Grievance may be filed over Bradley suspension.
by Hank493 on Sep 21, 2009 5:53 PM CDT
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Well, it looks like Jim Hendry is going to get what's coming to him. He's handled this situation extremely poorly, has made his bed, and will now lie in it. As Joe Sheehan at BP points out, players just aren't suspended over giving unhappy quotes to the media. The last player to be suspended by his team was Albert Belle, who throw a ball at a fan. This suspension is idiotic, unprecedented, and quite possibly against the rules. Here's the BP link.
And the other thing here is that the MLBPA and Bradley's agents are looking to file a grievance, because of how ridiculous the suspension his. In the article are some facts about suspension, such as the fact that Bradley hasn't even received formal notice from Hendry, or been notified if it was with or w/o pay. Jim Hendry comes out of this looking like complete shit, and he deserves it.
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He'll get paid
Unless there are performance clauses he is missing out on, he has no real leg to stand on.
But let’s have a grievance. Let’s get the Cubs to REALLY say what happened instead of soft-selling it like they have.
There is no such thing as an ugly female breast
Of course he'll get paid.
But the grievance is with the suspension in the first place.
Oooh... upset over a paid vacation
Whatever. I’m happy Hendry took a stand.
There is no such thing as an ugly female breast
by Worf on Sep 21, 2009 6:06 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
He didn't take a stand at all. He's a coward.
He scapegoated a player because the fans and media called for it. Bradley did nothing that was worthy of a suspension, let alone for the rest of the year.
So it's OK with you that he threw all of his teammates under the bus
was insubordinate to the hitting coach and took himself out of games with suspect cause?
And that’s what we KNOW about.
Baseball prospectus is just upset that Bradley didn’t live up to their numbers. It must be someone else’s fault.
There is no such thing as an ugly female breast
Wow
I agree that Bradley was being a dick, but c’mon, he’s not the first player to take badly about his teammates. Really, all he said was that he thought it was too negative, which isn’t exactly the worst thing ever.
by vivaelpujols on Sep 21, 2009 6:26 PM CDT up reply actions
No, he said he was the hardest worker on the field
And earlier in the season, he said he was the only honest player.
I’m all for honesty, but I’d rather have athletes on my favorite team do the “We gotta take them one game at a time…” routine.
There is no such thing as an ugly female breast
Plus
D Lee and Aramis also backed up the decision. Lee is more of a quiet leader type, yet he recognized Bradley needed to go. I think some of this suspension was for “behind closed doors” stuff. Yes, there are other players that are not good teammates, but Bradley took it to the extreme. And he has done it everywhere he has gone. It says something that he has never stayed in place for more than a couple of years.
Simply put, this was a bad signing in the first place, and it blew up in our face.
Learn this line, and use it often- "Yes dear, you're right, I'm sorry" -Bob Brenly
Bradley
made comments about the team, the organization, the umps, and the fans thru this season. He was out of line, and it was time to put “baby in the corner”
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
Where did he throw his teammates under a bus ?
I seriously may have missed the entire interview but it seemed mainly a rip at the fans, the media and the organization. I mean you can obviously infer that attacking the team generally is nasty but I didn’t see where he went after teammates.
I mean there is a LONG history of guys who have from Jeff Kent to Billy Wagner but I don’t think he was doing that here.
It is enough that he attacked the whole city, organization etc but other players have done FAR worse in attacking teammates. In fact if he only had attacked teammates it might be easier to take in an odd kind of way but I have to say as a fan , this time it’s personal .
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either Jim
by Doggie Stalker on Sep 21, 2009 7:39 PM CDT up reply actions
if I am correct
people are saying Milton’s “I am the hardest worker on the field” is an slam at his teammates. I do not see it either as that is certainly not condemning to his teammates.
Hendry is guilty...
…of letting this fester and creating a monster. When Lou went off on Bradley, Hendry should have publicly backed up Lou and sent a strong message at that point. Now, he is trying to save face, and it may indeed be too late for Hendry to not look like he sat on his hands when he should have acted sooner.
"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel
Bullshit. Absolute Bullshit.
Bradley’s an ass. He’s been an ass on seven teams now. If they file a grievance, all manner of crap that Bradley’s pulled this year will come out. The idiot won’t get a job in the independent leagues. Hendry finally showed he has some balls. A coward Jim Hendry is NOT.
"When they signed Fukudome, I knew they were trying to get me fired". - Ron Santo, January, 2008
Jim Hendry is a complete coward.
He scapegoated the easiest target, because he knew it would help take blame away from himself for this clusterfuck of a season.
How is it taking the blame away from Hendry?
If anything, suspending his big offseason signing makes him look even worse. Virtually every article about the suspension has also pointed out what an idiot Hendry was for signing someone with such a checkered past. Many columnists and fans have called for him to be fired. If Hendry was trying to deflect the blame, he’s failed miserably.
In your dreams, son
"When they signed Fukudome, I knew they were trying to get me fired". - Ron Santo, January, 2008
Bradley is only a scapegoat in his own fertile imagination and yours it seems
he blames everyone else for his inability to stick with any team for very long, the Cubs are just the latest. Hopefully the Cubs can find a way to get out from under his contract. Getting rid of him is addition by subtraction.
I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren
by lookingdeadred on Sep 22, 2009 8:43 AM CDT up reply actions
he told his big grab this off season
bye, you are no longer needed. that is not scapegoating him, that is improving the team for next season
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
Hendry is not a coward...
…but he is guilty of very very bad judgment and also letting things get out of hand before he displays the type of leadership a GM needed to in this situation.
Hendry has made excuses for players to a fault throughout his days as a GM, and some players have taken advantage of this. Creating consistent accountability is not his strong suit, and it has caused him to have to try and fix things that may have been prevented in the first place.
But I do agree, he is not a coward.
"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel
What kind of fantasy world do you live in?
In most workplace situations, He (Milton Bradley) would have been immediately fired for his actions.
If you think you've seen it all...just wait!
by CubFanSince1970 on Sep 22, 2009 10:36 AM CDT up reply actions
Agreed
Bradley is an absolute pile of shit and he should be sent packing now and this winter. Milton Bradley is the new GD Barry Bonds! He can take a flying leap.
LOSER!
Kwa...Ki...Sur...Pee...Nee...Ku?
by Kinky Reggae on Sep 21, 2009 9:18 PM CDT up reply actions
Absolutely,
Hes an absolute pile of shit. Eloquent. Douchebag.
Unless You're Bradley....
No one has called YOU names.
"When they signed Fukudome, I knew they were trying to get me fired". - Ron Santo, January, 2008
The racial undertones to calling a black man a pile of shit are striking.
If you want to be a part of that, it says much more about you than me.
Are you serious? Really?
I’m not defending calling anyone a “pile of shit”, but I’ve heard that expression used countless times in my life, and rarely has it EVER been directed at a person of color. This “racial undertones” thing is getting ridiculous.
The simple situation is that Bradley is has performed poorly, acted badly, and made the Cubs workplace unpleasant. The situation has largely gone unaddressed, except for one time when Piniella handled it poorly.
Anyone who speaks badly of his employer- and customors- to the press is begging for a suspension.
"Enough foreplay- let's get crackin'"- Fred Garvin
by davidalanu on Sep 22, 2009 6:28 AM CDT up reply actions 4 recs
+21
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
This conversation took a pretty ridiculous turn somewhere...
… oh wait, I know where:
“The racial undertones to calling a black man a pile of shit are striking.”
I don't care how long you've been around, you'll never see it all.
Racial?
You obviously have no clue what that means.
"When they signed Fukudome, I knew they were trying to get me fired". - Ron Santo, January, 2008
If I drink a lot of cherry Kool-Aid
it turns red. Does that mean I’m against Cherokee?
There is no such thing as an ugly female breast
According to some, apparently
"When they signed Fukudome, I knew they were trying to get me fired". - Ron Santo, January, 2008
No, red herrings.
We had that discussion yesterday!
I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Sep 22, 2009 8:39 AM CDT up reply actions
OMG you are a Cardnial's fan
since it is Red after all
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
the only thing more racist than being racist
is trying to find racism in every small thing in life
The official slogan of your 2009 Chicago Cubs:
Why?
by jesus christos on Sep 22, 2009 3:34 PM CDT up reply actions
But do you know what's cooler than cool?
I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Sep 22, 2009 3:40 PM CDT up reply actions
Right in one.
I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Sep 22, 2009 8:42 PM CDT up reply actions
lava
no…
The official slogan of your 2009 Chicago Cubs:
Why?
by jesus christos on Sep 22, 2009 4:23 PM CDT up reply actions
LIND!
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
I do like the other answers, though.
Socalbob definitely gets first runner up.
I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Sep 22, 2009 8:42 PM CDT up reply actions
You don't think KR's comment was extreme?
Bradley’s a troubled guy, but he’s hardly an “absolute pile of shit”. The Bonds comparison is weak, too.
I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Sep 22, 2009 6:23 AM CDT up reply actions
Let's see....
While I understand where you’re coming from, unfortunately “absolute pile of shit” is accurate. Just looking at his professional life, the guy can’t hold a job that almost anyone would trade places with him to have. While his personal life should be off-limits, what is public about it fits right in with what we know about his professional side. And if he follows through with this grievance, what comes out as a result of it may guarantee he never plays professionally again.
"When they signed Fukudome, I knew they were trying to get me fired". - Ron Santo, January, 2008
I guess there were two reasons why I posted that comment
1 – KR has a habit of posting emotionally charged, extreme comments. After having a few calm exchanges, I don’t think he’s a bad guy. He just sometimes uses BCB as a vent (as we all do sometimes). I wish he’d read some of the comments before hitting “post”.
2 – Trying to take attention away from Hank493’s ridiculous comment. I wish that people would devote energy like that to fighting racism where it really exists.
I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Sep 22, 2009 8:38 AM CDT up reply actions 3 recs
I'm sure Hendry
Is shakin’ in his boots!
Uh oh the big bad MLBPA is coming!
Seriously, I think JH has been around long enough to know any action taken against a player could result in the MLBPA coming to their defense. Thats likely the reason why the so-called suspension is so unclear. They are probably weighing out what they can and can’t do.
"Ask Dad. He'll know. And on the off chance he doesn't, he'll make something up"
He might have overreacted on the suspension
But I for one have no complaints in not seeing Bradley in Cubs uniform anymore this season.
If nothing else maybe this will finally be an eye opener for him. His teammates threw him under the bus and the clubhouse basically said you’re a cancer to the team.
Regardless if you don’t like the move done, I think everyone has to be agreement that Bradley has some growing up to do (the level of growing up will be debated among many of us here).
this is done to ensure bradley gets a paycheck and so bradley doesnt sue the MLBPA for not representing him
The official slogan of your 2009 Chicago Cubs:
Why?
Exactly
It’s a union thing to do. They have to file, but at the end of the day, if he wins, what happens? He’s getting paid. They can sit him on the bench to rot till the end of his contract and there isn’t anything he can do.
It never gets to be easy
by chitownhawkeye on Sep 21, 2009 7:05 PM CDT up reply actions
I have a hard time believing a lawyer wasn't contacted
Like I said, if there are no contract clauses in jeopardy, I don’t see the case. I think a player has the right to reasonably have a shot at making bonuses.
There is no such thing as an ugly female breast
Can we file a grievance...
For having to put up with Milton’s shit all season?
Someday we'll go all the way...
SIghs
Obviously people are missing the point… the recent quotes in the media were the FINAL straw. NOT the main reason he was suspsended… come on.
MB… if you fight this, you are only going to make things worse….
Well, in theory the suspension could be overtuned
Then Bradley might have to deal with the bleacher fans for the last homestand of the season. I’m sure they’d love to express their feelings towards him one final time after all this. Bradley wants out just as much as the Cubs want him gone, so I doubt he’d be looking forward to that too much. I’m sure he’ll end up getting his entire salary, but it’s not in anyone’s interest for him to come back now.
No. Even if it is overturned, you can't force the manager to play him.
I fail to see any point in filing a grievance, unless the union is concerned that the Cubs are going to try to hold salary.
As long as they are paying him, all the grievance would do is give this even more attention. Even if the suspension is “reversed”, it won’t do anything to heal the apparent rift between Bradley and the other players. The gennie’s out of the bottle, the cat’s out of the bag, the horse has left the barn, etc.
I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Sep 22, 2009 6:25 AM CDT up reply actions
*genie
The spelling’s out of the sentence . . .
I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Sep 22, 2009 6:36 AM CDT up reply actions
But your point is valid.
I can’t see a grievance causing anything but trouble for all parties involved.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
But when we're talking about the combination of Bradley
and the MLBPA, I don’t think that will spot them.
"Enough foreplay- let's get crackin'"- Fred Garvin
I think the grievance will be
to force the Cubs to state that Bradley will be paid and send him a formal notice.
And I don’t really have a problem with that. The MLBPA has gone off the rails in a lot of ways, but I’d much rather have them there fighting for the 99 percent of the guys who are decent.
if that means they have to deal with the 1 percent, that’s the trade-off
There is no such thing as an ugly female breast
Yes, that's most likely what will happen.
I can’t imagine Bradley’s agents advising him to go ahead with a grievance.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
I agree...
…that a grievance would appear to lose it’s footing if the Cubs are will to pay him. With that said, Bradley is a different kind of dude, who you just don’t know what motivates him.
He may want to make trouble and try to show the Cubs either were not fair to him, or did not communicate with him along the way that his comments were out of line.
I know it sounds goofy, but nothing would surprise me with this guy. Also, if the Cubs don’t pay him, I would be surprised if he didn’t win the grievance.
"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel
I don't see any way the Cubs try to not pay him.
That would, as you suggest, open a huge can of worms that I’m sure the Cubs don’t want to open.
Two weeks’ pay would likely eliminate that problem.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
Unless...
…he has another agenda besides getting paid.
"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel
like trying to save face?
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
What would that be?
The Cubs can’t be forced to play him as long as they pay him.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
Does he have incentive clauses
that he hasn’t already met?
There is no such thing as an ugly female breast
No.
From Cot’s Baseball Contracts:
# 3 years/$30M (2009-11)
* signed by Chicago Cubs as a free agent 1/6/09
* $4M signing bonus
* 09:$5M, 10:$9M, 11:$12M
* 2010 and 2011 base salaries may increase by $0.25M for LCS MVP, $0.5M for WS MVP; $0.5M for MVP ($0.3M for 2nd in vote, $0.2M for 3rd, $0.15M for 4th, $0.1M for 5th) in any previous season
* 2011 may become $12M club option with $2M buyout if:
o Bradley has more than 75 days on DL in 2009, or
o Bradley is on DL at end of 2009 season with specific injury and not on active roster by 4/15/2010
* if 2011 becomes a club option, it may be guaranteed again if:
o MVP (1st -3rd) in 2010, or
o any two of the following five:
+ All Star in 2010, unless Bradley is on DL at end of 2010 with specific injury
+ MVP (4th-8th) in 2010
+ Silver Slugger in 2010
+ WS MVP in 2009 or 2010
+ LCS MVP in 2009 or 2010
* award bonuses: $75,000 each for Gold Glove, Silver Slugger, All Star; $0.25M for LCS MVP; $0.5M for WS MVP; $0.5M for MVP ($0.3M for 2nd in vote, $0.2M for 3rd, $0.15M for 4th, $0.1M for 5th)
* perks: suite on the road
I’m assuming he won’t win a Gold Glove or Silver Slugger; pretty safe assumption, I’d say.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
Bradley certainly threw teammates under the bus
Not suspension worthy, but he did. Principally I think of the quote a few weeks back when he told the media to go talk to D-Lee or Theriot, or someone else that will give the PC answer, and he is the one that speaks the truth.
But, that is beside the point really. By suggesting a grievance this is just union talk for make sure he gets paid. There is undoubtedly more we don’t know about that nobody really wants to come to the top. Bradley’s agent must be working hard to keep him under wraps. He knows there will not be another contract if Bradley’s antics keep up, or more surfaces. The lack of support from his fellow players is striking. Everyone will want this to go away quietly in the offseason.
in most sport contracts
there is a good samaritan clause, which MB would have violated IMHO
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
its not Bradley's to put in
most contracts come with it. I do not know if MLB has it or not, but NFL, NHL, NBA do, and that is how they can cut players like Vick (Atl), Benson (Chi), etc and not pay their contract in the proccess,
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
There is some kind of "morals" clause
but that is going to hard to invoke here. There is more than a little bit of history of players who fought with their manager and dissed the team to the media. I can’t imagine what you would have to prove to void a 23 million dollar contract. The closest thing is probably Denny Neagle who got caught with a prostitute after having a DUI. The Rockies tried to void the contract, the union took up the case as the Rockies owed Neagle ( who was having a VERY bad year) almost 20 million dollars. A " settlement " was reached in which the Rockies only paid 16.5 million of the 19.5 owed. Sorry folks this is not like an office worker or whatever. Union contracts in baseball are STANDARD and there will be no special language in Bradley’s beyond a moral’s clause. So MAYBE the Cubs negotiate a small discount for Milton avoid a hearing ala Neagle but I would not hold my breath.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either Jim
by Doggie Stalker on Sep 22, 2009 10:58 PM CDT up reply actions
trade
Although suspending him NOW makes no sense. How will this help to try and peddle him? Reminds me of the Sosa situation. Head we handled it differently, we might have gotten much more for him.
"It's a funny old world. Man's lucky if he gets out of it alive." W.C. Fields
I agree...
…and is exactly why Hendry needed to address this head on when Lou had his issue with him.
"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel
From today's Sun-Times
A players’ union official said the union still had not seen paperwork regarding Bradley’s suspension for the rest of the season.
And given the expectation that the Cubs will pay Bradley’s full salary during the suspension — and with only 11 games left in the season — it’s doubtful Bradley would have the time, or desire, to effectively challenge the suspension and return this season to a clubhouse that has moved on without him.
Lilly, the Cubs’ player rep, said he hasn’t been brought into the Bradley saga and doesn’t anticipate being asked to get involved.
This is about getting the paychecks. So long as the Cubs are paying him to stay home, he’s got nothing.
There is no such thing as an ugly female breast
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