Too Close for Comfort

By Matt Motyka in News on Apr 17, 2009 4:22PM

To be polite, it was a debatable called third strike that sat Milton Bradley with bases loaded in a tied ballgame yesterday. And debate Bradley did. After being rung up on an inside curveball, Bradley erupted in objection and swiftly got the boot from home-plate umpire Larry Vanover. What we couldn't see from our seat in the press box (err, our friend's couch) is that Bradley may have grazed Vanover while jawing at him. According to the Tribune, second-base ump Dan Iassogna indicated that a report is being filed with the Commissioner's Office for “contact.” If the Commish sides with Vanover, Bradley could be facing a suspension, which would add another bump in the road to Bradley's sluggish start in Chicago. Bradley has already missed time with a groin injury and is now one for 18 at the plate with five walks and two HBP. While it's still a little early to sweat that $30 million contract, the good news for Cubbies fans is that Kosuke Fukudome and Reed Johnson have been lights out thus far, hitting .375 and .385, respectively.