the media hype down their is around the AFL and having a Melbourne-based side in their big day. | Forum

ATLANTA -- If Freddie Freeman started his surge earlier, he might have been a viable National League Most Valuable Player candidate. Cheap College Basketball Jerseys .The hot-hitting Atlanta Braves first baseman leads the team into the final six games of the season, beginning Tuesday with the start of a three-game set against the Philadelphia Phillies at Turner Field.Freeman was named the NLs Player of the Week for the period ending Sunday. It was the third time he received the honor since June. He batted .500 (11-for-22) with three doubles, two home runs and five runs in helping the Braves go 5-1.Freddie Freeman is a terrific hitter, hes one of the best players in the whole game, Atlanta general manager John Coppolella said.Freeman is batting .305 with 32 home runs and 87 RBI to go along with 43 doubles, six triples and six stolen bases.He will try Tuesday to extend his 28-game hitting streak, only one shy of matching the longest in the majors this season. Freeman has reached base safely in 44 straight games.Freeman owns a .357 career average against the Phillies Tuesday starting pitcher, Jerad Eickhoff.Atlanta ace Julio Teheran will oppose Eickhoff in the opener of the three-game series, the penultimate set at Turner Field.Teheran (6-10, 3.10 ERA) will make his 29th start. He is coming off an impressive seven-inning stint against the New York Mets on Sept. 20 that saw him allow one run on five hits and a walk. In his four starts this September, Teheran is 2-1 with a 2.96 ERA.Teheran is 7-4 with a 2.31 ERA in 14 career starts against the Phillies. He is 1-1 with a 2.45 ERA in two starts against Philadelphia this season. He beat the Phillies on Sept. 4 when he threw six shutout innings and struck out seven.Eickhoff (11-14, 3.75 ERA) has been a workhorse for the Phillies. He is making his 31st start. In his last outing on Wednesday against the Chicago White Sox, Eickhoff allowed three runs -- all solo homers -- in seven innings of a win. In his four September starts, Eickhoff is 2-1 with a 2.81 ERA.Eickhoff has made five career starts against the Braves, going 2-1 with a 1.34 ERA. His last start against Atlanta came on July 31, and he received no decision after throwing five scoreless innings.The Phillies hope that Eickhoff can carry them deep in the game and save the bullpen, which has twice blown two saves in the same game in the past 10 days. Of particular concern is Jeanmar Gomez, who has wilted from overwork.The way I look at it is hes in a slump like hitters are, manager Pete Mackanin said. I told him for the next couple of chances to close, Im going to try somebody else. Just to give him a mental break.The Phillies might use Hector Neris or rookie Edubray Ramos in the closer role against the Braves.Philadelphia could be without rookie outfielder Tyler Goeddel. He was hit in the head by a pitch last week and continues to be monitored for a concussion. Manager Pete Mackanin said he wasnt sure if Goeddel would be available for the final six games. Wholesale College Football Jerseys . Luis Suarezs double powered Liverpool to a 4-0 victory over Fulham, and Southampton easily overcame Hull 4-1 to continue the south coast clubs impressive start to the season. Liverpool and Southampton sent Chelsea down to fourth place as the west London club was held to 2-2 at home. Stitched College Jerseys . The 25-year-old Japanese star has officially been posted by his club team, the Rakuten Golden Eagles. http://www.cheapncaajerseysfastshipping.com/ . -- Nate Robinson has played for seven teams, so beating one of them is no longer a rare occurrence. Freakish skill from all four wingersIm looking forward to the freakish things the wingers create in this game of football because it is very important to start their sets of six on a roll. I think its pretty important that these fours wingers play a major part in the outcome on Sunday. Whoever the best two are might also be from the team that wins the game.?Suliasi Vunivalu is the leading tryscorer and he jumped over?Sosaia Feki a few times the last time they met so I think well see a few kicks going to that edge close to the tryline. On the other Storm wing, Marika Koroibete runs extremely hard as does the Sharks Valentine Holmes and I think Feki is a very under-rated winger as well.We probably dont talk about wingers having a huge impact in games but I reckon wingers are more important than centres in the current climate and these four could go a long way to deciding who gets good field position, who scores a try and theyre often the guys that stop the tries.The Sharks in particular will have tough decisions to make because they wont want to kick the ball to Vunivalu or Koroibete on the full so they might be forced to kick it to Cameron Munster which means it goes down the middle of the field but if Im Cooper Cronk I want to kick it to Ben Barba so I can get hold of him and rough him up a bit.Front row battle will lay platform for victoryThe forward battle will be super important. Ill include Paul Gallen and Dale Finucane in that as well. Whoever wins the battle for the middle of the field will win the game. The Storm have got Jesse Bromwich, the best prop in the game, Finucane does a wonderful job and then Andrew Fifita and Gallen will match up against them.I just think it is so important in big games that the front row wins the play-the-balls, one out-muscles their opposing player and you just get a feeling that youre winning that battle of the middle and that leads to more momentum and thats where the tackle is won in the arm-wrestle.Sam Tagataese can play a huge role despite being out for several weeks. I think he just needs to play 20 minutes. If he can play 20 minutes then he is a big body thatll help enormously. I dont think Kurt Capewell will have great impact against the best wrestling side in the competition. The Sharks need big bodies and someone who can cause havoc for the last 15 minutes of the first half and 10 minutes of the second half and his job will be done.The Storm have the most athletic pack in the comppetition. Wholesale NCAA Football Jerseys. Jesse Bromwich has great late footwork, Tohu Harris has great footwork, Kevin Proctor is a ball-playing edge backrower, Finucane carries hard and I think Jordan McLean will be an Origin player if not next year then the year after.Nelson Asofa-Solomona is a huge loss for the Storm. Both packs look so close on paper so the benches will have to make a fair impact and when they had Asofa-Solomona on the bench they had more impact than they get now.Whoever handles occasion best will win NRL Grand FinalCooper Cronk is the best big-game player in the world at the moment - 300 games last week, cool as a cucumber, scores a couple of tries, kicking game was wonderful while Cameron Smith, controls a game better than anyone.For the Sharks, James Maloney was great in game three of Origin, Chad Townsend last week came back from the worst feeling in the world for a footballer after being hooked mid-game, Michael Ennis has played Origin but its really important for the lesser-known players that havent been around this time of year before to step up.I think its probably about handling the build-up and the hype during the week as well. The Sharks had a fan day on Tuesday and the Shires gone totally crazy; its disruption to your normal preparation so the players need to be able to avoid getting excited and playing the game before it even starts.Its about handling the occasion, singing the anthem, soaking up the atmosphere and basically, can you do your job to the best of your ability on Sunday night. You only have to play to your best and youre likely to win. Most of the time I find sides lose Grand Finals rather than the opposition winning the Grand Final because they dont handle the occasion.The Storm are advantaged in this area because they are tucked away in Melbourne and all the media hype down their is around the AFL and having a Melbourne-based side in their big day. Craig Bellamy said the other day that it has been extremely quiet down there - they had a fan day but its madness in the Shire for the Sharks.In saying that, Im hoping and tipping Cronulla to win. I think its their turn, I think theyre due and I think theyve got the best roster theyve probably ever had. Ennis will retire and Gallen and Lewis will probably go next year so this opportunity may not come around again for a while. ' ' '