What? A Milton Bradley Controversy?
Several sources, including this Seattle radio station, are reporting – gasp! – that Milton Bradley left the Mariners mid-game last night after manager Don Wakamatsu tried to remind him that a manager runs a team and not an outfielder who keeps getting traded because he believes that the breeze he feels is actually the universe revolving around him.
So if you had May 4 on the over-under for Bradley’s meltdown, you win the pool.
There is one glimmer of encouragement – although it has echoes of previous false self-awareness alarms – a second report that this morning, Bradley asked Wakamatsu and GM Jack Zduriencik “can you help me?”
Peter Gammons now tweets a text from Bradley: “Any reports I said I’m packing up and leaving are 100% fabricated.”
You will recall that the longest Bradley has gone without one of these, as he’s played his way in and out of LA, Oakland, San Diego, Texas, and the Cubs, is a season-and-a-half. Incredibly, people keep getting fooled.
Baseball Nerd 
(Facepalm) sigh…. Thanks for updating us, Keith! Good grief. I hope they work something out with this guy… is there any way they could just kinda, you know… keep him on the bench for the rest of the season, or something? Send him to the minors? Send him to the theater and then move before he gets back? Yikes….
Boy, am I happy Milton Bradley is no longer an Athletic.
Dude’s got major issues (and I am not just talking about Bradley) {finger pointing up}. Get over the Dan Abrams thing already.
Sorry Keith (slinking away now).
I think the bigger story coming out of Seattle is Cliff Lee’s agent all but saying that Lee would rather chew on broken glass then stay there next year. What makes that situation worse is that Lee hasn’t said anything about it. As much as Bradley is a head case we all knew that at the beginning. Seattle was an all or nothing team this year so the risk that came with Bradley was worth it if he produced the way he is capable if not well that’s just Milton Bradley
People aren’t being fooled; people wanted to dump Carlos Silva and his contract. Desperately.
For those of you that must rake Keith over the coals for what you consider to be his awful attitude, why don’t you go to the Countdown web site. There is an email address there and there is someone that reads the emails. Baseball Nerd is supposed to be only about baseball–not attacking Keith for his political views.
Keith–Please show a little compassion for Milton Bradley. I know that he has a reputation that has been well deserved. But as an avid Mariner fan I’ve been following his story since he came to the Mariners. There is more to him than what has been written about him. May I refer you to today’s Seattle Times. I have always thought that you were a very compassionate person, don’t disappoint me now.
History Lover: My comment was not meant for you. I totally agree with all that you have said about Keith. I’m a big fan of Keith’s but I know that he is not perfect. Who is?
Because of the garbage that has been posted on Baseball Nerd about Keith lately I felt compelled to tell people to go to Countdown’s web site and email their comments there. Leave Baseball Nerd alone. I have a feeling that that is why you wrote defending Keith. Even if you are not quite a fan, please continue to come here. I’m an avid baseball fan but I’ve learned so much from Keith and others about the game.
Well, I appreciate Keith’s passion for the sport of baseball, even though I don’t share that passion. I didn’t happen to grow up in a sporting family and so I missed out on the Great American Past-time. It’s my loss. But a person would have to be deaf, dumb and blind not to recognize his unabashed love of the game. It?s a shame that he can?t be left alone to pursue his passion without somebody trying to politicize it.
I also respect Keith?s role as a lifelong baseball historian and his encyclopedic knowledge of the sport. If I ever had a baseball question, Keith would be my go-to guy. Frankly, I can’t imagine a more stalwart or thorough researcher.
Mostly, I’m a huge fan of Keith’s gift of wordsmithery, even on a subject I know little about, such as baseball. I’ve actually learned a lot. Keith could make the New York phone book sound fascinating! 🙂
Keith, a thousand apologies for always being wildly off topic on your blog, but this was too important to me to keep my mouth shut. Please don?t ever stop writing. On this blog or your books. I?ll keep reading as long as you keep writing! And, finally, don?t let the naysayers drag you down. People come and go, but you?re still standing. 🙂
@safeco1999, I read the article in the Seattle Times about Bradley – let’s hope he really does want help. This may be his last chance in the big leagues. If he really wants it, and actually does something with that help – more power to him. If it’s a ploy, then… I feel for the rest of the team. Not like they’re having a stellar year so far in any case. 😦 On an unrelated note – Keith, I finally ordered “The Bullpen Gospels” and a first edition copy of “The Big Show”. About time, huh? 🙂 Have a great night!
Why do I feel like the cop directing traffic by a traffic accident, saying “Move along, nothing to see here.”
Geez.
Keith, give us a Moyer entry!! Love the blog!