Fan News

The MLB trade deadline is fast approaching (July 31), and while all of the attention goes to the frontline players and the rumored blockbuster deals involving them, it is often the smaller-scale moves that make all the difference.

Look no further back than last season, when the Angels landed the prize of the deadline in Zack Greinke in a deal with the Brewers. However, the Angels wound up missing the postseason, and perhaps the best pickup across the league wound up being the Giants' acquisition of Marco Scutaro.

Hello, boys and girls. It's fairy tale time.

Today, we're going to be learning about the story of how a great hitter came to be.

Once upon a time...

There was a promising young slugger.

This slugger hit with a big stick from the left side, and he was once a top prospect in the minors who showed flashes of his ability and power at the major league level. Alas, he never could seem to stick in the big leagues.

Brandon Barnes of the Houston Astros is known more for his work with the glove than his hitting prowess, but the 27-year-old center fielder hit for the cycle on Friday night against the Seattle Mariners.

With the July 31 trade deadline looming, less than two weeks remain for teams looking to make a non-waiver deal.

The deadline represents an integral period of time for both contending and rebuilding organizations. Contenders, like the Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers, must decide if this year is theirs and sacrifice a bit of the future to improve the present.

New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano is off to another stellar year, one that has already achieved an All-Star birth.

Though the Yankees have struggled this year and been decimated by injuries to their line-up, with last-season's regulars Mark Texiera, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriquez and Curtis Granderson each missing extended time this year, the greatest bright spot has been Cano.

The Houston Astros haven't had many positives during their first season in the American League, but outfielder Brandon Barnes' penchant for the spectacular has to be at or near the top.

With a double in the eighth inning off of Seattle Mariners reliever Danny Farquhar, Barnes completed his first career cycle Friday night in Houston:

Yasiel Puig and Nick Markakis put on a fielding clinic Friday night.

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Baltimore Orioles didn't play each other, but these two stars made their cases to be featured on ESPN's "Web Gems" segment at almost the same time.

Puig is no stranger to highlight reels—he seems to make at least one incredible play every night. On Friday, that play came in right field.

The Boston Red Sox and Dustin Pedroia are on the precipice of an agreement that could make the face of the franchise the highest-paid second baseman in Major League Baseball.

In the American League East are two elite second basemen in line to get paid: Robinson Cano of the New York Yankees and Dustin Pedroia of the Boston Red Sox.

Now we have an idea as to who's going to be paid first, which naturally means we have to ponder what it could mean for the other guy.

The Philadelphia Phillies suffered another setback on their way to winning the 2013 NL East crown, as relievers Mike Adams and Jeremy Horst are both done for the year.