Update 13:39: Cubs22 caught my error.  Thank you.  Silva has a mutual option in 2012 (which the Cubs probably won’t pickup) and it has a $2 million buyout.  That gives Silva $25 million guaranteed.  So now that the math has been recalculated, the Mariners will be out $30 million ($25M for Bradley + $9M paid to Cubs) and the Cubs are only responsible for Silva’s $25M. The Mariners are getting a better player is is more consistent in his game effectiveness, but I’m not sure if it’s worth the headache.

Year	Salary for Carlos Silva (see complete details here)
2010	$11.5 million
2011	$11.5 million
2012	$12 million (mutual option if not exercised $2 million buyout)
Total	$25 million owed (guaranteed)

Year	Salary for Milton Bradley (see complete details here)
2010	$9 million
2011	$12 million
Total	$21 million owed

Update 11:01am: The $9 million that Seattle sent to Chicago was meant to offset Silva’s salary.  After all these contracts are done, the Mariners will be out $30 million and the Cubs will be out $35 million.  I guess the $5 million difference is devaluation based on Bradley’s behavior.  Here’s my math:

Year	Salary for Carlos Silva (see complete details here)
2010	$11.5 million
2011	$11.5 million
2012	$12 million
Total	$35 million owed

Year	Salary for Milton Bradley (see complete details here)
2010	$9 million
2011	$12 million
Total	$21 million owed

Update 10:54am: The Seattle Times reports that everything is official.  “We have been looking to add offense to our club and in Milton have a player who has always gotten on base and has the ability to drive in runs,” Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik said in a release by the club. “He is passionate about winning, as we are, and we believe he’ll be a good fit here.”

Update 10:50am:  Everything right now is pending Bud Selig.  Breaking it down:

Team	Acquires
Cubs	P Carlos Silva $9 million from Seattle
Mariners	OF Milton Bradley

Update 10:46am PST: Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune Tweets:  Cubs getting $9 million from Seattle, so Mariners wind up paying them $6 million plus Silva when salaries offset.

Update 10:46am PST:  Jayson Stark of ESPN Tweets:  If Bradley-Silva deal goes down, Cubs would turn quickly to CF market. Free agents on their menu: Marlon Byrd, Rick Ankiel, Scott Podsednik  (see below)

Update 10:35am PST: Buster Olney of ESPN Tweets:  The Bradley trade is not good for the FA outfield market, because Seattle was perceived as being a team that could bid high for OFer.

Update 10:34am PST: Tim Brown of Yahoo Tweets:  Source confirms Bradley to M’s looks like a go.

Update 10:13am PST: Jon Heyman of SI.com Tweets:  bradley for silva deal is going to happen, sources confirm. looks like things sped up this a.m. good job by @StoneLarry

08:25am PST: SI.com reports that the  Chicago Cubs have been discussing a trade with the Seattle Mariners where troubled outfielder Milton Bradley. to goes to Seattle for pitcher Carlos Silva.  SI.com goes to say that the contracts are a near-wash, with Bradley owed $21 million over the next two years and Silva owed $24 million.  Bradley has been rumored for weeks to head to destinations such as Texas, Kansas City, Tampa Bay or Detroit.

Three executives have confirmed this, one said, “Seattle would be perfect for Bradley.”

The Cubs want to move Kosuke Fukudome from center field to right field, where he is superb defensively, and had interest in Mike Cameron to play center field before Cameron went to the Red Sox. If they can dump Bradley, Marlon Byrd might be another center-field possibility for the Cubs.  It was rumored the other day that the Cubs were pursuing Byrd.

The Mariners need to fill their left field hole with Bradley as their favorite at the moment.  If they cannot acquire Bradley, they could internally use prospect Michael Saunders in left field.

Silva was 1-3 with an 8.60 ERA with the Mariners after going 4-15 with a 6.46 ERA his first year there. He signed a four-year, $48-million contract following four solid seasons with the Twins.  You can see Silva’s complete contract history and statistics here.