Milton Bradley Traded To Mariners For Carlos Silva

[Little Slide Rooter]

First reported by David Kaplan that the Cubs and Rangers are in serious talks for Bradley. Bruce Levine also chimed in yesterday saying if the Cubs sent Bradley to the Rangers it would be for Kevin Millwood. Now I am hearing from my sources that a Bradley for Millwood (maybe including Aaron Miles) swap is in the final stages and they are just finalizing the money situation in which Millwood is still owed his signing bonus. I am also hearing that the Cubs may in fact pay Millwood's entire contract including the signing bonus if they can include Aaron Miles in the same deal which would offset the money some.

 

Nothing Kaplan says is worth much and I have no idea who wrote this, but Bradley and Miles for Milwood would be nice.

While I think Bradley will do better next year, being able to ship him and atrocity of Aaron Miles for a pitcher like Milwood isn't a bad deal.

 

Id actually be quite impressed if this happens. Not only do we get something of value for Bradley, but we get rid of Miles as well. As long as we still have a plan to fill the empty piutfield spot, itn works for me.

[Schwarber Fan]

WOW - PLEASE make the deal!!!

[Backtobanks]

Holy crap though, I didn't realize Millwood is due 15 mill from 2011-2015.

 

you misread something. next year will be the last year of his contract and he'll make 12m

 

No, it's his signing bonus. They had deferred it until 2011, before it starts getting paid. By the looks of what was said in the original post, we'd be on the hook for all of it.....

 

my fault, it was me that misread it. u read it as 15 mil a year from 11-15

 

so would the cubs definitely be on the hook for that? if so, that would be a garbage trade. millwood is terrible.

 

so who is ready for an april rotation of zambrano/dempster/millwood/wells/marshall?

 

ugh. we thought last offseason was ugly. i think this one is going to top that.

 

Getting Millwood as a #4 or #5 starter is great. Don't forget that his ERA should improve by moving to the NL. When Lilly comes back, Gorz, Shark, and Marshall will provide lots of depth for the rotation. Millwood might end up being a trade chip at the deadline if one of the younger pitchers does well. The bottom line is that any deal that gets rid of Bradley and Miles in one swoop can't be all bad.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Holy crap though, I didn't realize Millwood is due 15 mill from 2011-2015.

 

you misread something. next year will be the last year of his contract and he'll make 12m

 

No, it's his signing bonus. They had deferred it until 2011, before it starts getting paid. By the looks of what was said in the original post, we'd be on the hook for all of it.....

 

my fault, it was me that misread it. u read it as 15 mil a year from 11-15

 

so would the cubs definitely be on the hook for that? if so, that would be a garbage trade. millwood is terrible.

 

so who is ready for an april rotation of zambrano/dempster/millwood/wells/marshall?

 

ugh. we thought last offseason was ugly. i think this one is going to top that.

 

Getting Millwood as a #4 or #5 starter is great. Don't forget that his ERA should improve by moving to the NL. When Lilly comes back, Gorz, Shark, and Marshall will provide lots of depth for the rotation. Millwood might end up being a trade chip at the deadline if one of the younger pitchers does well. The bottom line is that any deal that gets rid of Bradley and Miles in one swoop can't be all bad.

 

I really doubt that there is or was a chance of re signing Harden, so as far as Im concerned, an April rotation of Z/Demp/Milwood/Wells/Samarshallanny looks a lot better than one of Z/Demp/Wells/SamarshallannyX2

[17 Seconds]

It's only better if 2009 Millwood shows up and not 2007-2008 Millwood.

[Little Slide Rooter]

It's only better if 2009 Millwood shows up and not 2007-2008 Millwood.

 

agreed, but with the lack of options, Id be willing to take that risk and then put what ever leftover payroll there is into the outfield.

[Schwarber Fan]

It's only better if 2009 Millwood shows up and not 2007-2008 Millwood.

 

There are few things not "better" than getting Aaron Miles off this team right now.

[erik316wttn]

If we get Milwood, does that mean Harden won't be offered arb?

[Soul]

*perks up*

 

Miles off the team?

 

Color me interested in any such scenario.

[David]

If we get Milwood, does that mean Harden won't be offered arb?

 

 

Unless something changed while I wasn't paying attention, I don't think he ever was.

[Cubswin11]

Haven't seen any other confirmation of this report, but it could say something that the Rangers are letting Byrd walk. Presumably to clear and OF/DH spot for Bradley.

[jersey cubs fan]

So they are going back to the 2006/7 offseason when the plan was just to get innings eaters - potential for mediocrity be damned?

 

They do realize the problem with this team was a lack of scoring runs, not a lack of mediocre innings pitched, right?

[erik316wttn]

If we get Milwood, does that mean Harden won't be offered arb?

 

 

Unless something changed while I wasn't paying attention, I don't think he ever was.

 

He made it known he'd like to stay as a Cub. I don't see the harm in it, Milwood or not.

 

If Milwood is on, a rotation of Z/Harden/Lilly/Milwood/Demp is a division-winner. Granted, it's not quite Prior/Wood/Z/Maddux/Clement, but it's still pretty damn good. That frees us up to trade Wells or Marshall in a package for a bat.

[javy knows my name]

So they are going back to the 2006/7 offseason when the plan was just to get innings eaters - potential for mediocrity be damned?

 

They do realize the problem with this team was a lack of scoring runs, not a lack of mediocre innings pitched, right?

hahahah that's pretty good

[jersey cubs fan]

If we get Milwood, does that mean Harden won't be offered arb?

 

 

Unless something changed while I wasn't paying attention, I don't think he ever was.

 

He made it known he'd like to stay as a Cub. I don't see the harm in it, Milwood or not.

 

If Milwood is on, a rotation of Z/Harden/Lilly/Milwood/Demp is a division-winner. Granted, it's not quite Prior/Wood/Z/Maddux/Clement, but it's still pretty damn good. That frees us up to trade Wells or Marshall in a package for a bat.

 

You might not see the harm in it, but according to every single media report, Hendry sees a tremendous amount of harm in it. He gives away draft picks to sign middle relievers and doesn't value picks enough to offer arbitration to departing free agents. In Jim's mind he must think they can get the same quality picks just by paying overslot later in the draft. They gave up a good amount for Harden, he performed to expectations and they are just going to let him walk for nothing.

[erik316wttn]

If we get Milwood, does that mean Harden won't be offered arb?

 

 

Unless something changed while I wasn't paying attention, I don't think he ever was.

 

He made it known he'd like to stay as a Cub. I don't see the harm in it, Milwood or not.

 

If Milwood is on, a rotation of Z/Harden/Lilly/Milwood/Demp is a division-winner. Granted, it's not quite Prior/Wood/Z/Maddux/Clement, but it's still pretty damn good. That frees us up to trade Wells or Marshall in a package for a bat.

 

You might not see the harm in it, but according to every single media report, Hendry sees a tremendous amount of harm in it. He gives away draft picks to sign middle relievers and doesn't value picks enough to offer arbitration to departing free agents. In Jim's mind he must think they can get the same quality picks just by paying overslot later in the draft. They gave up a good amount for Harden, he performed to expectations and they are just going to let him walk for nothing.

 

I know. And that's why Hendry needs to go, pronto. Ricketts shouldn't even give him another year to [expletive] up this team. That's like saying "Oh, I have this fire in my kitchen. I think I'll just wait and see if it goes out on its own" rather than grabbing a fire extinguisher and putting it out.

[davell]

Bob Nightengale tweeted about an hour ago that Tampa is the "clear cut" favorite to acquire Bradley. The Kaplan thing isn't being talked about anywhere other than here from what I can tell anyway, although I don't know what Texas Ranger message board is worth anything(if any).

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Millwood is plenty good and plenty valuable. He's averaged 30+ starts going back to 2002, and in that time he's never been below a 2.4 WAR. He doesn't project to be worlds better than Marshall or Gorzelanny, but he's got consistency on his side that Gorzelanny doesn't, and durability on his side that Marshall doesn't. We could do far, far worse than getting Millwood for Bradley and Miles.

[jersey cubs fan]

Millwood is plenty good and plenty valuable. He's averaged 30+ starts going back to 2002, and in that time he's never been below a 2.4 WAR. He doesn't project to be worlds better than Marshall or Gorzelanny, but he's got consistency on his side that Gorzelanny doesn't, and durability on his side that Marshall doesn't. We could do far, far worse than getting Millwood for Bradley and Miles.

 

How much better is Millwodd than Marquis?

[Guest]

Millwood is plenty good and plenty valuable. He's averaged 30+ starts going back to 2002, and in that time he's never been below a 2.4 WAR. He doesn't project to be worlds better than Marshall or Gorzelanny, but he's got consistency on his side that Gorzelanny doesn't, and durability on his side that Marshall doesn't. We could do far, far worse than getting Millwood for Bradley and Miles.

 

How much better is Millwodd than Marquis?

 

Maybe Hendry has a plan to spin off Millwood to another team so that he can make room for a 8 for 1 player deal for Peavy.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Millwood is plenty good and plenty valuable. He's averaged 30+ starts going back to 2002, and in that time he's never been below a 2.4 WAR. He doesn't project to be worlds better than Marshall or Gorzelanny, but he's got consistency on his side that Gorzelanny doesn't, and durability on his side that Marshall doesn't. We could do far, far worse than getting Millwood for Bradley and Miles.

 

How much better is Millwodd than Marquis?

 

Including his 3.8 WAR season with the Rockies this year, Marquis has accumulated a 9.6 WAR the last 8 seasons, 1.2 per season. He was 1.7 and 1.8 his two years with the Cubs.

 

Millwood has amassed a 29.7 WAR the last 8 seasons, 3.7 per year. His last 3 seasons have been 2.7, 3.3, and 2.4.

[jersey cubs fan]

I don't really see what 8 years ago has to do with mid-30's pitchers. Millwood shows up, that's the best compliment you can give him. Same as Marquis.

 

So over the last three years Millwood has 1.1 WAR more than Marquis. What does that mean?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I don't really see what 8 years ago has to do with mid-30's pitchers. Millwood shows up, that's the best compliment you can give him. Same as Marquis.

 

So over the last three years Millwood has 1.1 WAR more than Marquis. What does that mean?

 

It means that with the exception of last year(which is much more about Marquis than Millwood), that Millwood has consistently been anywhere from 10 to 30+ runs better than Marquis. He has similar good qualities, but he's much, much better.

[jersey cubs fan]

I don't really see what 8 years ago has to do with mid-30's pitchers. Millwood shows up, that's the best compliment you can give him. Same as Marquis.

 

So over the last three years Millwood has 1.1 WAR more than Marquis. What does that mean?

 

It means that with the exception of last year(which is much more about Marquis than Millwood), that Millwood has consistently been anywhere from 10 to 30+ runs better than Marquis. He has similar good qualities, but he's much, much better.

 

Except you're talking about what he did in his prime late 20's years while some of Marquis's time includes his young 20's. And as a 35 year old now, Millwood's value at 29 is meaningless.

 

He is not a very good pitcher. He's a pitcher who shows up and generally doesn't get destroyed. The Cubs don't need guys who can show up, they have that, they need guys who can either shut down opponents to compensate for their weak offense, or help them score more runs.

[Guest]

they need guys who can either shut down opponents to compensate for their weak offense, or help them score more runs.

 

Haha! I'd love to see you convince Hendry that these are even options deserving of space on his Dusty Dice.

 

What will he remove? Guys who can catch the ball? Hardly. Speedy top of the order hitters? Not a chance. Left handed hitters? Fat chance.