Thursday, March 25, 2010

Milton Bradley, Mr. Misunderstood

Milton Bradley, the combustible former Dodger (2004-2005) hasn't even played a regular season game yet for the Mariners. Yes, he's already been ejected from two spring-training games. But according to an AP report, Bradley is simply the result of unfortunate typecasting as a malcontent:

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Many around baseball have a place for Milton Bradley: in a corner where angry meets trouble.

Bradley has no use for what anyone thinks. He claims his own place in the game.

"If I was a musician, I'd be Kanye West. If I was in the NBA, I'd be Ron Artest," the 31-year-old former Expo, Indian, Dodger, Athletic, Padre, Ranger and Cub said this week. "In baseball, they've got Milton Bradley. I'm that guy. You need people like me, so you can point your finger and go, 'There goes the bad guy." [...]

It's exactly what the Mariners hoped for when they traded for Bradley in December, shipping expensive and underperforming pitcher Carlos Silva to the Cubs in return.

The idea was that [teammate Ken] Griffey would help make Bradley feel at home. That would presumably make Bradley content enough to provide offensively challenged Seattle with the middle-of-the-order production from a left fielder it has needed since Raul Ibanez left for Philadelphia before the 2009 season.

So far, so good.

After weeks of watching Bradley do that for him, manager Don Wakamatsu is impressed and says Bradley will be Seattle's everyday left fielder.

That is, until he goes off and throws a water bottle at a Safeco Field fan. Or until he mouths a racial epithet to a beat reporter. Or wears out his welcome in his ninth major league franchise in 10 years.

The Dodgers tried to downplay all of Milton's missteps as well, but eventually there was just too much shit to sweep under the rug. By the time Bradley had gotten to Chicago, four years later, his half-life had...halved further. Anyone want to place a wager on how fast Bradley makes Seattle fans sleepless?

second photo: Slate

5 comments:

Greg Finley said...

My favorite part is definitely "the 31-year-old former Expo, Indian, Dodger, Athletic, Padre, Ranger and Cub."

Gagne's lucky glasses said...

In 25 years, Bradley will be known for three things:
1.)Tearing his ACL while throwing a temper tantrum after getting called our at first base
2.)That guy who had the same name as the board game maker
3.)Being the guy the Dodgers traded to Oakland to get "Hall of Famer" Andre Ethier

Kyle Baker said...

Why would any front office be willing to sign him?? Don't get it. It's not like he's Babe Ruth, and you have to take the good with the bad. He's an ok player with huge psychological issues who is GUARANTEED to have several blowups during the season and be a dark cloud over any clubhouse.

Why?

Hot stove - ouch!
Hot stove - ouch!
Hot stove - ouch!
Hot stove - ouch!

Josh S. said...

Milty, you're not a bad guy because people call you a bad guy. People call you a bad guy because YOU'RE A BAD GUY.

Eh, maybe he'll forget how many outs there are again. That could be fun.

Jason said...

@Josh S - That already happened. He claims the reason he got ejected the second time this spring is because he forgot how many outs there were left his bat near home plate since he figured he was heading out to the field anyway.