There was an explosion of Milton Bradley trade rumors in the last 24 hours – and there were already a bundle. So we’re just going to have to do this one bullet-style, even though I hate doing that:
- Phil Rogers says the Cubs are making an extra hard push to trade Bradley within the next 36 hours. Of course, he tweeted that yesterday, so it’s more like 24 hours now. So that would be today. Eee!
- The Cubs may have to get Bradley to restructure his contract – i.e., deferring some of his money – in order to move him. If Bradley is as unhappy in Chicago as he seemed to be at the end of the season, he should be willing to be flexible.
- The Texas Rangers may have the most interest in Bradley, and the Toronto Blue Jays apparently “want no part” of him. That throws a wrench in the rumored three-team deal between the Cubs, Blue Jays, and Mets, where the Cubs end up with Luis Castillo and the Blue Jays end up with Milton Bradley.
- Bradley could head to the Rangers in exchange for Kevin Millwood. Millwood has one year left on his deal at $10 million, and was great last year after back-to-back poor seasons.
- In addition to the Rangers, the Tampa Bay Rays remain a likely destination for Bradley. Pat Burrell is the likely target of a trade to Tampa.
- The Cubs have also talked to the Los Angeles Angels and the New York Mets (directly) about Bradley. Presumably the discussed return from the Mets is Castillo, and from the Angels is outfielder Gary “God No” Matthews, Jr.
This could ba a situation where there are three things the Cubs could accomplish in a perfect world:
1.) Be rid of Bradley
2.) Actually improve the outfield
3.) Not spend too much (in cash OR personnel)
The world isn’t ever perfect, Cub-wise. If we accomplish “1″ we may get “2″ OR “3″ but no way we get both. So settling for a warm body in the outfield and saying goodbye to Milt might be something we just have to choke down.
In other words, we may not get anyone better than Matthews for him.
You’re probably right – in which case, is keeping him the better part of valor?
Gary “God No” Matthews, Jr.
Terrific nickname. I hope it sticks
I, too, hope it and he stick in Anaheim.