A "Beltran" like CFer for Garland?

[beck72]

And... ??

You said he was drinking. I didn't see that part

[southsider2k5]

Roberto and Carl had some baggage and the sox got them in '03 and '04. Albeit both were older and "over" their youthful transgressions.  :rolly

I am going to nitpick a little right here. I don't ever recall either Alomar or Everett having legal problems. Roberto made a split second stupid decesion when he spit on that ump. Ever since that moment he has done everything possible to make up for it. He apologized to everyone and his brother, and has even become personal friends with the ump. Nothing has happened since.

 

Everett was the victim of the Red Sox hatchett job to discredit him. Nothing has happened since he left beantown.

 

Bradley is establishing a pattern of public behavior that is dangerous and potentially scary.

[hammerhead johnson]

Bradley is establishing a pattern of public behavior that is dangerous and potentially scary.

Something is wrong when you hit over .320 with a 930 OPS for an Indians team that is rebuilding & they can't wait to get rid of you.

 

Beck, you're a much smarter baseball man than I could ever hope to be, but Milton is a lost cause.

[beck72]

Something is wrong when you hit over .320 with a 930 OPS for an Indians team that is rebuilding & they can't wait to get rid of you. 

 

Beck, you're a much smarter baseball man than I could ever hope to be, but Milton is a lost cause.

Even without knowing all of Bradley's problems, I can understand why a young club like Cle. would get rid of Bradley. Young players can be easily misled/ influenced/ have their play affected by a personality around them.

 

I've only said that the sox with the vets they have, could handle a few distractions, as long as Bradley's problems weren't that bad. I don;t know the full extent of his issues. I don't think anyone on this board does. But before everyone labels Bradley the next Artest / potential serial killer we need to know more. I don;t think he'll be getting any citizen of the yr awards anytime soon. I'm not stupid. But I also know that society in general likes to write off people who've gotten into trouble. I also know and have worked with those "lost causes" who have turned their lives around are among the most loyal and hardest working people on the planet, and are extremely grateful and appreciative to those who helped them when they were down. They'd give their lives to those who stuck with them and believed in them when no one else did. I don't know enough about Bradley to consider him a lost cause or not

 

If the sox could help Bradley, and he turned things around, w/ his talent, the organ. could only benefit. If he had problems, it's a short term, inexpensive attempt to build a better team and life goes on.

[Guest JimH]

Even without knowing all of Bradley's problems, I can understand why a young club like Cle. would get rid of Bradley. Young players can be easily misled/ influenced/ have their play affected by a personality around them.

 

I've only said that the sox with the vets they have, could handle a few distractions, as long as Bradley's problems weren't that bad. I don;t know the full extent of his issues. I don't think anyone on this board does. But before everyone labels Bradley the next Artest / potential serial killer we need to know more. I don;t think he'll be getting any citizen of the yr awards anytime soon. I'm not stupid. But I also know that society in general likes to write off people who've gotten into trouble. I also know and have worked with those "lost causes" who have turned their lives around are among the most loyal and hardest working people on the planet, and are extremely grateful and appreciative to those who helped them when they were down. They'd give their lives to those who stuck with them and believed in them when no one else did. I don't know enough about Bradley to consider him a lost cause or not

 

If the sox could help Bradley, and he turned things around, w/ his talent, the organ. could only benefit. If he had problems, it's a short term, inexpensive attempt to build a better team and life goes on.

As an aside, I don't think society is quick to write people off who have had problems. Certain media people maybe, but our society tends to be very forgiving, especially for athletes. I too have had similar experiences from working and helping troubled individuals from 15 years in HR

 

It's very likely the White Sox want their veterans to focus on the task at hand, i.e. production, vs. bringing a potentially volatile situation into the clubhouse. The Alomar and Everett situations are drastically different, and KW went out of his way to check their background and state as such.

 

At this point, given this last incident, I don't think the Sox would take him for free, nor should they. IMO.

[beck72]

I am going to nitpick a little right here.  I don't ever recall either Alomar or Everett having legal problems.  Roberto made a split second stupid decesion when he spit on that ump.  Ever since that moment he has done everything possible to make up for it.  He apologized to everyone and his brother, and has even become personal friends with the ump.  Nothing has happened since.

 

Everett was the victim of the Red Sox hatchett job to discredit him.  Nothing has happened since he left beantown.

 

Bradley is establishing a pattern of public behavior that is dangerous and potentially scary.

If I'm not mistaken, this is the 1st of Bradley's legal problems. A weird situation but one that has info just coming out.

 

As far as on the field antics, how do the brawls, players throwing bats and helmets on the field, the chair throwing incident, the players going into the stands, compare with Bradley's? I don't know how much coverage these incidents have received compared w/ Bradley's negative press. I will suggest some things are overlooked on the field by the media [such as Clemens' throwing of the broken bat at Piazza, where Piazza could easily of been seriously hurt]. Is it a dangerous pattern? Hard to tell. Like I've said all along, I don't know the full extent of his problems. But, IMO, he shouldn't be written off as unsalvageable just yet.

[Guest JimH]

If I'm not mistaken, this is the 1st of Bradley's legal problems. A weird situation but one that has info just coming out.

 

As far as on the field antics, how do the brawls, players throwing bats and helmets on the field, the chair throwing incident, the players going into the stands, compare with Bradley's? I don't know how much coverage these incidents have received compared w/ Bradley's negative press. I will suggest some things are overlooked on the field by the media [such as Clemens' throwing of the broken bat at Piazza, where Piazza could easily of been seriously hurt]. Is it a dangerous pattern? Hard to tell. Like I've said all along, I don't know the full extent of his problems. But, IMO, he shouldn't be written off as unsalvageable just yet.

Yes, I agree we (none of us) know the extent of his problems and we're all basically whistling in the dark here.

 

My guess is the Cleveland Indians had a better idea, and they wanted to rid themselves of him badly.

 

If I recall correctly, Bradley is from Los Angeles and the Dodgers felt being at home would be a positive influence. On the surface anyways ... I guess not.

 

He is a young man and I hope he turns it around because he's a talent.

[Steff]

If I'm not mistaken, this is the 1st of Bradley's legal problems.

You're mistaken.

 

 

From the article posted in this very thread.. which you apparently missed..

 

"In February, Bradley was sentenced to three days in jail for driving away from police after being stopped for speeding in the Akron suburb of Cuyahoga Falls. In 2001, he was taken to a hospital by emergency medical workers after refusing to leave a restaurant because he was drunk. "

[beck72]

As an aside, I don't think society is quick to write people off who have had problems.  Certain media people maybe, but our society tends to be very forgiving, especially for athletes.  I too have had similar experiences from working and helping troubled individuals from 15 years in HR

 

It's very likely the White Sox want their veterans to focus on the task at hand, i.e. production, vs. bringing a potentially volatile situation into the clubhouse.  The Alomar and Everett situations are drastically different, and KW went out of his way to check their background and state as such.

 

At this point, given this last incident, I don't think the Sox would take him for free, nor should they.  IMO.

I agree some pro athletes are too easily forgiven [esp in the NBA, where the PR flacks hide all the dope and whoring around].

 

Yet on the flip side, all the media stories make our eyes roll. We see another misfit pro athlete who can't stay out of trouble despite having all that money. Yet we write them off. Yet even these guys have problems. As long as they are willing to work on their issues, they should be helped. In Bradleys case, the sox could help him and he could help them.

 

No doubt some team will seek to capitalize on the situation w/o trying the help Bradley, exploiting the guy by trying to keep a lid on his antics. The Sox, IMO, have some personnel who could help the guy w/o getting caught up in his problems [whatever they are, they should be researched fully as well]

[beck72]

You're mistaken.

 

 

From the article posted in this very thread.. which you apparently missed..

 

"In February, Bradley was sentenced to three days in jail for driving away from police after being stopped for speeding in the Akron suburb of Cuyahoga Falls. In 2001, he was taken to a hospital by emergency medical workers after refusing to leave a restaurant because he was drunk. "

I thought you were talking about the current incident in Clev. BTW-I didn't call you out. I just asked where you got it from. Some people like to make statements about real people not backed up by fact. Sorry if I'm a little skeptical believing everyone's words over the internet

[beck72]

He is a young man and I hope he turns it around because he's a talent.

Agreed. A much more thoughtful response than calling him a jackass and throwing him on the scrapheap. With age comes experience, huh

[Rex Hudler]

Even without knowing all of Bradley's problems, I can understand why a young club like Cle. would get rid of Bradley. Young players can be easily misled/ influenced/ have their play affected by a personality around them.

 

I've only said that the sox with the vets they have, could handle a few distractions, as long as Bradley's problems weren't that bad. I don;t know the full extent of his issues. I don't think anyone on this board does. But before everyone labels Bradley the next Artest / potential serial killer we need to know more. I don;t think he'll be getting any citizen of the yr awards anytime soon. I'm not stupid. But I also know that society in general likes to write off people who've gotten into trouble. I also know and have worked with those "lost causes" who have turned their lives around are among the most loyal and hardest working people on the planet, and are extremely grateful and appreciative to those who helped them when they were down. They'd give their lives to those who stuck with them and believed in them when no one else did. I don't know enough about Bradley to consider him a lost cause or not

 

If the sox could help Bradley, and he turned things around, w/ his talent, the organ. could only benefit. If he had problems, it's a short term, inexpensive attempt to build a better team and life goes on.

Personally I think the Sox would be better off staying away from Bradley AND getting rid of some of their vets, but that is another story.

 

Beck, I see your point. I just don't think the Sox need to be messing with dynamite. I think they have a volatile enough of a clubhouse as it is. I think you are pretty much alone on this one.

 

 

Here is a story about Bradley and his life. Looks like Burks and Lawton tried to help him, but it obviously didn't work out, since Cleveland later auctioned him off to the first bidder.

 

Bradley knows only one way - the hard way

[WSFAN35]

I believe that if Bradley were to come to the Sox, he would have some positive black leadership (Thomas, Everett, Baines) to watch over him and keep him stable. Maybe it would work, maybe it wouldn't, but if the deal is right, I think he's worth taking a chance on.

[hammerhead johnson]

In one game against Texas this May, he ran the full gamut that is Milton Bradley. On the plus side, he had two hard singles, a stolen base and a killer slide to break up a double play and help keep a four-run rally going. Then again, after one strikeout he walked back so slowly that the next hitter was in the batter's box before he reached the dugout. And after working one walk he flipped the bat in a cocky manner before sauntering to first and snapping off his batting gloves, a move that already bears his signature and has drawn ire from several opponents -- particularly Lo Duca, who suggested that such antics are "going to get (him) killed."

 

Paul LoDuca

[YASNY]

From today's LA Times:

 

 

I talked to Dodger outfielder Milton Bradley on Tuesday.

 

I got the full conflicting treatment. I got the Milton Bradley that I like, smart and engaging, and the Milton Bradley, handcuffed and arrested on the edge of throwing away his baseball career, who thinks everyone is out to get him, especially the police, umpires and the media.

 

I got the Milton Bradley who said, "I don't have an anger-management problem," and the Milton Bradley who told me 10 minutes later that he not only had an anger-management problem and spoke regularly to a counselor, but that it was something he'd have to work on for "months and years."

 

I got the Milton Bradley who always has an excuse for losing control of his emotions, and the Milton Bradley who becomes upset when told the obvious: "You cannot put yourself in the position ever again where you're singled out for causing a problem."

 

Mt. Bradley's testy response: "This is what irritates the hell out of me — you explaining to me that I can't do that. I know that. I don't need you to tell me that. You're the last person I really care about. I listen to my mother or someone close to me — not an average journalist in the paper."

 

And we get along. He agreed to talk with me, and apparently no one else, because we've had these little chats periodically and I was the first to ask him why he's such a jerk at times. I told him Tuesday I thought he was a "dunderhead" for interfering with the police in Ohio, and he said, "I do too."

 

A few minutes earlier, he had described himself in almost noble terms, defending himself and explaining why he had gotten into the hassle with the police.

 

At one moment he's agreeable to being called a dunderhead, the next he's defiant in explaining why everyone has him all wrong. "The perfect imperfection," as Bradley described himself.

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

BY NOW, it's pretty well documented that Bradley has been bedeviled by his emotions. The latest incident occurred last week in Ohio after a traffic stop. Bradley said a female friend of his was riding as a passenger in the car behind him, which had been stopped by the police.

 

Copley Township Police Chief Michael Mier said the woman had been driving the car when stopped by one of his officers.

 

"There was one female in the car, by herself," Mier said in disputing the story Bradley had told the Dodgers.

 

Everyone agrees the woman had been drinking. Bradley said that she was a Columbia Law School student, a friend, and that he didn't want her to get in trouble and jeopardize her future. So he got out of his car to help.

 

"I came out with my arms outstretched to show the cops they didn't need to pull their weapons or anything like that, and I yelled, because I was 30 yards away, it was raining and there were cars whizzing by," he said. "The cop told me to get back in the car, and I didn't get in the car.

 

"I should have gotten back in the car; I know that," he said, the human teeter-totter leaning toward repentance this time. "But I didn't lose my cool. It was a very calculated scheme on my part. I had a friend, and she needed help. You help out a friend, regardless of the consequences."

 

Mier said Bradley used obscenity and "was somewhat challenging as he got closer" to the officer.

 

Bradley said, "I didn't break any law." And yes, he said, he told the officer to go ahead and arrest him. "Why not?"

 

I tried answering his stupid question, but he didn't want to hear it.

 

"I told him to arrest me," he said, "and you might think that's the dumbest thing, but it let me get my friend out of trouble. And it did."

 

He said he was heroic that night, while everyone else reading the newspaper was reminded of the ticking bomb playing for the Dodgers.

 

"There really shouldn't have been any headlines, because it was so ridiculously minor," he said. "I was speaking up as Milton Bradley, a friend, and not Milton Bradley the baseball player. My friends will be there long after baseball, and that's what is important to me.

 

"Morally, I don't believe I did wrong. Legally, I did the wrong thing."

 

Bradley said he would not have to appear in court — he will be represented by counsel — and all he must do is pay a small fine. The police did not believe the woman was intoxicated, and so she was not charged.

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

IF IT had been anyone else, it probably would have been treated as something ridiculously minor, but it's Bradley, a tightly wound stick of Dodger dynamite, who every once in a while explodes.

 

"Who is my anger hurting?" he asked. "Don't put me in the Ron Artest category or the Mike Tyson category. I was playing poker the other night with Marty McSorley, and I don't hit people over the head with a stick. Those are serious problems, biting people and running into the stands.

 

"I consider the things I do that are wrong — not on that level. Artest was out of control; I showed restraint [in throwing the bottle to the ground in the stands]. Never in my life have I gotten into a physical altercation with anyone. Never in my life have I harmed someone. My anger is a completely different type. It's not directed toward someone."

 

He makes it sound, more often than not, that he doesn't have a problem, because the battle is to move forward and anything else is surrender.

 

"That's the way it is," he said. "That's how I live my life. I've risen above and beyond expectations, coming from where I come from and what I've gone through. I'm not supposed to be where I'm at, but I'm here."

 

But for how much longer?

 

"I'm going to live my life the way I want and not by any guidelines or what the moral majority might want," he said, the human teeter-totter this time tilting toward defiance. "I'm my own person. If it's not meant for me to play baseball, whether I bring it on myself or it's brought onto me, OK. I feel there's something ultimately in God's plan that is bigger or better for me to do to help people. I don't look at myself as a major league baseball player. I look at Milton Bradley as the man."

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

BRADLEY SAID he met regularly with a counselor, who might want to schedule a few extra sessions after the Ohio incident.

 

"What I do is talk to a guy and go over every incident," he said. "I tell a lot of stories and talk about anything that's bothering me. There are a lot of things going on in my private life. I talk about my dad and his temper, and my family and their tempers. It's in my genes. So far, that's all I've done, is talk to a guy for an hour, and then he comments on what I told him.

 

"It gets into my head, and eventually it's going to somehow make my brain go the other way when I get into trouble."

 

Bradley said he'd sought counseling on his own earlier in his career but was told, " 'You reacted the way more than 50% of the people would have reacted in those situations,' and so I was thinking I didn't have a problem."

 

Apparently, he still feels that way most of the time. He said the umpires have him all wrong. He said they purposely antagonize him, bait him and "just come off the wall with something" to get him upset.

 

"They poke and poke and poke at me because they can," he said.

 

He said the media, the majority of the media, had him all wrong.

 

"They come up to you like smiling friends and then bash you in the paper," he said.

 

Everybody seems out to get him: "If I didn't play baseball, no one would be saying I have an anger-management problem."

 

He might have a chance to find out if he persists in getting in trouble. Cleveland dumped him. So far, the Dodgers are sticking behind Bradley.

 

"In the past year or two, I've gone away from the church," he said. "The first 18 years, I was in church every Sunday with my mother. I started getting into pro ball and I didn't want to go to church anymore. I've gotten away from that Christian background and upbringing that got me this far, and God might be using these police, umpires and media people to get focused back on me and the Lord."

 

The full conflicting Milton Bradley treatment can be exhausting and frustrating until he volunteers the obvious:

 

"A regular average guy doesn't get into the problems I get into all the time. It's something [i must] be doing."

 

No kidding.

[Chisoxfn]

After Bradley's latest incident he'd be available pretty cheap, especially if the rumors are true that a package with Rhodes and some others could land him (that would be a deal with the Pirates).

 

I'll say this, Bradley the player would be an awesome fit in this lineup. Bradley the person would not and I don't know whether it would be worth it. Tracy didn't seem to have much of a problem with him and he played hard for the most part in LA. He talks about how he wants to get rid of his old image though so their are signs for improvement, but then he went out and pulled his latest stunt.

[beck72]

Thank you guys for the links. this is the info that's appreciated. The "he's a drunk" and a "jackass" certainly aren't much help. Bradley is probably too much work for the sox. Even at this time when the sox are lacking in the young talent dept, and have a gaping hole at the top of the lineup. I still think the Sox need a leadoff/ #2 type hitter with the talent of a Bradley, just not the problems.

[Chisoxfn]

Thank you guys for the links. this is the info that's appreciated. The "he's a drunk" and a "jackass" certainly aren't much help. Bradley is probably too much work for the sox. Even at this time when the sox are lacking in the young talent dept, and have a gaping hole at the top of the lineup. I still think the Sox need a leadoff/ #2 type hitter with the talent of a Bradley, just not the problems.

Personally I'd stick Bradley in the 3 hole. He's got good power, can hit for average and has is an OBP guy.

 

He'd put up fantastic numbers at the cell. The question is how much of a problem is he really. Usually I take the medias reports for clubhouse problems with a grain of salt. Everett was supposed to be a pain in the ass and he's fit in well with the Sox (clubhouse wise) or at least thats what your led to believe.

 

Frank is made out as a real asshole and I don't know how he is in the clubhouse, but he's a nice guy.

[hammerhead johnson]

Thank you guys for the links. this is the info that's appreciated. The "he's a drunk" and a "jackass" certainly aren't much help. Bradley is probably too much work for the sox. Even at this time when the sox are lacking in the young talent dept, and have a gaping hole at the top of the lineup. I still think the Sox need a leadoff/ #2 type hitter with the talent of a Bradley, just not the problems.

You're conceding that Bradley has too many problems for the Sox to take him on. Doesn't that in itself make the guy a jackass?

 

Because that's twice now that you've mentioned my use of the word jackass to describe Milton. I think you chalked it up to lack of maturity or some such.

[beck72]

You're conceding that Bradley has too many problems for the Sox to take him on.  Doesn't that in itself make the guy a jackass? 

 

Because that's twice now that you've mentioned my use of the word jackass to describe Milton.  I think you chalked it up to lack of maturity or some such.

If you posted info on him like others have done, then you at least would have a basis to say, "he's a jackass". Sorry if I don't take someone's word that a baseball player/ human being is a jackass without a little more info to go on.

 

Like Jim H said, he's a young man w/ problems--problems that are prob. too severe for the sox to take the time and effort on helping him with. So no, I don't think he's a jackass. [Artest? now he's a jackass]

[Rex Hudler]

Personally I'd stick Bradley in the 3 hole.  He's got good power, can hit for average and has is an OBP guy.

 

He'd put up fantastic numbers at the cell.  The question is how much of a problem is he really.  Usually I take the medias reports for clubhouse problems with a grain of salt.  Everett was supposed to be a pain in the ass and he's fit in well with the Sox (clubhouse wise) or at least thats what your led to believe. 

 

Frank is made out as a real asshole and I don't know how he is in the clubhouse, but he's a nice guy.

Jason, one of these days I am going to get you to see the wisdom of staying away from players like Bradley and Guillen. As you get older, I think you will see the light. Until then, I will keep hammering away, hoping you will see how these guys are/can be destructive influences on a team.

[WSFAN35]

Jason, one of these days I am going to get you to see the wisdom of staying away from players like Bradley and Guillen.  As you get older, I think you will see the light.  Until then, I will keep hammering away, hoping you will see how these guys are/can be destructive influences on a team.

Bradley doesn't have to be a bad influence on the team if the team is a positive influence on him. I've posted it before, and I'll post it again, strong black leadership (Thomas, Everett, Baines) could keep him in line. I strongly believe he's worth taking a chance on, especially if LA is adamant to get rid of him.

[Rex Hudler]

Bradley doesn't have to be a bad influence on the team if the team is a positive influence on him.  I've posted it before, and I'll post it again, strong black leadership (Thomas, Everett, Baines) could keep him in line.  I strongly believe he's worth taking a chance on, especially if LA is adamant to get rid of him.

What makes you assume that Frank, Carl and Harold would provide "strong black leadership"? The guy has problems. Players before such as Ellis Burks and Matt Lawton have reached out to him to no avail.

 

Thinking the White Sox have the solution for this guy is very naive.

[YASNY]

I just know that while reading that interview from the LA Times, it seemed that part of those quotes came from Bradley, another part was from Milton. I don't know who was speaking for the last third of them.

 

This young man does have his share of problems and his emotional/mental make up is all out of whack.

[whitesox91403]

Albert Belle had problems too and JR took a chance with him. I'd like Bradley here, especially batting in the 3 hole with Frank at clean up. Anyone know how Bradley is with the glove?