jersey cubs fan

Sounds like it will be Pat The Bat aferall, and we'll either flip him to an AL team or use him as a really expensive Jake Fox and then sign some garbage like Byrd or Podsednik. Why would Tampa do this? They want out of Burrell's bad contract, but they are taking back a 2 year deal to get rid of a 1 year deal. Maybe instead of paying $9m for Pat this year they pay $6m for Milton this year and $5m the next year. They save money in the short-term, acquire a reclamation project that could be a very cost effective player in 2011 as well. Or maybe they get even more of a break. In short, Milton Bradley is a depressed asset right now. He's probably not worth his contract, but as a player he clearly has value. If you can get him for a fraction of his cost while getting rid of your own overpriced guy, it's a buy low and potentially sell high later scenario (what would he be worth if he OPSs 850 this season and is only owed $5m for 2011?) or buy low and hold scenario.

It's a pretty stupid one. Does it always have be about race. Maybe it's just about Bradley being a petulant ass while in Chicago, just like he's been his entire career. This really just needs to be done with. Not because the team will be better or worse with or without him, but because he is too much of a mental midget to deal with the situation like an adult. It's only stupid if you don't know what is being said. I never said hating Milton Bradley makes you racist. I never said wanting him gone makes you racist. I never said anything of the sort. I've said repeatedly I think he's an ass. My point is that the mythological creature that is the Cubs fan who would abandon the team due to the presence of Milton Bradley is probably going to be a racist person. It's really not a controversial statement. It makes no accusation about anybody here because I'm fairly certain nobody here is going to abandon the Cubs (even if several people threaten to every season). I'm talking about somebody saying, "I love the Cubs. But Milton Bradley is still on the team so I'm done with the team." A) It's very unlikely to happen. B) That rare creature is probably motivated by racial tendencies.

My point is people aren't going to give up on the Cubs because Bradley is still here. They'd give up on them if they go in the crapper, but they aren't giving up on them because of Bradley. It's a ridiculous theory. But to your point, no, that's not the case at all and it's really a silly point you are trying to make. There are all sorts of racists who follow sports teams that have black people on them, you can't deny that. I'm sure they have some internal debate about cheering on a black guy, but they just want to see see their team win so they tolerate the black guys. Things get a little different when that black guy is an ass, he's less tolerable. Again, my point is people aren't going to abandon the Cubs because Milton Bradley is here. It's just not going to happen. If it does happen, it's very lucky that those people are racists and/or complete morons. I think Milton is an ass. I thought he was an ass before they signed him and I thought he lived up to his reputation. I cannot understand why the Cubs decided that a guy who came as advertised all of a sudden has to go, but they did the same thing with Rich Harden, who came as advertised but now has to go. and to reiterate. If you stop following the Cubs because Milton Bradley is on the team, you are very likely a racist and/or a complete moron. But I would pretty much guarantee nobody who posts on message boards about the Cubs is going to abandon the Cubs one way or another, so this doesn't apply to people here and it doesn't make sense to be think you have been accused of anything.

Yeah, if you quit following the Cubs because Bradley is here I'd bet heavily on you being a racist, or an idiot at the very least. Seriously, I'm only the 2nd person to think race played any part in this? How do you come up with such incredibilyi ignorant statements? So why didn't a racist like me quit following the Cubs when they had Sosa and Dunston and Dawson and Fergie Jenkins and Billy Williams etc etc. on the team? You realize those players are the same race as Bradley right? I'm sorry, did you quit following the Cubs? Did I call you a racist? Can you read? Find me a person who quit following the Cubs due to the presence of Milton Bradley, and refuses to come back to following the Cubs until he returns, then I will call that person a racist. You are writing about them on this website right now so it's pretty safe to assume you haven't quite following them. Even if you are so clueless as to think only Milton Bradley and myself think race played any part in what happened here.

That act wouldn't make you racist, but I can't imagine anybody but racists committing the act. Well that and completely freaking morons.

Yeah, if you quit following the Cubs because Bradley is here I'd bet heavily on you being a racist, or an idiot at the very least. Seriously, I'm only the 2nd person to think race played any part in this? How do you come up with such incredibilyi ignorant statements?

Decades of negative press about how bad this team is didn't prevent them from selling tickets when they got good. Seriously, your theory has no support. They aren't going to lose support if they win.

In case anyone missed it. I've got one, too. Dude brought up Harden's stellar k/9 as a negative. A negative. As in bad. So all of a sudden you are pro-fascism?

No it wouldn't. The Cubs aren't going to lose money because Milton Bradley is around. They aren't going to lose fans to the White Sox. The only fans that would leave the Cubs because Milton is around would be racist white people, and I don't see any racist white people who are Cubs fans rushing to support the White Sox. The Cubs will lose fans, and money, if they wallow around in mediocrity much longer. If they go back to the 2005/2006 let's just make sure we're all nice guys who get along no matter how much we lose ways, then they will lose fans and money. The way to make money in Chicago sports is to win. Wrigley didn't become the place it is today until after 1998, and it didn't become the year-in-year-out sellout until 2003 when fans were given the taste of what could be. Nice guy teams and PR strategies don't sell tickets. Winning does. Wow you're way out of bounds playing the race card there. Being turned off by Bradley's antics doesn't make a fan a racist. It's not his skin color that's creating this animosity. I'm turned off my his antics as well. But I'm not going to stop being a Cubs fan because he's a around? Would you?

My only problem is they already have so many arms, and they are insisting on bringing in another veteran anyway. They overstock the pen and then end up paying guys to play somewhere else, and losing their own quality arms.

Doubt it. He's not a chick that people can't figure out if he's hot or not and they are waiting to see if Brad Pitt would date her. The interest is entirely based on the potential for a low cost acquisition with upside. If the Cubs pay Milton to play teams would be happy to see if they can get the most out of him. Nobody is dying to get him.

No it wouldn't. The Cubs aren't going to lose money because Milton Bradley is around. They aren't going to lose fans to the White Sox. The only fans that would leave the Cubs because Milton is around would be racist white people, and I don't see any racist white people who are Cubs fans rushing to support the White Sox. The Cubs will lose fans, and money, if they wallow around in mediocrity much longer. If they go back to the 2005/2006 let's just make sure we're all nice guys who get along no matter how much we lose ways, then they will lose fans and money. The way to make money in Chicago sports is to win. Wrigley didn't become the place it is today until after 1998, and it didn't become the year-in-year-out sellout until 2003 when fans were given the taste of what could be. Nice guy teams and PR strategies don't sell tickets. Winning does.

But I wouldn't trade prospects for those guys, so why not just release Bradley if that is your goal and keep the prospects? Giving people prospects so they will accept a virtually free Milton Bradley is insane. The only logical choice is to keep him on the team. If you insist on getting rid of him because you feel you have to, then just release him. Don't lose prospects in the process. You are already making your team worse, no reason to add to your problems.

and won't accomplish anything The idea may be mockable, but it's better than the nothing we've apparently consigned ourselves to while our GM is hard at work making as stupid of a decision as possible. I realize we're beaten down, but even freaking Orioles fans can at least muster a protest outside their stadium when things are getting too stupid. I've been against dealing Milton since Day 1. Most fans are actually for it, not resigned to their fates. You can't create public outrage against a move the public is demanding. Hendry sucks, but Baltimore is a different story. They were the highest payroll team in the late 90's, playing leapfrog on a monthly basis with the Yankees until the Mussina deal put an end to all that. Now they have a lower payroll than they did a decade ago and are pathetic. It's hard to justify Cubs fans having a similar protest. And believe me, no matter how much bitching you do about Jim Hendry's incompetence, it doesn't make a lick of difference.

I think everyone is seeing what the Yankees did and are, whether they realize it or not, using at the reason to spend more. That doesn't mean spend Yankee type money but spend more relative to what you are normally willing to do. I can't tell if you're serious. The Yankees have been spending that way for many years. Last year was the first time that a FA spenidng spree actually paid off. I doubt anyone is taking their spending cues from the Yankees, particularly a team in a different league. Considering how many games they won and how much money they made in the 2000's, I think it's fair to say the spending has been paying off handsomely for much longer than one year. But you're right, cubbiebum's statement is extremely bizarre. People aren't just all of a sudden emulating the Yankees free spending ways.

As Bruce said on his blog talking about the likelihood of the mystery team being a bargaining maneuver: I would tend to agree with that. Hendry is seen as one of the most honest and forthright GM's in the business. I really doubt he made up the mystery team rumors. Bruce also pointed out Hendry is more desperate than he's ever been. He doesnt' have a buddy in the front office handing him extensions as they walk out the door. He's got an owner with demands now. And it doesn't have to come directly from Hendry to be something that originated with the Cubs. Whether it was Bradley's agents, an assistant GM or a GM buddy of his (both Kenny Williams and Billy Beane talked positively and publicly about Bradley, while acknowledging they shouldn't talk about another team's player, implying they knew they had permission to talk about him), it could have easily been done with the knowledge, or even hinting of Hendry. Somebody was spreading lies, and the person with the most to gain from those lies being spread was Jim Hendry.

and won't accomplish anything

Of course there's a chance of that. But why in the world would the Cubs want to do that?

32 mph.

screw what the manager wants. Lou whines about new things on a daily basis and is constantly changing his mind.

Opening purse strings for Jim Hendry is just inviting the man to hang you with those purse strings. Available money only gets Hendry in more trouble. It's not like he's forcing them to cut costs. They are increasing an already bloated payroll that is being wasted on loads of mediocrity.

There's no way Granderson becomes less pull conscious going to Yankee Stadium.

As was the case when the season ended, the only logical move is to keep Bradley on the team.

He's a hell of a goal scorer and a lock for the Olympic team. Surprised he was available.

"Chicago's the best team we've faced all year," Rangers coach John Tortorella said. "They had the puck all night and we weren't strong enough to take it away from them. We were totally void of competing with the Hawks."