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Embattled Cubs outfielder Milton Bradley tried to improve a very bad situation on Wednesday, by issuing a formal apology through his agents. Bradley also dropped his union grievance over the suspension on Wednesday, when the Cubs agreed to suspend him with pay -- meaning he'll earn about $400,000 while sitting at home (waaaaaaaaaaaaay more than what Marcus makes by blogging in his underwear from a basement).
In his apology letter, Bradley said that he had chosen the Cubs because he wanted to bring a championship to their fans, but that he'd been disappointed by his play and that of the team. That led to his misbehavior.
My frustration and disappointment boiled over and I said and did certain things that I regret. In hindsight, I wish that I handled certain things differently and I apologize for those things that did not work out for the better.
Technically, Bradley's still under contract with the Cubs for two more years, and they owe him $21 million. But both sense that it's "game over" for MB in Cubbie blue. In Bradley's statement he said, "The air has been cleared and we all want to move on and look forward to better days." Meanwhile, GM Jim Hendry is also looking forward to better days, "We'll worry about next season when this season is over." And surely, his first order of business will be to try and trade Bradley for whatever he can get. Of course, that's only if he remains in his job. Given the Ricketts' takeover, and Hendry's mixed track record, perhaps he's one of the first to go. The Trib's Rick Morrissey believes he deserves another shot, but we're not so sure.
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The Morrissey article can be summed up with these lines: "Bradley proved to be a poison who at the outset presented himself in sugary lozenge form. Hendry fell for the packaging. So did I." This is to say, Hendry and Morrissey smoke the same kind of crack.
Yes, good things happened for the Cubs the last couple of years, but they happened despite Hendry, not because of him. Hendry then looked at his good fortune and decided to gut it. I said it at the time, and I'll say it now, the problems you might have with a 97-win team that blows a playoff series aren't problems you fix in the off-season. You stick with the team that won for the long haul, then start looking for a playoff fix come August.
The best thing that could happen for the Cubs would be that Hendry's career come to the end.
I'm glad someone else thinks Hendry should go. Hendry, how about you try to trade MB for Mark DeRosa, I hear he's good.
Also, does MB (or his agent) think that anyone buys his apology? The guy that ranted on about racist Cubs fans, etc didn't draft that apology letter -- I'm not convinced he could read it if it were in front of him (MB, does that make me racist?). His agent clearly wrote that so that someone might take a chance on him next year. I'm hoping some rookie league team picks up his contract and tries to teach this SOB some manners!
Word on the street is that Hendry's around for at least another year. Personally, I'd give him the boot.
I don't get the anti-Hendry sentiment. Yes, there have been bad moves, especially this season with Gregg and Bradley--but there have been three trips to the postseason in his 8-season tenure compared with 3 in the previous 57 seasons before that.
And it's not just because of the money he had access to--there were plenty of well-funded, crappy teams between 89 and 02.
He got A-Ram for a song, D-Lee, Lilly, Dempster, etc. He overpaid for Soriano but the guy was the key to 2 very good clubs in 07 and 08, who had the capability to make long playoff runs but simply froze up. Not Hendry's fault. And the problems this year have much more to do with injuries and lack of production from Soriano and Soto than the bad offseason moves.
On the whole I'd give him a B, and would certainly take him over any of the post Dallas Green GMs.
What??????????? How about the fact that the team can’t add on to payroll anymore because of all these back-loaded contracts? How about giving out no-trade clauses to six players? How about drafting Tyler Colvin in first round? How about giving Jeff Smardiza a top 5 draft pick bonus money? Or giving Miles a two year deal most teams offered him one year deal? What about bidding against himself on Soriano, Bobby Howry, Milton Bradley (the Rays offered him two years at most), Scott Eyre? When is the last time he drafted a position player who is playing in the majors? How can you trade for a closer who gave up the most home runs last year (who is also a fly ball pitcher to pitch at Wrigley)? How can you give Zambrano ace money when he’s really not an ace?