The Hotel Bradley is a place to unwind for Diamondbacks

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – After a day of spring training at Salt River Fields, Archie Bradley slipped on a bright red Kangol hat.

It’s the finishing touch to the golf outfit of navy polos and white shorts that the Diamondbacks pitcher bought for his teammates.

“We have a golf outing today, so I took it upon myself to make sure my team is matching,” he said.

Bradley’s outgoing — and generous — nature has made him a popular guy in the Arizona clubhouse. And after a day at the ballpark, it’s not unusual for teammates to head over to his place in Scottsdale to hang out and wind down.

That’s the way it’s always been for him. Back home in Muskogee, Oklahoma his parents let his friends sleep over all the time.

So when he bought his Scottsdale home in 2015, he sought out roommates. He now has three.

“I told Jake (Lamb), ‘look man, I bought a house, I don’t have any roommates, I have a spot if you want to live there during the season,’ ” Bradley said. “Now we’re going on three years.”

Diamondbacks minor leaguer Kaleb Fleck is rooming at the Hotel Bradley. Everyone makes sure to keep the house in good order. The roomie who cooks dinner gets the night off from cleaning up.

Sometimes Bradley has to remind Lamb to turn off the lights, but he said they’ve got a good system going.

“It’s a cool spot because I know eventually we’re going to have to grow up and have families,” Bradley said. “Right now, we’re getting to live a dream. I feel like my house can be one of those places that we can always have people over, get away from the game, relax and really enjoy each other and our time off.”

The group added another roomie last year.

Bradley’s childhood friend Adrian Houser, a pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers, needed a place to crash while he rehabbed following Tommy John surgery.

So he called Bradley.

It ended up a win-win situation since Bradley had been looking for a house-sitter and someone to look after his dog Crash when the team is on the road.

“He was like, ‘bro, you always have a room here with me,’ ” Houser said. “It’s worked out pretty great, especially since we are working towards the same goal. We both want to pitch in the big leagues for a long time. He’s a great guy, a great friend. Glad he’s on my side, glad I’m on his.”

Bradley is in consideration for the fifth rotation spot come opening-day. The bullpen is one puzzle piece in a handful of a dozen that surround the ballclub this spring. But once the fields at Salt River empty and the guys head home for the day, the only competition discussed is over a friendly game of basketball.

But of course there isn’t a lack of competitive spirit. And drop-ins are welcome.

The day before, newcomer Taijuan Walker visited and shot some hoops. Lamb joked that he won that round.

“We’re extremely competitive, so there’s a lot of trash talk,” Lamb said.
Then there’s the “House Olympics” that Bradley likes to organize. There’s ping-pong, air hockey, pool and basketball. There also are also basketball games and volleyball in the swimming pool and golf at the park.

“It’s everything you want when you’re a teenager that you now have as a grown up,” Lamb said.

Once the season rolls around, the grind kicks up a few notches. Whether the Diamondbacks win or lose, Lamb said it’s nice to have someone to talk to before going to bed.

“This is such a tough game, on both sides, offense, defense,” Lamb said. “It’s a stressful game, too. So you can get away from that, have fun and hang out with your teammates who become your good friends. That’s what it’s all about.”

When first-year manager Torey Lovullo first entered the clubhouse to address the Diamondbacks, he told them he wants the team to be a family.

That message stuck with Bradley, and now he’s doing his part.

“When we start to struggle we are going to rely on each other and that’s the biggest thing we are trying to do – become a team, become a family and have everyone buy into that,” Bradley said.