Armchair GM Roundtable v. 3: “Milton Bradley: Sign him or let him walk?”

Popoffmatic Trouble?...WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD-Small part?...not seen here.

Jamey Newberg, author of the Newberg Report

I’d probably tell Milton he owes it to himself to survey the free agency landscape and we don’t want to stand in the way of that, but we do want him here. Have him shop the league and figure out what his value is on a multi-year deal, and then sit down to knock out a deal with him to stay. If someone out there wants to Gagné him and offer three or four guaranteed years, I probably wish him the best and take the supplemental first as compensation (he’s evidently projected to be a Type B free agent). But even though the disincentive to other clubs would be reduced by virtue of his Type B status - signing a Type B doesn’t cost you a draft pick (it only results in the award of a supplemental first to his previous team) - I’d be surprised if someone committed three years or more to him, given the injury risk.

“I think a two-year deal heavy on appearance incentives is a fair contract, but I want a club option for a third year (he’s only 30 years old, younger than Marlon Byrd). Maybe two years at a guaranteed $15 million, with $500,000 for reaching 502 plate appearances (the number necessary to qualify for the batting title - he’s at 470 right now in 2008), and another $500,000 for every 50 plate appearances he makes after that. As for the 2011 option year, when Bradley will be 33, maybe another $7.5 million (same incentives built in) with a buyout of something like $2 million.

“But all of this depends on how strongly I feel about Max Ramirez or Justin Smoak (or Chris Davis, to make room for Smoak) settling in as a designated hitter for this team by 2010. I’m not counting on Bradley to be an everyday defender again.”