NEW YORK -- Brian Roberts and the New York Yankees have completed their $2 million, one-year contract, a deal that allows the second baseman to earn $4.6 million if he becomes a regular starter. The contract was agreed to on Dec. 17 and finalized Tuesday, three days after a spot on the 40-man roster opened when Alex Rodriguez was suspended for the season for violations of baseballs drug agreement and labour contract. The 36-year-old Roberts, an All-Star in 2005 and 2007, is an option to replace Robinson Cano, who signed with Seattle. Roberts, who had spent his entire 13-year major league career with Baltimore, has not played a full season since 2009 because of injuries. He hit .249 with eight homers and 39 RBIs in 77 games last year. In addition to his base salary, Roberts can earn $2.6 million in performance bonuses based on plate appearances: $175,000 each for 250 and 300; $250,000 apiece for 350 and 400; $300,000 each for 450 and 500; $350,000 for 550; and $400,000 apiece for 600 and 650. Roberts raises the Yankees luxury-tax payroll to about $165 million, including benefits -- the exact amount is uncertain pending a determination on how Rodriguez will be accounted for. A-Rod originally was listed at $27.5 million, but arbitrator Fredric Horowitz ruled the suspension will cost him 162/183rds of his $25 million salary this year, which comes to $22,131,148. The Yankees hope to be under the $189 million tax threshold this year. Pedro Borbon Jersey . Assistant coach Glen Gulutzan said Thursday that Edler, who played Tuesday in Nashville, is out indefinitely. Tyler Mahle Jersey . Three days after falling to Hamilton, Abbotsford scored three goals in 53 seconds en route to a convincing 5-1 win over the Bulldogs Saturday in American Hockey League play. https://www.cheapredsjerseys.us/525s-vad...y-reds.html.com) - The Ottawa Senators will try to keep their slim playoff hopes alive when they face the Chicago Blackhawks who are trying to secure their place in the post-season. Jesse Winker Jersey . - Ronda Rousey realizes shes finishing up one of the biggest years for any fighter in the young history of mixed martial arts at UFC 168, and the UFCs bantamweight champion intends to go out on top. Jose Peraza Jersey . - The Denver Broncos kept rookie wide receiver Tavarres King from joining the Green Bay Packers by promoting him to their active roster Tuesday."Our fans deserve better. Changes will be coming, guaranteed." So said Impact President Joey Saputo in that now infamous tweet heard right around the MLS world, back on May 10. Many jumped to the (incorrect) conclusion Saputo meant he was about to jettison a third head coach in just over two seasons. The more rational focused on player movements. Since that time, a revolving door of player movements was put into maximum effect at Stade Saputo. Including the arrival - finally - of Ignaccio Piatti shortly after Nick De Santis was unceremoniously relieved. Harking back to that early spring Saturday afternoon as Saputo left his seat following a rather shambolic 0-3 home reversal against Sporting KC, no one could have dared to imagine what changes Joey Saputo would go on to announce at Thursdays press conference. Saputo is a man with a three-year plan. Hes also at least $10 million shorter in the wallet. This is the projected cost of an impeccable-looking training facility which will be constructed over the next year or so. A Heritage Montreal building which originally opened back to 1915 will form the façade. And its located a few goal kicks or so Southwest of Saputo Stadium with the St. Lawrence Seaway forming the backdrop. It will be the home base for the entire club, from the senior squad right down to the youngest academy teams. In terms of football pitches, there will be two natural surfaces complemented with two artificial ones. Its a huge step up to the current set up where the club have an inadequate indoor facility for the winter months and spread themselves rather thin through the remainder of the season. Either utilizing a facility built as a training facility for the 1976 Olympics or the parcel of land that sits right between Olympic and Saputo Stadiums - a jumpers-for-goal-posts scenario if ever there was one. If the prospect of a destination training facility was the appetizer, then the formation of FC Montreal is certainly the cherry on the cake. With the demise of the MLS Reserve League, the club have gone the USL Pro route, where old but not exactly dear acquaintances will be renewed. Back in Fall of 2009, the Impact were crowned USL First Division Playoff Champions. A month later due to a dispute with the league, they broke away and became part of the NASL Version 2.0. FC Montreal will kick off next season and comprise of young Quebeckers culled from the Impacts Under-18 and Under-23 teams. The philosophy here is to provide a more complete competitive environment ahead of the quantum leap to the senior squad. The Impact brethren now truly have two teams to cheer for. It surely cant be long before a Twitter handle pops up for an FC Montreal Supporters Group. A perfect pick me up tonic for an ailing MLS club that at times this season which would have been routed by that 2009 USL Championship team. Saputo was far from finished. A well-rested and refreshed looking Nick De Santis has been rebranded into the title of Director of International Business Development. A significant part of that portfolio will be entering the global market for acquiring players - and not necessarily for MLS. "Were thinking now of sales, investtments on players, re-selling players," De Santis disclosed to TSN Radio 690 Thursday evening.dddddddddddd. I think probably now is a good opportunity now to start as well now with the relationships Ive built especially in South American with young players. "This is something which we are going to start working on. I truly believe it could be prosperous." Over his time as GM and throughout MLS as Sporting Director, De Santis has scoured South America - Argentina especially, travelled to Africa and spent significant time in a number of European nations. He referenced attending reserve team games in Argentina, where he had identified talent that ultimately ended up at the Santiago Barnebeau or at other big clubs across the pond. "I think in North America as well its starting to catch on of that culture of buying and selling players," he explained. The multilingual De Santis fits the profile of a globe-trotting football agent. This concept certainly maximizes the valuable rolodex of contacts and player/agent network he has formed over this last decade. It would have been a form of football suicide from the Impact to allow De Santis to possibly forge a new career for himself outside of Saputo Stadium. This after all, is an individual who has sat down with some of the biggest agents there is in world football, and whose client roster list could fil out any World Select XI. Having taken care of significant business on the pitch, Saputo also introduced three new senior members of his management team. Over the MLS years, the club has not come close to maximising its potential at the box office nor with Montreals business community. In fact, it has come up woefully short. This significant void has been addressed in the hiring of Andre Cote as Chief Strategic Officer, Hugues Leger as Chief Marketing Officer and Marc Bourassa as Chief Revenue Officer. The three combined have a myriad of executive experience and successes with significant companies and brand. The like of which should allow for them to complement each other - as they take their very first dip into the soccer industry and the outstanding commercial opportunities this presents. Meanwhile on the pitch, the Impact has undergone a renaissance of sorts since Piattis arrival, this no more apparent than in last Saturdays master class and brace versus Columbus. On Saturday evening, the Impact pay a visit to the cauldron that is the late summer Texas heat of Houston, an environment which has not been kind to them over the years. However, the destiny of a potential season lost will come in the form of a critical upcoming home and home series against the Red Bulls in the Champions League. The first of those mouth-watering encounters occurs at Saputo on Sept. 17. The club president will be looking to fill the house that only 17,000 bothered to show for in last Saturdays league match. A victory could all be assured the CONCACAF Champions League knockout stages pay a return visit to La Belle Ville after a six-year absence. Noel.Butler@BellMedia.ca @TheSoccerNoel on Twitter Listen live to Houston Dynamo vs. Montreal Impact Saturday evening - TSN Radio 690 kick-off at 8:30pm et/5:30pm pt. ' ' '