Much of Bradley's 2009 season with the Cubs basically stood out as a hiccup, after agreeing to a three-year, $30 million deal on Jan. 6. He hit .257 with 12 home runs and just 40 RBIs, and was far from a perfect fit within the team. His season came to an end 15 games short of the official conclusion when the Cubs suspended Bradley after he took shots at the team during an interview with the Daily Herald.

The denial came hours after the Toronto Sun first reported contact between the Cubs and Blue Jays. Still, even if the Bradley winds up getting dealt somewhere this offseason, it's hard to imagine the Cubs taking on Wells' rich contract without any strings attached. He's scheduled to make $107 million over the next six years, while Bradley is owed $21 million over two years.

A tumultuous ’09 campaign ended on a low note for Bradley, who was suspended for the final two weeks of the season after he said the Cubs “were not a positive environment”. Despite being just one year into a three-year, $30 million deal with Chicago, the volatile veteran is being actively shopped by the club. If general manager Jim Hendry is able to move him, that could pave the way for 27-year-old Jake Fox -- who batted .259 with 11 homers and 44 RBIs in 216 at-bats -- to assume a more regular role in 2010. No matter where he is, there will be a fair share of risk associated with investing in Bradley next season.

Hendry suspended Bradley on Sunday for the remainder of the season following comments by the outfielder in which he criticized the Cubs, the fans and the media. The Major League Baseball Players Union said it was considering filing a grievance on Bradley's behalf. The outfielder is expected to be paid for the final 15 games that he will miss. "We don't anticipate any problems," Hendry said. "We'll have it all worked out in the next few days."

Cubs general manager Jim Hendry met with Bradley in the outfielder's hotel room on Sunday to give him the news. "There have been a lot of issues that we've lived with during the year," Hendry said Sunday, "but the last few days became too much for me to tolerate, to be honest with you." Hendry was alluding to an interview Bradley gave in which the outfielder said that playing in Chicago is "not a positive environment. I need a stable, healthy, enjoyable environment. There's too many people everywhere in your face with a microphone asking the same questions repeatedly. Everyone is just bashing you. You go out there and play harder than anybody on the field and never get credit for it. It's just negativity." Bradley, 31, still has two years remaining on his contract, and Hendry said it was too soon to address whether the outfielder will be back.

Bradley, who was batting .196 this month after hitting .311 in August, was lifted from Thursday's 7-4 loss to Milwaukee after he singled in the sixth. "I don't know [how long]," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "If he feels better tomorrow, we'll get him in there." Micah Hoffpauir started in right field in the first game of the Cubs' series against the division-leading St. Louis Cardinals.

Bradley was lifted Wednesday night in a double switch after three innings. On Thursday, he was hit by a pitch in the first, popped up to lead off the fourth and singled to open the sixth. The Cubs are already short-handed as far as outfielders on the roster, and added 40-year-old So Taguchi on Wednesday

While Bradley's checkered health record is well documented, this particular injury isn't considered serious. The veteran right fielder, who went 1-for-2 with one run scored before departing, is expected to rejoin the Cubs lineup on Friday, Sept. 11. Micah Hoffpauir replaced him in right and went 1-for-3 with a solo homer, his ninth.

Bradley started September just the way he ended August -- swinging the heavy lumber. His last seven affairs in August consisted of a .462 (12-for-26) batting average with three doubles and two homers, so Bradley looks to be tuned in at the dish.

Whatever Bradley did to alter his swing is working. After hitting a pedestrian .246 over his first 19 affairs in August, Bradley is tearing up opposing pitchers to the tune of a .550 batting average (11-for-20) with five extra-base hits and five RBIs. He'll stay hot as long as he's at home, where he holds a .327 batting average vs. a .208 mark on the road.

He's starting to break out the big lumber with his second homer in as many games. Bradley's offensive impact can be unquestionably valuable; not many players have his combination of contact hitting and power ability. Mixed-leaguers struggling for outfield production should be happy to see him available on their league's free agent list.

Bradley got back in the swing of things with his first multi-hit game since Aug. 12, a span of 11 contests. He's a career .263 hitter in August compared to .282 in every other month, so it's not surprising that Bradley had struggled to hit safely before Tuesday's effort.

Bradley was a big disappointment during the first half, but is seemingly on his way to turning things around. While his .265-9-31 line in 303 at-bats isn't terribly inspiring, Bradley reached base at a .475 clip in July and is over .400 again in August. Bradley's doing what he needs to do, and if Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez do what they need to do behind him, he'll score a lot of runs for fantasy owners as long as he's on base this often.

Bradley, who has stayed healthy of late, suffered the injury after making a running catch in right field Thursday against the Phillies. No word yet on whether he'll return Saturday. Sam Fuld took his spot in the lineup, going 2-for-3 with three runs scored.

Bradley racked up his first four-hit effort since July 21, 2006 to boost his batting average above .260 for the first time in '09. It's been a long season for the outfielder, but his .419 batting average (13-for-31) over his last 10 games have put him in the position to finish the year with respectable numbers.