What should we do as fans if/when Milton comes to town?
by AceJC on May 5, 2010 10:18 PM CDT
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I've been reading the latest on Milton Bradley and his emotional issues regarding his life and baseball. We have first hand experience, as fans of a team he was once a member, that his presence on a team can be an array from fantastic production to clubhouse cancer. His recent proclamation to the Mariner's FO is that he needs help with personal issues in his life. So this brought me to a quandary about how we should handle him coming in to Arlington as a Mariner these next 9 games.
Bradley not playing well, losing his cool, thinking more about the fans in the stands instead of the play on the field, is all a good thing for the Rangers. I think it's a part of the game when fans attempt to rattle the opposition with chants, noise, or jeering (tastefully, of course) to get inside of their heads. These are professional athletes who have gone through this before (the minors are full of amazingly classless patrons and heaven forbid you have a bad game on dollar beer night) and the fans pay good money to enjoy the game. For those of you who know college baseball, there is a group of guys at Texas Tech called the Tech Hecklers. These guys have a passion for the game, do their homework, and are very tasteful, original, and funny with their taunts. I really enjoy going to a game and hearing them go to town on some of the kids playing against Tech. Milton Bradley should be able to handle himself with these fans and if not, perhaps that is a weakness in his character that devalues him as a player. As a fan, I want to see my team win against an opponent almost at any cause.
That brings me to the other side of my dilemma.
I would never go to the extent of wishing a player to be injured or hurt so that my team would win a ballgame. This is a game, players have lives outside of it, and I would never want bodily harm to happen to them. Although injuries are part of the game, rooting for an opposing player to hurt themselves is flat out wrong and unsportsmanlike. In the case of Milton Bradley, should there be boundaries for the fans on taunting him? The reason he would fail on the field is because he can become unhinged and mentally unstable after numerous bad performances. The two strike out night against the Rangers is proof of how failure gets to him. Should fans attempt to get into his head at all costs so he can become unstable and be a hindrance to his team? Should he be handled differently because he is having "personal issues" that seem to be very serious?
This is really meant more as a discussion than to really make a point or convey my stance. I truely want to know what others think about this. Plus I really want to start moving Ranger100 post down and out of the FanPost section.
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Pray that we somehow don't end up that that emotional trainwreck on our team.
"Does this effectively hide my thunder?"
+ 1 funny...
I do feel sorry for him though but he’s been doing this for over ten years, he should of taken care of this years ago and not made it the problem of every team that has taken him on.
Wash for this scene your role is to act like a manager who know's what the F he is doing. I know it's a creative stretch 'cus.....he do what he do.
In this life, the way you treat people ends up coming back to you most of the time.
MB is, by many,many accounts, a total prick. So he’s reaping what he has sowed. Good fucking riddance, I say. Sure, it’d be nice to have a high OBP guy to cross home plate a bunch of times….but that’s kind of like looking at that super hot chick at the bar and wishing she’d go out with you. She’s probably a narcissistic bitch who is fucking crazy. You’re better off without her.
"Does this effectively hide my thunder?"
heh I couldn't agree more....
Wash for this scene your role is to act like a manager who know's what the F he is doing. I know it's a creative stretch 'cus.....he do what he do.
Time wounds all heels
/John Lennon/
"I don’t know how these SN blog authors get their gigs, but I’m frankly surprised SN tolerates AJM’s lack of effort." Tex34
Neftali Feliz says sit your 5 dollar ass down before he makes change...
by Brian Thomas on May 7, 2010 10:05 PM CDT up reply actions
TL,DR
But I look at it this way: Milton had his career season while he was here in Texas, in terms of both production and behavior. Texas fans owe him nothing but thanks for the happy memories of the .423 wOBA he gave us in 2008, and they shouldn’t be directing any more hatred toward him than they would direct toward Gutierrez or Ichiro.
In fact, Ichiro deserves a lot more ire than Milton ever possibly could. Fuck Ichiro.
We're like soccer hooligans... except, like the Rangers, we can’t even get that right. We beat each other up instead of the other side. - AJM
And the fact that he "quit" on this team means nothing?
I mean, he came out and said that he didnt play just bc he didnt want to or didnt want to face good pitching?? How in the hell do we as fans owe him gratitude????
Elvis has "shook up" Arlington!!
Four. Fucking. Twenty-three. w. O. B. A.
I wish we had more players who “quit on the team” like that.
We're like soccer hooligans... except, like the Rangers, we can’t even get that right. We beat each other up instead of the other side. - AJM
by LSJ on May 6, 2010 3:59 PM CDT up reply actions
its like the people who say manny "quit" on the bosox
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
look out the window. tell me what you see.
the ditches are littered with people that quit on this team
life’s too short to hate everyone that quit on this team
defeatist pussy lives here
by sam in so cal on May 6, 2010 11:05 PM CDT up reply actions
I think he's a fraud
It’s very easy to repetitively be a fuck up, and then blame it on nebulous emotional problems. That’s a bit like Tiger calling going to sex addiction therapy after he got caught sleeping around.
But, as a couple of you have echoed, I liked him when he was here. If he really does have “emotional problems,” he should take care of that privately and still be accountable for his douchebaggery.
That's why they call them business sox
Or maybe
he actually is a fuck up because of emotional problems. Obviously you’re entitled to think whatever you want, though.
I see what you’re saying about Tiger and agree, it seems any time a pro athlete or movie star gets caught doing something they shouldn’t (save for Big Ben), they are an “addict” and need help.
Where I think this differs is that Milton has been a prick for a long time, and generally doesn’t do what Milton doesn’t wanna do. He didn’t have to approach the FO and ask for any help, because he’s getting paid no matter what and it’s not like he has a real solid reputation to protect.
Here, it actually seems like Milton is hurting and genuinely wants a little support and help through a rough patch. If that’s the case, good for him to try and better himself.
If you’re emotional problems are serious enough I can imagine they aren’t always something that can be handled privately, sometimes you need help.
"Holland didn’t make that kid question his swing, he made him question his career path"
Well you make good points
But I’m usually skeptical of these sorts of things. As my wise grandfather once told me: “some people are just assholes.”
That's why they call them business sox
True
But there really is such a thing as sex addiction, and while I could never know, some of the things Bradley does make him seem a little, uh, imbalanced. Not crazy or anything. He’s may be living in his own world a bit, though.
by Black Francis on May 6, 2010 9:42 AM CDT up reply actions
No
sex is not an addiction. Saying it is an addiction is just a crutch for pussies who like to hang their hat on being an addict over something. Heroin is an addiction. Meth is an addiction. Sex is not an addiction.
Smokey, this is not 'Nam, this is bowling. There are rules
by AndrusImpersonator on May 6, 2010 12:23 PM CDT up reply actions
I completely disagree.
There are countless people addicted to sexual-related things, most obviously stuff like pornography. It’s very obvious in our culture that sex is an addicting action, which the media and the culture as a whole completely endorse and promote. Say what you want, but sex is absolutely an addiction for many.
"Either we need to re-calibrate our rectangle, or Alfonzo Marquez is not having a good night." - Josh Lewin
Yep.
Sex falls into a category of process addictions. Considering it involves chemical stimulations in the brain ( most importantly dopamine), it’s entirely possible to become addicted to it
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take"-Wayne Gretzky"-Michael Scott
by ReallyCreativeScreenName on May 6, 2010 5:58 PM CDT up reply actions
Yeah
it’s not like he’s Michael Finley or anything.
"Jurick Profar is tired of practice!! I wanna play I wanna play….waiting for march 12 to go to spring training! to kill some pichers:D:D I am Jurickson Profar son of judeska and chesmond.. And I was born ready! ready to play baseball!!" - Jurickson Profar
Yep that's what I'll do if I go to any of those games
I don’t have any particular affinity for him these days but he’s not the kind of guy I’d heckle or anything. Paul O’Neil back in the day…we’d give him hell. You could tell it bothered him but it didn’t affect his play that I could see. Basically it does no good, I don’t think.
by Black Francis on May 6, 2010 9:45 AM CDT up reply actions
I don't understand why Rangers fans in particular would hate on Milton Bradley.
He OPS’ed .999 while with this team.
As far as I’m concerned, with that kind of production he could kill puppies in his spare time and I wouldn’t care.
Exactly
and it wasn’t like he was here for years…
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take"-Wayne Gretzky"-Michael Scott
by ReallyCreativeScreenName on May 5, 2010 11:03 PM CDT up reply actions
If I was in the stands
I’d probably clap when his name was announced. Not like a Pudge Rodriguez applause, but a little more than a golf clap, anyway. Milton was a productive member of our team, and he brought an element to the team that we have been sorely lacking ever since.
"No, I'm not a pessimist. At some point the world shits on everybody. Pretending it ain't shit makes you an idiot, not an optimist."-https://twitter.com/shitmydadsays
I agree about his production for the Rangers. He did a great job here.
But he’s with Seattle now. So when he’s playing against the Rangers, I can’t find myself rooting for him or wishing him to play well. I want an 0-4 game.
My question I’m posing is, if the fans heckling and jeering causes him to lose focus out in the field and at the plate, causing the 0-4, should they do it? Or is it like pointing out their weight to someone who has an eating problem?
I guess it also depends on how much you think the fans can influence a game. This isn’t exactly Spike Lee and Reggie Miller.
"I don't really like pitchers." - Nelson Cruz
I don't really care what he does
as long as we win the game. He can have a 4-4 night with four homers as long as we win 5-4.
What do you do?
You feel grateful for his contributions and then heckle him like there’s no tomorrow. He doesn’t play for us anymore. He plays for a division rival.
"Jurick Profar is tired of practice!! I wanna play I wanna play….waiting for march 12 to go to spring training! to kill some pichers:D:D I am Jurickson Profar son of judeska and chesmond.. And I was born ready! ready to play baseball!!" - Jurickson Profar
by chrisR on May 6, 2010 12:09 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs
I'm going to do nothing
I don’t do when any other ballplayer is in town. Why would I?
Ceterum censeo, Ron Washington esse delendam
Honestly I liked him while he was here... but dude needs to grow up
lol and look who's holding him back in that one....Wash with the A's
Wash for this scene your role is to act like a manager who know's what the F he is doing. I know it's a creative stretch 'cus.....he do what he do.
Heh, I kind of love him for all that
I mean sports are entertainment and he is definitely entertaining
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take"-Wayne Gretzky"-Michael Scott
by ReallyCreativeScreenName on May 6, 2010 4:53 PM CDT up reply actions
Although I'd never boo him,
I think it’s perfectly fine. But to bring up his personal matters just to rattle him would be weak, imo.
'Waiting for a girl and she gets me into fights
Waiting for a girl we get drunk on Friday night'
I agree, boo him, whatever, but no need to get personal like that...let them do that shit in Philly.
"Sometimes you just want to sit back and watch somebody throw 100." - Jeff Passan on Neftali Feliz
"Baseball's all that's real" - JB
exactly...
it’s not like he’s a complete a-hole like rafael palmeiro
i hope that guy got some latent hiv from sandberg’s wife
i don’t hate many people (there’s only about 73), but he’s top 5
defeatist pussy lives here
by sam in so cal on May 6, 2010 11:11 PM CDT up reply actions
applaud him
make him feel welcomed here so that he feels even more unhappy with the Mariners.
Thank you Houston for drafting Jason Castro.
Best answer yet.
"No, I'm not a pessimist. At some point the world shits on everybody. Pretending it ain't shit makes you an idiot, not an optimist."-https://twitter.com/shitmydadsays
I don't wish any harm on the guy, he was great with us.
Should we be talking about this? I don’t think Matthew wants us to blow this up.
Heh. Loser.
Yeah, I will say
Kind of a chicken move by LL in sweeping Milton’s latest tantrum under the rug over there. To a certain degree, I get that they didn’t want to give Cubs fans and other Bradley-bashers a forum to have a field day, but sheesh… would it have been too hard to turn on the 24-hour waiting period for new users and set/enforce some ground rules for the discussion?
We're like soccer hooligans... except, like the Rangers, we can’t even get that right. We beat each other up instead of the other side. - AJM
by LSJ on May 6, 2010 8:24 AM CDT up reply actions
what're you talking about?
"Sometimes you just want to sit back and watch somebody throw 100." - Jeff Passan on Neftali Feliz
"Baseball's all that's real" - JB
LL kind of shutting down until they figured the initial backlash of the incedent was over.
We're like soccer hooligans... except, like the Rangers, we can’t even get that right. We beat each other up instead of the other side. - AJM
by LSJ on May 6, 2010 4:00 PM CDT up reply actions
LOL. Yeah, that's part of the reason I made a FanPost about it.
I’m not really a convo. starter, but I did write this with part of LoL in mind. I mean really, let’s ignore the last 5 years this guy has done and assume he’ll be different with the Mariners. Forget about his issues with the Dodgers, the Rangers, and the Cubs. The high and mighty Mariners with GMZ will fix him.
Heheh. I’m not really not trying to sound mean toward LoL, but it was kind of silly. I understand not wanting to hear all the crap from Cub fans and even stupid Ranger fans who would come over there. But it looked to me like they were trying to control everyone’s thinking on the subject. Just the way I perceived it. I respect the hell out of them in most aspects, but this was kind of screwy.
What do I know though? I’m just a Texas yokel.
"I don't really like pitchers." - Nelson Cruz
I agree
I went over to their blog for the first time expecting to read some polarizing arguements for and against MB, but all I found were fans acting like this was the first time this has happened to him. If I was a Mariners fan, I’d be pissed.
yeh I imagine most of their fans have no idea..
how long this has been going on. From spitting on and slapping umps to abusing his pregnant wife. I’d rather not root for evil if given the choice. I’m quite happy with Vladdy in the DH role, he’s having a lot better year without all the drama. If Milty is indeed mentally ill then I feel sorry for him. If he is just an unadulterated prick like Mr. Loblaw seems to think I’d have no problem booing him although feigning a disorder seems to be in vogue these days for bad behavior.
Wash for this scene your role is to act like a manager who know's what the F he is doing. I know it's a creative stretch 'cus.....he do what he do.
Leave him be
He was great when he was here and he has the respect of Washington and many of the Rangers players. Take your cue from them. He’s never done anything to harm the Rangers or you, so why not just let it go? People who get excited about heckling sports figures for no good reason lead sad lives.
Not mediocre. Right about average
x
I was sitting on the third base line one section down from the dugout last time they came to town during the game that Milt got into it with the fans behind the dugout. Let me tell you – the dude is fucking crazy. At that game, I was like, “Milton Bradley is going to go into the stands and fight that guy, Ron Artest style if he keeps it up.”
I, for one, was very amused by the dudes next to me that even after that kept yelling at him the entire game, and since we were first row, he heard all of it. “Hey MILTON! You need someone to carry you into Left Field?!”
milton just needs a hug
"Drinks are on me if Lewis posts >168IP and an era lower than 3.86." by RangerMad on Jan 20, 2010 12:36 PM PST
by jam0152 on May 6, 2010 9:40 AM CDT via mobile reply actions
And for good reason
Let’s give him an ovation every plate appearance. Adds to the notion he was appreciated here, and builds the notion he is less appreciated elsewhere. IOW add to his apparent dissatisfaction, just to screw with Seattle.
"He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts... for support rather than illumination." - Andrew Lang (1844-1912) also -
"Telephone, n. An invention of the devil which abrogates some of the advantages of making a disagreeable person keep his distance."
~Ambrose Bierce
by Ed Coffin on May 6, 2010 9:50 AM CDT up reply actions
?
I’m not one to boo players just for being who they are, but I’m not going to give an opposing player a standing ovation.
Psych
Doesn’t need to be a standing-O, just enough to add to his discomfort in his present situation.
"He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts... for support rather than illumination." - Andrew Lang (1844-1912) also -
"Telephone, n. An invention of the devil which abrogates some of the advantages of making a disagreeable person keep his distance."
~Ambrose Bierce
by Ed Coffin on May 6, 2010 10:02 AM CDT up reply actions
Either heckling doesn’t work in which case you are behaving like a child for no appreciable gain, or it does work in which case you are doing actual emotional harm to someone who i think we can all appreciate as being damaged/vulnerable, all for maybe 1/6th of a win a year.
so, to you answer your question, i suggest
a) cheer for the rangers
b) enjoy the game
by Smoakin in the Boys Room on May 6, 2010 10:59 AM CDT reply actions
Boo the shit out of him and hope he does something stupid so we can laugh?
Pitching coach Mike Maddux on Darren Oliver’s 0.00 ERA this spring:
"Economical work. He ain’t getting paid by the hour."
Was the intention of this thread to ask
what do we do if he comes back as a Ranger or just when he comes back against the Rangers?
against...he'll never be on this team again...
Wash for this scene your role is to act like a manager who know's what the F he is doing. I know it's a creative stretch 'cus.....he do what he do.
One can dream...
'Waiting for a girl and she gets me into fights
Waiting for a girl we get drunk on Friday night'
one can also have nightmares :)
Wash for this scene your role is to act like a manager who know's what the F he is doing. I know it's a creative stretch 'cus.....he do what he do.
Just when he comes back against the Rangers.
I’m not seeing him make an appearance with the Rangers ever again.
"I don't really like pitchers." - Nelson Cruz
Milton's got enough problems
He doesn’t need us piling on.
I will say, however, that if he had to have another meltdown, it makes me damn happy that it was with the Mariners.
"I don’t know how these SN blog authors get their gigs, but I’m frankly surprised SN tolerates AJM’s lack of effort." Tex34
Neftali Feliz says sit your 5 dollar ass down before he makes change...
Stand Up
and cheer for the guy. While he played for the Rangers is was nothing but a good guy and an All Star. Also consider that all of his blow-ups and emotional breakdowns have either had no effect on the Rangers or they have served to help the Rangers.
In general, I think he is a good guy that has a screw loose or a wire crossed. As long as Yankee fans can cheer for a cheater like ARod and Dodger fans can cheer for a cheater like Manny, I say we can cheer for a mixed-up Milton.
Ephesians 1:3-10
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