Bradley out for year...who's to blame?

[rolliefingers]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3033346

For those who didn't see it, Bradley had to be restrained from going after the first-base ump. Bud Black basically resorted to wrestling Bradley to the ground, trying to keep him from getting punished any more, and tore Bradley's ACL in the process! Bradley later said that the ump escalated the argument, and that he wouldn't have continued the argument otherwise.

Who gets the blame here: Bradley, for not controlling his temper, or the ump, for possibly baiting him?

Bradley doesn't have the best reputation, but I kind of agree with him here.

[GeorgiaBird]

The only one who knows and does not have a bias here is Todd Helton. I can't imagine he wants to talk about it considering he has to deal with umpires every day, but of the four people who know what happened he is the only one who I would trust to tell me who is to blame.

[square634]

Apparently, the first base ump said that Bradley threw his bat at the umpire, which I definitely did not see in the ESPN replays. It's possible that he did it during the commercial break, but he didn't seem that angry when it happened.

[The Wedge]

I think Bradley has a legit beef, but at the same time, he shouldn't have to be forced to the ground by his manager in that situation, either.

[geschinger]

The combination of watching the incident on MLB.TV and the comments afterwards I tend to believe what the Padres are putting out there. Bradley talks to the umpire and both sides seem calm, a few pitches later they show the umpire again and it looks like he's jawing at Bradley. Obviously Bradley lost his head and reacted poorly but I don't things escalate if the umpire didn't feel the need to engage Bradley.

Even more surpsing to me was Black getting tossed a few batters later. I don't recall seeing a guy get thrown out that far away from the umpire. I'm not sure what Hunter Wendelstedt might have heard from the home dugout (1b side) that the 1b or home plate umpires (who were much much closer) didn't that was worthy of getting tossed.

[Sports Guy]

Sucks for BRadley and the Padres...For him to tear his ACL over this is sad.

Bradley should have calmed down some but we don't know what was really sad...Bradley made it sound like he was really being taunted(Pads coaches did as well).

The umpire should be fired or, at the very least, suspended for a while.

[RVAbird]

In one interview, Bradley said that Mike Winters called him a piece of S****.

Another report I read said the padres are claiming something was said with racial overtones.

In any event, it is clear from the video that there is an exact moment when Winters says something and both Bradley and the first base coach lose it, so I tend to believe something out of line was said.

If either of the first two things I said are true, Winters needs to be heavily reprimanded. Things have really fallen apart for the padres.

[DrungoHazewood]

Milton Bradley is to blame for Milton Bradley's problems. If he doesn't have issues controlling his temper nothing happens. End of story.

This is coming from someone who's gotten more than his share of cards in soccer matches, and has been tossed from a softball game for throwing a bat. Every one of those incidents was because I went over the line, or was under the ref/umps closest scrutiny because I'd previously gotten as close to the line as I could get. If I'd calmed down nothing would have happened. I have no sympathy for Milton Bradley.

[Boy Howdy]

Milton Bradley is to blame for Milton Bradley's problems.

OK, but Milton Bradley is not to blame for Mike Winters problems, and -if you watch the video- it seems clear that Winters said something out of line.

Even MLB's Sandy Alderson commented to the effect that he'd be shocked if the commissioner's office finds that the situation was handled properly.

If -emphasis on if- Winters made a racial comment, I disagree that this incident can be blamed solely on Bradley's notorious temper. At that point, many would argue that Bud Black stopped Winters from getting what he deserved.

[Migrant Redbird]

Milton Bradley is to blame for Milton Bradley's problems. If he doesn't have issues controlling his temper nothing happens. End of story. ... I have no sympathy for Milton Bradley.

Neither do I, but it does appear to be another case like the Alomar incident a few years ago where, if the umpire had behaved professionally, nothing would have happened aside from the possible ejection.

Umpires have the obligation to be the "parent" in these situations, which means retaining their cool and walking away from a confrontation, rather than provoking it.

Bradley needs to grow up, but MLB needs to get a handle on their prima donna umpires or we will continue to see nasty incidents like this one. Eventually someone is going to get seriously hurt one of these days.

[RVAbird]

Milton Bradley is to blame for Milton Bradley's problems. If he doesn't have issues controlling his temper nothing happens. End of story.

This is coming from someone who's gotten more than his share of cards in soccer matches, and has been tossed from a softball game for throwing a bat. Every one of those incidents was because I went over the line, or was under the ref/umps closest scrutiny because I'd previously gotten as close to the line as I could get. If I'd calmed down nothing would have happened. I have no sympathy for Milton Bradley.

Notice that I never excused Bradley's actions or said that he did not cross the line, I simply said that Winters needs to be held accountable if what the Padres are claiming is true.

[geschinger]

Milton Bradley is to blame for Milton Bradley's problems. If he doesn't have issues controlling his temper nothing happens.

This is true but just because Bradley has issues doesn't give an umpire the right to behave improperly and if the story coming out of the Padres camp has validity he did. Bradley's issues should not give umpires a free pass to act unprofessionaly.

It seems to me that it might be just as accurate to say that if Winters didn't have issues controlling his temper nothing happens.

[Moose Milligan]

It's Bradley's fault, really.

I mean, he's gotta keep his cool in a situation like that, as warped as it is. The Padres first base coach was saying that Winters was saying some really out of line stuff.

But Bradley has to act like a professional. Of all the people that Winters could have gone after, he went after the worst person he could have.

Bradley was right to talk back and stand up for himself but it all changed when he escalated the situation by charging at the umpire.

The past few years have been marred by some really ugly situations in sports, the NBA brawl being the most obvious...and with a hothead like Bradley charging at an ump, it seemed like a recipe for disaster.

No one will know what would have happened had Bradley gotten through, he might have pulled up right in Winters face and gone at him ala Weaver...or he could have clotheslined him.

Winters is also to blame...if it's true that he was saying these things, thats really unprofessional, but he didn't escalate it to anything physical.

Either way, it sucks to see. I don't like Bradley, but to blow a knee over something like that is pretty sad.

[rolliefingers]

But Bradley has to act like a professional.

And the ump doesn't?

[twoBshorty]

Until I read this article, I was chalking it up to "Milton being Milton," or whatever you want to call it.

Now, I don't know. Bradley should have controlled himself for the sake of his team, but it's cowardly and despicable of the umpire to fire off abuse at a player when he has all the leverage. If he had done that on the street, he probably would have been punched in the face, and being able to predict that consequence likely would have stopped him from saying anything. But because he was in a position of power on the field, it sounds like Winters decided it was OK to poke a stick into the hornet's nest. I despise it when people take advantage like that. It's bullying.

Buster Olney says MLB will ask Todd Helton to give his account of what happened. If it's indeed as bad as the Padres are implying, I would hope Mike Winters gets canned.