Piniella: Griffey will help Bradley in Seattle

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Piniella: Griffey will help Bradley in Seattle

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Lou Piniella thinks Milton Bradley has a good chance to succeed in Seattle because of the calming presence of Mariners star Ken Griffey Jr.

 

"He'll keep Milton loose," Piniella told Seattle Times columnist Larry Stone. "I think that Junior would take on a challenge such as this."

 

Piniella also told Stone the Cubs' strategy was to "give Milton as much space as possible," though it didn't work.

 

"We were hoping things would work out when he came over, and it didn't," he said. "I think getting off to a slow start hurt him. I can surmise that he probably put too much pressure on himself, and things compounded on him."

 

Bradley started 1-for-24 and was booed at Wrigley Field early on after not running hard on a ground ball in his first home start. It went downhill from there.

 

Photo: Milton Bradley was traded by the Cubs to the Mariners on Friday for pitcher Carlos Silva. (Phil Velasquez/Tribune)

 

While all of the former teammates and bosses interviewed by Stone had nice things to say about Bradley, Mariners closer David Aardsma issued a not-so-subtle warning to the outfielder in an interview with the Sporting News.

 

"As long as he plays the right way, comes to spring training ready to work and ready to be part of the team that we have -- good guys (who) put their nose to the ground and bust their butts -- we'll take anybody," Aardsma said.

 

"It's good to have a power left-handed bat (in) Safeco (Field). His ability never has been the question. It's the locker room-type stuff. As long as we figure that out, awesome."

 

Look for the Mariners to put these two on opposite ends of the clubhouse.

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