Bradley Suspended for the Rest of the Season

[hardcorecubfan]

His emotional outburst and irrational thoughts, with the added "shoot yourself in the foot" syndrome indicates to me he is on drugs. Knowing this we should get him rehabbed and the trade him to a team where he can hit .340 with 40 homeruns. (referencing Dennis Eckersly and Josh Hamilton)

[soapy]

You can't go out and say that's why THEY haven't won in 100 years. Nor, can you say that you play harder than anyone else. It's such a slap in the face to the rest oif the team and organization as well. He way overstepped at that point. I hate the fact that he got suspended, because it surely will hurt his already extremely difficult tradeability. But, I can totally understand why Hendry made that call as well.

 

I'm not trying to pick on you as I know many people have expressed this sentiment, but I just don't see how anyone can see this course of action as the appropriate one. I don't understand how suspending Bradley for the final two weeks of meaningless games benefits anyone, other than letting the current players feel a little more comfortable (if that's even true) with out Bradley around sulking.

 

The only impact I can see this having is driving Bradley's trade value down even lower.

[SouthSideRyan]

Bradley was being disingenuous when he sold himself to the Cubs last winter. Turns out he ended up being a bill of goods, despite some good OBP numbers this year.

 

This implies that Milton knew he was going to be disruptive here, which is crazy. As I said the guy is unbalanced, you don't think he believed everything he said when he did? You think he likes being in this situation?

[SouthSideRyan]

His emotional outburst and irrational thoughts, with the added "shoot yourself in the foot" syndrome indicates to me he is on drugs. Knowing this we should get him rehabbed and the trade him to a team where he can hit .340 with 40 homeruns. (referencing Dennis Eckersly and Josh Hamilton)

 

There's nothing else to say.

[Little Slide Rooter]

You can't go out and say that's why THEY haven't won in 100 years. Nor, can you say that you play harder than anyone else. It's such a slap in the face to the rest oif the team and organization as well. He way overstepped at that point. I hate the fact that he got suspended, because it surely will hurt his already extremely difficult tradeability. But, I can totally understand why Hendry made that call as well.

 

I'm not trying to pick on you as I know many people have expressed this sentiment, but I just don't see how anyone can see this course of action as the appropriate one. I don't understand how suspending Bradley for the final two weeks of meaningless games benefits anyone, other than letting the current players feel a little more comfortable (if that's even true) with out Bradley around sulking.

 

The only impact I can see this having is driving Bradley's trade value down even lower.

 

At this point,a trade is inevitable. However, all the suspension accomplishes is drastically lowering his already low trade value. As it is, every baseball GM who may be interested in Bradley knew that they could low ball us like crazy. Now, they know that they not only dont have to give up much more than a low level prospect or 2, but they know that we'll probably pick up a good 80% of the tab, if not more. Its just a bad move. If they wanted him out for the rest of the season, they should have blamed it on the knee and not gone public with the suspension.

[Soul]

Bradley was being disingenuous when he sold himself to the Cubs last winter. Turns out he ended up being a bill of goods, despite some good OBP numbers this year.

 

This implies that Milton knew he was going to be disruptive here, which is crazy. As I said the guy is unbalanced, you don't think he believed everything he said when he did? You think he likes being in this situation?

 

I heard this comment on the radio this morning, too. I don't understand it.

 

How did Bradley "sell the Cubs a bill of goods," exactly?

 

It's like you said. Are they suggesting that Bradley intended to suck or something?

 

What a strange assertion to make.

[Little Slide Rooter]

His emotional outburst and irrational thoughts, with the added "shoot yourself in the foot" syndrome indicates to me he is on drugs. Knowing this we should get him rehabbed and the trade him to a team where he can hit .340 with 40 homeruns. (referencing Dennis Eckersly and Josh Hamilton)

 

There's nothing else to say.

 

I blame the rap music.

[jersey cubs fan]

Hey guys, the Cubs are going to have great [expletive] chemistry for the next 12 meaningless games. THANK GOD!!!

 

There is plenty of blame to go around (including on Milton most definitely) but I really don't understand how people can hate Bradley so much. Why do people keep saying he blamed everyone but himself?

 

Because he signed a pretty big deal, didn't perform well, and did everything he could to run himself out of town, thus hurting the team.

 

He was basically a slightly more productive version of last year's Ryan Theriot, playing in RF, and making much more money. Because of his antics, the Cubs are almost forced to pay him to play somewhere else. Nobody wants him around, not his teammates, not his coaches, not even himself. Generally speaking I would say suck it up and keep the player, but when everybody in the organization expresses some form of relief when he's gone, it's hard to fault the organization if they feel he must go.

 

And he brought this all on himself. There may be some blame to go around, but 99% of it is on Milton Bradley and people need to stop pretending otherwise.

[Sammy Sofa]

also, people really need to stop lamenting the Derosa trade. it's actually turned out well, so far, considering the pitchers received and Derosa's play this year (particularly since joining the Cardinals).

 

Not lamenting it anymore, but I've got to believe he would have played a tad better than he is right now if he was still in his familiar role with the Cubs.

 

Why? He wouldn't have been injured? Why would he have been immune to the "team slumps" the lineup seemed to go through this year? He certainly wasn't last year the few times the lineup went cold.

[Sammy Sofa]

Hey guys, the Cubs are going to have great [expletive] chemistry for the next 12 meaningless games. THANK GOD!!!

 

There is plenty of blame to go around (including on Milton most definitely) but I really don't understand how people can hate Bradley so much. Why do people keep saying he blamed everyone but himself?

 

And he brought this all on himself. There may be some blame to go around, but 99% of it is on Milton Bradley and people need to stop pretending otherwise.

 

Nobody's really doing that (if anything it's people talking about how to ideally attempt to maximize a bad situation), nor was that the question.

Edited September 21, 2009 by Sammy Sofa

[fiver]

I think the focus of the discussion should be on Jim Hendry, not Milton Bradley. There was no secret that Bradley was volatile before we signed him. It reminds me of the snake story in Natural Born Killers.

 

Old Indian: Once upon a time, a woman was picking up firewood. She came upon a poisonous snake frozen in the snow. She took the snake home and nursed it back to health. One day the snake bit her on the cheek. As she lay dying, she asked the snake, "Why have you done this to me?" And the snake answered, "Look, bitch, you knew I was a snake."

 

If you're going to sign Milton, then you'd better have a pretty solid plan for managing his personality. Cubs executives couldn't even get him through one season before they have to sell him for pennies on the dollar.

Edited September 21, 2009 by fiver

[Hawk4Hall]

Bradley is a giant d-bag and props to Hendry for stepping up.

[fiver]

Bradley is a giant d-bag and props to Hendry for stepping up.

 

yes, props to Hendry. ](*,) Let's give him a raise.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Bradley is a giant d-bag and props to Hendry for stepping up.

 

No. no props to Hendry. Hendry gets no props. He took an already bad situation and made it worse. Hes officially destroyed any chance that Bradley is back next year or we get anything of worth in return for him. For that, Jim Hendry does not get props.

[KingCubsFan]

I think the focus of the discussion should be on Jim Hendry, not Milton Bradley. There was no secret that he was volatile before we signed him. It reminds me of the snake story in Natural Born Killers.

 

Old Indian: Once upon a time, a woman was picking up firewood. She came upon a poisonous snake frozen in the snow. She took the snake home and nursed it back to health. One day the snake bit her on the cheek. As she lay dying, she asked the snake, "Why have you done this to me?" And the snake answered, "Look, bitch, you knew I was a snake."

 

If you're going to sign Milton, then you'd better have a pretty solid plan for managing the damage his personality may cause. Cubs executives couldn't even get him through one season before they have to sell him for pennies on the dollar.

Exactly. They should have known the media would immediately attack him and try to make him the bad guy, which they did pretty successfully. My guess is he alienated himself within the organization fairly quickly and nobody even wanted to stand up for him.

[soapy]

Hey guys, the Cubs are going to have great [expletive] chemistry for the next 12 meaningless games. THANK GOD!!!

 

There is plenty of blame to go around (including on Milton most definitely) but I really don't understand how people can hate Bradley so much. Why do people keep saying he blamed everyone but himself?

 

Because he signed a pretty big deal, didn't perform well, and did everything he could to run himself out of town, thus hurting the team.

 

He was basically a slightly more productive version of last year's Ryan Theriot, playing in RF, and making much more money. Because of his antics, the Cubs are almost forced to pay him to play somewhere else. Nobody wants him around, not his teammates, not his coaches, not even himself. Generally speaking I would say suck it up and keep the player, but when everybody in the organization expresses some form of relief when he's gone, it's hard to fault the organization if they feel he must go.

 

And he brought this all on himself. There may be some blame to go around, but 99% of it is on Milton Bradley and people need to stop pretending otherwise.

 

There's no question he's been a big disapointment both on and off the field. But he's probably not even in the top five of disapointing players this season on this team and people act like he's single-handedly taken a team from 98 wins to 83.

 

Like I said, he was certainly going to be traded in the off-season anyway, but I don't see what suspending him accomplishes and I just can't generate the kind of hatred toward Bradley that a lot of people seem to have.

[rocket]

if soriano, fontenot, and soto didn't suck so much this season, we'd be talking about what great chemistry this team has as they lead the division, and how bradley's intensity really compliments the team.

 

whatever. he has to go, obviously, but putting this whole season on bradley's shoulders is ridiculous.

[Guest]

And he brought this all on himself. There may be some blame to go around, but 99% of it is on Milton Bradley and people need to stop pretending otherwise.

You can't blame a sick person for being sick. It's who he is and Hendry knew that going in.

[KingCubsFan]

Hey guys, the Cubs are going to have great [expletive] chemistry for the next 12 meaningless games. THANK GOD!!!

 

There is plenty of blame to go around (including on Milton most definitely) but I really don't understand how people can hate Bradley so much. Why do people keep saying he blamed everyone but himself?

 

Because he signed a pretty big deal, didn't perform well, and did everything he could to run himself out of town, thus hurting the team.

 

He was basically a slightly more productive version of last year's Ryan Theriot, playing in RF, and making much more money. Because of his antics, the Cubs are almost forced to pay him to play somewhere else. Nobody wants him around, not his teammates, not his coaches, not even himself. Generally speaking I would say suck it up and keep the player, but when everybody in the organization expresses some form of relief when he's gone, it's hard to fault the organization if they feel he must go.

 

And he brought this all on himself. There may be some blame to go around, but 99% of it is on Milton Bradley and people need to stop pretending otherwise.

 

There's no question he's been a big disapointment both on and off the field. But he's probably not even in the top five of disapointing players this season on this team and people act like he's single-handedly taken a team from 98 wins to 83.

 

Like I said, he was certainly going to be traded in the off-season anyway, but I don't see what suspending him accomplishes and I just can't generate the kind of hatred toward Bradley that a lot of people seem to have.

I've been a supporter of Bradley, and think he got a raw deal from the media the moment he signed, but he's definitely been one of the bigger disappointment. He was supposed to be a middle of the order hitter, and he's slugging under .400.

[jersey cubs fan]

There's no question he's been a big disapointment both on and off the field. But he's probably not even in the top five of disapointing players this season on this team and people act like he's single-handedly taken a team from 98 wins to 83.

 

Like I said, he was certainly going to be traded in the off-season anyway, but I don't see what suspending him accomplishes and I just can't generate the kind of hatred toward Bradley that a lot of people seem to have.

 

I'm not talking about blame for what has gone wrong this season, that probably falls mostly on Soriano (after you get past the irrational offseason motivation that ultimately led to replacing Edmonds and DeRosa with Bradley and Miles). But I'm talking about the Bradley situaiton itself, which is entirely Milton Bradley's fault.

 

Suspending him doesn't accomplish anything, but at this point we aren't looking for accomplishments. When a player becomes as indignant as Bradley has become, you pretty much have to suspend a guy. He's just a horrible employee. If he was good, look past the shenanigans, but he's not good, and he's a complete [expletive] and the other players are sick of his crap.

[jersey cubs fan]

And he brought this all on himself. There may be some blame to go around, but 99% of it is on Milton Bradley and people need to stop pretending otherwise.

You can't blame a sick person for being sick. It's who he is and Hendry knew that going in.

 

I can blame a jerk for being a jerk.

[Guest]

And he brought this all on himself. There may be some blame to go around, but 99% of it is on Milton Bradley and people need to stop pretending otherwise.

You can't blame a sick person for being sick. It's who he is and Hendry knew that going in.

 

I can blame a jerk for being a jerk.

Most people with psychological problem are jerks too, it's a side effect.

 

Anyway, I don't blame the Cubs for what they did. I do blame them for signing him in the first place.

[Tyrant]

So to everyone bashing Hendry for how he handled this, what would you have done? Let him play out the rest of the games despite his behavior? Just tell Lou to bench him without suspending him? Something else?

[CUBZ99]

There's no question he's been a big disapointment both on and off the field. But he's probably not even in the top five of disapointing players this season on this team and people act like he's single-handedly taken a team from 98 wins to 83.

 

Like I said, he was certainly going to be traded in the off-season anyway, but I don't see what suspending him accomplishes and I just can't generate the kind of hatred toward Bradley that a lot of people seem to have.

 

I'm not talking about blame for what has gone wrong this season, that probably falls mostly on Soriano (after you get past the irrational offseason motivation that ultimately led to replacing Edmonds and DeRosa with Bradley and Miles). But I'm talking about the Bradley situaiton itself, which is entirely Milton Bradley's fault.

 

Suspending him doesn't accomplish anything, but at this point we aren't looking for accomplishments. When a player becomes as indignant as Bradley has become, you pretty much have to suspend a guy. He's just a horrible employee. If he was good, look past the shenanigans, but he's not good, and he's a complete [expletive] and the other players are sick of his crap.

 

Exactly, its not as if keeping him on the roster for the rest of the season was going to inflate his trade value. His trade value was already about as low as it could get.

[Sammy Sofa]

So to everyone bashing Hendry for how he handled this, what would you have done? Let him play out the rest of the games despite his behavior?

 

Yes. These games are meaningless and making this big of a deal just causes the Cubs' bargaining position in trading Bradley plummet from minimal to practically non-existent.