the oakland a's just let him go. wonder to where? i'll keep my hopes up for the guy.
To Bradley, it's very simple. A self-described loner, he considers every line-drive he hits, every "crack" of his bat, the sound of pure, delectable revenge. Even in the outfield he can hear Tupac Shakur lyrics pulsing through head and heart:
"I was born not to make it but I did
The tribulations of a ghetto kid
Still I rise
Still I rise"
"I don't always do things the right way. I don't always follow the rules," Bradley explains. "I'm a different type of person, which makes me interesting. I'm not like everybody else. That's boring. That's just me. It's not right, but that's me."
Bradley's career has also been mired by legal troubles and several notable on-field incidents.
* In June 2004, after being ejected from a game against Milwaukee by umpire Terry Craft, Bradley left his batting glove, bat, and helmet in the batter's box and threw a bag of baseballs from the dugout on to the field.
* In September 2004, reacting from a fan throwing a plastic beer bottle on the field during a home game against the Colorado Rockies, Bradley threw it from the field violently into the front row. Major League Baseball suspended him for five games.
* In October 2004, during a media session for the National League Divisional Series, he called African American Los Angeles Times Reporter Jason Reid an Uncle Tom and "sellout" during a media session in the Dodgers club house after Reid asked a question about how St. Louis Cardinals fans had treated him. However Bradley later apologized to Reid for making the remark and Reid accepted the apology.
* In December 2004, he served three days in jail related to a November incident. Bradley was a passenger in a car that had been stopped for a traffic violation. Bradley exited the vehicle and began arguing with the police. After being asked to return to the vehicle, Bradley refused, and was arrested. He refused to sign the citation and was charged with obstructing official business.
* On January 10, 2006, he filed for divorce from his wife of 11 months, Monique Bradley.
* In 2005, Bradley accused teammate Jeff Kent of discriminating against African Americans after he was criticized by the infielder for not hustling. Kent has denied the charge.
* On October 4, 2006, during the middle of the 4th inning of the 2006 American League Division Series, Bradley threw his water bottle onto a shelf in the dugout. The water bottle knocked over a cup of coffee which landed on the A's starting pitcher of the evening, Esteban Loaiza. The next inning an argument ensued between Bradley and the A's batting coach, Gerald Perry, regarding this minor incident. However, during the next game Perry and Bradley embraced after the latter hit a home run and Bradley and Loaiza were seen joking about the situation.
* On June 21, 2007, he was designated for assignment by the Oakland Athletics after being told he would see decreased playing time as a result of an overcrowded outfield. He was unhappy and according to at least one report he entered a heated discussion with Billy Beane and threw chairs in the clubhouse. A day later, the Athletics worked out a trade to deal him to the Kansas City Royals for Leo Nunez. However, the deal was voided because both teams learned Bradley failed to disclose an oblique injury he suffered during his final at-bat with the Athletics.[1]
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