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Geoff Baker covers the Mariners for The Seattle Times. He provides daily coverage of the team throughout spring training, and during the season.
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Carlos Silva for Milton Bradley is going down
Posted by Geoff Baker
Last week at the winter meetings, the Chicago Cubs and Mariners discussed a possible Carlos Silva for Milton Bradley swap.
"Not happening,'' a top Mariners official said afterwards.
Well, it is happening now.
The Cubs have agreed to send Bradley to Seattle for Silva, as first posted by colleague Larry Stone. Silva had damage to his rotator cuff and labrum last season and hasn't really pitched since May, other than a couple of relief efforts. But the Cubs are willing to take that chance.
This is a huge deal for the Mariners. It's a no-brainer. Silva no longer had a position in the rotation and Bradley -- on the field -- has a potent bat when his off-field distractions aren't harming him.
Silva's representatives aren't commenting for now.
The pitcher has been down in Venezuela throwing in that country's winter league. I'm told his trademark sinker, missing last season, is looking more sharp. The injury may have had something to do with that, but who knows? He's given up a .400 batting average to opponents in the nine innings he's thrown down there. The Cubs obviously see something they like. Yes, they would likely have taken a warm body to trade away Bradley, who has burned all of his Chicago bridges. But they would not have taken an injured player.
Bradley is 31 and fits the profile of a guy the team was looking for. First, he's a right handed bat who can serve as a DH while also playing the outfield. He had pretty good defensive stats for the Rangers in 2008, not so much for the Cubs last season.
Yes, there are numerous potential risks here, especially the potential disruption to the clubhouse that was not a factor here in 2009. in this context, the decision to re-sign Ken Griffey Jr. looks a lot better than it did yesterday. If there's one guy who can reign in Bradley's explosive temper, it's Griffey. Don Wakamatsu and his staff won't hurt either.
We're told this should be announced today.
Photo Credit: AP
UPDATE - 9:32 AM
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