Baseball Happenings/Finals Preview

June 3rd was a great day. The Atlanta Braves won the NL East today. Yeah i know i picked the Marlins on the show, but now i'm flip-flopping. The Marlins have gone downhill since their remarkable 11-1 start. The Phillies have lost Brett Myers and will eventually suffer with their very young pitching staff. The Mets are currently without offensive catalyst Jose Reyes. According to deadspin.com, Carlos Beltran and John Maine are being tested for swine flu. David Wright is still gay. The Mets are in trouble. On Wednesday the Braves traded failed pitching prospect Charlie Morton, minor league centerfielder Gorkys Hernandez, and pitching prospect Jeff Locke for former all-star centerfielder and gold glover Nate McLouth. McLouth will bring several things the Braves have lacked so far this season with Jordan Schafer patrolling centerfield; contact, speed and power. The former Pirate is hitting .256 with 9 homers and 34 rbi's. After two months of some interesting routes to balls over his head and a penchant for striking out, Jordan Schafer was recently demoted, leaving a void in center for the 3rd place Braves. McLouth won't be the only player to join the Braves on Thursday; the Braves also called up top pitching prospect Tommy Hanson and release aging veteran, Tom Glavine. Hanson will make his much anticipated debut on Saturday against the Brewers.

With the NBA finals starting Thursday i thought i should talk about it. According to a source close to the Orlando Magic, all-star point guard Jameer Nelson will be returning to the Magic and will play eight to ten minutes in Game 1. Nelson could play as much as 25 minutes by Game 3 and beyond. The Magic won the Eastern Conference by defeating two teams with storied histories and the leagues best team and MVP; the 76ers, Celtics, and Cavs. The Magic won those series by playing inside out with Defensive POY Dwight Howard and a plethora of shooters. One thing that all three opponents have in common is a softness in the middle. Howard feasted on the likes of Sammy Dalembert, Theo Ratliff, Kendrick Perkins, Big Z, Brian Scalabrine and Ben Wallace. If the Orlando Magic are going to be World Champions, Howard has to do the same to the Lakers soft interior of Paul Gasol and Andrew Bynum. Stan Van Gundy said after a few games of the Cavs series that he had no idea how to stop LeBron James, so he just didn't. Van Gundy just let James try to do everything alone and hang himself. I believe Van Gundy will do the same for this series. Among other things, Kobe Bryant is notorious for trying to play 1 on 5, which plays right into Van Gundy's hands. Kobe will continue to force shots while doubled and tripled teamed. Nothing would appease Stan Van more than Kobe taking 40 shots a game and hanging himself. As he mentioned in his blog, Dwight Howard wants this title more than anything. Kobe wants a title, but only for his huge ego and no other reason. As we learned from an incident in Colorado a few years ago, generally when Kobe wants something he gets it, this time it's going to be different. I like Dwight Howard and the Magic in 6. More to come throughout the series.