Rays + Milton Bradley = Happy Times?
by SRQman on Oct 31, 2008 3:11 PM EDT
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PrintBen Reiter on SI.com said this about Milton Bradley and the Rays being the best fit for each other.
Emotional and injury-prone, and most likely mainly a DH at age 30, but when he plays, he hits (.999 OPS in '08). Rays not inclined to sign or retain players who might become distractions (Barry Bonds, Delmon Young), but Bradley could be worth the risk, especially considering their lack of production from rightfield.
He also lists Rocco Baldelli and the Rays being the best fit, which is not a surprise,
Admirably dealt with his mitochondrial disease in the post-season, but the energy-sapping disorder makes him necessarily a part-time player. Even so, was the best of the Rays' rightfield options down the stretch, and would be a fine reserve going forward.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/ben_reiter/10/30/reiter.top.freeagents/index.html?eref=T1
Bradley would be worth it but could he play RF (20 games in the OF because of a torn ligament from last season) but he could be a good DH. How much would you guys give him?
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2 year 16 mil
Don’t know if that’s enough, but I wouldn’t spend much more than that. We can build from within on a spot like DH.
I think with all the injurys, character issues in the past and only playing DH
We can get him for even less. I think 2/12 mil with incentives would do it.
both of those contract proposals would be no-brainers
I’m really curious about how some of these free agent deals go down. Mostly for the all-hit, no-field guys. One, I think teams are somewhat wising up and two, there are so many of them available and not a ton of spots to fill.
Beyond the Boxscore // Calling BJ Upton lazy is lazy.
Agreed
If the Rays really want him, they should be willing to go with something as high as 10M a yr for at least 3 years and 2 mutual option years on top of that. Somehow though I think he’ll probably end up getting somewhere in the 13-15m/yr range from someone who wants to overpay and that’ll be the end of this discussion.
Right now, you wouldn't pay Milton $5MM for his 2011 season?
Beyond the Boxscore // Calling BJ Upton lazy is lazy.
i'll lay off then ; )
I agree with the idea that a short contract is what the Rays should aim for with veteran free agent signings.
Beyond the Boxscore // Calling BJ Upton lazy is lazy.
I would love to get Bradley...
We need a DH with some juice in the lineup. Bradley or Giambi could provide that…
He's young enough to try for a 4 yr deal
but his track record health wise is not great.
He’s coming off a 1 yr, 5m deal so 2/12 with incentives isn’t much of a step up. I’d go 3/24 with a mutual 4th year. Switch hitting DH with his plate skills would be very nice to have.
nobody mentions he's fucked in the head. Do we think this is no longer an issue?
And do we have an established enough leader in our clubhouse to keep him in line?
Rays 2009 Slogan: "Come back with your shield or on it"
by PriceMultiCyYoungs on Oct 31, 2008 3:59 PM EDT reply actions
His "clubhouse issues" have been blown way out of proportion.
J.K.L.
by Aaron Campeau on Oct 31, 2008 4:08 PM EDT up reply actions
Like most clubhouse issues.
Sports media is a joke.
One guy can beat his wife yet nobody calls for him to be dealt. Another guy doesn’t hustle to first and people want him gone.
by R.J. Anderson on Oct 31, 2008 4:23 PM EDT up reply actions
Milton was going to confront the announcer.
Whether he was going to physically harm him or simply talk to him is up to conjecture.
by R.J. Anderson on Oct 31, 2008 11:51 PM EDT up reply actions
Conjecture...
Maybe his intent was not to harm. What is not up for debate is that he left the dug out, left the clubhouse, and went upstairs to pound on a locked broadcast booth door during a game.
He’s a ticking time bomb I’d rather not introduce to our team.
I'm pretty sure that it was after the game.
And he said he was going to talk to him.
He’s been clean for a good part of the last two seasons. Frankly I’m shocked he didn’t beat the living hell out of the umpire who deserved it.
by R.J. Anderson on Nov 1, 2008 11:07 AM EDT up reply actions
After the game
and never even got to the elevator..
After the announcer bashed him, calling him several different veiled version of a sorry person in now the 2nd consecutive broadcast. Not to mention the same typed of comments the previous series in Texas.
The announcer holds a grudge from Milton refusing to deal to KC the previous deal and his close association with several Umpires from his days with his father the former MLB Manager Jim. Lets just say he was encouraged to not discuss Bradley on any other telecasts by the team.
I don’t condone what Bradley has done, but Lefbvere stepped over the line.
Okay, I thought it was during the game.
Just looked up the stories and both of you appear to be right.
Bradley is a hell of a player but not the kind of attitude I would like introduced to our team. Personally, I don’t like the guy but if the Rays Front Office decides he’s a good fit I will be all for it. With their recent success in player acquisitions, who am I to bitch if they pick up Bradley?
He's gone one record as saying he's tired of one year deals and is more concerned about security than anything.
I’m not really sure the market is going to bear a four year deal, but who knows.
J.K.L.
Bradley can still run and play the OF
His injury was two seasons ago, the guy is a phenomenal OF’er. This off season should have Bradley back at 100%. At 30, he’s in his prime.
2 year, 12M + playing incentatives for games played, all star, MVP vote etc. for 2009-10
2 added years of options 2011-2012, after the additional contract at $7M & $8M. per + incentives.
At this cost, Bradley’s a steal. His nogg’n is why no teams are willing to go long term with the guy. An out in the contract for him going AWOL or berzerk would have to be added into any contract to void the deal.
I would pay any amount of money below $8 mil
RETURN OF THE BLACKOUT OUTFIELD
by Top Gun Numba 1 on Oct 31, 2008 5:48 PM EDT reply actions
Concerned about first half and second half differential
Here’s Bradley’s pre-all star and post all star stats:
Pre All-Star: 269 AB, .316 avg, 19 HR, .440 OBP, 57 RBI, 41 total X-B hits (2B, 3B, HR)
Post All Star 145 AB, .331 avg, 3 HR, .429 OBP, 20 RBI, 14 total X-B hits (2B, 3B, HR)
Became just a slap-stick hitter after the All-Star break…does any one know if it was injury related, or what caused it?
It should also be pointed out that Bradley is a switch-hitter, something that Maddon greatly values. His numbers last year were great from both sides of the plate.
left: 278 AB, .309 avg, 11 HR, .415 OBP, 49 RBI
right: 136 AB, .346 avg, 11 HR, .477 OBP, 28 RBI
His numbers over the last three years indicate his ability as a switch hitter is pretty much the same. All in all, I doubt very much you will find another player with these stats available this cheap. A two year contract at 14 mil with incentives and 3rd year team option would be good.
by raysfaninminnesota on Oct 31, 2008 6:47 PM EDT reply actions
nothing
The only problem is(in my opinion) is if someone offers him a lot. I would love Bradley at DH.
i agree.
but it seems like some people here are way too wrapped up in getting rid of the RF platoon.
it doesn’t matter what position we get the extra offensive production from…it would be a huge boost to have his kind of hitting in the lineup.
well we can have the best of both worlds if
We can teach Aybar RF, get rid of the platoon and have Bradley at DH. Great lineup. I mean i am not jumping for joy when Aki or Barty are up but we know why they are on the team.
that's it hopefully
Bradleys numbers are sick, that would give our team such balance with all the switch hitters and another big bat to carry the team during stretches of 1-2 run games. The worst part of thinking about this is you have the answer on your roster, but he can’t play everyday.
IF only Harry Carey could be arounde for Kosuke.
by CubFanRaysaddict on Oct 31, 2008 7:39 PM EDT up reply actions
Can he DH everyday?
I know his legs start shaking in the OF but I am wondering if he can play DH every day or at least almost every day
Bradley is about a 900 OPS guy...
His Home/Road splits last season were very different. He still is a very potent bat, but his numbers are a bit Arlington skewed.
as a Rangers fan
I can tell you for sure that when he’s healthy, he’s a beast at the plate. Plus, this year, he played the entire season within a year of having ACL surgery, so I wonder what he’d do when he’s completely healthy.
In reference to how good the Steelers have been in their history: "No one is even close to them."- Steal Home
yes, it's pretty impressive how fast and how well he returned from that surgery.
easily-injured, but quick-healing? is he one of the X-Men?
Beyond the Boxscore // Calling BJ Upton lazy is lazy.
Upon further review
Bradley didn’t even miss THAT much of 2008. All the injury did was limit him to DH, so in 2009, I don’t see why he can’t play the field.
He shouldn't play the field because all he ever does when he plays the field is get hurt.
75 games in 2005, 96 games in 2006, 61 games in 2007. Playing the field is bad for his health.
Also on further review, I think based on his salary from last year and the fact that he can’t seem to put 150 games together in a season, $10M/yr for 3 years might be enough to haul him in since I would think that any team offering him more than 2 years is going to try to cut his salary to the 8M/yr range.
Finally, not that this is related to the discussion of Milton Bradley at all, but I just want to put this out there: Mark Prior signed for $1M last year but could not pitch because of his shoulder. Anybody who signs him this year is undoubtedly going to get him at league-minimum. If he can prove he’s healthy, he could be a dirt-cheap reclimation project.
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