A Kosuke Fukudome sac fly off rising star Mariners' pitcher Ryan Rowland-Smith is all it took. But the Cubs still suck, yes I know. They suck so hard that Milton refused to speak to the Chicago media, and Wakamatsu held him out of the lineup at a time when most teams play almost all starters all the time. Guess Milton's just too fragile to take the jeers of the crowd. Gordon Wittenmyer of the Sun-Times:

During the fourth inning of the spring game Sunday between the Cubs and Seattle Mariners, a fan — presumably of the Cubs — screamed above the crowd chatter: ''Milton Bradley sucks!''

Bradley wasn't even in the game.

Yet Milton still has supporters on the Cubs: from the Tribune's Paul Sullivan:

Marlon Byrd, Bradley's friend and former teammate in Texas, defended him as a "perfectionist" who needs to be loved. Last week, Bradley told the Associated Press that people need a "bad guy" and that he's just like hip-hop artist Kanye West or NBA star Ron Artest.

"I thought it was interesting," Byrd said. "If that helps him, helps drive him, go ahead. He can be the Ron Artest, he can be the Kanye. ... I love his quotes. The guy is intelligent, and he's very quick. If that helps him, so be it."

Cubs catcher Koyie Hill told Bradley last spring that if he ever changed, Hill would "kick his butt." Byrd also said he hopes Bradley doesn't change.

"I want him to be him," Byrd said. "In Texas, he didn't smile at all, and he put up ungodly numbers.

"He has to go out there and be himself. That's the only way he can play. I want to see him do 162 (games), all out, because he has MVP material."

Milton has never played more than 141 games, and only broken 100 four times in his MLB career, due to injuries.

Meanwhile, Milton is now the Mariners' designated cleanup hitter. Good luck with that.

And on the Ex-Mariner watch, Carlos Silva has allowed just 3 runs in his last 14+ innings, and will be the Cubs 4th starter. Thanks again!