PHOENIX -- Milton Bradley has quickly learned what others
have long known: The Oakland Athletics' clubhouse is one of the
most laid-back, hospitable places in baseball.
For Bradley, it's a significant improvement from his difficult
days with the Dodgers. How nice to feel welcome from every corner
of the room for a change.
The A's acquired the switch-hitting Bradley in a trade with Los
Angeles on Dec. 13 to upgrade their offense and bat around Eric
Chavez. Bradley, who became known for his volatile behavior last
season that included a run-in with teammate Jeff Kent, is slated to
be Oakland's starting right fielder.
"I'm just trying to play my role and stay out of the way for
the most part," Bradley said Saturday, when the A's home Cactus
League game against the San Francisco Giants got rained out. "For
the most part, the guys, my teammates, everybody is pretty cool.
Everybody talks to everybody, everybody likes everybody. You do
things as a team and a unit."
He had the opposite experience last year in L.A.
Bradley didn't play again after accusing Kent of a lack of
leadership and an inability to deal with African-American players
on Aug. 23. The following day, Bradley learned he had a serious
left knee injury that required surgery.
Then, it became public in August that police responded three
times to Bradley's home in Redondo Beach on domestic violence
calls, but neither he nor his pregnant wife were arrested or
charged. Redondo Beach police counseled the couple after responding
on June 28 and July 30, and in the June report Bradley told police
his wife had hit and scratched him because she suspected him of
cheating on her.
In December, Bradley became a parent for the first time to a
son, Jeremiah. He has said being a father has changed his outlook
on life.
New Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti brainstormed ways to
keep Bradley with the club but ultimately knew it couldn't work out
-- and Bradley later acknowledged he knew parting ways was probably
inevitable.
His new teammates aren't casting judgment about Bradley's past
but rather focusing on what he can do to get them back in the
playoffs after a two-year drought.
"He's funny, he's completely opposite of everything that's been
written about him," Chavez said. "Obviously there have been some
unfortunate situations with him, but coming into it I think
everybody was open minded and there was no doubt in anybody's mind
that he was going to have a good time here and he was going to get
along with the guys. Since I've been here, there haven't been any
jerks or bad personalities."
The A's got Bradley for relatively cheap. The former
second-round draft pick, who turns 28 next month, is scheduled to
earn $3 million this season with the chance to earn an additional
$200,000 in performance bonuses.
"I feel like I'm a guy who can offer a lot and I'm not getting
paid a whole lot," Bradley said. "I was a bargain, so it's a
no-lose situation for them."
Oakland general manager Billy Beane said when he dealt for
Bradley that the past is the past and he believes the outfielder
would fit in well in Oakland's laid-back clubhouse.
Bradley agreed, and said he has been misunderstood at times.
"I'm all about winning. I'm not going out there to just go
through the motions and have fun," he said when he signed.
Manager Ken Macha is pleased so far, and not surprised to hear
Bradley is happy.
"I think we have a great environment here," Macha said.
"There are a lot of players who have ended up going to other teams
who would want to come back."
Bradley is hoping to return to his top form after his 2005
campaign was cut short.
He batted .290 with 13 homers and 38 RBIss in 283 at-bats last
season. He was limited to 75 games, also missing extensive playing
time because of a torn ligament in his right ring finger.
In 2004, Bradley hit .267 with 19 homers and 67 RBIss in 141
games for the Dodgers, and .321 with 10 homers and 56 RBIss in 101
games for the Indians in 2003.
Anymore, switching teams isn't that big of a deal for Bradley.
"There's no adjustment. You play. It's baseball," he said.
"Other people have problems with other things. I've never had a
problem with anything. If I did, I said what the problem was. It's
never been a thing where it's made me not do my job. I've always
been able to do my job when I was healthy. I've been honest about
what I needed to do."