Since Sammy Sosa left in disgrace after the 2004 season, right field has been a sinkhole of talent — and dollars — for the Cubs.
First there was Jeromy Burnitz, then Jacque Jones, Cliff Floyd and Kosuke Fukudome.
And now there is Milton Bradley.
While the Cubs have been through five players in four years, Bradley has been through five teams in five years. For better or worse, the two have found each other for the next three years at $30 million.
Bradley even donned Sosa’s No. 21, which he has worn since rookie ball.
“I’m not coming in here trying to fill anybody’s shoes,” he said. “I’m coming in my own man and to be part of this team, [to] bring energy and cohesiveness. It’s just a number.
“It’s just a tremendous honor just be able to sit here. I even looked forward to answering all [media] questions today. That’s how much I’m happy to be here.”
Bradley, who has had his battles with media, managers, umpires and fans in the past, was introduced Thursday at Wrigley Field’s Stadium Club, which is becoming quite the midwinter “in” spot lately. Two years ago the Cubs introduced $136 million outfielder Alfonso Soriano there and last year $48 million man Fukudome, who apparently will be moved to center field.
Whether Bradley will become better than advertised, which the other two haven’t been, remains to be seen.
“He’s exactly what we needed in the middle of the lineup,” general manager Jim Hendry said.
The switch-hitter was a player-voted addition to the All-Star Game last year while playing primarily as a designated hitter for the Rangers. He led the American League in on-base percentage at .436 while establishing career highs with 22 homers and 77 RBIs, and he hit .321.
But he played only 20 games in the outfield while recovering from right knee surgery following an altercation with an umpire. The question, at 30, is how much right field he will be able to play.
“I didn’t have any issues with my knee last year and I don’t anticipate any this year,” he said.
Said Hendry: “We feel confident or we wouldn’t have [signed him]. He doesn’t have to play 150 games, but we’re counting on him.”
Hendry, of course, did his homework on Bradley, who was ejected from four games last season and has a well-documented history of temper flare-ups. The GM became convinced this would be the perfect marriage after a get-to-know-you dinner in Los Angeles in early November.
“Not only did I come away [from dinner] thinking tremendous things about him, but [after dinner] Milton said, ‘I know it’s going to take some time, but I want to be a Chicago Cub if you want me.'”
He has great expectations.
“There’s a sense of urgency [at Wrigley Field],” Bradley said. “The town is hungry for a championship. And I’m hungry for that.”
Of course, it is what all the other right-field wannabes have said on their introduction, and Bradley knows outfield at Wrigley can be a very lonesome place.
“It was Opening Day 2001, and the bleacher bums were all over me,” he said. “I understand [their] passion for the game. But you go play well and everybody loves you, so I don’t see that as being a concern for me.”
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dvandyck@tribune.com
