Milton Bradley - What Gives?

Well, it finally happened. The Cubs got tired of Milton Bradley and sent him home for the rest of the season. The suspension is probably without pay? The union will probably have to get involved with that. Apparently, Bradley said some negative things to the press about his time in Chicago. The Cubs called their decision: "Actions that were a detriment to the team." The whole thing just seems to be the final straw to what has been a long, unhealthy season for the Cubs and for Bradley. Certainly that has to be the case since a man has a right to say what's on his mind in this country, doesn't he?

Reed Johnson, Bradley's teammate, was quoted as saying that he couldn't understand how anyone could be unhappy playing in Chicago for great fans and a great organization. It's a good question. The Fan can add: And for good money. It seems that whatever chip Bradley has on his shoulder could be softened by the immense amount of money he makes performing his task. But that's now how it goes for Bradley. He's a, "me against the world," kind of guy and apparently, he hasn't grown out of it. He seems like the Carl Everett of today.

As the Fan has stated in this space before, when it seems that it is me against the world, some times the world may be right. Maybe Bradley got teased a lot as a kid with a board game company for a name. Who knows. But man, Milton, you are more fortunate than 99.9 percent of the people in the country to make the money you do playing this game that we all love. Shouldn't you get over it by now?

There are always two sides to a divorce and there has to be another side here to be fair to Bradley. After the Cubs made their decision, manager, Lou Pineilla, was quoted as stating that he supports the decision. The manager was also quoted as stating that he doesn't know what more he could have done to help Bradley." But come on. Pineilla probably chuckled after that interview and pumped his fist in the air in victory. Pineilla isn't exactly a teddy bear and that's probably part of the problem. The manager is prickly at the best of times and that intensity has been his salvation and his undoing during his long career as a player and a manager.

Of course, if Bradley had played better this year, a lot of his "sins" would have been more tolerated. But the Cubs have an out with this decision. The bad performance can be chocked up to Bradley's bad behavior instead of the real problem, which was that he was a bad fit for the Cubs in the first place and Hendry and his team made a terrible personnel decision. Hendry can be off the hook now since it's all Bradley's fault. Except that it isn't.

Ultimately, you do have to lay this at Milton Bradley's feet. He had a great opportunity to cash in on his successful run in Texas. He could have been a better teammate. He could have been more supportive of his team and more gracious in his struggles. He seems to be the kind of person that blames others for his problems and bites at every supposed slight. Sooner or later, you have to grow up and understand that fighting the world doesn't end up as a progressive strategy. Sooner or later, you have to enjoy simple things and find contentment where you can find it.

The Fan hopes that Milton Bradley can work it out as it's not too late. He doesn't want to end up like Carl Everett and spend the latter part of his career playing for Newark in the independent leagues. Who knows, maybe the Dodgers will take him. They already have Manny, Jeff Weaver and Vicente Padilla.