6:01pm: For those of you who are interested, here's Bradley's apology statement, courtesy of Gordon Wittenmyer at the Chicago Sun-Times:
"I chose Chicago as a free agent because I wanted to be part of finally bringing a championship to Chicago's fans. I expected to have a great season, and I am deeply disappointed by my performance and the team's struggles.
I played every game with everything that I had and wanted desperately to win. My frustration and disappointment boiled over, and I said and did certain things that I regret. In hindsight, I wish that I handled certain things differently, and I apologize for those things that did not work out for the better.
The air has been cleared, and we all want to move on and look forward to better days."
4:48pm: According to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com, the Cubs have reached a resolution with Bradley. He'll be paid for the final two weeks of the season and, in turn, the MLBPA will not file a grievance. Bradley also plans to issue an apology for some of his remarks.
WEDNESDAY, 2:53pm: Paul Sullivan notes that the Cubs have yet to file paperwork regarding Bradley's suspension and the MLB Players Association can't file a grievance until they do. At this point, it's basically an agreement between the club and Bradley that he won't return this season.
SUNDAY: According to Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune, the Cubs have suspended disgruntled outfielder Milton Bradley for the rest of the season.
Bradley, who signed a three-year, $30MM contract last winter, took shots at the Cubs organization during an interview with the Arlington Heights Daily Herald on Saturday, and has battled with fans on the North Side of Chicago for much of the season. GM Jim Hendry is expected to seek out a trade partner for the 31-year-old right fielder this offseason.
"The last few days became too much for me to tolerate," Hendry said Sunday, fed up with the player's attitude toward the fans and media in Chicago. "I'm certainly not going to let our great fans become excuses."
Bradley's trade value has undoubtedly taken a hit because of this mess. And it's not like he was hitting the cover off the ball. Through 124 games this season, he had a .257/.378/.397 batting line, 12 home runs and 40 RBI. It's hard to guess who might want him — there aren't any drama-inviting teams like the Bengals or Cowboys in Major League Baseball.
