The Chicago Tribune's Paul Sullivan is reporting that, after flying out in the sixth inning against the White Sox Friday, Milton Bradley was involved in a verbal altercation with Cubs' manager Lou Piniella.
Bradley was replaced in right field by Ryan Freel in the bottom half of the inning, and was reportedly seen leaving US Cellular Field in street clothes before the ninth inning.
So not only is Bradley not hitting anything, or driving in any runs for his $10 million-plus salary, but now the inevitable has happened.
Bradley claimed to be a "changed man" in Spring training, claiming that he had been inaccurately portrayed by the media as a "bad guy."
Editorial aside: Guess what Milton—you're a trainwreck. You've done this everywhere you've been, which is precisely why you haven't last in one city for more than one season yet in your career. You're a headcase, and you deserve to be sent home for good.
In his postgame press conference, Piniella said he exchanged words with Bradley after he threw his helmet and damaged a water cooler after his fly out a la Carlos Zambrano. Piniella apparently doesn't want to see the players hitting stuff in the dugout instead of baseballs, so he told Bradley to go home.
After that, Piniella said he followed Bradley up the tunnel to the clubhouse where they exchanged additional words.
It might be time for the Cubs to consider Piniella's solution to Friday's altercation as a permanent resolution in right field.
While the pending sale of the team would likely handicap Cubs' General Manager Jim Hendry more than he already is around the trade deadline, Bradley has displayed nothing to lead anyone to believe he is anything more than a clubhouse cancer at this stage of the season.
The Cubs need to make a decision about their immediate and long-term future.
There are impressionable youngsters on the Cubs roster right now, like Andres Blanco, Jake Fox, Micah Hoffpauir, and others that don't need to see a $12 million baby pout every day.
As long as Bradley's on the roster, Piniella will be forced to play him. At this point, Bradley hasn't earned at bats, or respect, with this Cubs team.
- Login to post comments