Bradley still the talk of Day 3

Posted Dec 9, 2009 by Roger Mooney

Updated Dec 9, 2009 at 11:19 AM

Day three of the Winter Meetings is under way and everyone is still talking about where Milton Bradley will end up and just when he might end up there.

The number of teams he’s rumored to be heading to expanded Tuesday with the report that the Cubs right fielder is headed to a “surprise” American League team.

That would suggest the Rays are out of the running, since it was believed Bradley would end up at Tropicana Field in a swap for Pat Burrell, and, well, where’s the surprise in that deal?

The Rays have been talking with the Cubs for some time, but they will not budge on their demand that the Cubs pick up a significant chunk of what the Rays would have to pay Bradley over the next two years when you get past the first $9 million (which they are on the hook for with Burrell). It comes out to around $15 million, and the Rays want to Cubs to eat a significant portion.

The deal with the Rays is not dead and won’t be until Bradley is traded. He could be traded to the Rays if the Cubs meet Andrew Friedman’s terms. Friedman will not budge on this. He’s not opposed to keeping Burrell, who should kick up his game a notch since this is his walk-year.

Funny how playing for the next contract re-energizes a player.