Check out Derek Jeter's new digs being built in Tampa. A mere 38,000 square feet. Isn't it perfect that the left side of the house in the picture is way less spacious than the right? After all, Jeter struggles to go to the left...Baseball America rated the Top 20 rookies in the game this year at the break and Toronto Blue Jays fans ought to be happy. Not only is Ricky Romero ranked tops, but the Jays managed to land a second in the top 10 at #8 with Scott Richmond...NASCAR's Jeremy Mayfield has now failed two tests for meth usage. Mayfield contends he's being set up. Someone hitting the meth is coming off paranoid? Weird......the Chicago Cubs did indeed take a chance on BJ Ryan and why not for a mere $400k prorated the rest of the way. The NL Central race will be a wild race the rest of the way with only the Pittsburgh Pirates (surprise!) more than 5.5 games behind St. Louis...check out Chris Berman once again playing the bitter guy role at the airport a couple days ago where he was entirely ignored by an autograph hunter who was chatting up Tampa Bay Ray Evan Longoria who was right beside him. Awesome. Here, of course, is the famous first rant from Berman...the British Open didn't get off to as great a start as planned for Tiger Woods. Woods shot an opening round 71 and is 7 off the pace, no doubt sending more than a few gamblers into a panic...David Beckham returned for the LA Galaxy in a 3-1 win over the hapless New York Red Bull last night, though he didn't really have much to do with it other than inspiring thousands to dress as empty blue seats at Giants Stadium. A couple nice goals in the hilite pack below...The Bleacher Report chimes in with the dozen best athlete excuses...Cristiano Ronaldo boldly predicts that Real Madrid will win La Liga and take the Champions League as well. Frankly, anything less is a disappointment, but I'm still going to say Barcelona is a better team and has a few players, unlike Real, capable of defending...Joel Sherman at SI.com says that the time is now for the Toronto Blue Jays to trade Roy Halladay. Interestingly, 11 of Halladay's projected 16 starts remaining if he were to stay would be against the AL East teams ahead of the Jays. Of course, that number could actually increase if the Baltimore Orioles get hot. John Lott says the Jays will not be lowering their lofty demands to deal Halladay...have a great Friday.

LA Galaxy @ New York Red Bull