Yao's Foot Not Healing

It was revealed today that Houston Rockets center Yao Ming's foot was not healing the way they would like after it was surgically repaired. Ming broke his foot during the second round of the playoffs, when the Rockets were playing the Los Angeles Lakers. He immediately had surgery on it, and was expected to be back for next season. Now, the team doctors have stated that Yao could possibly miss all of next season because the foot isn't healing at all. The doctor also said the injury could be career-threatening, possibly ending Yao's career. He has had four surgeries in three seasons.

This is devastating news for the Rockets for a couple of reasons. The Rockets only hope of being a contender is if they have Yao Ming for the majority of the season. This may force Ron Artest to look elsewhere to re-sign with a contending team. They also have Tracy McGrady who is injury prone and is getting paid a lot of money. If Yao is unable to make a return, it will take the Rockets some time, possible a few years, to get back into contention mode. It was said that general manager Daryl Morey packaged Aaron Brooks and Shane Battier to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Ricky Rubio but was rejected.

I wondered why Morey would pull such a move, since Rubio is all hype at this point and Brooks and Battier helped the Rockets for the champion Lakers to a Game 7. Now it is clear why he did that. I am convinced Morey knew beforehand that Yao Ming's surgically repaired foot wasn't healing well. The team is being described in panic mode, which they should be. The draft is over so the Rockets will have to make trades to get a key player, or deal with the roster they have and see how far they can go. This is unfortunate for Yao, who has been more than a serviceable center in the NBA in the seven seasons he's been playing.

Rivera Gets 500th Save

New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera got his 500th career save, shutting the door on the New York Mets. The Yankees won the game 4-2, after opening out the gate with three runs in the first inning. Mets pitcher Livan Hernandez pitched well, holding the Yankees scoreless after that first inning and not giving up another run for another six innings. Chien Ming Wang of the Yankees got his first win of the season and his first in over a year. Rivera also got his first career RBI when he drew a bases-loaded walk in the ninth inning off of Francisco Rodriguez.

This is a big milestone for Rivera. In my opinion, Rivera is the best closer of all-time in baseball. Rivera has surpassed Dennis Eckersley, who has made the position an important one with his dominance with the Oakland Athletics in the 1980s and 1990s. Trevor Hoffman still has more saves than Rivera, as they're the only two pitchers in baseball with at least 500 career saves. But Hoffman hasn't done anything remotely challenging in his career. The impressive thing about Rivera's career is his playoff track record also.

Rivera has been equally dominant in the regular season as he has in the playoffs. Rivera has four championships, and his only blunder in the playoffs prevented him from getting a fifth championship. In the 2001 World Series with the Yankees up 2-1 in the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 7, the Diamondbacks rallied for two runs to win the game and the championship. Rivera has gotten other saves however, and his mark on the game as a closer has not been matched by any other closer.

Burnett, Yanks One-Hits Mets

The New York Yankees beat the New York Mets 5-0, in another embarrassing performance by the Mets. The Mets only got one hit the entire game, which came from Alex Cora in the sixth inning. Yankees' starter A.J. Burnett pitched seven innings, only allowing the hit to Cora and striking out ten batters. Brian Bruney and David Robertson pitched the last two innings without giving up a hit to seal the deal. The Yankees' runs came from Nick Swisher's solo home run, Alex Rodriguez's RBI single, and Jorge Posada's three-run home run.

The Mets performance against the Yankees in the last three games have been embarrassing. In the rubber game of their first series in Yankee Stadium, the Yankees beat the Mets 15-0. The Yankees have gone on to outscore the Mets 14-1 in the first two games here at Citi Field, giving the Yankees a 29-1 clobbering the past three games against the Mets. Also, the Mets have only four hits total in the past two games. The last time that has happened to the Mets was in 1967. The Mets are clearly struggling with the absences of Jose Reyes, Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran, and J.J. Putz.

Seeing the Mets perform recently tells me they desperately need all of these guys back very soon. The Mets have resembled a minor league team, and their shutout against the Yankees gives them four for the season and two this week alone. The Mets were only shut out six times all season last year and it is only the end of June. For the time being, guys like David Wright and Ryan Church are not stepping up their production, which the Mets need from them. They have relied heavily on 40-year old Gary Sheffield. Their starting pitching isn't giving them enough solid innings. With all of this, the Mets are still only one and a half game behind the first place Philadelphia Phillies because they have been struggling of late. So the NL East is still there to be won. The Mets just have to stay in contention until they get their guys back.

Piniella Fed Up With Bradley

The Chicago Cubs beat the Chicago White Sox 5-4, but there were bigger issues. A day earlier, it was revealed that Cubs catcher Geovany Soto tested positive for marijuana during the World Baseball Classic. Then, during this game, in the sixth inning, Milton Bradley flied out and then wreaked havoc. He was frustrated with himself and decided to take out his frustration on the Gatorade cooler. Manager Lou Piniella got upset and had a talk with Bradley, and then he sent him home. Soto also redeemed himself in this game, hitting a three-run home run to give the Cubs some much needed insurance runs.

It's a little bit surprising that Piniella became annoyed with Bradley for being frustrated with himself. Piniella usually loves guys who shown passion for the game and brings it on the field everyday. When Piniella was the manager of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays a couple of years ago, he got upset at Ben Grieve because he didn't argue a strikeout that ended their game with the New York Yankees. Piniella thought that Grieve, and other members on the team, weren't giving enough effort and wasn't showing enough fight. That was something that Bradley just showed by being frustrated with himself, but for some reason didn't like it now.

It's easy to see why Piniella didn't like it from Bradley. An incident like this happened earlier with Carlos Zambrano annihilating the Gatorade cooler with a bat after being ejected in a game earlier this season against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Zambrano and Bradley are two characters that no managers want to deal with. They've both had their run-ins with their own teammates in the past. Also, flying out isn't a reason to destroy something. I know Major League Baseball is a billion-dollar industry but he shouldn't be destroying things players need just because it can easily be replaced. There are lots of people who are struggling and can't replace the simplest things and he's taking advantage of MLB's wealth and his own wealth. He knows that a fine isn't going to hurt his pockets. It's elementary school behavior that he is exhibiting.

NBA Draft And Trades

As expected, Oklahoma forward Blake Griffin was drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers with the #1 pick. The rest of the draft was unpredictable, and the Oklahoma City Thunder drafted James Harden with third pick, which was not expected. The Minnesota Timberwolves owned the fifth and sixth picks, and used them on Ricky Rubio and Jonny Flynn, two point guards. They later drafted another point guard, Tywon Lawson, with the 18th pick, but traded it to the Denver Nuggets. They drafted Nick Calathes, another point guard, in the second round. The Golden State Warriors drafted Davidson sensation Stephen Curry with the seventh pick.

Many trades were made today, but the biggest one was the trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers acquiring Shaquille O'Neal from the Phoenix Suns for Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic. Also, the New Jersey Nets traded Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson to the defending Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic for Rafer Alston, Courtney Lee, and Tony Battie. In smaller trades, the Atlanta Hawks acquired Jamal Crawford from the Golden State Warriors for Acie Law and Speedy Claxton. The New York Knicks acquired Darko Milicic from the Memphis Grizzlies for Quentin Richardson and money.

After the draft, I didn't know what the Timberwolves plans were. I'm still sold on the fact that they're going to still move one of the point guards they drafted. It didn't make any sense for them to draft that many point guards. The Thunder drafting Harden didn't make much sense since they have Kevin Durant as their scorer. Harden is basically a scorer. He doesn't do much more than that. I like the Warriors drafting Curry because he can pair up with Monta Ellis to form a good backcourt. I didn't see the reason for the Milwaukee Bucks drafting Jodie Meeks in the second round. They have a great shooter in Michael Redd, and Meeks is basically a poor man's version of Redd. They didn't need that. The Jazz drafting of Eric Maynor is great because they get themselves a great backup point guard.

The trades that happened today aren't making much sense to me. The Hawks' acquisition of Jamal Crawford doesn't make much sense, because they have Joe Johnson already. They needed to get post players. Al Horford and Zaza Pachulia are terrible in the post, and that is holding them back from being a better team. They don't gain anything by getting Crawford, even though he is a good player. The Knicks or Grizzlies do not benefit from their trade either, because both players are ineffective and are in their last year of their contracts. The Vince Carter trade makes a little bit of sense. The Magic get a good scorer who can create his own shot, which lessens the pressure on Rashard Lewis and Dwight Howard. But they gave up Courtney Lee, who was just coming off of a productive rookie season. They also gave up Battie, with Marcin Gortat entering the free agency pool. They have lost depth with this deal, but their starting five is much better if Hedo Turkoglu re-signs with the team.

Yankees, Mets Get Back On Track

The New York Mets and the New York Yankees got back on track, winning their respective games after both being blanked their previous game. The Mets beat the St. Louis Cardinals 11-0, and the Yankees beat the Atlanta Braves 8-4. The Mets got a strong pitching performance from Fernando Nieve and three relievers. The Yankees got a strong pitching performance from Joba Chamberlain, and got a strong offensive performance after slacking offensively in the past few games.

When the Yankees and Mets were blanked on Tuesday, that was only the third time it happened to them on the same day in 20 years. There are different reasons for the struggles from both teams. The Mets are dealing with a lot of injuries to their team, with Jose Reyes being out with a torn hamstring and Carlos Beltran being put on the disabled list. Also, Johan Santana hasn't been winning games for the Mets. He got crushed in his start in Yankee Stadium and lost to the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Yankees struggles come from their stars. Alex Rodriguez has been dreadful in the month of June and their pitching hasn't been sharp, especially from Chien Ming Wang, who's trying to rebound and get his spot back in the rotation. The Yankees have lost consecutive series to the Washington Nationals and the Florida Marlins, two teams who aren't that good. The Yankees need to take care of the teams they should be beating in order to win their division and make the playoffs again. They have the taent to get back to the playoffs and win a World Series. They just have to put it all together.

Jefferson Traded To Spurs

The Milwaukee Bucks, San Antonio Spurs, and the Detroit Pistons were involved in a trade that sent forward Richard Jefferson to the Spurs. The Spurs sent Kurt Thomas and Bruce Bowen to the Bucks, while they sent Fabricio Oberto to the Pistons. The Pistons sent Amir Johnson to the Bucks. The Spurs vowed to make changes this offseason to get younger again after they lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the first round in five games. It was the first time the Spurs lost in the first round of the playoffs that Tim Duncan played in. The Bucks made the move to clear salary cap space and to stay under the luxury tax.

This deal seems to be financially motivated for the Bucks and the Pistons, two teams who aren't expected to contend next year. It's easy to see why they made a move such as this. They're looking to be ready for the 2010 offseason, when many marquee free agents will become available. The Spurs have gotten better by acquiring Jefferson because they get younger and get an experienced player at the three. Jefferson joins Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker as the Spurs scoring threats. Jefferson is also very durable, not missing a game in his last two seasons. However, I don't know why the Pistons are getting rid of 23 year-old Amir Johnson for 34 year-old Fabricio Oberto. They are clearly not going to be good anytime soon.

Glover Retires After 13 Seasons

Defensive tackle La'Roi Glover, who spent 13 seasons in the NFL, has officially retired. Glover played this past season with the St. Louis Rams, starting nine games. He spent the last three years with the Rams, and was not re-signed by them, and he then proceeded to retire. Glover was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the 5th round of the 1996 NFL Draft. Glover went on to appear in six Pro Bowls in 13 seasons, and led the league with 17 sacks in 2000. He had 83.5 career sacks, which is great for a defensive tackle.

Glover played for the New Orleans Saints from 1997-2001, appearing in the playoffs with them in that 2000 season. Glover then played for the Dallas Cowboys from 2002-2005, appearing in the Pro Bowl in all of those seasons. He then went to the Rams afterward and had three decent seasons, and the Rams decided not to sign him because of his age. The Rams, who hired Steve Spagnuolo to be their head coach, are in rebuilding mode and Glover turns 35 next month.

La'Roi Glover had a very good NFL career with his six Pro Bowls and was the only bright spot for the Saints during their losing days. While Glover was one of the most effective defensive tackles of all time, he was overshadowed by the play of Warren Sapp, another defensive tackle. Sapp consistently got a big number of sacks at the defensive tackle position, racking up over 100 career sacks at the position. It is a hard position to get sacks from because they see two or three offensive lineman on almost every single play. Glover and Sapp were good run stoppers, making them very effective at the position. As good as Glover was in his career, he was greatly overshadowed by the play and the mouth of Sapp.

Phillies Swept By Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles beat the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1, completing their weekend three-game sweep of the Phillies. The Phillies now have a six-game losing streak, courtesy of two home sweeps at the hands of the Toronto Blue Jays and the Orioles. The Phillies also continue their home struggles. Their six straight home losses drops their home record to 13-22, which is the second worst in baseball, behind the Nationals 12-23 home record. The Phillies will play the Tampa Bay Rays in a rematch of the World Series in Tampa, and they're looking to get back on track in interleague play.

This performance from the Phillies is looking bad. Also, Ryan Howard was hospitalized with flu-like symptoms the past two days. Raul Ibanez, who is having a record season at age 37, is now battling injury problems. The absence of Brad Lidge is deeply hurting them because Ryan Madsen is not able to close games effectively. The Orioles are at the bottom of the AL East division, yet they were able to sweep the team at the top of the NL East division. The Phillies are not playing like defending champions right now and their suspect pitching could lead to a September choke job, more like the Mets the past two seasons.

USC Hires O'Neill As Coach

The University of Southern California has hired Kevin O'Neill to be their next head coach. USC has made it clear that they want a coach who has had NBA experience. O'Neill was the head coach of the Toronto Raptors for one season and was the special assistant to the general manager of the Memphis Grizzlies this past season. Tim Floyd, who was the previous coach of USC, resigned amid speculation that he would be in trouble for his wrongdoings regarding O.J. Mayo. Mayo has just completed his rookie season with the Grizzlies.

USC continues to make good decisions regarding their coaching in athletics. USC has Pete Carroll as their football coach, who has had experience as an NFL coach with the New England Patriots and the New York Jets. USC also hired Michael Cooper as the head coach of their women's basketball team. Cooper won championships as a player with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980s and won championships as head coach of the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA. Their previous coach, Tim Floyd, also had NBA coaching experience, coaching the Chicago Bulls and the New Orleans Hornets.

While USC is making a right decision hiring O'Neill, USC may not be a place O'Neill wants to go to. USC may find themselves in trouble in the future because of the incidents regarding the recruiting of Mayo. The NCAA may come down harshly on the basketball program, which would affect the recruiting for O'Neill. Tom Crean, head coach of Indiana University, was in the same predicament. He took the head coaching job at the school, but they were riddled with violations from Kelvin Sampson's recruiting violations. Crean struggled through this past year, losing a lot of players via transfer and Eric Gordon to the NBA Draft after his freshman year. O'Neill should prepare himself for the worst if it should ever present itself, although I don't think there will be any severe punishments handed down.

Leaf Surrenders To Authorities

Former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf has turned himself in to Texas authorities on charges of burglary and drug-related charges. This is another turn in the life of Leaf, who over ten years ago was a promising quarterback who was drafted second overall in the 1998 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers out of Washington State University. He was drafted behind Peyton Manning, who has gone on to have a Hall-of-Fame career. Leaf was released by the Chargers after three unproductive seasons, and after joining the Dallas Cowboys briefly and getting cut by them, his football career was over.

Leaf is among the sad high draft picks who have been terrible, not only in their football careers, but in their life. Lawrence Phillips was drafted sixth overall by the St. Louis Rams in 1996, and he already came in with troubles from college at Nebraska. Phillips is currently serving ten years of prison time on a felony assault with a deadly weapon charge. Phillips only lasted three years in the NFL after being that high of a draft pick and now sits in a jail cell. The same is likely to happen to Leaf, and it is sad to see their lives turn out the way they did.

NFL players make millions of dollars. Citizens all across the country who work hard are usually the ones struggling to make ends meet. This is why I can't understand why these players get themselves into trouble. They are rich because they possess a special talent, and they are not using their talents. Instead, they are messing with the law, which is nowhere close to a good idea. If I were in the position these players have been in, I wouldn't be in trouble at all. I have a million dollars in my hand to play a game that I love. I would never throw it away. Apparently, Leaf doesn't care and Phillips didn't care.

Stallworth Suspension A Joke

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth has been suspended by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell indefinitely, meaning there is a possibility he could be out for most of the season, if not all. A suspension for Stallworth was what a lot of people expected, including myself. Stallworth did plead guilty to the charges that were brought against him and took full responsibility for the tragic accident that killed 59-year old Mario Reyes. Goodell is standing firm on his personal conduct policy and is trying to clean up the behaviors of the players off the field.

There are reasons why a long suspension was the right thing in many people's opinion. He killed someone else and did take responsibility by pleading guilty to the manslaughter charges. Also, he is serving prison time, which warranted suspensions for Tank Johnson and Michael Vick in the past. However, I don't think Stallworth should serve a long suspension. He has never had any previous run-ins with the law, which I think should count for a lot. Stallworth made a costly mistake, and is serving a sentence which I think is pretty light considering the crime. But I don't think he should serve a suspension more than a year.

In 1999, St. Louis Rams defensive end Leonard Little was suspended by then-commissioner Paul Tagliabue for eight games for something similar to this incident. He was drunk while driving after a party, and then crashed his car into a woman, instantly killing the woman. He served jail time, and also received a suspension that warranted the crime. The punishment should come from the judicial system, not the NFL. Goodell is just trying to outdue Tagliabue and be regarded as the best commissioner in NFL history, which is a complete joke. Goodell needs a reality check.

Rangers Win in Extras, Nationals Beat Yankees

In Arlington, the Texas Rangers beat the Houston Astros 5-4 in 10 innings off of an RBI single from David Murphy. This game was close throughout, with both teams exchanging leads often. The Astros were down 4-3 in the eighth inning when Hunter Pence hit a solo home run to tie the game. Both teams failed to grab the lead, therefore forcing extra innings with the game tied at four. Astros' pitcher Jeff Fulchino was the pitcher that gave up the game-winning hit to Murphy, getting the loss. C.J. Wilson got the win for the Rangers.

In New York, the Washington Nationals beat the New York Yankees 3-2 in an impressive pitching performance from Nationals starter John Lannan. Lannan pitched eight and a third innings and gave up two runs. Both of those runs were courtesy of solo home runs from Robinson Cano and Johnny Damon. Yankees starter Chien Ming Wang was solid also, only giving up three runs. Lannan had a no-hitter going into the fifth inning and the first hit he gave up was to Cano, which was the home run. Lannan pitched in the ninth inning but was removed after he gave up a home run to Damon. Mike MacDougal came in and got the save for the Nationals.

For the Nationals, this was a good win for them because they have been dreadful on the road this season and dreadful overall. For the Yankees, this is a bad loss. However, this game showed that Wang is progressing, but I have my doubts as to whether he'll be effective for the Yankees this year as he has been in the past two seasons. I think the Yankees should stick Wang in the bullpen and start Phil Hughes. Hughes has been coming out of the bullpen in relief of Wang and has done a solid job. Wang should work out of the bullpen until he can show that he is in command of his stuff.

Blue Jays Beat Phillies, Stallworth Gets Jail Time, Sosa Tested Positive in '03,

In Philadelphia, the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Philadelphia Phillies 8-3 in 10 innings. Starters Ricky Romero of the Blue Jays and Cole Hamels of the Phillies pitched well enough to help their team win. Romero struck out nine in seven innings, giving up three runs. Hamels pitched six innings, striking out six and giving up two runs. The Blue Jays were down 3-2 in the ninth inning when Lyle Overbay drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in the tying run. In the 10th inning, the Blue Jays opened up offensively by scoring five runs, highlighted by Rod Barajas' two-run double. Clay Condrey, who gave up the five runs to the Blue Jays, was hit with the loss.

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth has been sentenced to 30 days in jail after pleading guilty to DUI manslaughter. On March 14 around 7 am, Stallworth struck Mario Reyes with his car when Reyes was running to catch a bus. Reyes later died from the car accident. It was determined later by authorities that Stallworth was driving over the legal alcohol limit. In addition to his 30-day prison sentence, Stallworth will also be on probation for eight years and has his licensed suspended for the rest of his life. He can, however, drive for certain circumstances like for his job.

Former MLB outfielder Sammy Sosa was reportedly one of the 104 names who tested positive for banned substances in 2003. Earlier this year, it was revealed that New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez was on that list as well. Sosa has denied in the past that he used performance-enhancing drugs. Sosa last played in the majors in 2007 with the Texas Rangers. He spent most of his career with the Chicago Cubs. In 1998, he and Mark McGwire broke Roger Maris' single-season home run record when they both surpassed 61 home runs. McGwire ended the season with 70 home runs and Sosa ended with 66 home runs.

A lot of people don't agree with the sentence given to Stallworth. It is a little lenient considering the severity of the incident but the situation wasn't entirely his fault. The victim ran across the street to get his bus and was hit by the car. Stallworth could've avoided it by not driving drunk. The victim could've avoided it as well by following typical pedestrian protocol. The fact that Sosa reportedly failed a drug test isn't surprising. Sosa never convinced anyone that he was not guilty of taking steroids, as he decided to pretend as if he didn't speak English in front of Congress.

Brewers Rally for Win, Marshall Wants Out

In Cleveland, the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Cleveland Indians 14-12 on the strength of a grand slam from Prince Fielder that put the Brewers ahead for good. Starting pitcher David Bush of the Brewers and Carl Pavano of the Indians were not good. Bush gave up eight runs in three and a third innings and Pavano gave up six runs in five innings. The Brewers went into the eighth inning trailing 12-8 when the Brewers rallied. Ryan Braun hit an RBI infield single and then, with the bases loaded, Fielder hit a grand slam to put the Brewers up 13-12. They scored again and eventually won by that score.

Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall has reportedly told the Broncos that he wants to be traded to another team. Marshall met with team owner Pat Bowlen and made him aware of his desire to be traded. Marshall is reportedly unhappy because he wants a new contract. He cites his performance on the field and security as the main reasons why he wants a new contract. Marshall had surgery on his hip in March and will be ready to practice during training camp in July. Marshall, however, was required to rehabilitate at the team's facility but has not done so and may be fined for it. Marshall has had two straight 1,000 yard receiving seasons.

The fact that Brandon Marshall is asking for a trade from the Broncos just speak to how low of a guy he is. There is no doubt that Marshall has been very productive on the football field so far in his career. However, he has also done his fair share of finding trouble off the field, to the point where he is borderline with Pacman Jones. Marshall shouldn't be asking for a new contract. He should prove himself to be a valuable football player by duplicating his numbers from the past two seasons, in addition to staying out of trouble. Marshall even said himself that there can't be any more trouble. He knows the league will come down harshly on him if he gets into any kind of trouble again.

Lakers Take 15th Title, White Sox Top Brewers

In Orlando, the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Orlando Magic 99-86 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals to win the NBA championship. They defeated the Magic four games to one, which wasn't really as lopsided as the series outcome would suggest. Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher now have four championships with the Lakers, winning their first three in three consecutive years from the 1999-2000 season to the 2001-2002 season. Bryant won the NBA Finals MVP trophy for the first time, averaging over 32 points in the series. The Lakers now have won 15 championships in franchise history, and head coach Phil Jackson has the most championships as a head coach in NBA history with ten.

In Milwaukee, the Chicago White Sox beat the Milwaukee Brewers 5-4 off of A.J. Pierzynski's RBI single in the ninth inning off of legendary closer Trevor Hoffman. Mark Buehrle of the White Sox pitched six innings and gave up four runs, just like his counterpart Braden Looper of the Brewers. However, Buehrle helped his cause by hitting a home run off of Looper in the third inning. Corey Hart of the Brewers hit two solo home runs, one coming in the fourth inning and the other coming in the sixth inning to tie the game at four. Hoffman came in the ninth to preserve the tie but was unable to do it by allowing two hits and walking a batter, eventually giving up the game-winning run.

The Lakers' win against the Magic was not a testament to the play of the Lakers, but to the mistakes of the Magic. The Magic had a chance to win Game 2 and Game 4, and would be leading the series in that case three games to one. But two missed layups by Courtney Lee prevented a Game 2 victory in Los Angeles and three of four missed free throws from Hedo Turkoglu and several missed free throws from Dwight Howard prevented a Game 4 victory. The Lakers were lucky to have won this championship. They needed to win this championship to prove they were tougher than last season. However, they didn't play a tough team playing the Magic, even though they're solid defensively. The Magic, again, choked their way to an NBA Finals loss just as they did in 1995 against the Houston Rockets. Maybe they don't belong in the NBA Finals.

Lakers Take Commanding Lead, Red Sox Beat Yanks Again,

In Orlando, the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Orlando Magic 99-91 in overtime of Game 4 to take a 3-1 series lead in the NBA Finals. Kobe Bryant for the Lakers didn't have a good shooting night, but he scored 32 points, dished out eight assists and grabbed seven rebounds. Pau Gasol and Trevor Ariza added 16 points each, and Gasol grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds. For the Magic, Hedo Turkoglu led the Magic with 25 points, but Dwight Howard had a huge game. He almost had a triple-double, with 16 points, 21 rebounds and nine blocks. Game 5 is Sunday in Orlando.

In Boston, the Boston Red Sox beat the New York Yankees 4-3 to sweep another series. The Red Sox are 8-0 this season against the Yankees, the best start by the Red Sox against the Yankees since 1912. In the second inning, David Ortiz hit his fourth home run of the season to put the Red Sox ahead 1-0. Starting pitchers C.C. Sabathia of the Yankees and Brad Penny of the Red Sox were both good. The game stayed at 1-0 until the seventh inning, when the Yankees scored three runs. That inning was highlighted by Alex Rodriguez's two-RBI double that put the Yankees ahead 3-1. But the Red Sox came back in the eighth inning to score three runs, with Mike Lowell's sacrifice fly being the go-ahead run and eventual game-winner.

Phillies Top Mets In Extras, Sanchez Signs

In New York, the Philadelphia Phillies beat the New York Mets 5-4 in 11 innings. The Mets had a big fourth inning, when the game was tied at one. Pitcher Mike Pelfrey, Luis Castillo, and Alex Cora all had RBI singles to put the Mets ahead 4-1. However, in the seventh inning, the Phillies bounced back with three runs of their own to tie the game. The three runs came from RBIs from Pedro Feliz, Carlos Ruiz, and Jimmy Rollins. The game went into extra innings tied at four. In the 10th inning, the Mets almost won it on a potential base hit from David Wright but he was robbed by Jayson Werth. In the 11th inning, Chase Utley hit a solo home run to seal the deal for the Phillies.

Quarterback Mark Sanchez, who was chosen fifth overall in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the New York Jets, has signed a five-year deal with the team. The contract is worth $50 million and $28 million is guaranteed. If Sanchez reaches incentive peaks in his contract, at the end of the contract, it can be worth $60 million. Sanchez is the second first round pick to sign with their new team. Matthew Stafford, who was the #1 overall pick to the Detroit Lions, already signed a six-year deal with them before he was drafted. Sanchez stated his desire to get the process over with and work on winning the starting quarterback job as the reason why the deal was done promptly. Sanchez is battling with Kellen Clemens and Brett Ratliff for the starting quarterback job with the team.

Magic Take Game 3, Kings Hire Westphal

In Orlando, the Orlando Magic defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 108-104 in Game 3 of the NBA Finals to pull the series within 2-1. The win gave the Magic their first ever win in the NBA Finals in franchise history. Rashard Lewis and Dwight Howard both led the Magic with 21 points, and Howard also grabbed a team-high 14 rebounds. Mickael Pietrus came off the bench and scored 18 points. Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 31 points, but missed five free throws. Gasol scored 23 points and Trevor Ariza scored 13 points and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds. Game 4 is Thursday in Orlando.

The Sacramento Kings, who finished the 2008-2009 season with the worst record in the NBA at 17-65, has reportedly hired Paul Westphal to be the new head coach. The Kings fired Reggie Theus in the middle of the season after only one full year. Westphal previously coached the Phoenix Suns from 1992-1996 and the Seattle Supersonics from 1998-2001. Westphal led the Suns to the NBA Finals in his first season in the 1992-1993 season, where they lost to the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls. Westphal has reportedly agreed to a two-year contract worth $1.5 million each season and has an option for a third year. The Kings draft fourth in the 2009 NBA Draft.

Braves Beat Pirates, A's Beat Twins

In Atlanta, the Atlanta Braves beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-6 in 15 innings. The Braves were ahead of the Pirates for most of the game, starting with Chipper Jones' two-run home run in the first inning. The Braves went into the seventh inning up 6-3 when the Pirates started to make their comeback. Eric Hinske hit a two-run single to pull it to within 6-5 and Andrew McClutchen hit an RBI triple to tie it. The game went into extras tied at six and in the 15th inning, the Braves ended it on David Ross' infield single. Jeff Karstens of the Pirates was hit with the loss.

In Oakland, the Oakland Athletics beat the Minnesota Twins 4-3. Jack Cust of the Athletics hit a solo home run in the fifth inning with the game tied at three to put the Athletics ahead. After that home run, there weren't any more runs scored. The relief pitchers from both teams pitched well down the stretch. For the Twins, three relief pitchers combined to allow only two hits. For the Athletics, four relief pitchers combined to only allow one hit. The Twins went ahead 3-0 but the Athletics quickly came back on Jack Hannahan's bases-clearing double that drove in three. Andrew Bailey of the Athletics pitched the ninth inning for the save.

Lakers Take 2-0 Lead, Diamondbacks Win In 18 Innings

In Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Orlando Magic 101-96 in overtime to take a 2-0 series lead in the NBA Finals. The Magic played much better than they did overall in Game 1, but they still weren't good. The Magic committed a postseason-high 20 turnovers, and their perimeter players still didn't shoot well. Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 29 points and eight assists, and Pau Gasol scored 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Rashard Lewis was great for the Magic, scoring 34 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Dwight Howard grabbed 16 rebounds but committed seven turnovers. Game 3 is Tuesday in Orlando.

In San Diego, the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the San Diego Padres 9-6 in 18 innings. The Diamondbacks jumped out to a 6-0 lead after six innings, and it appeared they were on their way to victory. Kevin Kouzmanoff's home run in the seventh inning put the Padres on the board, but they trailed 6-1 after that. They trailed by the same score heading into the ninth inning when they scored five runs to tie the game. The five-run inning was highlighted by David Eckstein's three-run home run to tie the game at six. After the ninth inning, the Padres didn't get another hit. The Diamondbacks couldn't score until the 18th inning, when Mark Reynolds hit a three-run home run to put them ahead 9-6, which proved to be the final score.

Dodgers, Reds Win In Extras

In Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Philadelphia Phillies 3-2 in 12 innings. Joe Blanton was the starter for the Phillies and he was solid, pitching six innings and giving up one run and five hits. Hiroki Kuroda pitched well also, pitching six innings and not giving up a run, and only allowing two hits. The star of the game was Andre Ethier. In the fourth inning, Ethier hit a solo home run to put the Dodgers up 1-0. The game went into extra innings after Phillies' closer Brad Lidge blew a save by allowing a home run to Rafael Furcal. In the 12th inning, Ethier ended with a game-winning solo home run, his second home run of the game.

In Cincinnati, the Cincinnati Reds beat the Chicago Cubs 4-3 in 11 innings. The starters for both teams pitched well enough for their teams to be in winning position. Cubs' starter Ryan Dempster pitched six innings and gave up three runs, but none of them were earned. He struck out seven. Reds' starter Matt Maloney pitched six innings also and gave up two runs. The Reds jumped ahead early 3-0 in the first inning, but the Cubs were able to come back over the course of the game. Jake Fox of the Cubs hit a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning to tie the game at three. In the 11th inning, Adam Rosales hit a ground ball and Jay Bruce beat the throw home for the game-winning run.

Angels, Twins Win Close Ones

In Detroit, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim defeated the Detroit Tigers 2-1. Starting pitchers Justin Verlander for the Tigers and Ervin Santana for the Angels were both spectacular. Verlander pitched eight innings and didn't give up a run. He struck out seven and only gave up four hits. Santana pitched eight and two-thirds innings and gave up one run, while also striking out seven. The game was scoreless going into the ninth inning. The Angels then scored two runs in the ninth with RBIs from Juan Rivera and Howie Kendrick. The Tigers got a run in the bottom half of the ninth from an RBI single from Magglio Ordonez, but it wasn't enough as Brian Fuentes shut the door on the Tigers.

In Seattle, the Minnesota Twins beat the Seattle Mariners 2-1 in 10 innings. Francisco Liriano of the Twins and Felix Hernandez of the Mariners were both good on the mound. Liriano pitched six innings and gave up only one run and three hits, and struck out five. Hernandez pitched seven innings and struck out seven while giving up one run. The game went into extra innings tied at one. The Twins scored on a hit from Matt Tolbert that was supposed to be caught by left fielder Wladimir Balentien but was dropped. Justin Morneau scored the go-ahead run and Joe Nathan pitched the bottom of the tenth inning for the save.

Lakers Dominate Game 1, Johnson Wins 300th

In Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Lakers routed the Orlando Magic in Game 1 of the NBA Finals 100-75 to take a 1-0 series lead. Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 40 points, the most points he has ever scored in an NBA Finals game. Bryant also led the Lakers with eight assists. Lamar Odom scored 11 points and had a team-high 14 rebounds. Nothing really went well for the Magic, who only shot 30% from the field. Mickael Pietrus led the Magic with a paltry 14 points. Dwight Howard grabbed 15 rebounds, but only scored 12 points. Game 2 of the NBA Finals is Sunday.

In Washington DC, the San Francisco Giants beat the Washington Nationals 5-1 to give pitcher Randy Johnson his 300th win of his career. Johnson pitched six innings and gave up one run, although it was unearned. The game was close throughout, with the Giants leading 2-1 going into the ninth inning. Randy Winn hit a two-RBI double and another run was scored to put the Giants ahead 5-1 and seal the game. Johnson is probably going to be the last 300th winner in quite a while. Closer Brian Wilson got the save for the Giants.

Cubs Top Braves In Extras, Rangers Beat Yankees

In Atlanta, the Chicago Cubs beat the Atlanta Braves 3-2 in 11 innings, the second straight game between the two that went into extra innings. Ted Lilly was the starter for the Cubs and he pitched seven effective innings, giving up one earned run and striking out seven batters. Derek Lowe was the starter for the Braves and he also pitched seven solid innings, giving up two runs and only giving up five hits. The game went into extra innings tied at two, and then it changed in the top of the 11th inning. Micah Hoffpauir hit an RBI single that brought home Derrek Lee for the winning run.

In New York, the Texas Rangers beat the New York Yankees 4-2. The Rangers got all four of their runs in the first two innings of the game. Three of the four runs were scored in the first inning, and none of the hits that provided the runs were hard hit balls. They scored another run in the second inning from Ian Kinsler's RBI single. The Yankees got their two runs from Alex Rodriguez's RBI single in the first inning and Jorge Posada's solo home run in the seventh inning. Andy Pettitte was the starter for the Yankees and got the loss by giving up all the four runs in five innings pitched. Scott Feldman got the win, giving up two runs in six and a third innings pitched.

Braves Rally For Win, Lebron Has Surgery

In Atlanta, the Atlanta Braves beat the Chicago Cubs 6-5 in 11 innings. Cubs' starting pitcher Randy Wells was pitching phenomenally, pitching a no-hitter in six and two-thirds innings. The first hit that was given up by Wells was from Chipper Jones. From there, things went south for the Cubs. They were up 5-0 going into the eighth inning when the Braves started their comeback. They scored three runs in the eighth inning, highlighted by Garrett Anderson's home run, and they tied it in the ninth with a two-run home run from Jeff Francoeur. Chipper Jones had the game-winning RBI with his single in the 12th inning that drove home Yunel Escobar.

Cleveland Cavaliers' superstar forward Lebron James had surgery in the Cleveland Clinic to remove a benign growth in his mouth, something that was diagnosed several months ago. James knew about this growth in his mouth, but was told that he can wait until after the season to get the problem fixed. The surgery was five hours long because of the sensitivity of the area, which includes a lot of nerves and blood vessels. The surgery reportedly happened successfully and James is expected to leave the hospital soon.

Orioles Beat Mariners, Diamondbacks Top Dodgers

In Seattle, the Baltimore Orioles beat the Seattle Mariners 1-0. The lone run in the game came from an RBI from Aubrey Huff in the sixth inning that scored Adam Jones. Rich Hill was the starter for the Orioles and he was very effective, pitching seven innings and not giving up a run. Jarrod Washburn was the starter for the Mariners and he was effective as well, giving up one run in seven innings pitched. George Sherrill came into the game in the ninth inning and shutting the door on the Mariners.

In Los Angeles, the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2. It was an offensive struggle for the Dodgers, who didn't score for the first eight innings. The Diamondbacks got two of their three runs in the second inning from Josh Whitesell, who hit a two-RBI double. Mark Reynolds got the other RBI for the Diamondbacks with a RBI groundout in the eighth inning. Pitcher Tony Pena for the Diamondbacks came in the ninth inning and almost blew the game. He gave up RBI singles to Rafael Furcal and Juan Pierre, before he was able to close the game for the save.

Indians Beat Yankees, Angels Rally For Victory

In Cleveland, the Cleveland Indians beat the New York Yankees 5-4 after Jhonny Peralta's RBI single in the ninth inning brought home Trevor Crowe for the walk-off hit. The Yankees won the first two games of the four-game series with good pitching, and the pitching from Phil Hughes wasn't bad either. He pitched five innings and gave up four runs, but struck out six batters. Carl Pavano was good for the Indians, giving up three runs in seven and a third. All four of the Yankees runs came from Mark Teixeira, who hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning and a two-run double in the eighth inning. Peralta had three RBIs in the game, including the game winner.

In Anaheim, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim beat the Seattle Mariners 9-8 after falling behind by as many as seven runs. The Angels entered the bottom of the sixth inning down 8-1 but the Angels were able to cut into that with a four-run sixth inning, highlighted by Torii Hunter's two-run home run. They entered the ninth inning down 8-6 when they scored three runs in the final inning to win the game. The game-winning hit came from Kendry Morales, who hit a single with the game tied at eight that scored Gary Matthews Jr. David Aardsma, who gave up the game-winning hit to Morales, was tagged with the loss.