The A's have designated Milton Bradley for assignment.

Perhaps they'd enjoy one of our crappy relievers.  Pirates would never go for it, and it would probably be pointless as it wouldn't be very likely he'd re-sign with Pittsburgh, but the Pirates should investigate this for a few reasons.

This is way too forward thinking for Dave Littlefield to do, but if we traded for him, then offered him arbitration, he probably wouldn't sign, and we'd get compensation.

We can afford the $4Mildo.

It might even suit the shadowy management's way of running things.  They get to say, "look, we spent $4M on MB.  Sometimes you have to take risks.  We're risk-takers, and money-spenders, us."  When really, $4M is nothing in this day and age, and Joe Average Fan buys their BS that they were "buyers" of sorts instead of sellers.

He would outproduce anything we're running out there in CF right now, even going on the DL for weeks at a time.

Or they could not offer arbitration and use it as PR, like they're all about "doing things right" and having "classy" ballplayers (that can't play worth a shit).

Really, I think it's a low-risk pickup for whoever wants him.  If I read it the way I think it means, whoever takes him will only be on the hook for what's left of a $4M salary, or a little over $2M.  Nothing.  Even for a malcontent china doll.

He played for Tracy in LA.