By Paul SullivanMESA, Ariz.-- No surprises from Ron Santo during his visit Friday to the Cubs' spring workouts at Fitch Park: The venerable radio analyst believes 2010 will be "the year" and said the departure of Milton Bradley -- traded to the Seattle Mariners in the off-season -- will drastically improve team chemistry.
"It was better when (general manager Jim Hendry) suspended him," said Santo, referring to the team's banishment of Bradley late in the 2009 season. "It was obvious."
Santo pointed out that Bradley's problems weren't just with the media, but with manager Lou Piniella and the players as well.
"He was always kind of mad," Santo said. "He wasn't a happy man. He'd walk right by you and not even look at you. Several times he'd walk by Lou, and Lou would say something and he didn't say anything. But that's over with, and it's a good clubhouse now."
Photo: Ron Santo says the Cubs' clubhouse will be much better without Milton Bradley. (Phil Velasquez/Tribune)
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who the Cubbies gonna be the goat next year when the Cubs don't make the playoffs? (... Oh yeah, the media already invented a goat story!)
[[Santo was and is a jerk. The ultimate choke. Except when contract time rolled around.]]
...which was every year. Multi-year contracts did not exist until after Santo left the game.
[[Why do you think he ended up on his A$$ a lot when Nolan Ryan pitched to him]]
Because Ryan was a power pitcher and like many power pitchers had control issues from time to time. "Effective wildness" mixed in with just plain old being unable to find the plate.
Additionally, Ryan pitched in that era when it was acceptable - even expected - to knock a guy down for tatering off you, or even for getting a crucial hit at a crucial time.
Got nothing to do with being a jerk or being a mister clean. You're trying to rationalize why you're allowed to behave like ... well, like Milton Bradley, when the subject becomes Ron Santo.
[[Couldn't Hendry pick up on this undercurrent of anger when he interviewed Bradley face-to-face? A blind man could have seen it - or even FELT it.]]
Probably not, no.
Milton Bradley displays the outward symptoms of a rather pronounced bout of depression. Possibly always has. And it's very likely compounded with other neuroses so that when he's in the company of one or a few he can be extremely personable but when he feels cornered or otherwise vulnerable he gets reflexively defensive - which causes him to be OFFensive to others.
But then, he may simply be the classic narcissist, which is a psychosis instead of the routine neuroses we all have, and he just changes personality to fit his fancy. When he wants to be pleasant he is [and is likely very good at it], but when he doesn't he is anything but.
If you were Hendry and Bradley wanted something from you, you probably couldn't have determined his issues just from talking to him.
When I listen to you broadcast games on the radio, you provide so much insight to us fans. Pat Wilson would be lost without you. Hey Ronne, get a clue!
Like anyone cares what Don Young has to say about Santo. Lasted a year, extremely mediocre stats. And, NOBODY cares what Richie Allen has to say about Santo. When did he play on the Cubs? He existed for one purpose - the enrichment of Richie Allen. Most selfish ballplayer this side of Milton Bradley. Santo's stats speak for themselves, and others have pointed this out better than I can. Racist? Give me a break!! You think Santo doesn't still love Ernie & Billy? The only race Santo cared about was the human race, especially the ones who care about the Cubs. Even if you're not a Cubs' fan, you must love (or at least appreciate) the passion Santo brought to the game, and still does.
From Wikipedia:
"Bill James, a notable statistical guru who has ranked Santo among the 100 greatest players of all time (sixth among third basemen), believes his election to the Hall of Fame is long overdue."
'Nuff said.
I'd like to know where these "experts" who know what a clubhouse cancer Santo was get their inside info. I would bet 90% of them never saw him play - his offensive stats are better than most 3B HOFers and he had the best glove in the NL for the better part of a decade. He had 9 consecutive years with 90+ RBIs which was a record for NL 3rd baseman. The fact is he was a hell of a competitor how BURNED to win and losses killed him. He gave 100% every time he crossed the foul line and expected others to do the same. If that's being a POS, then I wish the Cubs had an entire team full of POS. Nowadays too many players play for the $$$ and don't give a damn about winning or the fans. Santo did.
He deserves to be in the Hall of Fame and it's a crime that he isn't. Based on some of the previous posts, I guess it's a popularity contest. What a damn shame.
Probably the understatement of the year. Couldn't Hendry pick up on this undercurrent of anger when he interviewed Bradley face-to-face? A blind man could have seen it - or even FELT it.
Preach to me Rod. Those are my sentiments.
What is with all this hatred of Ron Santo? You people are out of your minds. Richie Allen was a bigger jerk and trouble maker than Milton Bradley. Don young had Problems. The fact that he only played only one complete season which belied mediocrity is not Ron Santo's fault. I thought many players ended up on their A$$ when Nolan ryan pitched.
Yeah, Santo was and is a jerk. The ultimate choke. Except when contract time rolled around. Why do you think he ended up on his A$$ a lot when Nolan Ryan pitched to him.
hey art a or whatever your ridiculous screen name is, I would like you to say something about bradley while he was in town and then have to face the player in their own clubhouse... Im sure you dont have it in ya... and Ron is a BROADCASTER NOT AN ANALYST! jacka..
notice how art a doesn't know how to post to a message board. internet user, he is not.
notice how Ron bad raps guys after they've left town. analyst he's not.
notice how Ron bad raps guys after they've left town. analyst he's not.
No offense guys, but when I read Downstate Cub Fan's comments my sarcasm detector went through the roof.
If I may, "Downstate Cub Fan" -- "And the Cub fans are all racist!!"
Didn't you just call yourself a racist?
If cub fans are racist why did the same thing not happen to Dawson he was loved and is now a HOFer based partly on his years with the cubs. the race card is usually nothing but a crutch comment made by a racist.
That's exactly how Cub team mates remember Santo! Ask Don Young! Or any cubbie of that era, (I doubt that they would bad rap him, even the black players that hated him!) Ask Richie Allen what he thought of Santo! Know you know why he isn't in the HOF. He was a POS as a person! He condemns Bradley? Two peas in the same pod!
"He was always kind of mad"
That's the understatement of the year.