Bradley's got a ways to go *

Inner peace still eludes ill-tempered Dodgers outfielder Milton Bradley, who agreed just last week to take anger management classes after going postal on the field. Today he got into it with the Times' beat reporter Jason Reid. Bradley apparently took exception to a question from Reid and verbally lashed out, chiding the African American writer for not favoring him due to their shared race. He then called Reid "an Uncle Tom" and a "sellout." Bradley walked away, and according to Bill Plunkett of the Register, Reid had to be physically restrained from following.

"He got upset. He needs anger management," Bradley said afterward. "I was in control of myself. He asked me a question. I answered it. That's exactly how I feel. I gotta keep it real..."

"I don't appreciate his coverage of our team. I don't appreciate how he talks about me," Bradley said later. "Don't smile in my face and talk behind my back. If I have something to say, I say it to your face. His feelings got hurt. He wanted to fight."

A Dodgers official says the club is inclined to let the two work it out themselves. Times Sports Editor Bill Dwyre agreed, but said "we back our reporter from every angle of this...I hope the Dodgers are especially diligent in following through on Milton Bradley's anger-management classes." Baseball officials were reviewing the incident, the early Times story says.

* Thursday stories: The Daily News' Steve Dilbeck faults Bradley.

Previously: Meltdown at Chavez Ravine