PITTSBURGH - Mid-week commentary on the news:
n The Los Angeles Dodgers are bankrupt.
What a black eye for Major League Baseball.
This is one of the game's marquee franchises, and it's a mess.
The current ownership owes a lot of money to a lot of people. There are players who are looking to collect on deferred contracts. Even legendary announcer Vin Scully is owed $150,000.
The root of the problem is a messy divorce between Frank and Jamie McCourt, but it's more than that.
A lot of franchises are run recklessly. This should be a chance for MLB to take a hard look at all its members and enforce some standards for fiscal responsibility.
With the money being generated by MLB, especially in a market the size of Los Angeles, there's no excuse for this type of scenario.
n Davey Johnson signs on to manage the Washington Nationals.
Johnson is 68 and hasn't managed in the major leagues since 2000.
His hiring comes just days after the Florida Marlins brought back 80-year-old Jack McKeon.
If teams keep hiring these guys, who will be left to play cards at the senior centers?
Seriously, it's a challenge to manage at the major league level and good luck to guys who want to take on that job in their "golden" years.
The lure of managing is powerful.
The late Chuck Tanner's last season as a major league manager was 1988, when he was let go during the year by the Atlanta Braves.
Even when Tanner was in his 70s, he still had the desire to get back.
When the Pirates would have openings, Tanner would tell reporters, "Hey, don't be afraid to throw my name out there."
Had there been an offer, I have no doubt he would have accepted.
n Jim Leyland goes crazy on umpire Ed Rapuano.
If you get a chance, look up the video on the Internet. The whole thing runs about four minutes.
The problem was that Rapuano basically lost focus on the field. He missed an easy call at first base, then reversed it when the plate umpire corrected him.
Leyland's beef was undoubtedly that Rapuano had allowed his concentration to lapse.
He was working a game that meant something, not some play-out-the-string game between non-contenders late in the season.
Leyland jumped him, and Rapuano deserved it.
The best part is Leyland's pantomime of Rapuano making both safe and out calls just seconds apart.
Mehno can be reached at johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com.
