Lowell Enters Milt Saga

As If Milton Bradley's summer at Wrigley Field was not enough Loony, the crabby outfielder's winter is reaching new levels of absurdity.

The latest? The Cubs are rumored to be talking to the Boston Red Sox about a swap of bad contracts that would send third baseman Mike Lowell Thurs Chicagobe the only worse media / fan / facilities / societal fit for Bradley than the North Side. But what's in it for the Cubs if Lowell's $ 12 million in 2010 is tough to move, considering they already have Aramis Ramirez (Whose shoulder is fine, says the team)?

The only thing more ludicrous might be that neither team was willing to explicitly shoot down the rumor.

In fact, the Cubs Are not denying much of anything anymore when it comes to Bradley Rumors, Which might be a sign that the trade market for him is even weaker than first thought.

And one day after a source characterized a two-team deal with an American League team as''three-quarters done''and another suggested a deal could get done on Wednesday, the Cubs on Wednesday people seemed anything but optimistic that a deal would get done In the next week or two, much less by the conclusion of the winter meetings today. The second source, in fact, backpedaled from his comments from the previous day and suggested that they did not know when a trade might get done.

Clearly, some teams have interest in Bradley if he comes as a low-risk proposition with the Cubs picking up a significant portion of the $ 22 million left on the final two years of his deal.

The Tampa Bay Rays are still there for a deal that would include moving heavy-salaried, Pat Burrell and the Cubs sending cash. The Los Angeles Angels have had exploratory discussions but would need a lot of cash in the deal or for the Cubs to find a way to rid the Angels of their $ 23.5 million commitment to Gary Matthews Jr. And the New York Mets, according to a team official, might be willing to step back into the fray as part of a three-or four-team deal that could send Luis Castillo ($ 12 million next two years) to the Cubs.

Cubs sources say they have three or four interested teams, including a team or two entering the picture this week. And they still have no intention of releasing Bradley and eating his contract.

But the clearest messages are being delivered by the long list of teams that have zero interest. And after three days together in Indianapolis, the growing sentiment among baseball officials mingling in the Marriott lobby is that the Cubs will have to be the team favorites votes first is that the amount of money involved in a deal.

Most National League teams continue to be leery about Whether Bradley can hold up and perform well enough in the field to play every day. Two of his former American League teams - Oakland and Cleveland - emphatically refute any possibility of a reunion.

So does a once-rumored destination in Seattle. Texas is said to be out.

The Minnesota Twins will not touch him. They still remember the time they actually had interest, when they wanted to draft him in 1996 - and when the 18-year-old Bradley told them he'd Refuse to sign "Because they felt they were racist.

And at least one general manager Linked to Trade Rumors Bradley got an e-mail from one of his team's most prominent players seeking assurances Bradley would not be acquired. The player was assured.

''You can not define other people's interest level,''general manager Jim Hendry said,''but I think when you get to the middle of December, and you're meeting and talking about certain players involved in trades, then the Other team certainly [has] some interest.''

Truth and fiction

Longtime scout and executive Gary Hughes, the Cubs' special assistant to the general manager, received MLB's Scout of the Year Award on Wednesday night. ''He's spent his life helping people get better, and is off the field,''Hendry said. ... The Cubs have talked with free-agent center Fielder, Mike Cameron's agent but Are not expected to fill that need until Bradley is gaining clarity. ... They also have been Linked to former White Sox outfielder Scott Podsednik and free-agent starting pitcher Joel Piñeiro. The Cubs did not deny the Rumors.

Lowell Enters Milt Saga