Welcome to Saturday Scorecard. Taking a cue from Coors Field, we're keeping baseballs in the humidor in order to cut down cigar consumption.

We have a lot of yard work and a number of topics to hit today, so let's get to it...

Center of attention: Many Brewers fans smiled when they tuned into the game Friday night and saw Gabe Kapler starting in center field. That's understandable. Kapler has been a productive and popular reserve player this season. He entered the weekend hitting .330 with a .354 on-base average, four homers and 19 RBI.

Mike Cameron, the starter, hasn't fared so well. In his first 31 games, Cameron hit .220 with a paltry .286 on-base percentage, seven homers and 19 RBI.

Fans love Kapler and are down on Cameron. That's understandable, given the current circumstances. In the big picture, though, it's hard to imagine Kapler continuing at his current pace, just as it's tough to imagine the Brewers being a playoff-caliber team this season without a solid contribution from Cameron.

Though his career batting average is .250, Cameron has the potential to hit 20 to 25 homers and drive in 70 to 90 runs. That, in addition to his stellar defense, is why the Brewers signed him as a free agent.

Kapler, who also plays above-average defense, is such an asset on the field and in the clubhouse it's hard to believe he was a minor-league manager last year. Kapler's career batting average is .272.

Streaks and slumps are part of baseball, but veteran players like Cameron and Kapler generally revert to the level of performance they have displayed for much of their careers. Over the next few weeks, Cameron's output is likely to increase, while Kapler's is likely to drop off.

Kapler's current circumstance is common among backups who perform well over a short sample. Fans fall in love with them and clamor for them to play every day, but increased playing time brings more 0-for-4 performances, more strikeouts with men at third base, more errors, etc.

Brewers manager Ned Yost is trying to ride Kapler's hot streak as long as possible and maximize production out of center field. That's the right move. At the same time, Yost knows he has to get Cameron going in order to maximize the production of the entire lineup.

For now, moving Cameron out of the No. 2 spot in the order would probably be a good move. J.J. Hardy handled that role last season and could prosper in front of Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder.

Cameron, who missed most of April because of a suspension for using a banned supplement, has not distinguished himself in his first 31 games. However, it's too early to write him off for this season.

Rivalry renewed: There is something comforting about seeing the Lakers and Celtics playing in the NBA Finals. The contrast between the purple uniforms and the white and green just felt... right.

Has it really been 21 years since these two powers met for the championship? Wow. Here is an even more stunning reality check. It has been 34 years since the Bucks visited the Finals. Sure, they flirted with it in 2001, but that's a really long drought.

Acting job? It's not unheard of, but it's not often that we agree with ESPN's Skip Bayless. Friday presented one of those instances. While talking about Boston forward Paul Pierce's "comeback" from what appeared to be a devastating knee injury, Bayless said, "He's either got the highest pain threshold in the NBA or the lowest."

Well said, Skip.

Pierce was carried from the court, took a wheelchair to the locker room and returned to the court before 2 minutes had expired on the clock and drained some huge shots to lead his team to a 1-0 victory.

Rather than asking if the Lakers can even the series Sunday night, much of the sports world is wrestling with a different question: Is Pierce a warrior or a wuss?

We will reserve judgment, but the episode evoked memories of the time Brewers outfielder Alex Sanchez, who seemed pretty soft for a guy purported to have floated from Cuba to Miami on a raft in order to pursue his baseball dreams, was carried off the field at Miller Park with a sprained wrist. Sanchez played the next night. We're guessing Pierce will be around for Game 2, too.

Great finish: We were glad to see the Red Wings win the Stanley Cup, if only because we were happy for former Wisconsin standout Chris Chelios, who is a physical marvel at age 46. With that said, it would have been awesome to see the Penguins' last-gasp, last-second shot find the net and force overtime in Game 6.

Rare feat: Corey Hart's inside-the-park homer on Wednesday against Arizona was the first by a Brewers player at Miller Park. It was the first at home by a Milwaukee player since Mike Felder had one against Baltimore Sept. 26, 1989 at County Stadium.

Family ties: Catcher Brett Lawrie, the Brewers' top pick in the first-year player draft Thursday, has a sister, Danielle, who is a standout softball player. Danielle, who plays at the University of Washington, will play for Canada in the Olympics later this year in Beijing.

Shortstop Jose Duran, a sixth-round pick, is the brother of German Duran, who made his big-league debut with Texas earlier this season.

Centerfielder / second-round pick Cutter Dykstra's dad is, of course, former major-league Lenny Dykstra, a financial wiz featured on HBO's "Real Sports."

Comeback story: Sidelined nearly two years with a severe shoulder injury, Chellsie Memmel announced her return on Thursday at the U.S. gymnastics championships and could be a factor in Beijing. Her experience will be an asset to the US and her story undoubtedly will get big play from NBC.

Big, bold Belmont prediction: Big Brown wins. By a lot.