Sharapova watching from his guest box on Centre
First base has always been a position for power hitters, the mashers who can provide home runs and RBI to anchor your fantasy team and the position will improve its depth with a couple of additions this season. The most notable is Detroit Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera, who moves across the infield now that Prince Fielder has moved on to Texas. No matter what position he plays, Cabrera is a top-tier hitter. Since 2007, he leads them majors with 261 home runs, 856 RBI and 706 runs scored, along with a .326 batting average. Leading all of baseball in those categories, with consistent production year after year, makes Cabrera the biggest difference-maker, even when compared with other sluggers at first base. Arizonas Paul Goldschmidt has quickly emerged as an elite option too, in part because he adds stolen bases to his impressive power numbers. Over the past two seasons, Goldschmidt has swiped 33 bases, most among first basemen, and is one of two (Edwin Encarnacion is the other) to record at least 50 homers and 200 RBI while scoring at least 180 runs. Unless your league has an on-base percentage as a category, there is a large gap between the value of Cincinnatis Joey Votto in real life (where hes MVP calibre) and in fantasy, where hes among the top handful at first base. Vottos tendency to walk limits his RBI upside, which is a factor in his fantasy appeal. When you move beyond the top handful of players, there are still plenty of appealing options. Baltimores Chris Davis has outrageous power. He also strikes out a lot, which slowed his arrival as an everyday player but, after 86 home runs and 368 strikeouts in the past two seasons, hes settled in with the Orioles. Two of the more interesting options at first base are long-time stars. Prince Fielder has had more than 100 RBI in six of the past seven seasons, but last years 25 home runs and .819 OPS were career-lows. Going to a hitter-friendly park in Texas does seem like a decent opportunity for Fielder to have a relative bounceback in his numbers. The other veteran, who has shown more decline, is Albert Pujols, who is coming off his worst season and is pretty much a wildcard for the first time in his career. If Pujols regains his form, even somewhat, then 30 home runs, 100 RBI and a .300 average is possible, particularly coming off a season in which his batting average on balls in play was a career-low .258 (same as his average), but there is also the concern that a 34-year-old Pujols isnt going to ever have that legendary bat again. If youd rather avoid the risk of those veterans, Adrian Gonzalez is a steady enough performer and Freddie Freeman is a productive younger slugger who has driven in 203 runs over the past two seasons. Shifting to first base from catcher, Minnesotas Joe Mauer doesnt have the power of a typical top tier first baseman, but hes a career .323 hitter, so if he can stay in the lineup, Mauer will have an opportunity to make a difference in that way. Kansas Citys Eric Hosmer appeared to get back on the right track last season and San Franciscos Brandon Belt has continued to make progress. Both are young, with room to grow, so they offer worthwhile upside if you cant secure the best at the position. Upside comes further down the list too. Whether its White Sox rookie Jose Abreu, the Cuban slugger or across town with the Cubs Anthony Rizzo, who could be prime for big numbers with a little better luck (after a .258 BABIP in 2013). You probably wont have to pay premium prices for someone like Bostons Mike Napoli, even though hes hit at least 20 home runs in six straight seasons, and Oaklands Brandon Moss could be a nice source of mid-to-late round power after slugging 51 home runs in 711 at-bats over the past two seasons. St. Louis Matt Adams is a slugger on his way up and due for a full-time role this year after hitting 17 home runs in 296 at-bats last year. If you get desperate, maybe consider the Yankees Mark Teixeira, who may be ruined by a wrist injury, but has such a track record of putting up power numbers that hes worth a late-round look; certainly around the time that youre willing to venture down the road for Ryan Howard. Anyway, there are a lot of viable candidates to hold down first base for your team, but if your league incorporates corner infielders and DH spots, suddenly first base can thin out in short order, so dont wait too long. Take a good one relatively early, then worry about the upside/bounceback/sleeper options later. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. Cheap Jerseys Wholesale . In the exclusive interview, Prime Minister Harper opened up about his sports fandom, offering opinions on the NHLs overtime format, shootouts, Team Canadas double gold medal performance at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, as well as his earliest hockey memories. Cheap Jerseys China .com) - Louisville forward Montrezl Harrell has been suspended one game for the flagrant-2 foul he received on Saturday. http://www.cheapjerseyschinass.us.com/. Fresh from helping the Czech Republic beat Argentina in the Davis Cup semifinals, Berdych beat Yen-hsun Lu of Taiwan 7-6 (7), 6-4 to maintain his record of never losing before the semifinals in Thailand. Cheap Jerseys . The Montreal Canadiens netminder participated in light full practice drills at the teams morning skate and took the majority of reps at one end of the ice while sharing a net with Dustin Tokarski.LONDON - Fresh from a straight-sets loss to one of the games all-time greats, it was difficult for Canadas Milos Raonic to look at the positives from his performance at Wimbledon this year. He made it to the semifinals at the All England Club for the first time and was two wins away from becoming the first Canadian to win a Grand Slam mens singles title. However, his effort Friday against Roger Federer left him disappointed. The Swiss star broke Raonic in the first game en route to a comfortable 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory. \"Looking at the big picture, the last two weeks have been in a lot of ways very successful,\" Raonic said. \"I won consecutive matches and put myself into position of the final four here. There are a lot of good things to take from it. \"If you had asked before the start would I sign to make the semis, I would have signed. But when you get to this point the greed of human nature takes over. You want so much more and theres nothing wrong with that.\" Raonic, from Thornhill, Ont., appeared nervous at the start of his first Grand Slam semifinal appearance, on the showcase centre court to boot. Federer, a seven-time Wimbledon champion, looked as relaxed as ever. Federer, who owns 17 major titles, broke once in each set and won 61 of 80 points on serve to make it back to a Slam final for the first time since winning Wimbledon in 2012. \"I know I can do better,\" Raonic said. \"I was not expecting to play my best, but I was expecting much better. I didnt deal with the situation well today, thats what I can learn from if I reach this situation again. \"The worst would be to feel the same way as I do right now.\" Federer will play Novak Djokovic of Serbia for the mens crown on Sunday. Djokovic, the top seed, ran off six of the final seven points in the tiebreaker to beat Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (7) to advance to his third Wimbledon final in four years. Eugenie Bouchard of Westmount, Que., will play Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic in the womens final on Saturday. Bouchard hopes to become the first Canadian womens singles player to win a Grand Slam title. In addition, Vancouvers Vasek Pospisil and American Jack Sock will play Bob and Mike Bryan of the United States in the mens doubles final. And defending mixed doubles champions Daniel Nestor of Toronto and French partner Kristina Mladenovic will take on Max Mirnyi of Belarus and Hao-Ching Chan of Taiwan in semifinal play. Federers dominance against the eighth-seeded Raonic was total. Raonic had 17 aces but also had four double faults and conceded seven break points. Federer was clinical throughout and saved the only break point he faced. \"I didnt put in the serves that I needed,\" Raonic said. \"I usually serve better, but he came with the right shots every single time. He hit returns that didnt allow me to get into the match.\" Before this tournament, the last Canadian to reach a singles semifinal at a major was Robert Powell at Wimbledon in 1908, according to Tennis Canada. Montreal native Greg Rusedski reached the U.S. Open final in 1997 but he was representing Great Britain at that time. Raonic will rise three positions to a career-best ranking of No. 6 when the new ATP rankings are released Monday. He had not been past the second round in each of his three previous appearances at Wimbledon. \"I would havee liked to have had more experience on centre court before the semifinals,\" Raonic said.dddddddddddd \"But it was not the physical things that bothered me. It was knowing the opportunities that lie ahead. I put too much pressure on myself.\" It will be Djokovics 14th Grand Slam final — and 10th in his last 13 majors. Djokovic won the 2011 Wimbledon title and lost in last years final to Andy Murray. The 32-year-old Federer will be playing in his ninth Wimbledon final. If he wins, he will hold the outright record for mens titles, which he currently shares at seven with Pete Sampras and William Renshaw. Federer would also become the oldest mens Wimbledon champion since the Open era began in 1968. The Swiss great has slipped in the rankings the past two years and failed to get to any Grand Slam finals. This could represent his best chance for another major title. Federer, who has lost only one set and been broken just once the whole tournament, was asked how much it would mean to lift the Wimbledon trophy once more. \"A lot,\" he said. \"I must say Im unbelievably proud every time I can walk the grounds here and keep on playing this tournament. I know I dont have 10 left, so Ill try to enjoy it as much as I can. Clearly, the first one was unbelievably special in 2003. \"And that I was able to play so successful for so many years here at Wimbledon has been an unbelievable thrill and that I get another chance to go through these kind of emotions is great.\" Federer holds a career 18-16 advantage against Djokovic, but this will be only their second meeting in a major final. Federer beat him for the U.S. Open title in 2007. Overall, Federer has a 6-5 edge in Grand Slam matches. Theyve faced each other only once before at Wimbledon, with Federer winning in four sets in the 2012 semifinals. \"We know each others games,\" said Djokovic, who will move to No. 1 in the rankings with a victory, replacing Rafael Nadal. \"We played many matches on different occasions. We played so many times in semifinals and finals of Grand Slams, different surfaces, big matches over the years. They were very exciting. \"And, of course, most of the matches we play against each other went the distance. So Im going to be, of course, physically ready and fit to go the distance this time.\" The final matchup means that one of the so-called \"Big Four\" in mens tennis — Federer, Nadal, Djokovic or Andy Murray — will walk away with a Grand Slam trophy for the 36th time in 38 majors. One of the four has won Wimbledon title the past 11 years, seven for Federer. Djokovic, who has lost in his last two major finals and three of the past four, is going for his seventh Grand Slam title. \"Of course, there is plenty of motivation from my side to win this Grand Slam final after losing last three out of four,\" he said. \"I want to try to get the title. It would mean a lot mentally for me.\" The 11th-seeded Dimitrov, with his girlfriend Maria Sharapova watching from his guest box on Centre Court, came in with a 10-match winning streak and had been seeking to become the first Bulgarian to advance to a major final. He pushed Djokovic to the limit but hurt his chances with eight double-faults — including three in a row in one game. ——— With files from The Associated Press. Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China ' ' '