Milton Bradley Sued for Rent: Insert ‘Game of Life’ Pun Here

↵↵A while back, I praised Seattle Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik for, among other things, bringing in Milton Bradley. Of course, Bradley, whose career has been sidetracked by seemingly countless issues that have nothing to do with his ability to hit a baseball, is only valuable if he can play. Getting mixed up in a rent dispute, though minor, does not bode well, the generic narrative will assert, and Bradley is a chance not worth taking. The generic narrative is wrong.↵

↵↵The Chicago Sun-Times’ report says Bradley is only being sued for $44,100. That’s a pittance compared to the $43,000 he made per game in 2009. This is more a source for mirth and a cautionary tale than another example of the batty Bradley getting in his own way.↵

↵↵Not to trivialize a number that’s near the American median income, but the sum Bradley owes is next to nothing for an MLB player, and probably only a little more than next to nothing for a guy renting $15,000-a-month condos. So this is a medium-rich guy wanting what he is owed by a rich guy. What bearing does that have on Bradley’s batting average?↵

↵↵And the reason this got traction? My guesses are that the Sun-Times either knows that readers will eat up Bradley’s misfortunes and pursued a tip, or someone affiliated with the landlord leaked it to what was assumed to be a sympathetic outlet.↵

↵↵It’s a nicely packaged story, and it gives a writer a chance to make bad board game puns. But it’s as relevant to Bradley’s 2010 season as I am.↵

↵