DAVE: MLB is taking control of the Dodgers. Now, I don't ever want to hear again the excuse that MLB can't take control of the Pirates for the good of baseball.

JIM: Two entirely different situations there.

DAVE: Really? Under Kevin McClatchy, the Pirates had to give away Aramis Ramirez in order to comply with the same strict financial guidelines that the Dodgers are being accused of not being able to meet (although Frank McCourt denies this). MLB could have and should have stepped in right then and taken control of the Pirates, as giving away Ramirez was definitely the beginning of the end for the franchise.

JIM: Why don't you wait and see how it works out for the Dodgers? Be careful what you wish for.

DAVE: It worked out pretty well for the Expos/Nationals. They got Stephen Strasburg. And Adam LaRoche.

JIM: Adam Laroche is still an overpaid strikeout machine. And Strasburg wouldn't be the first guy whose career was over before it began because of Tommy John surgery.

If having LaRoche is a good thing, I'll remind you that the Pirates had LaRocheX2 and didn't need MLB to be in charge of the team for them to do that.

DAVE: Fucking LaRoche Brothers.