In the past week, our good friend WV 23 noted Paul Sullivan's oddly continuing obsession with the Seattle Mariners' LF/DH Milton Bradley. That same day, at least 2 of our 10 readers marveled at the manner in which Sullivan managed to turn a column about Sori's knee issues into something about Milton Bradley with a completely non sequitrous (coined, bitches) closing sentence which compared Milton Bradley to Marlon Byrd.And that's before we bother to mention that Sullivan went with the completely uncharitable reading of Soriano's statements, while Gordo took the time to, you know, get the quotes straight and put them in their proper context. But I digress.

Now, you may be asking, "But MO, what in the name of Pete LaCock does Soriano's knee have to do with the differences between Milton Bradley and Marlon Byrd?" The answer to that question is, of course, "lemon merigne pie." In short, one thing has nothing to do with the other, except in Paul Sullivan's twisted little world where he plays Inspector Javert to Milton Bradley's Jean Valjean.

But maybe this is all in my head. Maybe I am a jealous, humorless fuckwit. Well then, so be it, because I can now count one Derrek Lee among my number:

At least one member of the Chicago Cubs is tired of hearing comparisons drawn between team's marquee offseason pickup, Marlon Byrd, and last season's free agent disaster, Milton Bradley.

Asked about possible racial profiling among some media members in comparing Byrd and Bradley, Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee didn't mince words.

"It's ridiculous," Lee told Bruce Levine and Jonathan Hood on ESPN 1000's "Talkin' Baseball" Saturday morning. "If it was a white guy who came over [to the Cubs] would he be [called] the 'anti-Milton Bradley'? It just makes no sense. Marlon's a completely different guy. He wasn't traded for Milton. He signed here as a free agent, so why even bring Milton Bradley's name into it? It really makes no sense and it's just, again, the media trying to make something out of nothing."

Exfuckingactly.  Sullivan's got some sort sick fascination with Milton Bradley, and it's one thing when he puts on his twitter, but it's quite another when it seeps into his columns. It's fucking juvenile and it needs to stop, especially now that it's gotten to the point that the players are recognizing it.

Milton is gone, Paul, and you need to let him go.

Lee also goes on to elucidate a bit about the race angle, and his comments are close to what we've been saying here for some time now.  This fanbase and media cohort are developing a nasty rep, and while Lee is adamant about having enjoyed his time here, it's obvious he's heard differently from others.  Unfortunantely, I expect that Derrek will be shredded by certain media members and that all too vocal minority in the Cubs' fanbase for these comments.  And I'm betting he expects it, too, but he also realizes he's an FA at the end of this season, so the time to speak out is now. If it gets bad, he can leave. It took guts to say what he said, and I'm happy he said it. More players need to be vocal about this kind of thing. But until they are, the few who do will be pilloried for their candor, and, like Lee, likely forced out of a place they love.

But then again, maybe Lee can be Sully's next obsession.

[UPDATE @ 5:45 p.m.: Bruce Miles stopped in to point out that Lee is likely responding more to this piece by Gordo than to anything Sullivan has written. I have reason to believe that Bruce is right, but I think the point here stands...well, maybe it needs to be expanded. So, to all Cubs reporters: Milton is gone. Let him go.]