If there was any wonder whether the Cubs were going to trade Milton Bradley this offseason, it probably ended the night Lou Piniella was asked at the winter meetings what they were going to do with him and he said, “Look, ah-ah, he played 125 ah-ah, 130 games for us last year, ah-ah, he, ah-ah, look, we’re trying to trade him.”
We need to play poker with Lou sometime.
And so in the tradition of office Christmas parties all over the country, Jim Hendry of the Cubs and Jack Eyechart of the Mariners played a little “Yankee Swap” and gave each other hilariously overpaid baseball players.
The joke, of course is on the Mariners. For all of the great work they have done in the past 14 months putting that team together, they would have been far better off just waiving the awful, horrible, Carlos Silva instead of trading him and sending $6 million in cash to the Cubs for the biggest turd in the history of baseball turds.
For those of you who are upset that this is all the Cubs got for Bradley, you have no point. He could not come back. He should not have been brought back. Signing him was a huge mistake, giving him two years with an easy to achieve option year was an even bigger mistake.
He was not just a disappointing player, he was a soul-crushing acquisition. Every clubhouse has some assholes in it. In fact, some would argue you need an asshole or two to keep everybody on edge. But there’s a difference between being an asshole and being a sociopath, and there’s no question that Bradley was the latter, as well as the former.
It was evident, even from our comfy environs at home watching the team from a far last season, that Milton was a terrible fit for the Cubs, and Wrigley Field. He’s never done well with expectations, doesn’t like attention on anyone’s terms but his own, and only enhanced his reputation as someone who is upset when he goes 0-4 in a win, and could give a shit about the outcome when he goes 4-5 in a loss.
Not that we saw many of those 4-5’s.
In his first game as a Cub, the legendarily brittle Bradley hurt himself stepping on first base.
In his Wrigley Field debut he pinch hit and was thrown out of the game after taking a strike three on a full count.
He famously forgot how many outs there were in a game against the Twins and threw the ball into the stands before the inning had actually ended.
He lost several fly balls in the sun.
He was sent home early from a game against the White Sox after throwing his 1,245th temper tantrum of the season and his own manager called him a “piece of shit.”
He cried the next day when the manager apologized to him. Lou should apologize to us for apologizing to Milton when what he said wasn’t wrong in the first place.
Though he’d never driven in more than 77 runs in a season, the switch hitting Bradley was supposed to be the lefthanded hitting run producer the Cubs had lacked.
He hit .234 with a .764 OPS as a lefty batter. (Hint, that’s bad.)
He hit .118 in April, and .196 in September.
He did hit well in one spot in the order, 2nd, where he posted a .326/.421/.533/.954 in 92 at bats. But it was hard to commit to him near the top of the order because he seemed to always be battling a knee or leg injury.
For a guy who used to play center field with some real ability, he was a terrible outfielder. He took terrible routes to balls and often fielded flyballs completely flat footed.
The Cubs biggest fear in signing him was that he would get hurt, as he always has in the past, and they’d have to play long stretches of games without him.
Ironically, the reason his Cubs’ career imploded was likely that he never quite got hurt enough to go on the disabled list. He was always around.
Baseball is not a popularity contest, granted, but when easy-going teammates like Alfonso Soriano and E-ramis Ramirez rip a teammate, you know something is up.
His contract has not yet gotten Hendry fired, but it likely will, because in order to dump Bradley on another team and get some salary relief, the Cubs have acquired an astonishingly bad pitcher. Carlos Silva at his best was a study in mediocrity, and after signing a ludicrous four-year, $48 million deal before the 2008 season in Seattle he’s been even worse than that.
The Cubs best move might simply be to bring Silva to spring training, and if he looks like the same, old, awful Carlos, just release him and be grateful that getting him saved them roughly $6 million over two seasons.
With a little fiscal restraint last year, the Cubs might be sitting in a prime spot to sign a player like Jason Bay to play right field. Instead, they’re likely going to go dumpster diving for Marlon Byrd. Allow me to let you in on a little secret about Marlon.
He’s not very good.
And so it goes. The bad Bradley contract turns into the bad Silva contract, which probably leads to settling for overpaying on a guy like Marlon Byrd. When Jim Hendry is cleaning his office out after next season, he’ll have plenty of mistakes to look back on, but none more costly than the decision to double the money and add a third year to the best offer Bradley supposedly got last year.
You just wonder if Seattke has any idea what they’re getting into. Though maybe in a smaller market, on a team with a DH spot for him to share with Junior Griffey, Milton will go a few months before he goes batshit crazy? And maybe, because the Mariners had resigned themselves to having to eat Silva’s contract, they will just waive Milton when he acts up?
At this point, it’s about the only way to actually deal with him.
In an ideal world, the Cubs would have brought Milton back and let him bat second, where his ability to get on base (since he hits with little power and can no longer run, it’s pretty much his lone asset now), but there’s a problem with that. You’d have to have this horse’s ass on your team.
So he’s not the Cubs problem any longer.
Not that they have any shortage of problems.
Is it too early to say “Wait till next year (2011)”?
Damn, I was hoping the Cubs traded for Carlos Liston from Major League 3.
Just be thankful the scumbag is gone. Silva and Parisi can battle it out for the #7 starter spot, giving Lilly an extra day’s rest on the 32nd of each month.
Had more walks than strikeouts last year.
Great article Andy. I sent this to a few of my Seattle friends who thought exactly like we all did last offseason regarding Bradley. Mostly that he was managable.
Every team in the Bigs has to deal with one or two bad contracts every year. Guys who are way overpaid for their actual abilities on the field. Both Bradley and Silva qualify in this area. The difference being, Silva is not a Huge piece of “Cow Dung” like Bradley. Teammates, coaches and fans do not mind having him around. He is not a “clubhouse cancer” like Bradley either. Give Lou and Larry a chance and if the Cubs can get even minimal production out of Silva you are miles ahead on this one.
Maybe the Cubs can take some of the 6 million they are saving on this deal and use it towards Rick Ankiel and bringing Reed Johnson back instead of wasting $$ on Byrd. Although both Ankiel and Johnson had their troubles with injuries last year, splitting time with another bad contract named Fukudome doesn’t seem so bad.
When it comes right down to it the success of the Cubs 2010 season remains in their ability to keep guys healthy. Top five starters on opening day spent a combined 6 trips on the DL. Add to that extended time for Ramirez, Johnson, Soriano and Soto. It was only to Lou’s credit that they remained above .500 and finished 2nd in division. Keep those guys healthy and it would have been a run away.
The fact that Cubs were handcuffed by their ownership troubles did not allow them to answer moves made by the Cards in Holliday and DeRosa.
2010 already looks better with Bradley gone no matter how the remainder of the off-season goes.
alias the man o lantern
Who cares what you think you fucking phoney. Saying “Kap was very gracious, and made us all very comfortable” erased any credibility you ever had. And you censor any profanity, you fucking Durand hick pussy.
You talk so much shit, but you are a fucking sellout the minute a dipshit like Kaplan shows you any attention. You rip on him and his web site over and over until he has you on the radio and all of a sudden he is “gracious” to you. At least Yellon is honest about being a shill. He is still a god damn idiot, but he is who is he is. You and Bradt and Gitles are posers, and just pussies unless you are behind a keyboard.
If Kaplan made you change your mind, you don’t even go back to acknowledge all the shit you’ve talked about Kaplan and why you were wrong. No, you just say how “gracious” he was to you. I guess a fucking sellout like you is just happy to be on the big city radio instead of at your computer in the fucking sticks.
“Sullivan approved” says it all Dolan. He’s the worst god damn sportswriter in the city, but if he likes you he must be good, right? I wish I would have known your true colors before I spent any time reading your site.
You are a fucking joke.
“A former fan” has been dying to write that post since me.
A former fan, you have been banned from Desipio Media Ventures Inc.
You can browse the board, but you can’t participate.
Unfortunately 2004 I didn’t know then that Dolan really was just Yellon in disguise.
I really wish Former Fan would express himself openly. Keeping that stuff bottled up can’t be healthy.
Your therapist says you really should talk more about me. Go ahead. Blame me.
Maybe if I act like I don’t care nobody will notice that this Former Fan asshole is right about me.
Back to my chat session with Kaplan! He’s so dreamy!
So when did Andy sell out exactly? Oh and words have been blanked out on this site for a while.
I’ve been reading this blog for about 8 years now, this is still the best Cubs/Chicago Sports related blog and message board.
Well except maybe Kermits… They should fight. Oh wait he probably sold out too.
Dolan loved to make fun of my lithping announcing until he unveiled his own lithpy voice on the podcasts. Since, he’s kind of shut up about my lithp.
Addition by subtraction and other goofy sports cliches
I just felt compelled to note that I am still on here; ergo, I am not a Former Fan. Sure, I wish I coulda went to WGN the other night; but I’m happy to see some of ours up there.
I’m happenin’
Boy, that escalated quickly… I mean, that really got out of hand fast.
your mom’s a former fan.
“Missed It” is right. Andy has never said anything bad about Kaplan before he happily went on Kaplan’s WGN show.
Andy never said “Comcast SportsNet is convinced that giving half-wits like Mike North and Dave Kaplan a combined four hours of airtime a day is a good idea”.
Andy never said “weaselly little Dave Kaplan”.
Neither Andy or Bradt ever said anything bad about Kaplan before they leapt at the chance to be on his show and promote the hell out of that show except for putting a god damn ad on BCB to tell everyone about it. Neither one ever stated what a tool they thought Kaplan was up until that show, and talked about their new buddy who wants to have them back. The Dolan worshippers like Missed It don’t have time to worry about that.
Missed It says Dolan has the “best Cubs/Chicago Sports related blog and message board”. Missed It must love Yellon too.
can I boo Carlos Silva on the rain/snowfilled day opening day? Or do I have to wait three starts of him sucking to start booing him?
How exactly does “Kap was very gracious, and made us all very comfortable” translate to Dolan kissing Kaplan’s ass and selling out?
Yea Andy did all that before, and what he has released one blog since they went on the show? Because he didn’t completely rip on Kap in this post he is a tool now? I remember the days when this place didn’t focus on the media and just focused on the teams. Maybe now it will go back to that, it was a lot better than anyways.
Wait, maybe you would have been happier if this happened.
“Silva to Cub…..nah fuck that, Kap is a pig faced fuck that sucks dicks”
-by Andy
Hey Kap sucks. He showed some good sportsmanship by giving me a little air time and being nice about it, but fuck him and his face. Who gives a shit about what is going on with the Cubs. Desipio is solely about making fun of Kap every single sentence, because I aint no sell out. Kap sucks. *Inset witty Kap joke*. *Insert another one*.
Comments:
Former Fan says:
Great post, keep on sticking it to Kap, that little pumpkin pie haircutted freak!
Yes, Missed It, you are right. Dolan is free to say whatever he wants whenever he wants. He should be held to no standards of consistency.
If Andy had not frequently gone to Kap’s site to rip on him, you would be right. But he did. And he decided to take on Kap on his own site.
Because of that, Dolan’s giggling like a schoolgirl with Kap on the radio was hypocritical. If he acknowledged that he had changed his opinion that would be fine. Or he could say that WGN was not the right forum to tell Kap he is a moron. He has not done either of those. His recap of the show just fawned over him.
That is what makes him a phoney, and you know it Missed It. Your rambling post does not address the simple point that Dolan has criticized Kap mercilessly until invited on Kap’s show.
At the end of the day, Dolan and Bradt are both just Yellons. At least that dumbass Yellon is honest about being an attention whore.
Missed It, please ignore this and just make another rambling defense. Baloney sandwich joke! NSBB are mouthbreathers! Dolan!!!!!!
I’m really enjoying this influx of new assholes after the radio appearance.
I don’t mind, really, I just fear that they’ll lose their Interwebs privileges in juvey.
Dude, you need to grow up. What are you 5? Seriously, since when did desipio become about Andy vs. Kap? I made this point already, why do you choose to ignore that? If Andy is such a sellout why are you still here?
Eh, I like 95% of Andy’s posts and agree with roughly the same amount, but his Dave Kaplan article post-WGN appearance was nothing short of a mash note. And that posting came off as sanctimonious because he has devoted significant bytes of data ripping the bald little butt plug on this very site and the messageboards. For that reason, the “hey, whatta swell guy” was incongruent to previous postings raking twerpy Dave Kaplan over the coals (righteously). It would be tantamount to Andy running down Phil Rodgers once again (deservedly, of course), and then turning around and talking about how gracious Phil was to offer up his column space for a guest editorial by Andy.
Once you start ripping a guy, you gotta stay on that track until you do a public reversal and admit your mistake or at least call yourself out for being in error. To begin to backtrack without some context is jarring, sanctimonious, and–yeah–phony. It’s like reading one of Sports Guy’s Vegas articles and seeing through his attempts to come off as a regular “just-like-you” guy while dropping $10,000 in a three-day weekend is no big deal.
I see why the knives are out for Andy, and he probably should be checked on this. Still, I’ll hold my nose on this one for the other 95% of the site that is a good read and valued.
I have tremendous respect for Andy and this blog, as it is the best Cubs blog in my opinion. With that said, the reversal on Kaplan was very surprising. I admit that I was initially disappointed by the apparent reversal in thinking on Andy’s part, but believe I understand why. At the end of the day, Kaplan invited Andy on his show and treated him with the upmost respect while he was there. How many of us could honestly say we wouldn’t have a different opinion of Kaplan if put in the same situation?
I trust that the next time Kaplan goes off the deep end with an opinion (which is a matter of when, not if), Andy will call him out on it.
Since Andy is getting called out left and right now, I think Andy can settle this right now by telling his blog how he currently feels about Kap. Just post it here on the comments. Is Kap still a douche, is he a douche but less of one that you thought, or is he now an incredibly insightful member of the Chicago media?
Let’s hear it once and for all
Oh, he’s still a douche.
I’m a little surprised that the fact that he was cordial to us on the radio was supposed to be followed by me going into a red-faced (or orange faced) rant about how much he sucks as a blogger.
If we had talked about his blog, or about how smart he thinks Steve Stone is, I would have gone into it. But we didn’t.
I knew going in that Kap is a very nice guy, I know several people who know him and that’s the one thing they all agree on. They don’t agree with his takes on a lot of things, and they all think he’s too eager to believe what he’s told by people in perceived positions of authority in Chicago sports (Crane Kenney, Stone, etc.) And that’s what we make fun of. That’s not going to change.
But I it would have been kind of pathetic for me to have gone on that show looking to pick a fight. What was that going to prove? That I can be a bigger asshole than just about anybody else? Hell, I’ve already proven that.
He asked the questions, and I answered them. If you think I was duped into submission, that’s your right. Even if it’s wrong.