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I don't think Milton Bradley has really disrespected the fans of Cleveland yet. I feel that previous players like Manny, Thome, Belle, did disrespect the city by not allowing for any kind of a hometown discount when it came time to re-sign for the big contract.
Bradley re-signed this offseason and put in a good effort during the winter, in Cleveland to get in shape. To suddenly dismiss Bradley from the team because he has a mental lapse seems to not take into account what the fans want.
Maybe it's better to unload Milton now because this may just be a taste of what else may follow, but Bradley is such a good player that I'd rather have a guy mess up once or twice a year and hit .320 than have an overachiever who hits .250 but runs hard everytime to first.
I believe that Shapiro and Wedge have blown an opportunity to let the Clubhouse and the supposed team "leaders" deal with Bradley.
The Bradley situation was one that I expect Gerut, Blake, Omar, and Matt Lawton to deal with. Sadly though, Blake is so focused on being recognized as an everyday player, that he probably wouldn't get involved, Omar has to worry about being in the best shape possible this year, Gerut was paid so little this year that frankly Bradley probably looks at Gerut's salary and doesn't respect Gerut, and Matt is Matt.
Shapiro is acting like a denmother and in the process not allowing the team to come together and unite from a bad situation.
Kirk Gibson helped the Dodgers win the 1988 World Series way back in spring training when he went ballistic after teammates put shaving cream in his helmet. Gibson's rage sent a shockwave through the team that they should worry more about their play then playing around.
My question is, where is the rage of the other Indians who want to win this year and know they have a better chance to win with Bradley in the line-up than if he were traded? Maybe Bradley is so annoying to be around that his overall presence takes away from the team, but as a fellow teammate, I would want to try and keep Bradley because his stats are good and could get better.
Most importantly, I'd like Bradley's fate to be decided by his teammates and not by management.
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So you want the inmates to run the asylum?
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Yes.
This just in.
Inmates Run Asylum
Jon as in gone? Williams wants to feel out players
May 31, 2004
BY TONI GINNETTI Staff Reporter
White Sox general manager Ken Williams admitted Sunday he reacted ''like a player'' in condemning pitcher Jon Rauch for leaving the ballpark before the end of Saturday's game.
But he didn't take back his words or his intent to trade Rauch, if possible.
''To a large degree, my comments [Saturday] were more a reaction along the lines of a player than they were as a general manager,'' he said of declaring one-time top prospect Rauch unwanted and available as trade material.
''As a general manager, I'm fully aware if I'm going to trade someone, it's a good idea not to announce to the world that this person is not in the greatest standing in your organization.''
Ironically, Williams went to the clubhouse in the ninth inning to offer the 6-11 right-hander encouragement and to tell him he would be brought back June 12 to fill the fifth starter role again.
''I was going to offer some positive reinforcement,'' Williams said, "tell him the first three innings I thought he mixed his pitches well. I was going to tell him, 'You're going to go back [to Class AAA Charlotte] only because we don't need the fifth starter until the 12th. In my mind, he was going to make the next start because I had seen enough in him.''
But Rauch left U.S. Cellular Field shortly after he was lifted in the fourth inning after giving up five runs, eventually taking the loss.
''My frustration was with him not being out there to support his teammates in the event there's a comeback or a brawl or injury,'' Williams said. ''This is not a White Sox rule. If it happens in [Class A] Winston-Salem or Kannapolis, it's the same reaction. You just don't leave your teammates in the middle of a ballgame.''
Rauch called ESPN Radio hours after learning of Williams' anger as he drove to his home in Louisville, Ky., and said the situation was a misunderstanding.
''He left me a message, and he spoke with [pitching coach] Don Cooper and [assistant general manager] Rick Hahn saying there was a misunderstanding,'' Williams said. ''I don't know what the misunderstanding could be.''
Williams said Rauch has been reassigned to Charlotte and will rejoin the rotation there. He added he won't trade Rauch solely to be rid of him.
''He's definitely a major-league pitcher in my mind,'' Williams said. ''If an opportunity presents itself to where we can get better, yes [he would be traded], but we're not in the business of giving away guys with that kind of talent.''
"That's a bad situation,'' pitcher Scott Schoeneweis said. "I didn't know about it. People make mistakes. He made a mistake. I don't know what will happen to him. Let's hope it won't cost him a shot at being a major-league pitcher.''
Asked if he thought Rauch deserved a second chance with the Sox: "I don't know. Only time will tell.''
Williams said any second chance Rauch might have to remain with the organization could rest with the Sox players.
''When I went through the clubhouse to leave [Saturday],'' Williams said, "the reaction [the players] shared with me was certainly one that [my] comments were on target -- maybe not wise as a general manager but indicative of how the players felt.
''If anyone has a question of if I still mean what I said, I think the answer is I'm not sure and won't be until I get the pulse of the guys in the clubhouse and how they feel. I know they feel very passionate about what happened yesterday.
''Whether the 25 in that clubhouse accept that is a whole other issue. Believe me, I pay attention to what the mood is in that clubhouse. That's something that we'll have to get a feel for after speaking to some of these guys.
''There's been such a good, solid feeling of togetherness. It's one of those cliche words that teams throw out, but I really feel it to such a degree this year that I haven't felt since I was a player in Toronto. And that has to be paramount in our thinking.''
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So?
Everyone does things differently....
Sounds to me like this pitcher was just pissed off at playing poorly.
Was probably his first instance at having a run in with the team.
And certainly willing to bet he didn't spend any time in jail or had any other legal problems hanging over his head.
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I have to say that The Crank has a point with Bradley. Several problems that indicate he's more trouble than he's worth. Getting so drunk on his birthday. Getting so upset with an umpire, he had to be held back and the run in with the cop. You can't excuse it all. It's true,the Tribe did excuse it all with Albert Belle, so they aren't consistent. But Bradley is no Belle--at least not yet. I don't have a problem with the trade. Especially if the players they got turn out to do okay. Outfielders do come a dime a dozen. Bradley's good, but not good enough to excuse all his blunders.
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I think Crank made some good points also. The "Get out of Jail Free Card" in my opinion was Bradley voluntarily attending the winter workout camp. My whole point is that was a very positive move on Bradley's part and it seemed to instantly be dismissed as not meaning anything. Matt Lawton seems to think that Wedge was hard on Bradley, yet it was Bradley's reaction to Wedge's comment that was the bigger problem.
It's quite possible that if we had never signed Lawton to such a high dollar amount he might have already been traded and Ellis Burks and Milton Bradley might still be here (Ellis kept Bradley from walking out last August and probably would have remained Bradley's mentor and confidant if he had been re-signed.) I'm not implying that it would be my choice now to have Burks and Bradley versus Lawton. It's interesting to see how the Pendulum has swung back into Matt Lawton's corner.
