Bradley
Nunez
MILWAUKEE -- Kansas City's deal to acquire volatile
outfielder Milton Bradley from Oakland fell through because the
Royals were concerned about Bradley's health.
The Royals had agreed to send minor league pitcher Leo Nunez to
Oakland for Bradley, who was designated for assignment on Thursday.
Dean Taylor, Kansas City's assistant general manager, said the deal
was scuttled because Bradley hurt his oblique during his last game
with the Athletics.
"There was a health concern on our part concerning Milton, and
at this point the trade is dead," Taylor said before Kansas City's
game against Milwaukee on Saturday night.
The Royals said Bradley informed them of the injury.
The A's have eight days left to trade or release Bradley.
Because he has more than three years of major league service time,
Bradley can refuse an assignment to the minor leagues.
Bradley, who agreed to a one-year, $4 million deal with Oakland
in the offseason, first was shelved from April 23 to May 10 with a
strained left hamstring. He went on the DL a second time May 15-29
when the hamstring flared up again, before being sidelined a third
time June 3 with a calf injury.
He was hitting .292 with two homers and seven RBIs in 65 at-bats
this season.
Bradley has always been known as much for his volatile behavior
as his baseball skills. In 2005, he accused Dodgers teammate Jeff
Kent of a lack of leadership and an inability to deal with black
players.
Bradley was also suspended for the final five games of the 2004
season when he slammed a plastic bottle at the feet of a fan in the
box seats in the right field corner at Dodger Stadium after someone
threw it on the field. Nobody was injured.