This spring, a lot of people have shared the sentiment that the Cubs simply need to move on from last season's Milton Bradley(notes) debacle and not say another word about baseball's angriest cloud.
For the most part, I've agreed with that thought. The Cubs have too, with the team uttering the usual clichés about it being a new season and looking ahead.
Today I'm changing my tune a bit to say god bless Cubs general manager Jim Hendry for going on a rant of sorts on Wednesday after being asked about Bradley's latest airing of grievances with the Cubs and their legion of fans.
In case you missed it, the newest Mariner told ESPN's Colleen Dominguez that he "felt like a prisoner" in his own home while living in Chicago and that he was disappointed that Lou Piniella only apologized personally — not in front of the team or through the media — when the manager called him a "piece of ..." and sent him home early from a game last summer.
Bradley also made the implication that some of the hate mail he received may have come from inside the organization and it was that line that appeared to finally get Hendry's goat.
Here's what the Hendry said in response to Bradley:
"We're all brought up in life to accept responsibility when we fail, and to judge people by how they act and how they carry themselves when things don't go wel.
"Obviously (the mail implication) couldn't be farther from the truth. I think maybe it's time Milton looks at himself in the mirror. It is what it is. He just didn't swing the bat. He didn't get the job done. His production, or lack of (production), was the only negative."
In a perfect world, Hendry would have told Bradley to grow up before handing him a three-year, $30 million contract. Actually, in a perfect world, he would have told him to grow up before not handing him a contract, but stick with me here ...
In short, what Hendry said needed to be said. Someone in baseball needed to call Bradley on his never-ending act of self victimization. He's been with eight teams during his 10-year career and the common component in each failed relationship has been him. I'm not sure if anyone's ever stood up to Bradley's moping before, but as a citizen of Chicago who has quickly tired of seeing my city painted as the most racist place on Earth, I'm glad Hendry finally did.
Pablo Sandoval hit a grand slam off Carlos Zambrano and Jonathan Sanchez pitched three scoreless innings Wednesday, leading the San Francisco Giants to a 5-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs. Zambrano, the one-time ace who reported to camp in top shape after winning only nine games last season, had given up only one hit in four spring innings before the Giants scored five times in the third.