Heady times for Cub fans

Let's crawl into Milton Bradley's head and explore what makes him tick - tick - tick -

(Man, it's dark inside here.)

What I see is one confusing guy. One minute he talks sense and the next minute he perpetrates the senseless.

Which makes you wonder why the Cubs were so willing to reward his dangerously erratic behavior with a deal potentially worth $30 million.

Well, for that answer we must crawl out of Bradley's head and into Cub general manager Jim Hendry's.

(Man, it's cluttered inside here.)

It sure looks like this Bradley thing is an example of how we all listen to what we want to listen to and then hear what we want to hear.

Like, check out my head: When I was told Angelina obtained a restraining order against me, I took it to mean we can't get together until Brad goes on location.

(Man, it's empty inside here.)

Anyway, back to Hendry. He expresses confidence that Bradley won't go wacko on him. He believes this partly because he was told that by what he considers reliable sources and mostly because he wants to believe it.

The Cubs need a left-handed-hitting right fielder. Bradley is a switch-hitting outfielder. It's a marriage made in rationale heaven.

Signing Bradley is a worthwhile gamble but a historic one, as in his history of physical breakdowns and emotional meltdowns.

Listen -and hear what you want - but Bradley is just another volatile sports figure who can charm the $30 million out of you and then be fined that much for assorted indiscretions.

Place Milton Bradley in a bin with other maniacal charmers like Billy Martin, John Daly and Dennis Rodman.

Those guys can convince you that the last outburst was a blip - that it won't happen again - that they are misunderstood - that the media misrepresents them - that critics don't know them -

They can make you believe them because they themselves believe what they're saying. Why? Because they want to.

Another reason these guys are so persuasive is they're book smart or street smart.

Each is intelligent enough to manipulate the most skeptical fan, journalist or employer that believes what he or she wants to believe.

Over the years it was comforting to think that Martin would settle down, Daly never would have another drink and Rodman would be more basketball player than circus act.

Sometimes dreams come true; usually they don't.

Now it's convenient to imagine that Bradley will be socially responsible and a gigantic piece of the Cubs' century-old World Series puzzle.

Perhaps he will be. I'm all for it. Anyone who served his time - in jail or on suspension - deserves another chance.

So toward a happy ending, keep repeating this mantra: Milton Bradley won't ever have another ugly confrontation with a fan, umpire, reporter or teammate.

In the meantime, keep hoping The Good Milton will be A Healthy Milton and play as many games as it takes for the Cubs to win the pennant.

Yes, the Cubs believe all will be well with Bradley because they are desperate for a lefty-hitting right fielder and because Bradley is a switch-hitting outfielder.

Sometimes the winter head games are more fascinating than the summer baseball games.

(Man, it's cold inside here.)

mimrem@dailyherald.com