pretty plain the guy didn't enjoy being a cub.

[BeerHere]

Milton Bradley could call me a nazi war criminal to my face and I wouldn't care as long as he produced. And that's the crux of the issue. Bradley's not producing as expected, so people are pissed and acting outraged over what he says. What he says to the media doesn't affect the performance on the field so I honestly don't care. (its partially why I've defended him because I hate the majority of sportswriters and Cubs fans too.)

 

The only valid reason for running him out of town and suspending him is if his teammates were taking a stand and basically told Hendry no more. And beyond Dempster's comments, I haven't seen any evidence that Bradley was reviled to that point in the clubhouse. I'm not saying it's impossible that this happened, it definitely could have. I just haven't seen the evidence that Bradley needs to be essentially released(eating his contract for a nothing prospect/worse contract is the same thing)

 

Hendry's publicly stated reason for the suspension just grinds at me so much. Talking about the media and fans. I don't want to say I hope there's more to the story beyond Bradley being an [expletive] to the media, but for Hendry's sake I hope there were legit reasons cause that just seems like PR bull [expletive] to ruin any chance at salvaging the relationship between Bradley and the club so that Paul Sullivan will write nice things about you.

 

I mean does anyone really think a contending ballcub with Bradley on it isn't going to sell out every game? Fans aren't going to stay away from a good team because the RF said mean things about them.

Your point about people blowing things out of proportion is well taken and if he produced I'm sure he could get away with at least some of the comments. What really bothers me about the whole situation was his timing. He waited until he was actually hitting the ball well to start his rants, at a time when Cubs fans were at their lowest point in the season. He was at his worst during the two week stretch when the team was playing themselves out of the race. But since he was producing he felt entitled to some mic time and he chose then to strongly imply that we're racist and that he hates playing in Chicago. All this in the first year of the biggest contract of his life. There can be no denying the fact that the media has been awful to Bradley, but he brought this on himself.

 

I'm a Cub fan, so yes, I do have thick skin. We have to. But one year into his agreement and I'm ready to see him playing for someone else already.

Edited September 23, 2009 by BeerHere

[CubColtPacer]

when he throws the entire fanbase under the bus

 

1. When did Bradley do this?

 

2. Who [expletive] cares? Your skin seems to be as thin as Bradley's.

He said the fans were involved in creating a completely negative environment and that he doesn't like playing in Chicago. He's also brought up racism, which rightly or wrongly people tend to take as directed towards a large part of the fanbase. As the head of an organization who survives based on how many people come to a game to see your product, you don't want one of your supposed main attractions saying those types of things to the fans you're trying to get to spend money, especially during times like this.

 

He never, not once, said that he doesn't like playing in Chicago.

 

I swear, some people just try to twist his words into believing what they want to believe.

 

how else do you interpret "i pray the game is only 9 innings so i can be out there the least amount of time possible"?

 

and i like bradley, but it's pretty plain the guy didn't enjoy being a cub.

 

Also the quote when asked if he enjoyed playing in Chicago, his first words out of his mouth were "Not really" before expanding on why he didn't (the negative environment).

 

There are reasons to question if people are taking Bradley's words too far, but wondering if he likes playing in Chicago is not one of them. He pretty clearly has indicated that he hasn't been a fan of the overall experience.

[BeerHere]

I can't say that I blame Bradley for saying he wants to leave Wrigley as fast as he can. The place is a dump and I sincerely hope that the new ownership is considering an upgrade. I doubt that is what he meant though.

[jersey cubs fan]

The guy has said he wants to get off the field as soon as possible, takes himself out of games, and has refused to take the field. Guys argue with managers all the time, and usually it involves disagreeing with being taken out of a game. With Bradley it's been about not wanting to play and blaming everybody else when he plays poorly. And he has played poorly.

 

Multiple players have expressed that they are tired of his act. Soriano, Ramirez, Lee, Johnson and Dempster have all said in varying degrees of diplomacy, that it's on Bradley to stop being a douche and get with the program.

 

And on top of that, it's delusional to pretend that it doesnt' matter if a guy says you can tell why they haven't won in 100 years with all the negativity of the fans and the organization and that he needs a more positive environment. He called out the organization and blamed them for his shortcomings.

 

As much as you want to pretend a baseball players only job is to play baseball, you're wrong. A baseball franchise exists to make money. Plain and simple. The most important thing for a player to do is play well. But there are other aspects of the job. Critizing the paying customers, repeatedly, is the exact opposite of what you should do. It's bad for business, and a completely legitimate reason for a team to take action against a player. They waited until the season was all but done, because they recognized that he was the best player for the job, but when it stopped being necessary to put the guy who gives the team the best chance to win today, they finally took action.

 

Milton Bradley is not a vital part of this organization. He's somewhere between the 5th-10th best player on this team. He has been barely better than Ryan Theriot, playing RF and making much more money. He's an asset, but he is a devaluted asset, due almost entirely to his own actions. If Hendry didn't suspend him, does anybody honestly think teams would be fooled into thinking the Cubs weren't all that intent on moving him? Seriously? If you do, you are dumb.

 

Stop with all the whining about the suspension. He deserved a suspension and he was suspended. He brought it on himself. Jim Hendry has been a crappy GM for much of his time here, and Paul Sullivan is annoying, but this is not the wrong decision and this is not the media's fault.

[Little Slide Rooter]

If your a waiter and you dont like the customers, you do your job. If your a doctoer and you dont like your patients, you do your job. If your a lawyer and you dont like your clients, you do your job. If Braldey doesnt like the fans, thats tough,I think hes being paid enough to get over it. Hell, if I were him, for that kind of money the entire right field bleacher seats could show up in KKK hoods and Id not only get over it, but refer to them as massa the enitre season. Similarly, if the rest of the guys on the team dont like him, that shouldnt effect there play. They dont have to hang out with him after the game. Its not like football or basketball and they're all on the field together. Miltons all the way in right field. Aramis Ramirez is all the way at 3rd, with Dempster on the mound, Theriot at SS. The closest guy to him on the field doesnt even speak enough english to be bothered by him. Thers no reason for MB to have a negative effect on anyones play. To assume that he would effect their offensive play makes even less sense. So you dont like a guy your not going to try and drive him in when hes on base? Edited September 23, 2009 by Little Slide Rooter

[Backtobanks]

The guy has said he wants to get off the field as soon as possible, takes himself out of games, and has refused to take the field. Guys argue with managers all the time, and usually it involves disagreeing with being taken out of a game. With Bradley it's been about not wanting to play and blaming everybody else when he plays poorly. And he has played poorly.

 

Multiple players have expressed that they are tired of his act. Soriano, Ramirez, Lee, Johnson and Dempster have all said in varying degrees of diplomacy, that it's on Bradley to stop being a douche and get with the program.

 

And on top of that, it's delusional to pretend that it doesnt' matter if a guy says you can tell why they haven't won in 100 years with all the negativity of the fans and the organization and that he needs a more positive environment. He called out the organization and blamed them for his shortcomings.

 

As much as you want to pretend a baseball players only job is to play baseball, you're wrong. A baseball franchise exists to make money. Plain and simple. The most important thing for a player to do is play well. But there are other aspects of the job. Critizing the paying customers, repeatedly, is the exact opposite of what you should do. It's bad for business, and a completely legitimate reason for a team to take action against a player. They waited until the season was all but done, because they recognized that he was the best player for the job, but when it stopped being necessary to put the guy who gives the team the best chance to win today, they finally took action.

 

Milton Bradley is not a vital part of this organization. He's somewhere between the 5th-10th best player on this team. He has been barely better than Ryan Theriot, playing RF and making much more money. He's an asset, but he is a devaluted asset, due almost entirely to his own actions. If Hendry didn't suspend him, does anybody honestly think teams would be fooled into thinking the Cubs weren't all that intent on moving him? Seriously? If you do, you are dumb.

 

Stop with all the whining about the suspension. He deserved a suspension and he was suspended. He brought it on himself. Jim Hendry has been a crappy GM for much of his time here, and Paul Sullivan is annoying, but this is not the wrong decision and this is not the media's fault.

 

AMEN! I'm tired of everybody blaming the Cubs, the media, the fans, his kid's teachers etc. Milton Bradley has serious mental health issues as anyone who has watched his career over the years can tell you.

[SouthSideRyan]

Was Lee Elia suspended for his rant? Honestly curious on this. As I keep saying, there's likely more to it than appears on the surface, but a suspension for criticizing fans for booing and for saying you're miserable doesn't seem justified.

[C.C.]

Stop with all the whining about the suspension. He deserved a suspension and he was suspended. He brought it on himself. Jim Hendry has been a crappy GM for much of his time here, and Paul Sullivan is annoying, but this is not the wrong decision and this is not the media's fault.

 

Agreed on all counts.

[Tarver]

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/news/story?id=4496640

 

Bradley wants to stay. Apparently his child expierenced the racism at school.

 

When racism hit his 3-year-old baby in school, he couldn't take that," Rector said in a radio interview earlier this week, according to the Sun-Times. "Parents, teachers and their kids called him the n-word. He didn't even know it was a bad word until his mom told him.

 

First of all I don't think adults are calling a toddler the n word. I tried to picture a scenario in which an adult could direct that kind of angry aggression towards a little tyke. All I could picture was a 3 year old version of MB brooding and stomping around which could totally be reality but I still can't see that prompting racial slurs upon him.

 

Or this is MB's kid. http://slicedbreadtwo.com/images/uploads/thats_racist.gif

 

I really hope no one believes this BS.

[SouthSideRyan]

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/news/story?id=4496640

 

Bradley wants to stay. Apparently his child expierenced the racism at school.

 

When racism hit his 3-year-old baby in school, he couldn't take that," Rector said in a radio interview earlier this week, according to the Sun-Times. "Parents, teachers and their kids called him the n-word. He didn't even know it was a bad word until his mom told him.

 

First of all I don't think adults are calling a toddler the n word. I tried to picture a scenario in which an adult could direct that kind of angry aggression towards a little tyke. All I could picture was a 3 year old version of MB brooding and stomping around which could totally be reality but I still can't see that prompting racial slurs upon him.

 

Or this is MB's kid. http://slicedbreadtwo.com/images/uploads/thats_racist.gif

 

I really hope no one believes this BS.

 

Yeah that kid in the gif looks way older than 3.

[C.C.]

Was Lee Elia suspended for his rant? Honestly curious on this. As I keep saying, there's likely more to it than appears on the surface, but a suspension for criticizing fans for booing and for saying you're miserable doesn't seem justified.

 

And Bradley wasn't suspended for the first rant he did either. He's been a miserable player for most of the year. There's only so much a organization can take.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I dont so much disagree with the suspension, nor do I care about it at this point. What I do care about is eating the contract and paying him to play elsewhere. That solution is nonsensical at best. Whatever happened happened, and they should be able to rectify the situation between now and next year. If they want to trade him and get something in return, fine by me, but you dont eat the contract. If Milton is so miserable that he absolutely wants out, give him the opportunity to opt out of the contract. We'll see if has has 20 million dollars worth of hatred for Chicago and Cubs fans.

[jersey cubs fan]

Was Lee Elia suspended for his rant? Honestly curious on this. As I keep saying, there's likely more to it than appears on the surface, but a suspension for criticizing fans for booing and for saying you're miserable doesn't seem justified.

 

 

Elia was fired the year he made those comments, later on. But the situations are quite different. First, it was 1983, there was minimal coverage. Second, there was a lot less business to lose. And third, it was a one-time rant.

 

Bradley has been pulling this crap all season. He plays poorly and blames others, including fans and his fellow employees.

[C.C.]

I dont so much disagree with the suspension, nor do I care about it at this point. What I do care about is eating the contract and paying him to play elsewhere. That solution is nonsensical at best. Whatever happened happened, and they should be able to rectify the situation between now and next year. If they want to trade him and get something in return, fine by me, but you dont eat the contract. If Milton is so miserable that he absolutely wants out, give him the opportunity to opt out of the contract. We'll see if has has 20 million dollars worth of hatred for Chicago and Cubs fans.

 

 

Do you honestly see any hope of this situation being rectified at this point? It's not happening.

[jersey cubs fan]

I dont so much disagree with the suspension, nor do I care about it at this point. What I do care about is eating the contract and paying him to play elsewhere. That solution is nonsensical at best. Whatever happened happened, and they should be able to rectify the situation between now and next year. If they want to trade him and get something in return, fine by me, but you dont eat the contract. If Milton is so miserable that he absolutely wants out, give him the opportunity to opt out of the contract. We'll see if has has 20 million dollars worth of hatred for Chicago and Cubs fans.

 

 

Do you honestly see any hope of this situation being rectified at this point? It's not happening.

 

I don't see it happening but there's absolutely no reason why it can't.

 

 

I'm hoping Ricketts comes in and either fires Hendry immediately and the new regime makes it work, or he tells Hendry "we've wasted way too much money paying guys to play elsewhere, figure out how to keep Milton without having the team fall apart." That is unless he can make a reasonable trade. I'm fine with dealing Bradley, but not in an overwhelmingly lopsided move.

 

Cooler heads can prevail, eventually. It's still September.

 

No I don't think they will, but they can.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I dont so much disagree with the suspension, nor do I care about it at this point. What I do care about is eating the contract and paying him to play elsewhere. That solution is nonsensical at best. Whatever happened happened, and they should be able to rectify the situation between now and next year. If they want to trade him and get something in return, fine by me, but you dont eat the contract. If Milton is so miserable that he absolutely wants out, give him the opportunity to opt out of the contract. We'll see if has has 20 million dollars worth of hatred for Chicago and Cubs fans.

 

 

Do you honestly see any hope of this situation being rectified at this point? It's not happening.

 

Absolutely. Somebody above Lou, Hendry, and Ryan Dempster needs to take charge of the situation, be it Crain Kenney or Ricketts himself. When a new regime comes in to takeover, the last way you want to start off is by flushing 20 million down the [expletive]. They have 6 months to hug it out.

 

I can guarantee, if Milton Bradley helps the Cubs to the 2010 World Series, all will be forgiven. Hell, MB can bring Louis Farrakhan as his guest of honor to the celebration for all I care.

Edited September 23, 2009 by Little Slide Rooter

[BeerHere]

As I keep saying, there's likely more to it than appears on the surface, but a suspension for criticizing fans for booing and for saying you're miserable doesn't seem justified.

I've wondered this myself. It may have been the media prying information from players, but....it honestly seemed like there were several players that quickly had similar comments saying...."he brought this on himself....". I'm wondering if there were bad clubhouse issues. I hope Bradley isn't being made to be the scapegoat for a poor season though. He certainly played his part, but it took poor seasons from Soriano, Soto and Fontenot, as well as steps backward for Z and Dempster as well. IMO, Soriano and Soto had more to do with the poor season that Bradley.

[SouthSideRyan]

Was Lee Elia suspended for his rant? Honestly curious on this. As I keep saying, there's likely more to it than appears on the surface, but a suspension for criticizing fans for booing and for saying you're miserable doesn't seem justified.

 

 

Elia was fired the year he made those comments, later on. But the situations are quite different. First, it was 1983, there was minimal coverage. Second, there was a lot less business to lose. And third, it was a one-time rant.

 

Bradley has been pulling this crap all season. He plays poorly and blames others, including fans and his fellow employees.

 

Like I said, I was more curious than anything. I figured as much, like you said it wasn't as big of a business.

 

I do think a one time "our fans are unemployed cocksuckers who are [expletive] morons" rant is a hell of a lot worse than what Bradley's said about them this year.