This feels like a depressing movie we’ve seen before. We know how it’s going to turn out, and it won’t a happy ending.

Milton Bradley is in trouble with the authorities again.

We’ve written about Milton before. A guy with great talent, great potential. A switch-hitter with power and a knowledge of the strike zone. Good speed, a fine outfielder.

And a guy who just can’t keep his stuff together.

This time, Milton was arrested in Los Angeles on Tuesday for “making personal threats” … which might not be a horrible thing if he didn’t have a history of erratic, law-breaking behavior.

This is how the AP/espn.com described his history: “The arrest is the latest in a long list of problems for Bradley, whose 11 major league seasons have been marked by boorish behavior, suspensions, and repeated run-ins with umpires and managers.”

Uh, yeah. Maybe a little heavy-handed, and not quite fair, but Milton has been there and done this stuff before.

And now we have to wonder how many more chances Milton will get. Or if he just squandered his last.

This from Jack Zduriencik, general manager of the Mariners: “While we do not yet have full details on what occurred, we are aware of the situation and take it very seriously. We are in the process of determining the full circumstances of what occurred today. Until we have more information, we will not be able to comment further.”

Which to me sounds like code for “if this turns out to be true, he’s gone.”

Milton. Milton.

Just a week ago I was reading a story about how Scott Boras has several clients, aging sluggers looking for DH jobs (Manny and Johnny Damon among them), and how the Mariners weren’t interested in any of the Boras guys because they were planning on a platoon there with Milton as half of it. Or more.

And now this.

See, it’s always something for Milton. Sometimes it’s cops, sometimes it’s women, sometimes it’s managers or teammates or umpires. The only constant in all the stories is … Milton himself.

The Cubs gave Milton a three-year, $30 million contract before the 2009 season, and the last year of it is coming up. But if Milton is convicted of some sort of felony here, can the Mariners void the deal? Wouldn’t some sort of “stay outta trouble” clause be involved in a Milton Bradley contract?

Maybe not. It’s baseball. Most every contract is guaranteed to the bitter end.

But this could be the last. Milton is not worth the trouble. His money machine is about to quit, no later than next October.

He is a troubled guy. He probably needs professional help, perhaps medication, and if he’s getting either … it doesn’t seem to be working.

This is not going to end well, I fear. Fairly sure of it, actually. Which is too bad, because when Milton has a grip he’s an interesting, intelligent, funny guy. It’s just all these things that keep happening to him. They will end his career before its time, and make him almost unemployable, and I worry about where it is going to end.