How about this Solution to the Bradley Mess?

[Backtobanks]

ESPN.com's Buster Olney hears that the Rangers probably wouldn't welcome Milton Bradley back. Here's the latest on the now-suspended outfielder, along with the rest of Olney's rumors:

 

 

Olney says the Cubs will likely have to eat a huge portion of Bradley's contract to move him, perhaps as much as $18-19MM. The Cubs owe the 31-year-old $21MM over the next two years.

The Padres may be looking for a corner outfielder this offseason, so they could have interest in Bradley.

Olney says baseball people presume Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi will be fired. (What do you think?) If the Jays cut ties with their GM, Cubs scouting director Tim Wilken could be a candidate to replace him.

Clubs expect the Indians to consider moving Kerry Wood this offseason. Cleveland is rebuilding, so they'd presumably be happy to unload his $10.5MM salary.

 

How about Bradley + $10 million + prospect for Wood.

 

Indians get Bradley and prospect "free" for 2010 and possibly flip him at deadline or after next season.

Cubs save about $8 million in bribe money (to dump Bradley) and get somewhat useful relief pitcher. Obviously, Cubs do not take Wood's option for 2011.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

So we trade Bradley for Wood and pay both of their contracts? That sounds nightmarish.

 

 

I mentioned it in the other thread, but I wonder if:

 

1) Dayton Moore is desperate enough to dump Jose Guillen that we could trade his contract for Bradley's

2) Dayton Moore is fed up enough with Alex Gordon to trade him

3) the Cubs could take advantage of 1) and 2)

[UMFan83]

The rule of thumb is usually that if Milton Bradley has been on a team, said team will probably not want him back on the team. As your info said, Texas, who apparently he got along with amazingly, won't welcome him back, why would Cleveland?

 

And plus, Kerry Wood is gone, it's over. He was a mediocre closer and he's making a crapload of money. Love the guy but it's over.

[A-Cal]

The rule of thumb is usually that if Milton Bradley has been on a team, said team will probably not want him back on the team. As your info said, Texas, who apparently he got along with amazingly, won't welcome him back, why would Cleveland?

 

And plus, Kerry Wood is gone, it's over. He was a mediocre closer and he's making a crapload of money. Love the guy but it's over.

 

nothing is over!

 

[Backtobanks]

So we trade Bradley for Wood and pay both of their contracts? That sounds nightmarish.

 

 

I mentioned it in the other thread, but I wonder if:

 

1) Dayton Moore is desperate enough to dump Jose Guillen that we could trade his contract for Bradley's

2) Dayton Moore is fed up enough with Alex Gordon to trade him

3) the Cubs could take advantage of 1) and 2)

 

The Cubs owe Bradley $21 million, so if we give Cleveland $10 million and Wood $10 million we end up with a mediocre relief pitcher instead of a clubhouse cancer. The alternative is to pay Bradley $18-$19 million to play for another team and we receive a player who will never step foot on a major league diamond. I know there's no way the name Alex Gordon should be mentioned in "Dump Milton Bradley Thread".

 

The rule of thumb is usually that if Milton Bradley has been on a team, said team will probably not want him back on the team. As your info said, Texas, who apparently he got along with amazingly, won't welcome him back, why would Cleveland?

 

And plus, Kerry Wood is gone, it's over. He was a mediocre closer and he's making a crapload of money. Love the guy but it's over.

 

I have no delusions of Kerry Wood being great. It's simply a bad contract for another bad contract. Wood could serve some purpose to the Cubs as opposed to Bradley (or the low A-Ball player we would get in return) for the same money except Wood has a 1 year contract and Bradley has 2 years.

[Bote McBoteface]

Remember when Bradley hit a home run against the Indians in ST and pointed into the cleveland dugout as he rounded the bases? Somehow, I think the Indians are familiar with exactly how much of a douchebag Bradley is. Blue Jays seem like a team I would try.

[SouthSideRyan]

Cleveland was one of the teams Bradley was actually run off from.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

the lack of a 3rd or 4th team confuses me greatly

[Backtobanks]

the lack of a 3rd or 4th team confuses me greatly

 

I'm not a miracle worker. Finding one team to get involved with Milton Bradley is hard enough.

[A-Cal]

hmmmm

 

:-k

[Little Slide Rooter]

The Padres may be looking for a corner outfielder this offseason, so they could have interest in Bradley.

 

Was Bud Black manager in SD when he had to restrain Bradley from attacking an ump and Bradley ended up twisting his knee or something? I doubt he wants to go through any of that again.

[Tarver]

It was Black, but the Padres wanted to resign Bradley before he went to Texas.

[Backtobanks]

The Padres may be looking for a corner outfielder this offseason, so they could have interest in Bradley.

 

Was Bud Black manager in SD when he had to restrain Bradley from attacking an ump and Bradley ended up twisting his knee or something? I doubt he wants to go through any of that again.

 

 

Obviously it was a racist ump.

[biittner77]

At least 6 teams have wanted Bradley, is it really impossible that a 7th team would take a chance on him? When healthy, the guy can play. He brings baggage but every coach feels like he's the guy that can make it work. I could see a GM being able to sell the idea that Bradley got a raw deal from the Cubs.

 

Hendry has many flaws but he's also been able to work miracles before in getting parts for garbage (Hundley for Karros & Grudz comes to mind). At the risk of defending Hendry, I'm guessing he considered this before he suspended Bradley.

[Bote McBoteface]

The Padres may be looking for a corner outfielder this offseason, so they could have interest in Bradley.

 

Was Bud Black manager in SD when he had to restrain Bradley from attacking an ump and Bradley ended up twisting his knee or something? I doubt he wants to go through any of that again.

 

 

Obviously it was a racist ump.

 

To be fair, even the first base coach said that the umpire instigated that. And Bradley actually tore his ACL doing that.

[jersey cubs fan]

Contrary to what EVERYBODY is saying, the Cubs don't have to deal Bradley.

 

He wouldn't be the first player suspended by a team and then kept on the roster. He also wouldn't be the first guy to wear out his welcome, burn all bridges, and stay in town.

 

If you have to eat his entire contract, get back nothing in return, and maybe even take on a similarly bad or worse contract, then just don't make a deal.

[SouthSideRyan]

The Padres may be looking for a corner outfielder this offseason, so they could have interest in Bradley.

 

Was Bud Black manager in SD when he had to restrain Bradley from attacking an ump and Bradley ended up twisting his knee or something? I doubt he wants to go through any of that again.

 

 

Obviously it was a racist ump.

 

To be fair, even the first base coach said that the umpire instigated that. And Bradley actually tore his ACL doing that.

 

Even MLB said the umpire instigated that, fining or suspending him or something.

[biittner77]

Contrary to what EVERYBODY is saying, the Cubs don't have to deal Bradley.

 

He wouldn't be the first player suspended by a team and then kept on the roster. He also wouldn't be the first guy to wear out his welcome, burn all bridges, and stay in town.

 

If you have to eat his entire contract, get back nothing in return, and maybe even take on a similarly bad or worse contract, then just don't make a deal.

 

If his choices are coming back to Chicago and dealing with the fans, media, etc. or asking for his release, what would Bradley do? The MLBPA is better than the NFL union but if Bradley doesn't show up to ST, do the Cubs have to pay him?

 

Another way around this is for Rickets to fire Hendry and then the new GM can say that Bradley gets a do over and they put all this behind them.

[jersey cubs fan]

Contrary to what EVERYBODY is saying, the Cubs don't have to deal Bradley.

 

He wouldn't be the first player suspended by a team and then kept on the roster. He also wouldn't be the first guy to wear out his welcome, burn all bridges, and stay in town.

 

If you have to eat his entire contract, get back nothing in return, and maybe even take on a similarly bad or worse contract, then just don't make a deal.

 

If his choices are coming back to Chicago and dealing with the fans, media, etc. or asking for his release, what would Bradley do? The MLBPA is better than the NFL union but if Bradley doesn't show up to ST, do the Cubs have to pay him?

 

Another way around this is for Rickets to fire Hendry and then the new GM can say that Bradley gets a do over and they put all this behind them.

 

And I'd have to think he'd eat less on the Hendry contract than Bradley's.

 

If he doesn't show up to spring training they can start docking pay.

[Lefty]

The Padres may be looking for a corner outfielder this offseason, so they could have interest in Bradley.

 

Was Bud Black manager in SD when he had to restrain Bradley from attacking an ump and Bradley ended up twisting his knee or something? I doubt he wants to go through any of that again.

 

 

Obviously it was a racist ump.

 

Well the ump got suspended after Todd Helton told Selig what he heard. It was always presumed that the N-word was used. You know a stopped clock is right twice a day.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Contrary to what EVERYBODY is saying, the Cubs don't have to deal Bradley.

 

He wouldn't be the first player suspended by a team and then kept on the roster. He also wouldn't be the first guy to wear out his welcome, burn all bridges, and stay in town.

 

If you have to eat his entire contract, get back nothing in return, and maybe even take on a similarly bad or worse contract, then just don't make a deal.

 

If his choices are coming back to Chicago and dealing with the fans, media, etc. or asking for his release, what would Bradley do? The MLBPA is better than the NFL union but if Bradley doesn't show up to ST, do the Cubs have to pay him?

 

Another way around this is for Rickets to fire Hendry and then the new GM can say that Bradley gets a do over and they put all this behind them.

 

If anything, I think its more likely to come down to Lou or Bradley than Hendry or Bradley.

[biittner77]

Piniella might be gone too. Fire Hendry and replace Piniella with Sandberg. As Gooney said somewhere else that would appease a lot of sportswriters and fans. In a way, I don't mind replacing Piniella with Sandberg.

 

Somewhere down the line Sandberg is going to get his chance to manage the Cubs. It might as well be 2010 when they probably won't be very good anyway. Two losing seasons might be the price we pay as fans to remove the Sandberg menace permanently. Then in 2012 we'll (hopefully) have a bunch of young guys ready to contribute (Vitters, Colvin, J Jackson, perhaps B Jackson, Cashner etc)

[jersey cubs fan]

Piniella might be gone too. Fire Hendry and replace Piniella with Sandberg. As Gooney said somewhere else that would appease a lot of sportswriters and fans. In a way, I don't mind replacing Piniella with Sandberg.

 

Somewhere down the line Sandberg is going to get his chance to manage the Cubs. It might as well be 2010 when they probably won't be very good anyway. Two losing seasons might be the price we pay as fans to remove the Sandberg menace permanently. Then in 2012 we'll (hopefully) have a bunch of young guys ready to contribute (Vitters, Colvin, J Jackson, perhaps B Jackson, Cashner etc)

 

I'd much rather let Trammel take over and have Sandberg be bench coach. I don't see any value in getting the Sandberg nightmare over early. I still want to see them make the most out of the Lee and Ramirez era (not to mention perhaps the last couple good years of Zambrano and Soriano).

[cbbryan]

Piniella might be gone too. Fire Hendry and replace Piniella with Sandberg. As Gooney said somewhere else that would appease a lot of sportswriters and fans. In a way, I don't mind replacing Piniella with Sandberg.

 

Somewhere down the line Sandberg is going to get his chance to manage the Cubs. It might as well be 2010 when they probably won't be very good anyway. Two losing seasons might be the price we pay as fans to remove the Sandberg menace permanently. Then in 2012 we'll (hopefully) have a bunch of young guys ready to contribute (Vitters, Colvin, J Jackson, perhaps B Jackson, Cashner etc)

 

I love Sandberg, but he shouldn't replace Lou. Trammell should replace Lou, but Ryno could be his bench coach if they like.

[Backtobanks]

Contrary to what EVERYBODY is saying, the Cubs don't have to deal Bradley.

 

He wouldn't be the first player suspended by a team and then kept on the roster. He also wouldn't be the first guy to wear out his welcome, burn all bridges, and stay in town.

 

If you have to eat his entire contract, get back nothing in return, and maybe even take on a similarly bad or worse contract, then just don't make a deal.

 

The Cubs don't have to deal Bradley, but they will and unfortunately it will probably involve eating his contract, getting nothing in return, or taking on a bad contract. The Cubs pride themselves on their image and there's no way Hendry, the team, the media, and the fans are all going to let this blow over. It's just a matter of time before Bradley would "go off" on somebody (or everybody) again. The only chance Bradley has to "start over" is to go to a new team. We can only hope Hendry can salvage something out of this mess.