The Cubs are officially done with Milton Bradley's games.
Jim Hendry managed to move the troubled outfielder to Seattle in return for struggling pitcher Carlos Silva.
"Obviously this is a trade we've been working on for a while. There wasn't an easy solution ... but we knew we had to move the player," Hendry said during a conference calls with reporters Friday.
"[Milton] was a bad player acquisition that I'm responsible for," Hendry said. "I think if Milton had been able to hit the way he did down in Texas things would have worked out differently. ... When I sent Milton home at the end of the season there was a reason for that. I was not going to tolerate a player speaking ill about our fans."
Silva is no gem, however. He went 4-15 in 28 starts in 2008, and 1-3 this year with an 8.60 ERA.
But anything in return for the volatile outfielder, who accused fans of being racist and claimed the organization had institutionalized losing, was a welcome addition.
Hendry said the team has had its eye on Silva for a while.
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"His stuff's pretty solid, he was 88 to 92 mph last night [in Venezuela, where's he's pitching in a winter league]," Hendry said.
The deal still needs the approval of MLB Commisioner Bud Selig, because of the money involved.
Silva still has two years remaining on a $48 million contract, which breaks down to $11.5 million '10 and '11 and a $2 million buyout option for '12.
Bradley is still owed $22 million by the Cubs. Seattle agreed to pay the Cubs $9 million -- $6 million toward Silva's remaining $25 million and $3 million in salary relief.
Now that team has exorcised it poison member, the Cubs can turn their attention to landing an everyday center fielder and shoring up their ailing bullpen.
