Cubs’ Bradley suspended
The Chicago Cubs suspended volatile outfielder Milton Bradley for the rest of the season Sunday, one day after he criticized the team in a newspaper interview.
Bradley was disciplined for conduct detrimental to the team. General manager Jim Hendry said he decided to send Bradley home after learning of the player’s remarks in the (Arlington Heights) Daily Herald of Illinois. Bradley was quoted as saying “you understand why they haven’t won in 100 years here.”
Bradley struggled this year throughout his first season with the Cubs and was booed vigorously by home fans at Wrigley Field. He was hitting .257 with 12 homers and 40 RBIs.
Bradley has two years remaining on a three-year, $30 million contract that he signed as a free agent last offseason. Hendry said he didn’t know if the relationship was “fixable.”
“I just decided late last night that’s what I was going to do, and I didn’t give it a lot of thought what’s going to transpire moving forward,” Hendry said.
“I just felt like it was time to do this.”
Millwood waits
Texas right-hander Kevin Millwood expects to make his scheduled start tonight and have a chance to pitch the 4 1/3 innings needed to guarantee a $12 million contract next season.
The struggling starter last pitched Sept. 12, when he gave up five runs in 3 2/3 innings against Seattle. The Rangers then pushed back Millwood (10-10, 3.94 ERA) while they had him work on a mechanical flaw after going 2-5 with a 6.29 ERA his past 12 starts since July.
Millwood, who has to reach 180 innings to guarantee the fifth and final season of his contract with Texas, said he expected to pitch “unless they change their mind.”
Team president Nolan Ryan said Millwood not pitching was “really performance related” and not because of the contract clause.
“I’d like for it to be over with so you guys don’t ask me about it any more,” Millwood said.
Before his slide, Millwood was 8-5 with a 2.64 ERA his first 16 starts.
Clearing the bases
Twins third baseman Joe Crede plans to have another surgery on his injured back. Crede, out for the season, said the procedure will remove fluid from a herniated disk that is impeding on a nerve. Crede expects to have the operation Friday. … A Giants prospect is the main suspect in the killing of a 25-year-old man in the Dominican Republic, police said. Angel Villalona turned himself in 12 hours after the man was shot at a bar in the southern coastal city of La Romana, police said.