Opinion

The Blue Jays signed 25-year-old former top-10 pick Ricky Romero to a five year, $30.1 million contract that will keep him signed with the team through 2015 on Saturday.

I remember back in February 2004, when I first heard the news that Alex Rodriguez had been traded to the New York Yankees.  At the time, I was a soon-to-be 14-year-old fan who had finally stopped taking for granted how difficult it was to win a World Series.  After growing up watching the Yankee dynasty win four championships in five years, I had suffered through the Diamondbacks debacle of 2001 and the embarrassing loss to the Florida Marlins only months earlier. 

Nothing to worry about Washington Nationals fans, this will get done, although it may come down to the deadline before it is announced.

The posturing that is going on between the overall No. 1 pick in MLB's first year player draft and the team that picked him is simply normal negotiation ploys by both sides. Believe me, the kid will sign when all is said and done.

With three home runs and five RBIs in Saturday night's game against the Royals, Alex Rodriguez has put himself right into the middle of the American League MVP race this year.

A-Rod smacked his first home run of the night in the sixth inning to break a 1-1 tie, giving the Yanks a 2-1 lead. It was also the first of three Yankee home runs in the inning, as Jorge Posada and Curtis Granderson would go back to back.

He hit a two-run shot the following inning to straightaway center field, bouncing off the hitter's back drop.

Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki is a unique fellow, to say the least.

Now he has become Japan’s version of the “Most Interesting Man in the World” from the Dos Equis commercials.

It seems as though the hit machine is the face of Kirin beer, a Japanese product.

Watch Ichiro act the part of a salesman on TheSportingRave.com.

Apparently, they make excellently processed beer. And that's the way Ichiro likes it.

For the past month the marlins have had a rough time with umpires and controversial calls.

The first event was the foul ball that was fair and would've given the marlins a walk off win against the NL east rival Phillies.

Now just recently against the Reds, in a rather important series, Marlins catcher Bret Hayes was in an at-bat where he was hit on the leg with a pitch and the home plate umpire called it a foul tip.

While most 38 year old third basemen with 17 MLB seasons under their belts would probably call it a career after tearing their ACL with fifty games left in the season, Chipper Jones is going to rehab his injury with spring training in mind. How Jones' body reacts will remain to be seen, but this comeback is a must.

On Friday, St. Louis Cardinal pitcher, Chris Carpenter was asked by an Associated Press journalist to share his thoughts on the fine he was handed by the commissioner's office for Tuesday nights, now infamous, donnybrook in Cincinnati.

Proving Brandon Phillips' comments correct for at least one Cardinal player, instead of addressing the question he took the opportunity to whine more about Reds pitcher, Johnny Cueto.

As the fantasy baseball trade deadline approaches, its getting closer and closer to the time when you need to lock-in your rosters. As always, benching the bad and starting the good can keep your team atop the standings for your stretch-run into the playoffs. Let’s take a look at some players you can acquire through trades or just through free agency.

Start ‘Em

Nervous about the trade deadline in your fantasy baseball league? Don’t be. The Chinstrap Ninjas have you covered.

Be sure to start by checking out my 10 tips to pull off the perfect fantasy baseball trade deadline deal.

Then, check out the following players you should be targeting as you begin last-minute negotiations with an eye to your fantasy playoffs/championship…