By Freddy Wills

The Braves have traded for the All-Star OF Nate McLouth in exchange for three highly touted Minor League prospects.

Mclouth is in the middle of a major slump where he is 5 for his last 37 with 2HR. Mclouth will likely benefit from the change of scenery as he was one of the few threats in the lineup. In my opinion he may have been trying to play over his head to help the team win. Now he comes to a team where he no longer has to be the star.

Mclouth is coming off a 2008 campaign that saw him hit 26 HR, steal 23 bases, hit 46 doubles, and bring in 94 RBI's on a poor offensive club.

The Pirates gave up three minor league players. RHP Charlie Morton, LHP Jeff Locke, and OF Gorkys Hernandez.

Funny thing about Charlie Morton is that I actually faced the RHP in high school in CT. He pitched for Joel Barlow and I faced in three times my senior season. I remember like it was yesterday because they had me on the local news on the highlights. It was a quick highlight as the sports reporter said, "Morton blows the ball by Fred Wills." Pretty funny looking back it now, but there 30 scouts in the stands and it was our first night game ever. Never the less we won that game on an excellent pitching performance and manufactured runs. If I recall I also walked against him and grounded out to third.

The Braves also move some salary by releasing veteran Tom Glavine and it seems that will be it for the future Hall of Famer.

What exactly will Mclouth mean to the Braves?