After putting up with his antics for the past several months, the Cubs have finally had enough of Milton Bradley. Sunday, it was announced that general manager Jim Hendry has suspended the mercurial outfielder for the remainder of the 2009 season.In a season chock full of controversy -- which isn't anything new for Bradley -- everything came to a head Sunday morning when Bradley dissed the Cubs, Cubs fans and the entire city of Chicago. This following a game in which Bradley pulled himself out of the lineup, claiming his knee was too sore to continue, and then basically ignored probing reporters after the game.
"The last few days became too much for me to tolerate," Hendry said.Bradley has been a colossal bust this season. After the Cubs traded Mark DeRosa and Jason Marquis to shed payroll, the Cubs signed Bradley to a three-year contract worth $30 million. He's rewarded them with a .257 batting average, 12 home runs, 40 RBI, a .775 OPS and spotty, at best, defense.
"I'm certainly not going to let our great fans become excuses," Hendry said. "I'm not going to tolerate [Bradley] not being able to answer questions from the media respectably."
This isn't even mentioning things that stats can't measure, such as the negative impact he may have had in the clubhouse. He had a dust-up with manager Lou Piniella earlier this season and has constantly found ways to make himself the center of (negative) attention when talking to the media.
For now, the circus is over in Wrigleyville. Of course, the Cubs are stuck with Bradley for two more seasons, as there is no chance anyone takes him off their hands in a trade.
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Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, clad in Pittsburgh Pirates' shirt and cap, prepares to throw a ball to former Japanese Pirates pitcher Masumi Kuwata at Hatoyama's official residence in Tokyo before his departure to the United States Monday, Sept. 21, 2009. Hatoyama plans to throw a ceremonial first pitch at a Major League baseball game during his visit to Pittsburgh for the Group of 20 economic summit. (AP Photo/Kyodo News, Toru Futagami) ** JAPAN OUT, MANDATORY CREDIT, FOR COMMERCIAL USE ONLY IN NORTH AMERICA **
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ST. LOUIS, MO - SEPTEMBER 20: Relief pitcher Carlos Marmol #49 of the Chicago Cubs throws against the St. Louis Cardinals on September 20, 2009 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. The Cubs beat the Cardinals 6-3 in 11 innings. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Carlos Marmol
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ST. LOUIS, MO - SEPTEMBER 20: Micah Hoffpauir #6 of the Chicago Cubs breaks up a double play against the Brendan Ryan #13 of the St. Louis Cardinals on September 20, 2009 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. The Cubs beat the Cardinals 6-3 in 11 innings. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Micah Hoffpauir;Brendan Ryan
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ST. LOUIS, MO - SEPTEMBER 20: Starting pitcher Carlos Zambrano #38 of the Chicago Cubs reacts to givingup a run against the St. Louis Cardinals on September 20, 2009 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. The Cubs beat the Cardinals 6-3 in 11 innings. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Carlos Zambrano
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ST. LOUIS, MO - SEPTEMBER 20: Mike Fontenot #17 of the Chicago Cubs scores a run against Yadier Molina #4 of the St. Louis Cardinals on September 20, 2009 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. The Cubs beat the Cardinals 6-3 in 11 innings. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Mike Fontenot;Yadier Molina
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ST. LOUIS, MO - SEPTEMBER 20: Starting pitcher Carlos Zambrano #38 of the Chicago Cubs throws against the St. Louis Cardinals on September 20, 2009 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. The Cubs beat the Cardinals 6-3 in 11 innings. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Carlos Zambrano
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ST. LOUIS, MO - SEPTEMBER 20: Starting pitcher Carlos Zambrano #38 of the Chicago Cubs leaves the field against the St. Louis Cardinals on September 20, 2009 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. The Cubs beat the Cardinals 6-3 in 11 innings. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Carlos Zambrano
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ST. LOUIS, MO - SEPTEMBER 20: Skip Schumaker #55 of the St. Louis Cardinals throws to first base against the Chicago Cubs on September 20, 2009 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. The Cubs beat the Cardinals 6-3 in 11 innings. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Skip Schumaker
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ST. LOUIS, MO - SEPTEMBER 20: Albert Pujols #5 of the St. Louis Cardinals fieldsa groung ball against the Chicago Cubs on September 20, 2009 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. The Cubs beat the Cardinals 6-3 in 11 innings. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Albert Pujols
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ST. LOUIS, MO - SEPTEMBER 20: Manager Lou Piniella #41 of the Chicago Cubs returns to the dugout against the St. Louis Cardinals on September 20, 2009 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. The Cubs beat the Cardinals 6-3 in 11 innings. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Lou Piniella
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 8)
9-20-2009 @ 6:43PM
taguacipa said...
HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!! Go get those over priced babies. Remember owners when you go into arbritration and contract talks with these agents and babies and they claim well he hit EG. .300 and drove in 100RBI ask them what about the other 40-50 guys he left on base. These babies should be paid for the other stuff they didn't do.
Reply
9-21-2009 @ 1:02PM
Don Webb said...
I agree! But how about a contract that has something in it like, If you do not perform up to your potential you give money back to the club.
9-21-2009 @ 9:57PM
mickey said...
Oh my God, you gave Milton Bradley $30 million dollars?? What the hell were you thinking?
9-20-2009 @ 7:26PM
John Marshall said...
When you trade a guy like Mark DeRosa, one of the best players and best teammates in the game, and sign a guy like this, you get what you deserve. Anyone with half a brain could of predicted this calamity months ago. Is it any wonder that they haven't won a world series in 101 years? What a friggin joke. With new ownership soon to take over, if I was Jim Hendry I would begin preparing the ol' resume.
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9-20-2009 @ 7:44PM
k2k78 said...
That's right Cubbies..keep signing those washed up over-priced players. Sheeding payroll and signing Milton was a great idea, huh Cubs?? Keep doing what you do best at Cubbies, as being a loser
Signed,
Dodger For Life
Reply
9-22-2009 @ 4:21PM
racinob said...
Wasn't he a Dodger as well? The Dodgers bit that bullet and it passed.
9-20-2009 @ 7:46PM
ongos4me said...
LOOK I GAVE MILTON A FAIR CHANCE...EVEN FAIR CHANCES...BUT HE HAS BEEN SUCH A NEGATIVE THING FOR THE CUBS...HOPE HE GOES SOON...
HEY MILTON..CAUSE YOU KNOW THAT HE IS AFTER YOU...BLAIM IT ON THE MAN...LETS CREAMATE THE CURSE AGAIN NEXT YEAR...WITH BRADLEY ITEMS IN IT...
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9-20-2009 @ 8:06PM
AL said...
WHAT AN A** HOLE!!! WHEN WILL THEY LEARN?
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9-20-2009 @ 7:57PM
pahudhomes said...
Sooooooooooooooooo, do ya ever think the Cubbies and Indians will ever play each other in the World Series? Thanks Indians for Lee. Thanks Chicago for being the stiffs you really are. When's the next baseball you guys are going to blow up? HaHAHAhAhaHa. RAAAAUUUUULLLLLLLLLLLL!!! Oh yea thanks for Raul. These GM's are really a piece of work!
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9-21-2009 @ 12:01AM
Frank and Angela said...
Yay Phillies!
9-20-2009 @ 7:59PM
htc6600 said...
How much baggage does a player like Bradley have to have before some stupid GM decides he's too much of a risk? The Cubs deserve whatever they got with Bradley if they're that blind.
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9-20-2009 @ 8:09PM
Mike said...
Milton Bradley is a clubhouse cancer. The sooner GMs start realizing that is the day Bradley's career is over. His antics have been played out in Cleveland and that should have been the end of his career. But, no the (n)ever-reformed Bradley continues to get jobs in Oakland, Los Angeles (Dodgers), Texas, San Diego and Chicago (Cubs) and make millions of dollars. Nobody is that talented to have to put up with that crap. Nobody.
While it's a business (like all professional sports) that's built around winning, it cannot be winning at any cost. Guys like Bradley have to have a day of reckoning where owners and GMs have to take a pass. For cryin' out loud, get a kid in there who has the right attitude. Save a fortune and put a player out on the field that isn't embarrassing the franchise.
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9-20-2009 @ 8:22PM
BILL said...
HEY CHICAGO, YOU FINALLY GOT FED UP...
THATS WHAT YOU GET WHEN YOU GIVE MILLIONS TO AN UNEDUCATED MORON.
THE PEE WEE LEAGUE DOESN'T EVEN WANT HIM.
THE ONLY THING MILTON BRADLEY DOES RIGHT IS ACT LIKE A NO CLASS BABY. SO, GIVE HIM A FEW MORE MILLION, AND SEND HIM PACKING. MAYBE YOU'D BE BETTER WITH KANYE WEST, HE'S A REAL WINNER TOO...
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9-20-2009 @ 8:23PM
willienwaylonnme said...
Give him the option of coming back and playing, provided he first has to fight Lou Pinella. I say old Lou will whoop his whiney ass! Not a Cubs fan (Yankees), just a fan of Lou Pinella!
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9-22-2009 @ 1:19AM
Gere said...
Put it on pay-per-view & sign me up!!! I'm betting on Lou......Miltie will be too busy whining to put up a fight. Since they suspended him, they should also suspend the bonehead who thought it would be a good idea to sign him!!
9-20-2009 @ 8:49PM
nickcherryl said...
Watching ESPN baseball tonight and when they started talking about this thug Bradley, the poor little bro, I just about put my shoe in the T.V. when JOE MORGAN started taking his side, JOE you need to retire, the line this is the best black player of all time, saying this over and over you got no balls Joe.
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9-21-2009 @ 1:08AM
Gary said...
I agree with you nickcherry. Get rid of Bradley, and then Joe Morgan. Then we would have two useless people gone. Morgan is one of the worse announcers if not the worst. Than go to the NFL and listen to Cris Collingsworth, another worthless piece of crap. The Cubs need to make a lot better decisions. Bradley is nothing but a burden.
9-21-2009 @ 1:03PM
jdoctord said...
What happended to best friend Barry Bonds as the best black player? Joe Morgan and Jon need to be taken of Sunday night base ball and put some fresh people in their place. Philips can stay.
9-20-2009 @ 8:50PM
drlove999 said...
I thought Milton Bradley was a human piece of (excrement) when they signed him, and it's times like these I really hate being right. Then again, Everyone on the planet knew that, except it seems, for Jim Hendry. Dammit Jim!!!
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9-20-2009 @ 8:51PM
Wilson said...
Where did this guy come from the nut house? a person gets a real good break in life and what does he do, mess it up. There are guys out here who would love a break like Bradley. He must be nuts, and someday he will regret his every wrong.
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