Baseball

Rafael Soriano's long ordeal on the free-agent market has come to an end.

As reported by Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports, the veteran closer is signing with the Washington Nationals:

Source: Rafael Soriano agrees to two-year, $28M deal with Nationals. Deal contains vesting option for third year. Story coming on Y! Sports.

The market for Rafael Soriano was a very slow one this winter.

After opting out of his contract to become a free agent again, teams weren't jumping at the chance to lock up the closer, despite a strong 2012 campaign.

The Washington Nationals and free-agent closer Rafael Soriano have agreed to a two-year, $28 million contract with a vesting option for a third year. The option vests if Soriano finishes at least 120 games over the first two seasons.

Jeff Passan had it first:

The Boston Red Sox have a number of prospects, including center fielder of the future Jackie Bradley Jr, who are on the horizon and nearly ready for their Fenway Park debut.

The struggle between players and management has gone on since the beginning of the sports world. Each side wants to have leverage when the inevitable split occurs. The "no-trade clause" is one of the biggest assets a baseball player can have, and Justin Upton just used his to really affect the Arizona Diamondbacks.

San Francisco Giants general manager Brian Sabean has made sure his 2012 World Series championship team will stay together for the upcoming season and beyond.

In order to keep up in the competitive AL West, the Texas Rangers must sign Kyle Lohse to solidify their rotation. 

Lohse entered free agency as one of the best pitchers on the market, but his age and the draft-pick compensation attached to him have kept him from finding a new home.

The Toronto Blue Jays are officially part of the discussion. 

The American League is crowded with top-level teams, and now the Blue Jays have to be included in that list. After adding two Cy Young-talented pitchers in R.A. Dickey and Josh Johnson, an above-average inning eater in Mark Buehrle and adding talent at the top of their lineup in Jose Reyes and Melky Cabrera, the Jays are a legitimate threat. 

September baseball is all-or-nothing baseball. It is baseball that is played either in front of swelling crowds with palpable tension or in a cold ballpark sparsely dotted with paying customers where the peanut vendors are the loudest voices.

September baseball is either rich with meaning, where every pitch is hung on, or it’s merely an exercise of formality, played out because the schedule says so.

September baseball is either “must win” baseball or “must play,” nothing in between.

Just a month and change remains before the thrilling kickoff to spring training 2013.

As the thump and thwack and crunch of cleats scurry through our imaginations, questions remain regarding what the everyday lineup for the New York Yankees will look like this campaign.

One thing fans do know, however, is that Derek Jeter, Ichiro Suzuki and Robinson Cano will be swinging at the top of the Yankees order come April.