Milton Bradley

ARLINGTON, Texas -- When Josh Hamilton is introduced before tonight's All-Star Home Run Derby at Yankee Stadium, the reception he'll receive will be humbling. Oh, sure, the votes of the 3.7 million fans who wanted him in the American League's starting lineup for Tuesday's game were nice. As was the support of his peers, who gave Hamilton more All-Star votes than any other AL outfielder.

Former Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Milton Bradley was arrested after allegedly swinging a bat at his wife in their San Fernando Valley home, Los Angeles police said Wednesday. Bradley, 33, was booked on suspicion of felony assault Tuesday at the Los Angeles Police Department's Van Nuys Division jail Police responded to a domestic violence call at Bradley's residence in the 5300 block of Oak Park Court. Investigating officers said the incident began as a verbal argument that escalated when Bradley took out a baseball bat and began swinging it at his wife, who ran out of the home.

Major League Baseball suspended umpire Mike Winters without pay for the remainder of the regular season Wednesday for the umpire's conduct during a heated Sunday confrontation with San Diego Padres outfielder Milton Bradley that closed with the volatile player suffering a season-ending knee injury.

David Ortiz's horrible start could accelerate the timetable for the next round of talks between the Red Sox and Padres regarding Adrian Gonzalez . … Milton Bradley's game-winning homer for the Mariners on Tuesday was his first to give his team a lead in the seventh inning or later since Sept. 22, 2006, when he was with the A's. No wonder he's considered an anti-hero. … Brad Ausmus , 41, vows to work hard to get back on the field with the Dodgers after undergoing surgery to repair a herniated disk in his back.

Gary Sheffield is Milton Bradley's roil model. Robert M. Ostrove Oxnard

"Brand Names" who played Major League Baseball: Jack Daniels...played 1952 R.J. Reynolds...1983-90 Buster Brown...1905-13 Ethan Allen...1926-38 Milton Bradley...2000-present Howard Johnson...1982-95 Source: World Features Syndicate

Just to let everyone know, the Milton Bradley lecture tour titled, "Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones, But Words Will Never Harm Me: How I Learned to Control My Anger," has been canceled. Ticket refunds available through Mr. Bradley's website, istilldontgetit.com. Richard Turnage Burbank

'I don't play this game to make friends. I didn't always follow the rules. I didn't always do it the way it's supposed to be done. But I did it.' Milton Bradley, Cleveland Indian outfielder, on his intense approach

It is a shame that Milton Bradley did not have the advantage of being born white rather than black. If he had, his bad temper would be given the positive qualities of leadership, competitiveness and a fiery spirit, a la Kirk Gibson. Instead he is portrayed as immature and a jerk by your readers in last week's Viewpoint. Jeff Brown Gardena

So Milton Bradley thinks Jeff Kent can't deal with African Americans? Sounds more like Kent can't deal with asinine Americans. BEN COATS Ventura Milton Bradley is upset that we don't understand that he just wants to play baseball, have fun, be a nice guy and feed his kids. Don't dare judge him on his performance -- his stats are of no importance (13 home runs and 38 runs batted in prove that). I'm sure he made the Dodgers aware of this philosophy when he signed his contract.

The Chicago Cubs found the center fielder they'd been searching for, agreeing Thursday to a $15-million, three-year contract with Marlon Byrd . And the Cubs are hoping to have more success with this former Texas Rangers outfielder than the one they signed last off-season -- Milton Bradley . Byrd hit .283 with 20 home runs and 89 runs batted in last season for Texas. He will take over in center from Kosuke Fukudome , who will move to right field full time after the trade of the troubled Bradley to Seattle.

Ed Wade, general manager of the Houston Astros, is expected to take his time hiring a full-time replacement for fired manager Cecil Cooper. Former Astros greats Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio could get interviews, but the early front-runners are Boston Red Sox first base coach Tim Bogar and former Washington Nationals manager Manny Acta. . . . The San Diego Padres and Texas Rangers aren't the only potential destinations for Milton Bradley. Tampa Bay also is on that list, but it's hard to see a fit, as the Rays would look to dump underachieving designated hitter Pat Burrell on the Chicago Cubs.

Lou Piniella's first meeting with Tom Ricketts was brief. Just a handshake after a victory at Wrigley Field. "I said, 'Hopefully, that's the first of many, many more for you,' " Piniella told the prospective new owner of the Chicago Cubs. Not so. There haven't been nearly as many victory handshakes and pats on the back as Piniella and the Cubs expected this season. After back-to-back division championships, the veteran manager has endured a season in which just about everything bad that can happen has happened, testing his grit and patience after 45 years in the game.

Bobby Cox will retire as manager of the Atlanta Braves after next season, ending an illustrious career in which he guided the team to 14 consecutive postseason appearances and the 1995 World Series title. Cox, 68, agreed to a one-year contract extension for 2010, the Braves announced before Wednesday's game against the New York Mets. He will start a five-year consulting deal to advise the team in baseball operations after he steps down as manager. "They asked me to come back, and I said I would do it for one more year, and we'll announce the retirement along with it. It's the only way I think I'm ever going to walk away from the game, is to go ahead and say I'm going to, and then I've got to," Cox said.

Pau Gasol had 18 points and 11 rebounds to lead world champion Spain to an 85-63 win over Serbia in the final of the European basketball championship Sunday at Katowice, Poland. The victory gave Spain its first European title after six runner-up finishes, including a one-point loss two years ago to Russia in front of its home crowd. The Spaniards dominated from the start at both ends of the court, playing pressure man-to-man defense and getting out on the break for easy baskets to take a 15-point first-quarter lead.

Was it the best trade Ned Colletti ever made? "I shouldn't be answering that," the Dodgers' general manager said. Certainly the deal for Manny Ramirez was a pretty good one. A minor league pitcher and a bench player for a future Hall of Fame member whose salary was being paid by the other team? Who wouldn't make that deal? Over time, however, that may pale in comparison to the first trade Colletti made as a general manager, the one that made Andre Ethier a Dodger. Come to think of it, it might be a better trade right now. At 27, Ethier is a decade younger than Ramirez.

I believe the Dodgers and Milton Bradley should take responsibility for poor actions by Milton Bradley. I also believe the L.A. Times and its reporter should take responsibility for poor actions by its reporter. To say, "We back our reporter from every angle," is hardly doing that. The Times' reporter lost it, making provoking, unprofessional baiting statements like, "Got a bottle? Going to throw it at me?" That sounds like playground talk, not professional journalism. Does the L.A. Times back its reporter from that angle too?

Helene Elliott's celebration of a fight in a WNBA game is sad commentary on one of the uglier aspects of professional sports. Elliott says the added exposure is "priceless" publicity -- evidence of the emotion and drive in women's basketball. Actually, it shows that the WNBA has taken a step away from sport and moved toward hockey-like stupidity where violence is allowed because it sells tickets. Contrary to Elliott's belief, fighting is not necessarily an indicator of sports competitiveness.

Chicago Cubs (97-64) Lou Piniella could join Frank "Tinker to Evers to" Chance (1906-08) as only managers to lead Cubs to the postseason three straight years. Cincinnati (74-88) Adam Dunn is gone, but four other Reds hit more than 20 HR last year: Edwin Encarnacion, Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, Jay Bruce. St. Louis (86-76) Here is Albert Pujols' rank in the NL MVP vote during his eight major league seasons: 4, 2, 2, 3, 1, 2, 9, 1.