Special_K19
05-13-2003, 06:08 PM
Looking to return to form
05/13/03
Paul Hoynes
Plain Dealer Reporter
Milton Bradley is looking for what he left behind.
Bradley was hitting .375 (30-for-80) with 16 runs, 10 doubles and three homers on April 22. He couldn't have started the season any faster if the Indians strapped a Mercedes Benz engine to his back.
But Bradley blew a tire. He strained his right hamstring on April 15 and re-injured it April 22 scoring from first base against Seattle at Safeco Field.
"I wanted to keep playing," said Bradley. "But I had an MRI and it showed significant swelling in the hamstring. There was a chance I could tear it, so they put me on the DL [disabled list]."
Bradley rejoined the Indians on Thursday for the final game against the Angels at Edison Field. He went from first to third in the lineup and is hitting .142 (2-for-14) in the last four games.
"With the roll I was on, there's no telling what I could have done," said Bradley. "Now, I've got to try and find that groove again."
Bradley stopped talking to reporters following an April 13 game against Kansas City.
The center fielder said he was misquoted following a 6-1 victory that ended the Royals' nine-game winning streak to open the season.
Among his comments after that game, Bradley called Royals starter Darrell May "gutless" for throwing at rookie Brandon Phillips.
Bradley added that in taunting Kansas City catcher Mike DiFelice after hitting a double, he probably cost himself a chance to hit for the cycle. Bradley, who had four hits, including a single, homer and two doubles, said he had plenty of time in his career to hit for the cycle.
Ricardo Rodriguez, who started that game, added to the tension by pumping his fists at the end of two innings after retiring Kansas City's Michael Tucker.
The next night, in a game featuring the ejections of manager Eric Wedge and pitcher Carl Sadler, the Royals beat the Indians, 12-4.
"I do feel I was misquoted," said Bradley. "Maybe I was talking too quickly and the reporters didn't get it all down. No one was using a tape recorder."
Bradley said he made the decision to stop talking to reporters because "I was talking about things irrelevant to the team. I wanted to get the negativity away from the team."
A couple of days later it was reported that one of Bradley's teammates told him "to shut up and play."
"Nobody said anything to me," said Bradley. "That's a lie, too. That really made me mad."
According to sources, "shut up and play" was written in magic marker on the message board in the Indians' locker room.
"I'm going to answer the questions I need to answer," said Bradley, concerning his new policy with reporters. "I'm just not going to be as open as I was before."
The Indians have won two of their four games since Bradley returned. The way this season is going, that's a hot streak.
Wedge took Bradley out of the leadoff spot because Matt Lawton has been functional there - .277 (10-for-36), nine runs, three homers, six RBI - and he feels Bradley has the talent to be a middle-of-the-lineup hitter.
The Indians and Bradley started this season with the goal of having him play between 150 and 160 games. Bradley won't reach those kind of numbers this year, but he could come close.
"What I want Milton to do is run it out now," said Wedge. "We look for him to be in our lineup every day. That's our goal and it should be his goal.
"To me, he's picked up right where he left off. He's having quality at-bats."
Bradley, hitting .340 heading into tonight's series against Seattle, would love to do that.
"I think I can put myself back into position so I get in the rhythm of putting up big numbers again," said Bradley. "I'm still hitting at the top of the order, so I don't think going from leadoff to No. 3 will affect me that much."
05/13/03
Paul Hoynes
Plain Dealer Reporter
Milton Bradley is looking for what he left behind.
Bradley was hitting .375 (30-for-80) with 16 runs, 10 doubles and three homers on April 22. He couldn't have started the season any faster if the Indians strapped a Mercedes Benz engine to his back.
But Bradley blew a tire. He strained his right hamstring on April 15 and re-injured it April 22 scoring from first base against Seattle at Safeco Field.
"I wanted to keep playing," said Bradley. "But I had an MRI and it showed significant swelling in the hamstring. There was a chance I could tear it, so they put me on the DL [disabled list]."
Bradley rejoined the Indians on Thursday for the final game against the Angels at Edison Field. He went from first to third in the lineup and is hitting .142 (2-for-14) in the last four games.
"With the roll I was on, there's no telling what I could have done," said Bradley. "Now, I've got to try and find that groove again."
Bradley stopped talking to reporters following an April 13 game against Kansas City.
The center fielder said he was misquoted following a 6-1 victory that ended the Royals' nine-game winning streak to open the season.
Among his comments after that game, Bradley called Royals starter Darrell May "gutless" for throwing at rookie Brandon Phillips.
Bradley added that in taunting Kansas City catcher Mike DiFelice after hitting a double, he probably cost himself a chance to hit for the cycle. Bradley, who had four hits, including a single, homer and two doubles, said he had plenty of time in his career to hit for the cycle.
Ricardo Rodriguez, who started that game, added to the tension by pumping his fists at the end of two innings after retiring Kansas City's Michael Tucker.
The next night, in a game featuring the ejections of manager Eric Wedge and pitcher Carl Sadler, the Royals beat the Indians, 12-4.
"I do feel I was misquoted," said Bradley. "Maybe I was talking too quickly and the reporters didn't get it all down. No one was using a tape recorder."
Bradley said he made the decision to stop talking to reporters because "I was talking about things irrelevant to the team. I wanted to get the negativity away from the team."
A couple of days later it was reported that one of Bradley's teammates told him "to shut up and play."
"Nobody said anything to me," said Bradley. "That's a lie, too. That really made me mad."
According to sources, "shut up and play" was written in magic marker on the message board in the Indians' locker room.
"I'm going to answer the questions I need to answer," said Bradley, concerning his new policy with reporters. "I'm just not going to be as open as I was before."
The Indians have won two of their four games since Bradley returned. The way this season is going, that's a hot streak.
Wedge took Bradley out of the leadoff spot because Matt Lawton has been functional there - .277 (10-for-36), nine runs, three homers, six RBI - and he feels Bradley has the talent to be a middle-of-the-lineup hitter.
The Indians and Bradley started this season with the goal of having him play between 150 and 160 games. Bradley won't reach those kind of numbers this year, but he could come close.
"What I want Milton to do is run it out now," said Wedge. "We look for him to be in our lineup every day. That's our goal and it should be his goal.
"To me, he's picked up right where he left off. He's having quality at-bats."
Bradley, hitting .340 heading into tonight's series against Seattle, would love to do that.
"I think I can put myself back into position so I get in the rhythm of putting up big numbers again," said Bradley. "I'm still hitting at the top of the order, so I don't think going from leadoff to No. 3 will affect me that much."