Cubs roll the dice with Milton Bradley

January 6, 10:48 AMMLB ExaminerTony DeMarco

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We've had the biggest financial free-agent signings of the off-season, and now we've got the riskiest. The one that's most likely to be a mistake when the deal has run its course.

And that would be the Cubs giving Milton Bradley a reported $30 million over three years. This isn't Barry Zito-bad, but it's got trouble written all over it.

First, here's what the Cubs have done -- and not done -- by choosing the Bradley option: They dealt away one of their best and most-dependable players both on the field and in the clubhouse in Mark DeRosa.

They have made it that much tougher payroll-wise to make the move they should have made weeks ago -- trading for Jake Peavy. Maybe this will change, and they'll get it done at some point, even the July 31st deadline.

But when a team's ownership has filed for bankruptcy, you don't often see it taking on a $63-million contract, plus the extension that most likely will come with it. Not after spending $30 million on an outfielder whose best-suited to be a designated hitter.

And they will deal away Jason Marquis to the Rockies in a salary dump, which is the least of the evils here considering Sean Marshall deserves a true shot at a rotation spot.

All for adding the switch-hitting Bradley's bat against right-handed pitching -- the glaring weakness exposed in the division series choke job against the Dodgers that followed the Cubs being the best team in the National League for six months.

Now, there are a lot of good things to say about Bradley; this is far from a character assassination. In fact, last spring, Peter Gammons said that of the thousands of good-will messages he received when he had a serious health issue a couple years ago, some of the most-heartfelt ones came from Bradley. And, many in the clubhouse in Texas last year said Bradley was a great teammate. 

And there are Bradley's very-impressive numbers from 2008: 1st in the AL in on-base percentage(.436) and OPS (.999); 3rd with a .321 batting average; 4th with a .563 slugging percentage; 2nd with a .380 batting average in late-and-close situations; 1st in slugging percentage vs. left-handed pitching (.651) and on-base percentage vs. left-handed pitching (.476).  

But keep in mind, Bradley played 2008 for a new contract -- the greatest of all motivators. And even in that situation, he missed 36 games due to injury and accumulated only 414 at-bats.

And that's criticism No. 1 of this deal. Bradley has a well-defined history of not being able to stay on the field. In only one season in eight, has Bradley totalled more than those 414 at-bats in 2008. That was five years ago with the Dodgers. And he'll play next season at 31.

Did you know that Bradley played only 20 of those 126 games last season in the outfield? And that he was the DH 99 times? Now, he will be asked to play regularly in right field.

And then there are the more-nebulous questions about Bradley and Lou Piniella being able to get along, and about Bradley performing under the special set of circumstances on the north side of Chicago.

  Again, there's no getting around the fact that Bradley has worn out his welcome quickly everywhere he's been -- and he's been a lot of places: Montreal, Cleveland, Los Angeles, San Diego, Oakland, and Texas in eight-plus seasons.

This dice roll might even work for one season. And if that means the Cubs winning a pennant, then it will be well worth the investment. But for three years? Don't bet on it.

For more info: Bradley's career bio and statistics.

CHECK OUT CUBS EXAMINER MIRIAM ROMAIN