Milton Bradley (baseball player)
Encyclopedia
Milton Obelle Bradley, Jr. (born April 15, 1978) is a Major League Baseball
left fielder
who is currently a free agent
.
in the second round of the draft by the Montreal Expos
. In the Expos' farm system, he hit a Game 5 walk-off grand slam home run
to win the Double-A Eastern League Championship for the Harrisburg Senators
.
Bradley made his Major League Baseball debut with the Montreal Expos on July 19, 2000.
for Zach Day
. Following an altercation with Indians manager Eric Wedge
at the Indians' 2004 spring training camp, the team traded Bradley to the Los Angeles Dodgers
for prospects Franklin Gutierrez
and Andrew Brown.
Bradley posted a .267 batting average
as a regular member of the Dodgers' 2004 lineup. The 216 games he played for the Dodgers (2004–2005) are to date the most he played for any one team.
On December 13, 2005, the Dodgers traded Bradley to the Oakland Athletics
, along with infielder
Antonio Pérez
for outfielder Andre Ethier
, then a standout minor league prospect.
In his first season with the Oakland Athletics, Bradley posted a .276 batting average with 14 home runs and 52 runs batted in a part-time role. On July 30, Bradley hit a 3-run walk-off home run to beat the Toronto Blue Jays
. In game 4 of the 2006 American League Championship Series
versus the Detroit Tigers
, Bradley became the third player in Major League History to hit home runs from each side of the plate in a playoff game, joining Bernie Williams
and Chipper Jones
.
On June 21, 2007, Bradley was designated for assignment
by the Athletics. A trade completed the next day, which would have sent Bradley to the Kansas City Royals
for Leo Núñez
, was voided because Bradley suffered an oblique injury in his last game as an Athletic.
acquired Bradley and cash considerations from the Athletics in exchange for minor league pitcher Andrew Brown, marking the second time the two had been traded for each other. The Padres did not require Bradley to pass a physical examination before signing him, as he would have failed it and gone elsewhere.
Bradley started his tenure with the Padres on the 15-day disabled list
, but came off it right before the All-Star break. After the break, he was a continual starter in left field and one of the most consistent hitters for the Padres throughout the rest of the season.
On September 23, 2007, Bradley tore his right ACL
while being restrained by Padres manager Bud Black
during an altercation with first base umpire
Mike Winters
. Home plate
umpire Brian Runge
reportedly told Bradley that Winters said that Bradley had tossed his bat in Runge's direction in a previous at-bat. After Bradley reached first base, he questioned Winters about the alleged bat throwing and subsequent communication with Runge. According to Bradley and Padres first base coach Bobby Meacham
, Winters used a profanity towards Bradley. Bradley then moved towards Winters. While restrained by Black, Bradley fell to the ground resulting in the injury. He missed the last week of the regular season in 2007, during which the Padres relinquished their wild card lead, ultimately losing to the eventual N.L. Champion Colorado Rockies
in a one game playoff.
Winters was suspended for the remainder of the season and disqualified from the postseason for the incident, after MLB determined that he indeed directed obscene language toward Bradley. Bradley was not suspended, the MLB reasoning that there was no need since he did not make physical contact with Winters.
As the Rangers designated hitter
, Bradley led the American League
in OPS (on base plus slugging) with a 1.036. He was third in batting average (.321) and excelled in on-base percentage (.443). He was somewhat humbled with his success "I really haven't even thought about it," he said. "If I somehow miraculously made it to the All-Star Game, I would be floored. I'd really be totally humbled by that. I'm just happy right now to play, to produce and to be with a good group of guys." Bradley was selected to play in his first All-Star Game in 2008 as a DH. He was officially in as a DH reserve but due to the injury of David Ortiz
, Bradley started as a DH in the 2008 MLB All-Star Game.
According to The Dallas Morning News
Bradley attempted to confront Kansas City Royals
television announcer Ryan Lefebvre
in the press box
following a June 2008 game due to what he believed were unfair comments made on the air. As the Rangers' designated hitter, Bradley was able to watch the broadcast when he was not batting and took offense to a comparison Lefebrve made between him and Josh Hamilton. Manager Ron Washington
and general manager
Jon Daniels
chased after him and stopped Bradley before he got to Lefebvre, at which point Bradley returned to the clubhouse in tears and said
In July 2008, it was announced that Milton Bradley would occasionally blog for the New York Times, but he contributed only one entry.
On January 8, 2009, Bradley signed a three-year, $30 million deal with the Chicago Cubs
. Bradley was assigned uniform number 21, and played right field, reminiscent of former Cub Sammy Sosa
. Bradley was issued a two-game suspension for supposedly making contact with umpire Larry Vanover
while arguing a strike call April 16. After appealing the sentence, the suspension was reduced to one game. During an inter-league game against the Minnesota Twins
on June 12, Bradley caught a routine fly-out in right field and threw it into the stands, believing it was the third out in the inning, when there were only two outs. The umpire allowed each of the Twins base runners to advance two bases.
Later that month, Cubs manager Lou Piniella
told Bradley to leave the dugout and go home after Bradley threw a tirade after flying out in a game against the Chicago White Sox
. Piniella and Bradley later confronted each other in the locker room, and exchanged words again. Piniella later apologized to Bradley, and reinserted him back into the line-up during the team's next start.
On September 20, 2009, the Cubs announced that Bradley would be suspended for the remainder of the season after an interview in which Bradley talked about "negativity" with the organization and said "you understand why they [Cubs] haven't won in 100 years here." He also said he was uncomfortable with his presence with the Chicago Cubs. General Manager Jim Hendry
felt the comments were disrespectful. Bradley eventually apologized to the Cubs organization for his remarks.
On May 4, 2010, Bradley removed himself from a game and left the stadium, he asked the Mariners for help with a personal problem and the organization stepped in to help him out. He returned to the team May 18 after undergoing an undisclosed treatment.
On May 9, 2011, the Mariners designated Bradley for assignment after beginning the 2011 season hitting .218 with two home runs and 13 RBI in 28 games. Unable to trade Bradley, the Mariners released him on May 16.
On January 18, 2011, Bradley was arrested at his home in Encino, California and charged with making criminal threats to his wife, Monique. In return for participating in an out-of-court hearing process, no charges were filed against Bradley. His wife has since filed for divorce.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
left fielder
Left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
.
Montreal Expos (1996-2001)
Bradley was drafted out of Long Beach Polytechnic High SchoolLong Beach Polytechnic High School
Long Beach Polytechnic High School, founded in 1895 as Long Beach High School, is a High school located at 1600 Atlantic Avenue in Long Beach, California, United States....
in the second round of the draft by the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
. In the Expos' farm system, he hit a Game 5 walk-off grand slam home run
Walk-off home run
In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. It must be a home run that gives the home team the lead in the bottom of the final inning of the game—either the ninth inning, or any extra inning, or any other regularly scheduled final inning...
to win the Double-A Eastern League Championship for the Harrisburg Senators
Harrisburg Senators
The Harrisburg Senators are a minor league baseball team based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals....
.
Bradley made his Major League Baseball debut with the Montreal Expos on July 19, 2000.
Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Dodgers (2001-2005)
On July 31, , the Expos traded Bradley to the Cleveland IndiansCleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
for Zach Day
Zach Day
Stephen Zachary Day is a former right-handed sinker-ball pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played for three teams from 2002 to 2006.He currently resides in Cincinnati with his wife, Megan.-Career history:...
. Following an altercation with Indians manager Eric Wedge
Eric Wedge
Eric Michael Wedge is a Major League Baseball manager and former catcher, and is the current manager of the Seattle Mariners. As a player, Wedge attended Northrop High School in Fort Wayne and played on the school's state champion baseball team in 1983...
at the Indians' 2004 spring training camp, the team traded Bradley to the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
for prospects Franklin Gutierrez
Franklin Gutiérrez
Franklin Rafael Gutiérrez , nicknamed "Guti" & "Death To Flying Things", is a Major League Baseball center fielder for the Seattle Mariners...
and Andrew Brown.
Bradley posted a .267 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
as a regular member of the Dodgers' 2004 lineup. The 216 games he played for the Dodgers (2004–2005) are to date the most he played for any one team.
Oakland Athletics (2006-2007)
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
, along with infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
Antonio Pérez
Antonio Pérez (baseball player)
Antonio Miguel Pérez is a Major League Baseball player for the Atlanta Braves organization. In , he led the Los Angeles Dodgers with eleven stolen bases. Pérez signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals for the season, but was released during spring training...
for outfielder Andre Ethier
Andre Ethier
Andre Everett Ethier , is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers.In 2009, Ethier hit six walk off hits , which was the most by any player in the Major Leagues since 1974. His four walk-off home runs tied the Major League record for most in a season...
, then a standout minor league prospect.
In his first season with the Oakland Athletics, Bradley posted a .276 batting average with 14 home runs and 52 runs batted in a part-time role. On July 30, Bradley hit a 3-run walk-off home run to beat the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
. In game 4 of the 2006 American League Championship Series
American League Championship Series
In Major League Baseball, the American League Championship Series , played in October, is a round in the postseason that determines the winner of the American League pennant...
versus the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
, Bradley became the third player in Major League History to hit home runs from each side of the plate in a playoff game, joining Bernie Williams
Bernie Williams
Bernabé Williams Figueroa Jr. is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and Puerto Rican musician.-Early life:...
and Chipper Jones
Chipper Jones
Larry Wayne "Chipper" Jones, Jr. is a Major League baseball player for the National League's Atlanta Braves. Although initially a shortstop, he has spent most of his career as the starting third baseman for the Braves...
.
On June 21, 2007, Bradley was designated for assignment
Designated for assignment
Designated for assignment is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball. When a player is designated for assignment, he is immediately removed from the club's 40-man roster. This gives the club 10 days to decide what to do with the player while freeing up a roster spot for another...
by the Athletics. A trade completed the next day, which would have sent Bradley to the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
for Leo Núñez
Leo Núñez
Juan Carlos Oviedo ) is a pitcher in Major League Baseball who plays for the Miami Marlins as the team's closer. He bats and throws right-handed.-Playing career:...
, was voided because Bradley suffered an oblique injury in his last game as an Athletic.
San Diego Padres
On June 29, the San Diego PadresSan Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
acquired Bradley and cash considerations from the Athletics in exchange for minor league pitcher Andrew Brown, marking the second time the two had been traded for each other. The Padres did not require Bradley to pass a physical examination before signing him, as he would have failed it and gone elsewhere.
Bradley started his tenure with the Padres on the 15-day disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
, but came off it right before the All-Star break. After the break, he was a continual starter in left field and one of the most consistent hitters for the Padres throughout the rest of the season.
On September 23, 2007, Bradley tore his right ACL
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
while being restrained by Padres manager Bud Black
Bud Black
Harry Ralston "Bud" Black is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher and current manager of the San Diego Padres.-College:Black played two years at Lower Columbia College in Longview...
during an altercation with first base umpire
Umpire (baseball)
In baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and handling the disciplinary actions. The term is often shortened to the colloquial form ump...
Mike Winters
Mike Winters
Michael John Winters is an umpire in Major League Baseball who has worked in the National League from 1988 to 1999 and throughout both major leagues since 2000. He umpired in the minor leagues from 1982 to 1989 before joining the NL's regular staff in 1990...
. Home plate
Home Plate
Home Plate is the fifth album by Bonnie Raitt, released in 1975 .-Track listing:#"What Do You Want the Boy to Do?" – 3:19#"Good Enough" – 2:56#"Run Like a Thief" – 3:02...
umpire Brian Runge
Brian Runge
Brian Edward Runge is an umpire in Major League Baseball who has worked in the National League in 1999 and throughout both major leagues since 2000. He wears uniform number 18. He has worked in the 2004 and 2007 American League Division Series...
reportedly told Bradley that Winters said that Bradley had tossed his bat in Runge's direction in a previous at-bat. After Bradley reached first base, he questioned Winters about the alleged bat throwing and subsequent communication with Runge. According to Bradley and Padres first base coach Bobby Meacham
Bobby Meacham
Robert Andrew Meacham is a former Major League Baseball shortstop who spent his entire six year career with the New York Yankees...
, Winters used a profanity towards Bradley. Bradley then moved towards Winters. While restrained by Black, Bradley fell to the ground resulting in the injury. He missed the last week of the regular season in 2007, during which the Padres relinquished their wild card lead, ultimately losing to the eventual N.L. Champion Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
in a one game playoff.
Winters was suspended for the remainder of the season and disqualified from the postseason for the incident, after MLB determined that he indeed directed obscene language toward Bradley. Bradley was not suspended, the MLB reasoning that there was no need since he did not make physical contact with Winters.
Texas Rangers (2008)
After the 2007 season, Bradley agreed to a one-year contract with the Texas Rangers. He announced in early January , that he expected to be healthy and ready to play in the 2008 season opener.As the Rangers designated hitter
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
, Bradley led the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
in OPS (on base plus slugging) with a 1.036. He was third in batting average (.321) and excelled in on-base percentage (.443). He was somewhat humbled with his success "I really haven't even thought about it," he said. "If I somehow miraculously made it to the All-Star Game, I would be floored. I'd really be totally humbled by that. I'm just happy right now to play, to produce and to be with a good group of guys." Bradley was selected to play in his first All-Star Game in 2008 as a DH. He was officially in as a DH reserve but due to the injury of David Ortiz
David Ortiz
David Américo Ortiz Arias , known as David Ortiz, nicknamed "Big Papi", is a Dominican American professional baseball player who is currently a free agent. Previously, Ortiz played with the Minnesota Twins and Boston Red Sox...
, Bradley started as a DH in the 2008 MLB All-Star Game.
According to The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News is the major daily newspaper serving the Dallas, Texas area, with a circulation of 264,459 subscribers, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported in September 2010...
Bradley attempted to confront Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
television announcer Ryan Lefebvre
Ryan Lefebvre
Ryan Lefebvre is an American sportscaster, best known as a play-by-play announcer for Major League Baseball's Kansas City Royals since 1999. In 2008, he became the primary announcer for Royals' television broadcasts on Fox Sports Kansas City...
in the press box
Press box
The press box is a special section of a sports stadium or arena that is set up for the media to report about a given event. It is typically located in the section of the stadium holding the luxury box. In general, newspaper writers sit in this box and write about the on-field event as it unfolds...
following a June 2008 game due to what he believed were unfair comments made on the air. As the Rangers' designated hitter, Bradley was able to watch the broadcast when he was not batting and took offense to a comparison Lefebrve made between him and Josh Hamilton. Manager Ron Washington
Ron Washington
Ronald Washington is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and the current manager of the Texas Rangers. Prior to managing the Rangers, Washington coached in the New York Mets and Oakland Athletics organizations.-Playing career:Washington was signed by the Kansas City Royals on July 17, 1970...
and general manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
Jon Daniels
Jon Daniels
Jon Daniels is the current General Manager of the Texas Rangers, a Major League Baseball. When hired, at age 28, he was the youngest GM in Major League Baseball history. And as of 2011 was still the youngest GM.-Biography:...
chased after him and stopped Bradley before he got to Lefebvre, at which point Bradley returned to the clubhouse in tears and said
"All I want to do is play baseball and make a better life for my kid than I had, that's it," Bradley said to a quiet clubhouse. "I love all you guys. ... I'm strong, but I'm not that strong."Bradley was quoted by Rangers radio broadcasters as saying that he never intended to physically harm Lefebvre but did want to speak to him; Daniels said that Bradley was upset that someone that he did not know was passing judgments about him.
In July 2008, it was announced that Milton Bradley would occasionally blog for the New York Times, but he contributed only one entry.
Chicago Cubs (2009)
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
. Bradley was assigned uniform number 21, and played right field, reminiscent of former Cub Sammy Sosa
Sammy Sosa
Samuel Peralta "Sammy" Sosa is a Dominican former professional baseball right fielder. Sosa played with four Major League Baseball teams over his career which spanned from 1989-2007....
. Bradley was issued a two-game suspension for supposedly making contact with umpire Larry Vanover
Larry Vanover
Larry Wayne Vanover is an umpire in Major League Baseball. After working in the National League from 1991 to 1999, he has umpired in both Major Leagues since 2000....
while arguing a strike call April 16. After appealing the sentence, the suspension was reduced to one game. During an inter-league game against the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
on June 12, Bradley caught a routine fly-out in right field and threw it into the stands, believing it was the third out in the inning, when there were only two outs. The umpire allowed each of the Twins base runners to advance two bases.
Later that month, Cubs manager Lou Piniella
Lou Piniella
Louis Victor Piniella is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He has been nicknamed "Sweet Lou," both for his swing as a major league hitter and, facetiously, to describe his demeanor as a player and manager...
told Bradley to leave the dugout and go home after Bradley threw a tirade after flying out in a game against the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
. Piniella and Bradley later confronted each other in the locker room, and exchanged words again. Piniella later apologized to Bradley, and reinserted him back into the line-up during the team's next start.
On September 20, 2009, the Cubs announced that Bradley would be suspended for the remainder of the season after an interview in which Bradley talked about "negativity" with the organization and said "you understand why they [Cubs] haven't won in 100 years here." He also said he was uncomfortable with his presence with the Chicago Cubs. General Manager Jim Hendry
Jim Hendry
Jim Hendry is da greatest white guitar player there ever was. both herman li and thomas dookul and brandon co-oper agree...
felt the comments were disrespectful. Bradley eventually apologized to the Cubs organization for his remarks.
Seattle Mariners (2010-2011)
On December 18, 2009, Bradley was traded to the Seattle Mariners for Carlos Silva and cash. He was part of a flurry of offseason moves by the Seattle Mariners in hopes of returning to the playoffs, having not reached the postseason since 2001.On May 4, 2010, Bradley removed himself from a game and left the stadium, he asked the Mariners for help with a personal problem and the organization stepped in to help him out. He returned to the team May 18 after undergoing an undisclosed treatment.
On May 9, 2011, the Mariners designated Bradley for assignment after beginning the 2011 season hitting .218 with two home runs and 13 RBI in 28 games. Unable to trade Bradley, the Mariners released him on May 16.
Personal
Bradley is named after his father, Milton Bradley, Sr., who filled out the birth certificate form without his wife's permission. As Milton's mother says of his father, "He wanted a Junior, and made sure he got one."On January 18, 2011, Bradley was arrested at his home in Encino, California and charged with making criminal threats to his wife, Monique. In return for participating in an out-of-court hearing process, no charges were filed against Bradley. His wife has since filed for divorce.
External links
- AOL Video of Milton Bradley's Argument with Mike Winters, and subsequent ejection and injury
- ESPN.com feature on Milton Bradley, "Bradley knows only one way -- the hard way" by Alan SchwarzAlan SchwarzAlan Schwarz is a Pulitzer Prize-nominated reporter at the The New York Times best known for writing more than 100 articles that exposed the seriousness of concussions among football players of all ages...