It’s Thumb Kind of Night for Bradley

Milton Bradley couldn’t exactly have been described as gentlemanly in his first two months as a Dodger, but the center fielder exceeded expectations by making headlines for his play instead of his volatile personality.

Then, in the 50th game of a season, Bradley put on a display that only reinforced his reputation as a hothead.

Bradley exploded during and after an animated exchange with home plate umpire Terry Craft that followed a quick sixth-inning ejection during the Dodgers’ 4-1 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers in front of a season-low 22,402 at Dodger Stadium.

Bradley barked at Craft after being ejected before his sixth-inning at-bat, prompting Jim Tracy to race out of the dugout and shield Craft from the increasingly heated Bradley, who repeatedly pointed at the umpire across his manager’s body.

Tracy later contended that Craft had provoked Bradley, but Craft said Bradley had brought the ejection upon himself after yelling about calls from the dugout.

“He was arguing a pitch called earlier in the game and he argued a pitch on another batter in the dugout,” Craft said. “I told him he had better think twice before he yells from the dugout. Then he went off on me and I ejected him.”

Said Tracy: “I feel very strongly that the player was provoked, and I didn’t appreciate it. There was a comment that was made to him about something that had taken place a couple of innings earlier.”

Bradley, who left without speaking to reporters, removed his helmet and batting gloves and placed them near home plate after the ejection. Second base umpire Joe West, the crew chief, confiscated the equipment, prompting Tracy to engage him in a fiery exchange that resulted in Tracy’s first ejection of the season.

Bradley retrieved a bag of balls from the dugout and dumped them near third base, delaying the game for several minutes.

“He attempted to embarrass the umpires,” West said.

Said Tracy: “Everyone talks about Milton and the fact that he has a tendency to lose his temper. Well, I don’t know any individual at all that would not lose their temper if they were provoked into doing something, and that’s exactly what happened.”

Said Dave Roberts, who replaced Bradley in center field: “Milton’s got a rep that [umpires] know he’s got a short fuse, and unfortunately I think he’s provoked a lot of times. I think he’s OK to speak his mind, but obviously if he’s provoked, he’s going to go on and on.”

After Bradley’s tantrum, the Brewers tagged Dodger starter Jeff Weaver for three runs with two out in the seventh to turn a 1-0 lead into a four-run cushion.

Weaver hit Scott Podsednik, walked Craig Counsell and gave up a single to Ben Grieve that drove in Podsednik. Grieve’s single rolled past Roberts, allowing Counsell to score from first base. Geoff Jenkins followed with a run-scoring double to give Milwaukee a 4-0 lead.

The Dodgers finally broke through in the eighth when Roberts singled, stole second and scored on Shawn Green’s single to right-center.

Tracy said there was a double standard when it came to players and umpires.

“We have been schooled that if you bring things up that took place previous, that you don’t get to stay around much longer,” Tracy said. “So if that’s the case for us, why would you be bringing something up to a guy that had taken place two or three innings earlier?”

Said Roberts: “I think [Bradley] wasn’t happy with the way things were going as far as calls all night long, so he had something to say and obviously, Terry didn’t agree with it.”