How to Fix a Relationship | From the KOKX Sports Desk at sports.keokukradio.com

He doesn???t know if the relationship is ???fixable.??? That was the statement of Chicago Cubs??? General Manager Jim Hendry when he was discussing the team???s suspension of outfielder Milton Bradley. The team sent Bradley home for the season, suspending him for the rest of the year for conduct detrimental to the team. I wonder what conduct they were talking about? Was it his criticism of the organization in a newspaper interview the day before? Was it his accusations of racism from fans in Wrigley Field???s right field corner? Was it becoming such a distraction with his attitude and his mouth that his manager called him a ???piece of ----???? Was that the detrimental conduct that got Milton Bradley suspended? Or was it forgetting how many outs there were and throwing a ball into the stands, letting a run score. Was it a paltry .257 batting average, 12 home runs, and 40 rbi from a man signed to a big money contract? Was it the fact that, as a switch hitter, Bradley was brought in to give the lineup some left-handed pop once in a while???and then ended up hitting so poorly as a left-hander that he was eventually platooned so that he only batted right handed? Was that the detrimental conduct? The answer to all of my questions is YES! Every one of conditions described above for an inescapable conclusion: Milton Bradley is detrimental to the team. His conduct, his play, his attitude, and his contract. Now, to answer Jim Hendry???s question. Is the relationship fixable? Again, the answer is YES! You fix it by fixing the mistake you made in signing Bradley in the first place. Find some other team that thinks their manager can play psychiatrist better than Lou Piniella. Pay whatever portion of the $21 million Bradley is still owed to get the other team to take him. Don???t even ask for anybody back. Or, if no other team is stupid enough to take Bradley ??? cut him loose and eat the whole contract! Better that than continue trying to get the head case to act like a teammate. Yes, Jim Hendry, the relationship between the Chicago Cubs and Milton Bradley IS fixable. You fix the relationship by ending the relationship any way you possibly can. Oh, and by the way, that would also be a giant first step in fixing your and the team???s relationship with an unhappy fan base.

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