MLB Notes: Bradley packs his bags for Oakland

Wednesday, December 14, 2005
LOS ANGELES — Milton Bradley is getting another fresh start.
The Los Angeles Dodgers unloaded the switch-hitting outfielder Tuesday, sending him to the Oakland Athletics along with infielder Antonio Perez for minor-league outfielder Andre Ethier, the Texas League player of the year.
"I couldn't be happier," Bradley said on a conference call. "I'm playing major-league baseball and having fun. I'm a California guy — it's exciting for me. I wish the Dodgers well, wish their team well."
Acquired by the Dodgers shortly before the start of the 2004 season after a run-in with Cleveland Indians manager Eric Wedge, Bradley feuded with teammate Jeff Kent last season.
"As far as my dealings with Jeff Kent, we got along as well as we could," Bradley said. "It didn't work for me."
General manager Ned Colletti, hired last month by the Dodgers, didn't think a reconciliation was possible.
"I went into it with the idea of trying to keep him a Dodger," Colletti said. "It was clearer and clearer there was no way to make this thing work. At every turn, I just got stopped. I got it from a lot of different places including inside the clubhouse, outside the clubhouse, people who have known him very well and have known him for a long time."
A's GM Billy Beane has been looking to upgrade his offense.
"[Bradley] is a switch hitter who can hit around [Eric Chavez], which is something we probably need pretty badly," Beane said.
The 27-year-old Bradley hit .290 with 13 homers and 38 runs batted in. He was limited to 75 games, also missing extensive playing time because of a torn ligament in his right ring finger.

Source: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/