diff --git a/Rakefile b/Rakefile
index 138c2eb..729b0d5 100644
--- a/Rakefile
+++ b/Rakefile
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ spec = Gem::Specification.new do |s|
   s.homepage = HOMEPAGE
   s.add_dependency("merb-slices", ">= 1.0.12")
   s.add_dependency("builder", ">= 2.1.2")
-  s.add_dependency("mlb", ">= 0.0.3")
   s.require_path = "lib"
   s.files = %w(LICENSE README.markdown Rakefile) + Dir.glob("{app,lib,public,schema,spec,stubs}/**/*")
   s.post_install_message = <<-POST_INSTALL_MESSAGE
diff --git a/lib/merb-admin/slicetasks.rb b/lib/merb-admin/slicetasks.rb
index 5b42a3a..ebbeb76 100644
--- a/lib/merb-admin/slicetasks.rb
+++ b/lib/merb-admin/slicetasks.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 require 'abstract_model'
-require 'mlb'
 
 namespace :slices do
   namespace :"merb-admin" do
@@ -66,6 +65,14 @@
 private
 
 def load_data
+  begin
+    require "mlb"    
+  rescue Exception => e
+    puts "MLB Gem Required"
+    puts "gem install mlb --source=http://gemcutter.org"
+    return
+  end
+  
   puts "Loading current MLB leagues, divisions, teams, and players"
   MLB.teams.each do |mlb_team|
     unless league = MerbAdmin::AbstractModel.new("League").first(:conditions => ["name = ?", mlb_team.league])