CHICAGO — The 50th anniversary of the production of the last Edsel arrives in November, just in time for the beginning of the Milton Bradley sell-off.

Bradley turned out to be the Chicago Cubs’ version of the Edsel, a concept that may have looked OK on paper but ultimately turned into a critical and commercial flop.
Now general manager Jim Hendry has to find a taker for Bradley and the $21 million remaining on his deal before turning to more mundane matters, like finding another run producer to protect Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez.
Hendry has to hope other general managers don’t have access to Google, or they may find a litany of episodes from Bradley’s past that suggest he had problems dealing with teammates well before he entered the Cubs’ clubhouse.
After trading Bradley to Oakland on Dec. 13, 2005, Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said: “I went into it with the idea of trying to keep him a Dodger. It was clearer and clearer there was no way to make this thing work. At every turn, I just got stopped. I got it from a lot of different places, including inside the clubhouse, outside the clubhouse, people who have known him very well and have known him for a long time.”
But Hendry found a way to deal Todd Hundley when the consensus was the catcher was untradeable, so he’ll have to be creative and hope Bradley and his mother keep their mouths shut for the rest of the offseason.
Other items on Hendry’s agenda this fall include these:
Locate an RBI guy: With budget constraints and the Bradley dilemma, Hendry may have to find that run producer in a Bradley trade rather than sign another free-agent outfielder. But any team acquiring Bradley probably is going to have to dump an unwanted contract on the Cubs, meaning a player who put up good numbers in the past but may be past his prime.
Re-sign John Grabow: The left-hander is looking for a three-year deal and wants to return. The Cubs aren’t worried about bone chips in his elbow and are likely to give it to him.
Retool the bench: Reed Johnson’s return is up in the air because of his back issues and the fact Sam Fuld can be a fifth outfielder for far less money. Jake Fox has no future with the Cubs and likely will be traded. Koyie Hill and Andres Blanco likely will return, though Mike Fontenot’s future with the organization is in doubt after the impressive play of Jeff Baker. Micah Hoffpauir will have to win a roster spot in spring training after a poor second half.
Make sure Zambrano is fit: The Cubs need a big rebound from Carlos Zambrano, and despite calls from within the organization to deal him, Hendry appears reluctant to do so. In that case, the Cubs have to make sure Zambrano stays in shape this offseason and reports to spring training ready to make amends for a nine-win season.