DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum Milton Bradley Tackled/Injured by own Manager-Torn ACL

Milton always did have one heck of a temper but it does sound in the article that the ump was screwin with him but that doesn't give him the right to blow up once again.


Padres left fielder Milton Bradley tears ACL during blowup, will miss rest of season

By BERNIE WILSON, AP Sports Writer
September 24, 2007

SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Padres left fielder Milton Bradley will miss the rest of the season after he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee when he was spun to the ground by his manager during a blowup with an umpire.

Bradley, who helped spark the wild card-leading Padres during the season's second half, was ejected from Sunday's game by first base umpire Mike Winters, then hurt his knee during a bizarre scene when manager Bud Black spun him to the ground to keep him from going after the ump in the eighth inning of a 7-3 loss to Colorado.


Not only will the Padres be without Bradley for the final week and a possible playoff appearance, but they'll get little if any contribution from center fielder Mike Cameron, who has a torn ligament in his right thumb.

Cameron was hurt when he made a sliding attempt at Garrett Atkins' inside-the-park home run, then had Bradley step on his hand. Black said before Monday night's game at San Francisco that Cameron might be able to pinch-run this week, but that would be it.

The Padres, trying to reach the playoffs for the third straight year, entered Monday night's game with a half-game lead over Philadelphia in the wild-card race. San Diego was 2 1/2 games behind first-place Arizona in the NL West with seven to play.

The Padres had won seven straight against last-place teams San Francisco and Pittsburgh before their offense went flat and they lost three straight to the streaking Rockies.

Baseball spokesman Rich Levin said the commissioner's office is looking into whether Bradley was baited by Winters. The investigation is headed by Mike Port, major league baseball's vice president of umpiring, who reports to executive vice president Jimmie Lee Solomon.

Players union general counsel Michael Weiner said the association is waiting to see whether MLB does something before deciding whether to take action.

Bradley, whose volatile temper has overshadowed his talent during his career, called Winters' action "the most unprofessional and most ridiculous thing I've ever seen."

"It's terrible. And now, because of him, my knee's hurt," Bradley said Sunday. "If this costs me my season because of that, he needs to be reprimanded. I'm taking some action. I'm not going to stand pat and accept this."

Bradley was playing in his third game after missing 12 because of another injury. Batting .313, Bradley hit his 11th homer earlier in the game.

As Bradley walked to the plate in the eighth, umpire Brian Runge asked the player if he had flipped his bat in the ump's direction after taking a called third strike to end the fifth.

"I said, 'Are you kidding me? That's ridiculous,"' Bradley said. "He said, 'Well, it was reported to me by the other umpires that you threw your bat at me.' And I said, 'That's completely ridiculous. I've done a lot of things. I'm trying to turn it around. I would never harm anybody."'

Bradley singled, then asked Winters if he told Runge he threw his bat. "He goes, 'Yeah, you did.' I go, 'Are you kidding me? That's completely ridiculous. If I strike out and the inning's over, why are you looking at me? Everything's always about me."'

Then, a fan heckled Winters.

"I pointed to the guy in the crowd, affirming it," Bradley said.

Bradley said Winters responded with a string of expletives.

"That's when I went at him, and he kicked me out," Bradley said.

First base coach Bobby Meacham began to restrain Bradley, and Black came running out. Bradley got away from Meacham, but Black grabbed him by the jersey.

Bradley tried to get free and, after a few seconds, Black spun Bradley around and the player collapsed. Bradley immediately grabbed his right knee and eventually had to be helped off the field.

"I was trying to pull Milton away from the argument," said Black, later ejected for arguing a checked-swing call against Adrian Gonzalez.

Crew chief Bruce Froemming wouldn't allow a reporter to speak with Winters.

Meacham defended Bradley, and said Winters used profanities.

"In 26 years of baseball, I can honestly say that's the most disconcerting conversation I have ever heard from an umpire to a player," Meacham said. "It was almost like he wanted to agitate the whole thing. He wanted to get Milton boiling for some reason. Milton, he held his cool. I was just appalled."

Padres CEO Sandy Alderson used to work in the commissioner's office, where one of his duties was overseeing umpires.

"We're not going to sit by and see an umpire bait a player," Alderson said Sunday. He added that if the commissioner's office concludes the situation was handled appropriately, "I'll be shocked."

Alderson and general manager Kevin Towers didn't immediately return calls seeking comment on Monday.

AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum in New York contributed to this report.



Updated on Monday, Sep 24, 2007 9:19 pm, EDT

Don't know, but it sounds to me like Milton has a serious problem with authority figures.

Could be, but again, I don't follow baseball. However, one thing I do know is, as a player, you don't get yourself into these positions - right or wrong, you're the player, the ump is the ump. The ump has final say.

Milton is now, and always has been a problem child.

That doesn't give an umpire the right to do what the Padres are accusing him of. The first thing I want to know is why the home plate umpire asked Milton if he threw the bat at him and then told him nevermind, I should have never said anything.

There is no excuse for the first base ump to start swearing and calling a player names. These big league umpires think they're part of the game...They're not. The league should send these umps a strong message by making an example of Winters...They won't. Bud is a complete waste with no backbone.

I wanna see video.

No,...I want to hear the actual audio,....it has been reported that a fan in the seats was using the "n' word on Bradley and the ump was taking off on it,...if that's the case, this ump is history.

Bradley gets what he earned though, torn ACL for losing his cool. Ooops,...you can't lose what you never had.

This dude is out of control

Million dollar talent, ten cent head. You've got to wonder how many more chances he's going to get, hopefully it's his last one.

Now starting for the Cleveland Browns ILB Bud Black, hey i figured he took down Milton pretty easy he should be able to help shore up that run defense!!!!

Why wouldn't he overreact like a punk ? After all that is what the moron is. A Punk.

Sounds like a situation I'd love to see happen to the Skankees or BoSox.

Sounds like the ump had had enough ass chewings and lost his cool. He may be fined for bad language and taunting but I have a feeling that a few other umps would help him pay off the fine. I'm sure there are a few players the umps would love to see get an azz whuppin' also.

I find it it really borders on perfection that a lifetime "problem child" suffered a season ending injury in the midst of a temper tantrum.

When I saw this I wondered right away just who Bradley would blame in all this. I wondered will he blame black for actually holding him while his ACL popped? Will he blame the fan? Will he blame the ump?

I barely just barely, maybe for a second, wondered if he would blame himself for losing control AGAIN, and precipitating this injury...........nah.

ESPN.Com


NEW YORK -- Umpire Mike Winters was suspended by Major League Baseball for the remainder of the regular season on Wednesday because of his confrontation with San Diego Padres outfielder Milton Bradley last weekend.


The Padres claimed Winters baited Bradley, who has a history of losing his temper. Bradley tore a knee ligament when his manager spun him to the ground while trying to keep him from going after the umpire during Sunday's 7-3 loss to Colorado in San Diego.


Winters was suspended because the commissioner's office concluded he had used a profanity aimed at Bradley, a baseball official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the reasoning for the suspension was not announced.


The 48-year-old Winters became a major league umpire in 1990 and worked the World Series in 2002 and last year.


Bradley tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and will need surgery, which is expected to sideline him for at least six months. His injury was a blow to the Padres, who began Wednesday with a one-game lead over Colorado and Philadelphia in the NL wild-card race.


Trouble began when plate umpire Brian Runge asked Bradley if he had flipped his bat in the ump's direction after taking a called third strike that ended the fifth inning. Runge indicated that Winters told him that Bradley had.


The dispute escalated after Bradley singled, then asked Winters if he told Runge he threw his bat.


First base coach Bobby Meacham and Black said Winters used profanity. Bradley called it "the most unprofessional and most ridiculous thing I've ever seen."


"It's terrible. And now, because of him, my knee's hurt," he said after the game. "If this costs me my season because of that, he needs to be reprimanded. I'm taking some action. I'm not going to stand pat and accept this because I didn't do nothing wrong."

Oh I see what you are syaing, but still you can call me whatever you want and I won't act like that. Unless I'm drunk, and even then it would be very unlikely. The argueing in Baseball has always been kinda rediculous, and then stuff like this happens. You can disagree, and disagree strongly without acting like an idiot. State your case and walk away.

Winters got suspended...Good.

Now all the MLB teams should take a pass on Milton.

This is ALL Milton's fault. He's been mouthing off to people all of his career.

I don't care if the ump called him the "n"-word, he doesn't need to go after someone like that...his TEAM is trying to make the playoffs. But he only cares about himself.

And I've never cheered injury but this just might be the first time. He's going to blame someone else for losing his temper????

He should have been the first one suspended. He names the issue with Duncan. Difference - Duncan is a classy player and Bradley is a wasted talent that is trash.

I don't like Milton much... but it sounds like the ump provoked him and called him a curse word... which is totally and utterly uncalled for.