Welcome Addition
Chicago,Il – Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella gave Milton Bradley a warm welcome when the two met Friday. A handshake, an embrace and an arm around his shoulder.
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“Glad to have you here,” Piniella said at the team’s winter convention as cameras captured the greeting.
Bradley’s three-year, $30 million contract will give the Cubs a solid bat in the middle of their lineup. And they hope there are no problems from a player whose career has featured emotional outbursts.
“I think the fact he has a three-year contract over here with the Cubs shows we were fairly interested in him and wanted him. I think we will do just fine with him,” Piniella said.
For Bradley, it was quite an introduction to the Cubs’ high-profile manager.
“He’s excited, happy and energetic about winning. I’m a guy about winning. I think we’ll click well,” Bradley said. “He understands the media and how to deal with it, and I’m kind of still learning.”
were both in Oakland, and the team’s medical staff had given him good reviews.
“I’m just looking forward to putting him in the lineup and letting him play,” Piniella said.
The Cubs are looking for a third straight division title, but more so a way to get out of the first round of the playoffs where they’ve been swept away two straight years, first by the Diamondbacks and last year by the Dodgers. The quick and stunning ousters ran the team’s drought without a World Series winner to 100 years.
“I think the biggest thing about last year’s baseball team – and I won’t mention it but once – I think everybody with the 100 years put a lot of expectations on the team in the postseason,” Piniella said.
“And when we didn’t get off very well in the opening game, it sort of set us back a little bit. We played a good ball the third game. It just wasn’t enough.”
The Cubs have added players like Bradley, Aaron Miles, Joey Gathright and Kevin Gregg, while losing Kerry Wood and Mark DeRosa. They’re more left-handed and have more speed, but being different doesn’t mean better. They won a NL-best 97 games in the regular season last year and still couldn’t advance.
“I think the key is to get past the first round. Win one game. If we win one game, I think we’ll be fine,” said Alfonso Soriano, who has struggled in both of his postseason appearances with the Cubs.
ano out of the leadoff surfaced Friday. Soriano, as usual, said he’d do what Piniella wanted. Piniella said he was happy with Soriano batting first but would see what happens during spring training that begins next month in Mesa, Ariz.
“Alfonso is a great kid,” Piniella said. “He’s got all the money in the world, so what is important to him is to win. We’ll talk in spring training and see where it goes.”
l be invited to spring training. Taguchi batted .220 in 88 games with the Phillies last year.
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Posted: 1/17/09 1:05AM ET
