Opening Day brings with it reason for hope as players and teams embrace new opportunities. Here are some of the more interesting players getting new opportunities in the 2014 season: Grady Sizemore, CF, Boston - One of my favourite stories from the spring is the return of 31-year-old Sizemore, who was a cornerstone of my fantasy teams from 2005 through 2008, when he was ripping off 20-20 (HR-SB) and one 30-30 season before injuries limited him to 210 games between 2009 and 2011. Then, he sat out all of 2012 and 2013, at which point the baseball world would have been ready to leave him in the rearview as a player with great potential who didnt achieve greatness due to ongoing injuries. But a funny thing happened on the way to the glue factory: Sizemore won the starting centre field job for the defending World Series champs, hitting .310 with a .784 OPS in the spring. I dont know how long it will last, but Ill enjoy this resurrection. Jesse Chavez, RHP, Oakland - Acquired from Toronto in May of 2012 for cash, Chavez wasnt a particularly effective reliever, with a 5.48 ERA in 191 major-league appearances (189 in relief), but was decent in AAA Las Vegas in 2012 when he got a chance to start (8-5, 3.98 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 86 K, 95 IP) and then, last season, was good (2-2, 2.70 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 26 K, 30 IP) in a handful of starts with AAA Sacramento. When the As rotation was hammered by injuries to Jarrod Parker and A.J. Griffin in the spring, that opened the door for Chavez to get a look in the rotation and he was good (2.22 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 25 K, 28 1/3 IP) in the spring; good enough to see if the 30-year-old has the stuff to hold a starting job. Dustin McGowan, RHP, Toronto - Oh, what might have been. There was a time, say 2007, when McGowans electric stuff looked like it belonged at the top of a big-league rotation. Then, the arm troubles hit and hes been crawling his way back to the bigs, pitching 46 2/3 innings over the past five seasons. When he pitched out of the bullpen last season, McGowas was effective (2.45 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 26 K, 25 2/3 IP) and was throwing heat, with an average fastball clocked at 94.7 MPH, the same as it was in 2007. McGowans now 32-years-old and gets a shot in the Blue Jays rotation. His perseverance makes him easy to root for, yet his medical history makes it easy to expect that he wont survive the demands of starting every fifth day. Mike Morse, LF, San Francisco - Its hard to imagine that the 6-foot-5, 245-pound Morse was a shortstop when he first arrived in the big leagues in 2005, but he was, and its been an uneven road since. His high point came in 2011, when he hit 31 home runs, with a .910 OPS for Washington, and thats the kind of production that the Giants would love to add to their outfield on an everyday basis. Last seasons .651 OPS in Seattle and Baltimore, however, is decidedly less appealing, so the Giants will hope that last seasons down year helped make the price reasonable for a 32-year-old with an .808 career OPS. Mike Olt, 3B, Chicago Cubs - Acquired from Texas as part of last summers Matt Garza trade, 25-year-old Olt had eye problems (that have since been rectified) and then missed time this spring because of shoulder trouble, but he mashed five home runs, with an .886 OPS in 63 plate appearances and made the Cubs roster. With Luis Valbuena the incumbent at third base, its no surprise that Olt is going to get a good look for the Cubs. Brett Anderson, LHP, Colorado - In 2009 and 2010, when he was 21 and 22-years-old, Anderson had a 3.57 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in 49 starts, striking out 225 in 287 2/3 innings. Then, the arm trouble started. Hes still only 26-year-old and going to Colorado isnt exactly a dream scenario for a pitcher trying to regain his form, but Anderson has a spot in the Rockies rotation. He has to be better than he was in the spring (3.27 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 11 K, 22 IP), but staying healthy is the first order of business. Jesus Guzman, 1B, Houston - A 29-year-old who has been a part-time player in San Diego for the past three seasons, Guzman has hit 18 home runs in 575 at-bats over the past two seasons, which is okay, but nothing earth-shattering, yet after a spring in which he hit .189 with a .753 OPS in 46 plate appearances, Guzman gets the nod as the Astros starter at first base. Hes been much better against left-handers (.818 OPS) than right-handers (.695 OPS) throughout his career, so it will be interesting to see if Guzman hits enough to keep an everyday job, even for the Astros. Drew Hutchison, RHP, Toronto - Coming back from Tommy John surgery, 23-year-old Drew Hutchison took his lumps in the minors last season (4.84 ERA, 1.42 WHIP in 35 1/3 IP) following surgery, but hes been much sharper this spring (1.80 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 19 K, 15 IP). Thats obviously a small sample and the Jays are not likely to be good enough to warrant rushing Hutchison, but he was well on his way to being a major-league starter when he first suffered the injury, so its not unreasonable for him to find a spot in a shaky Blue Jays starting staff. Usage will be the big issue as he has yet to throw 150 innings in pro season. James Paxton, LHP, Seattle - Young pitching is going to be vital for the Mariners and 25-year-old, Richmond, B.C. native Paxton is one of their more promising arms. He was impressive in a four-game audition (3-0, 1.50 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 21 K, 24 IP) last season. Command is the issue; so far its been good in the bigs, but he walked 112 in 252 innings at Double-A and Triple-A over the past two seasons. Kolten Wong, 2B, St. Louis - The 22-year-old who, to this point, might be best known for getting picked off to end Game Four of the 2013 World Series, gets the nod to start for the Cardinals after a strong spring (.375 AVG, 1.080 OPS, 53 PA) and an injury to veteran Mark Ellis. Wong didnt hit when he joined the Cardinals late last season, but he hit .301 with an .811 OPS in the minors and swiped 20 bases on 21 attempts at Triple-A last season. Dee Gordon, 2B, Los Angeles - The Dodgers signed Cuban import Alexander Guerrero to a four-year, $28-million contract in the off-season, but their starter at second base is former shortstop Gordon, the 25-year-old wh has a .620 lifetime OPS, but he has also stolen 66 bases in 183 career games, so if he can get on base even a little bit, Gordon has a chance to put up big numbers on the bases. Corey Hart, DH, Seattle - The 32-year-old missed all of last season with a knee injury and hes probably not right back to full speed after a spring in which he posted a .390 OPS in 43 plate appearances. He also hit at least 20 home runs in five of the previous six seasons and the Mariners could sorely use his right-handed power to help balance out their lineup. Casey McGehee, 3B, Miami - Back from a year in Japan, 31-year-old McGehee is starting at third base for the Marlins. He had some productive seasons in 2009 and 2010 with Milwaukee, but his last two major league seasons werent good. After 28 home runs and and .892 OPS in Japan last year, he gets another shot. Joakim Soria, RHP, Texas - Once a very effective closer for the Royals, 29-year-old Soria missed all of 2012 following Tommy John surgery before getting into 26 games with the Rangers last summer (3.80 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 28 K/14 BB, 23 2/3 IP). His velocity was off a bit and he was throwing more breaking pitches, but his command was better this spring (0.93 ERA, 0.72 WHIP, 8 K/0 BB, 9 2/3 IP) and hes poised to take over for the departed Joe Nathan. Drew Smyly, LHP, Detroit - 24-year-old Smyly wasnt bad when he started as a rookie a couple of years ago, but was bumped to the bullpen last year, where he was dominant (2.37 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 81 K, 76 IP), using his cutter more frequently and effectively, and now Smyly returns to the rotation after Detroit sent Doug Fister to Washington. Phil Hughes, RHP, Minnesota - Its not exactly the tale of a plucky underdog when a 2004 first-round pick of the Yankees moves on to a new team, but after a rough 2013 season (4-14, 5.19 ERA, 1.46 WHIP), a fresh start somewhere else might make some sense. Also, given last years results, maybe more curves and fewer sliders should be part of Hughes plan of attack. Felipe Paulino, RHP, Chicago White Sox - A 30-year-old with 61 career major-league starts (and a 4.93 ERA), Paulino is getting a turn in the White Sox rotation after missing all of last season following Tommy John surgery. Its tough to look at potential for a 30-year-old, but Paulino looked like he was figuring things out in Kansas City (3.55 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 158 K, 162 1/3 IP in 28 games, 27 starts) before getting hurt. He also brings the heat, with a fastball consistently over 95 MPH. 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. Nike Air Max 90 Hyperfuse . Spieth again showed game well beyond his 20 years with a 9-under 63 on the North Course, giving him a one-shot lead over Stewart Cink going into the weekend at the Farmers Insurance Open. http://www.airmaxgronline.com/nike-air-max-2015.html . Williams was playing with some of the power and pace that had brought her five Wimbledon titles. But when it was over, she was left with a sense of disappointment. http://www.airmaxgronline.com/nike-air-max-90/nike-air-max-93.html. McCann was hurt in the third inning Friday night against Cleveland but remained in the game until he was pinch hit for in the sixth. Manager Joe Girardi said McCann was feeling cloudy. http://www.airmaxgronline.com/nike-air-max-90.html . The IceHogs scored three unanswered goals, capped by Jeremy Morins third-period goal, to beat the Marlies 3-2 in American Hockey League play Wednesday. Nike Air Max 2015 . Canadas strong showing throughout the World Cup season has qualified it for the maximum number of spots in every short-track speedskating event at the Sochi Games in February. "With the beginning to the season that Ive had, beginning with the Canadian trials in August, I have nothing to doubt in myself.With the Ides of March Madness upon us, one man seems to be at the epicentre of many young Canucks chasing that One Shining Moment beneath the 49th-parallel. Today is the eve of many a Big Dance dream being shattered and powerhouses upset as conference tournaments and, for some, college careers end before Selection Sunday. Canadian Junior Mens and Ryerson Rams Mens head basketball coach Roy Rana is no stranger to winning on almost every level, having been instrumental in the growth of some of the top players who will play in the 2014 NCAA Tournament . I sat down with Coach Rana to better understand his journey and connection to eras past, present and future in Canadian basketball, as we all prepare to fill out brackets for a chance at a cool billion of Warren Buffetts dollars, win office pools, while giving the impression of productivity at work, and cheer on our favorite teams. Is perception about the level of play/competition in Canadian high school ball changing at all? Dramatically. There is a serious respect internationally for the talent we produce here. It used to feel like people looked at Canada as a third-world basketball country, but I believe weve answered a lot of questions there. There is a general perception that the level is down, mostly because many of our best head off to Findlay [Prep] in Vegas or other prep schools in the US for higher end competition and visibility. But many credible, hard-working, talented young players are making names for themselves in this country, too. By scheduling perennially exceptional NCAA teams like Wisconsin and Syracuse for his Ryerson Rams to test their mettle, Roy Rana continues to strengthen the program with an unyielding commitment to basketball in this country. Coach Ranas ability to mold young talent was never more evident than when he led the Cadet National team to a bronze medal finish, the highest honor a Canadian team has ever achieved at the U-16 World Championships last year in Uruguay. What made that cadet team so special? Canada had never fielded that age group before for international play. Expectations were low. We just wanted to give our young guys a chance to compete on the international stage. They were a very exceptional group: so strong… focused… selfless… no egos whatsoever. The way they shared the ball and played the right way was great for us. What gets you most excited about the future of the Canadian National Team system? The depth of our talent. Were young and will take some lumps early, but the experiences will help us grow. What are some things youd like to see changed? We just have to keep working, at every level: Senior National, Junior National, Cadet… every level. We have to stay hungry and never get complacent. Are the 2016 Rio Olympics a realistic goal? Its going to be challenging. Not many have expectations for us to do well. The experience we gain internationally in developing our system is a huge factor. Well take our best shot and see where we land. In addition to major coaching success internationally, Coach Rana also helped the World Select Team to back-to-back titles at the 2012 and 2013 Nike Hoop Summit vs. the USA Basketball Mens Junior National Select Team. Beating any US team in a major basketball tournament is serious. You did it twice in a row. How? Young men like Andrew Wiggins, Dante Exum, who will be incredible, as well as the multitalented Dario Saric. If you havent heard of Exum and Saric, you will soon enough. With very little practice time together, they gelled well enough and played with the kind of effort any basketball ffan would respect.dddddddddddd The journey thus far has taken Roy Rana all over the world, but dreams of a higher station in life and through coaching are real. To what college coach would you compare your style? Thats a great question. Ive never really thought about it. Honestly, I couldnt tell you. I really love what Billy Donovan does at Florida. Im a big fan of Bo Ryan at Wisconsin, Bill Self at Kansas. Really admire Gregg Marshall at Wichita State for what hes done with that program. Hard to compare… These guys are in a different world. With all of your international experience, have you ever thought about coaching abroad, say in the US, Europe or other basketball-developing ports? Man, I always dream about learning more about my coaching abilities in different situations and circumstances. I wouldnt rule out the possibilities, but I love the city of Toronto and this country. I am blessed for what I have now and the jobs in front of me at Ryerson and within the Canadian National Team system. What about the NBA? Thats the ultimate dream, you know? Just to be able to touch that level, contribute in my way would be incredible. It would definitely have to be the right situation… right fit… What is Roy Ranas ultimate coaching goal? Max out completely with what I have before me now. Everything is about my team. Any and everything else that comes my way will be as a result of efforts of a great many people, not just me alone. At some level, Roy Rana has coached scores of players who will be chasing the NCAA Mens Basketball Championship. Pinning down his favorite player or team was difficult, but enlightening as Coach Rana showed Canadian love across the board. Best player in the country is…? Well, Doug McDermott (Creighton), with all hes done with his career, is probably the most worthy, but its tough to pick a "best player" in the country. There are close to 10 guys in that conversation. Three Canadians in Andrew [Wiggins], Tyler [Ennis] and Nik [Stauskas]… Joel Embiid, Jabari Parker, Marcus Smart, Julius Randle. Its very tough. Should Andrew Wiggins really stay at Kansas for another year of seasoning? No. If youre a top-three lottery pick and you know it, why not go? Sure, you sacrifice a bit of that college experience, which Im sure is special to him, but if the NBA thinks youre That Guy, you go, no question. Is Tyler Ennis ready to run an NBA team now? No, probably not right now. Can he come in at what 19, 20 and be a contributor immediately? Absolutely. But over time in a couple years, I believe hell be more than capable of running a team in the NBA quite well. Name your All-Canadian NCAA team. Can I have two first teams (laughs)? All of these young guys are great, but Id go with Ennis, Wiggins, [Melvin] Ejim (Iowa State), Khem Berch (UNLV) and Nik Stauskas, who had a fantastic season. I coached all of them at some point, so I dont want to leave anyone out. All had incredible years in their own right: Daniel Mullings (New Mexico State), Kevin Pangos (Gonzaga), Jordan Bachynski (Arizona State), Dwight Powell (Stanford)… Whos that darkhorse Canadian who will shine in March Madness? DyShawn Pierre of Dayton. He fills the stats sheet. Hes exciting, can do it all, multi-talented. I believe he can win a game virtually on his own in the tournament. DyShawn has real NBA potential. Who do you think will make the Final Four? Hopefully, four teams with Canadians on them. Then itll be real tough for me to pick a team to win it all! I wish all the young people well, but I cheer for the Canadians! cheap jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '
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