Know this: Cubs did their homework on Bradley

If Barack Obama's transition team had vetted Bill Richardson as hard as the Cubs sifted through Milton Bradley's past, they might have saved themselves some aggravation.

The Cubs knew they wanted Bradley and could have signed him six or seven weeks ago, but a source says they spent the interim making certain Bradley was to others as he appeared to be to the Cubs.

One team official says GM Jim Hendry visited Bradley and spent significant time with him, while Cubs medical personnel worked him out and challenged every physical issue, including the infamous right knee injured during a confrontation with an umpire at the end of the 2007 season.

Bradley's had no shortage of problems and incidents, and so if another occurs next summer, the critics will have a good time saying, "I told you so.''

But the Cubs have asked enough questions of Bradley's former teammates, managers and GMs that they obviously felt Lou Piniella could handle him, and that Bradley was a risk worth taking.

There are no guarantees, of course, but at least they've done their homework, which is more than some Chicago sports teams do before spending big dollars on troubled free agents.

That hasn't stopped some folks from smacking Hendry around during the winter of their discontent, as he's made changes to a team that won 97 games.

You'd think at this point he's earned some measure of trust, but Kenny Williams can tell Hendry that not even a World Series trophy will keep the fans at bay if they disagree with a GM's moves.

"Obviously, we had a good team last year,'' Hendry said Tuesday night. "But even when you hold up the (World Series) trophy like the Phillies did, you make changes.

"And we didn't hold the trophy up at the end.''

Not that anyone needs to be reminded.

"We didn't get to where we wanted to be, so we're trying to get better, and we're going to have an outstanding hitter in right field,'' Hendry said without naming Bradley, who won't officially be a Cub for another day or so. "However many games he doesn't play, we've got (Kosuke) Fukudome, and we picked up (Joey) Gathright, who can fill in at a couple spots.

"I think the world of (Mark) DeRosa and he gave us a couple great years, but we needed to get more left-handed, and at the end of the year, everyone from the fans to the media to the people in our office here wanted to see more of (Mike) Fontenot on the field and getting more at-bats.

"We're right-handed and locked in at a lot of spots and second base was one of the positions we could change that.

"So we've added some speed, switch hitting and balance, and depth on the pitching staff.''

Problem is, Cubs fans don't react well to change, and are in especially ill humor when their beloved are sent packing.

But the Cubs were beyond lucky in what they got out of Kerry Wood last season, and to think he won't spend a good portion of the next two years on the disabled list is to be completely delusional and ignore history.

His last good year as a starter was 2003, and his one season as a closer was a medical miracle. He won 77 games here in 11 years, and pulled in about $50 million.

Enough with the Kerry Wood tears already.

Nobody - and I mean nobody - thought DeRosa was worth what the Cubs paid him when he first arrived, so let's not forget the screaming his signing caused, and remember that his performance was far better than anyone expected.

For his sake, let's hope that continues next year in Cleveland at age 34 and he gets another fat contract.

As for Bob Howry, he had a tough 2008, and after four years of averaging 78 appearances, the law of averages is not on his side.

Jim Edmonds was the busted up car I drove in college, with the broken front axle, leaking radiator fluid, oil and gas. Air conditioning was sticking your hand out the window and driving fast. Cost nothing to get it and nothing to let it go.

Jason Marquis? Please. The Cubs will not be lacking for five starting pitchers.

So what have they really lost?

Not a bunch, though it's unclear how much they've gained until we see what else is done to the roster before April 6, which is when you can fairly judge Hendry's off-season.

"We'll keep working every day and see what happens,'' Hendry said. "We didn't expect Gathright and (Aaron) Miles to be non-tendered, so you never know.

"We'll continue to look for pitching before we get to camp, but we feel good about where we're at. We're going to be a better club, more versatile and more balanced.''

Time will tell, and time will also give Hendry a chance to make more deals.

Even if it means a few more tears.

brozner@dailyherald.com