the Milton Bradley saga

OakRoscoe · Posted: Wed, Sep 23 2009 8:07 PM Post subject:

Good article in the chron about bradley:

(09-22) 16:48 PDT -- The Cubs' decision to suspend Milton Bradley for the rest of the season serves as a reminder of the extraordinary team chemistry on the 2006 A's. Bradley's volatility didn't entirely vanish that year, but his time in Oakland was relatively stable and pleasant.

Frank Thomas had a remarkably calming effect on Bradley. The Big Hurt could simply tap Bradley on the shoulder or elbow and cool off a heated argument with an umpire. Bradley and Nick Swisher, who along with CC Sabathia has enlivened the Yankees' clubhouse this season, met in the dugout after home runs and executed a goofy, intricately choreographed home run dance.

The easygoing nature of that team carried over. And who can forget the night that manager Ken Macha intervened in Bradley's dispute with the home-plate umpire by wrapping his arms around the outfielder, picking him up and carrying him away from the scene?

Macha ended up being fired at the end of the season, despite reaching the American League Championship Series, largely because of a disconnect between himself and the players. But that moment didn't call for Macha to finesse a relationship. He just reacted, and did so more adroitly than San Diego manager Bud Black, who intervened in a 2007 dispute with an umpire by grabbing Bradley's jersey and knocking him down, tearing the player's anterior cruciate ligament.

Bradley went on to a fairly placid, very productive 2008 season in Texas - perhaps not coincidentally under the command of former A's coach Ron Washington.

Did anyone expect happy results when Bradley went to work for the fierce Lou Piniella? Of course not. But at this point, there might not be an ideal match for him anywhere.

Bradley is very bright - a high school honors student - and often endearing. It's always sad and exasperating to watch him self-destruct. But, ultimately, his experience in Oakland said little about his potential for change, and a whole lot about the people around him.

E-mail Gwen Knapp at gknapp@sfchronicle.com .

This article appeared on page B - 2 of the San Francisco Chronicle

fairmo · Posted: Wed, Sep 23 2009 11:54 PM Post subject:

Gwen Knapp knows what's up. She's a prety good journalist actually. Good find Oak. I really did like Bradley. But in the end, you just gotta cool your jets on the occassion despite likely being right. Pride swallowing is extremely hard and I'm sure that much more difficult when you're paid like freaking royalty. It's sad bc this guy is so f'n talented its not even funny. He's a HOF caliber player, who didn't see he could be, he just got in his own way. And it's not at a point where if there weren't a contract around, he wouldn't be around.

And the A's are great. They can make anyone realize what's up. But yeah, I'd pretty much nod my head if Big Hurt tapped me on the shoulder too.....
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OakRoscoe · Posted: Thu, Sep 24 2009 1:49 AM Post subject:

Ya fairmo, ive been very impressed with her articles, she does a good job. Thomas was a very calming influence on Bradley.

Hah, I could even see us picking him up if Chicago is footing the bill.

fairmo · Posted: Thu, Sep 24 2009 10:47 AM Post subject:

I used to rent cars to her back in the day and she was actually very polite and chatted it up some too. I had been reading her stuff beforehand, so set the record, but she knows her smoke.

I'll take Milton over Hairston for the rest o the year, but the split was bc he told Beane to F off. Pretty much once you've crossed Beane or A's coaching, you're done. T Long was an example. Guillen another....Milton won't be on the A's again, although I'd love his bat in the lineup, but really? The A's offense has been pretty badass fora while now. Not really gonna do a whole lot more with the addition of Bradley.
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RW01 · Posted: Sun, Sep 27 2009 2:56 PM Post subject:

I thought the Jays traded Rios because they have too many OFs.....or maybe i'm thinking that's what the WSox have, by getting Rios.
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fairmo · Posted: Sun, Sep 27 2009 2:59 PM Post subject:

The latter. The White Sox have a slew of OFers, Blue Jays wants to dump his contract.
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fairmo · Posted: Tue, Mar 9 2010 11:52 PM Post subject:

Does anyone have sympathy for this guy? The ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME show continues. this sole figure will keep Seattle from doing anything fancy. Well he and Douchebage....

Milton..STFU and play dude!

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/news/story?id=4980983
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beane4pres · Fuck Kirk Gibson Joined: 17 May 2007 Posts: 9273

You know your a major problem if you get traded for Carlos Fucking Silva and his huge waste of a contract.
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fairmo · Posted: Wed, Mar 10 2010 2:50 AM Post subject:

Insomnia blows.....

Or when you've been on 8 teams in 11 years. He's got 2 yrs tops in MLB if he doesn't blow his lid in Seattle where he will be overshadowed by Ichiro, Felix, Lee, Griffey. If he can't get over that it's not about him up there in fish tossin' land, he'll lose it. Then the real fun will begin.
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Buick · Posted: Wed, Mar 10 2010 8:50 AM Post subject:

WTF - Does Milton play the race card in every town and w/ every franchise?

STFU
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"Swing the bat like a man." - Fosse (7.24.09)

"FUCK! SHIT!" - Duke (4.7.10)

fairmo · Posted: Wed, Mar 10 2010 11:53 AM Post subject:

He got death threat letters while in Oakland and Chicago. Do I fucking care? Of course not! That's all bullshit anyway. You think ANYONE believes a fucking word you say now? It's a scapegoat you've gone to essentially every time you've existed a place against your will. If Seattle doesn't fit, his career is over as I see it. I'm going to heckle the shit out of this fucking wad douche from the LF Bleachers now.

"Hey Milty...Hey Twister...I don't like you! Gonna pull the race card now?!?! Go blow your knee out with some 70 yr old manager pulling you from some fat ump."

Give me material gang. I'll spit out the venom. Milty...I got a water bottle for ya.....Milty...Billy Beane says hello, fondly! And then he'll be replaced by Douchebag...now that will be fun. LF vs games against Seattle will RULE!
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RW01 · Posted: Wed, Mar 10 2010 3:51 PM Post subject:

You yell 'Twister!' at him, he'll be utterly confused. rofl

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"I got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell! - Bruce Dickinson

fairmo · Posted: Wed, Mar 10 2010 4:05 PM Post subject:

No question about itr, he'll think its racially fuelled. F'n idiot. I'm tired of his act. Time for hinm to disappear into Bolivian.
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Buick · Posted: Wed, Mar 10 2010 6:39 PM Post subject:

Jaden · Posted: Wed, Mar 10 2010 7:13 PM Post subject:

Fairmo doesn't care sooooooooooo much that he drug up a thread from last Sept and then posted on it 4 times. I can totally see it.
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OakRoscoe · Posted: Thu, Mar 11 2010 6:15 AM Post subject:

Hahaha, good point jaden

RW01 · Posted: Sat, Mar 13 2010 10:16 PM Post subject:

Bolivion? A Bolivia version of oblivion?
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"I got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell! - Bruce Dickinson

beane4pres · Fuck Kirk Gibson Joined: 17 May 2007 Posts: 9273

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Buick · Posted: Thu, Mar 18 2010 3:17 PM Post subject:

Bradley ejected by home-plate umpire
Mariners outfielder appeared to protest call by dropping bat
Doug Miller - MLB.com - 03/18/10 1:14 AM ET

PEORIA, Ariz. -- The Mariners suffered their second player ejection in the past two games Wednesday night when left fielder Milton Bradley was thrown out of the 8-1 loss to the Texas Rangers for appearing to protest a third-strike call by home-plate umpire Dan Bellino by dropping his bat.

With one out in the third inning and the Mariners trailing, 2-1, Bradley, who started the game in left field, dropped his bat and began taking off his batting gloves after the called third strike and was immediately tossed by Bellino.

That prompted a visit from Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu, who, in discussing the matter with the umpire, claimed Bradley's actions were a product of mistakenly thinking it was the last out of the inning.

"In all fairness to Milton, I thought he thought there were three outs," Wakamatsu said.

"[Bellino] said he couldn't do that," Wakamatsu said. "I said, 'Do what?' I said, 'Go back [on the replay] and look at his actions and tell me he didn't think there were three outs.' I thought it was an overreaction."

Ryan Langerhans came into the game to replace Bradley, whose ejection came in the game on the Seattle schedule immediately following the Monday ejection of starter Cliff Lee for throwing a pitch that sailed near the head of D-backs catcher Chris Snyder.

Lee on Wednesday received word that he was suspended for the first five games of the regular season. Lee is expected to appeal the decision.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100317&content_id=8825822&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
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FUCK the Raiders.

"Swing the bat like a man." - Fosse (7.24.09)

"FUCK! SHIT!" - Duke (4.7.10)

beane4pres · Fuck Kirk Gibson Joined: 17 May 2007 Posts: 9273

Only in baseball could you get kicked off so many teams, talk shit about each one, blame everyone but yourself, spend 70% of your time on the DL (in 10 seasons he's played over 100 games only 4 times and one of those seasons was 101 games..), and then still find jobs and get paid millions.

This has got to be his last chance...
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