Could Milton Bradley Return?

Last week the Cubs held their organizational meetings down in Arizona, which was the first time the Crickets were able to really start outlining for the Cubs executives what the team was going to try to do for the 2010 season.

And this week are baseball GMs are holding their meetings in Chicago.

It has been regularly reported that the Cubs number 1 priority this off season was to get rid of Milton Bradley.  While I am all for this, I would prefer that the Cubs a) wouldn't have to pay a significant amount of the $21 million he is still owed over the next two seasons...and b) won't have to take on an equally bad or even worse contract in return.

The Chicago press seems to be leading the charge to run Bradley out of town, but I think there are some interesting clues starting to come out that the Cubs may try to keep Bradley.

First off, was this rather interesting little part said by either Todd or Pete Ricketts (not sure which of them it was) at the introductory press conference a week and a half ago about trying to dump salary

"I'd just like to throw out there that Jim knows better than to do that."

Then yesterday Fred Mitchell reports on how Billy Williams thinks that the Milton Bradley situation can be salvaged still if he stays in Chicago.

"If we could sort of salvage something here and get a good ballplayer after what has happened, it would be a good thing," Williams said Monday. "I am going to continue to try to talk to him and give my opinion. I know that he listens, and he will tell me a lot of things. I can get in touch with him."

 Then when asked if Williams thinks Bradley could still help the team:

"I would like to think yes," Williams said. "It's not a matter of just playing the game because I know he can play the game. He is concerned about everything on the outskirts of baseball instead of concentrating on those three hours to make himself a better ballplayer and get along with the players."

The finally was the most interesting thing...after almost a month of saying that trading Bradley was the Cubs #1 priority this offseason, Cubs beat reporter, Carrie Muskat (or the Muskrat), reports today on Twitter this:

GM Jim Hendry says Milton Bradley may be back in 2010, and called the outfielder's '09 season a "major hiccup"

On top of that was this story on cubs.com about Jim Hendry not excluding the idea of Bradley coming back.

"Some of the best deals we've ever made have been the ones we didn't anticipate or prepare for. And some of the things that we've had our heart and soul set on and targeted haven't worked out as well as we would have liked."

So what has happened over the last week at has started to change here?

Could it be that the Crickets are not willing to part with Bradley and send almost all the $21 million left on his contract along with him?  Are the multiful teams that are interested in Bradley (at least according to the press) not making offers that seem very appealing to the Cubs?

It is interesting that this tide for trading Bradley seems to have shifted slowing after the orgainzational meetings and during the GM meetings this week.

Watch very closely what is being said over the next couple weeks, as this is the most likely time for Bradley to be traded. After this month, the likelihood of Bradley staying probably increases. 

In the end, this "don't trade Bradley" movement may be nothing more than the Cubs manipulating the press to increase Bradley's trade value.