First Up: Fantasy Baseball First Basemen for the Stretch Drive

First base can be a critical position in fantasy baseball. All fantasy owners want to have that big bopping first sacker who will drill 40 home runs and pile up the run production numbers. However, in deep leagues or even shallow leagues with corner infield and utility spots, the good first basemen will all be scooped up. As we head down the stretch, there are a few first basemen of note in fantasy:

Gaby Sanchez (PIT) –

A year after being names an All Star, Sanchez was demoted to Triple-A with the acquisition of Carlos Lee by the Marlins. A trade to the Pirates increases his value. Although there was talk of a platoon at first with Garret Jones, Sanchez started his Pirates career by hitting out of the cleanup spot in his first game. He’s worth a gamble for sure. If he starts swinging the bat well, he should be the starting first sacker for a contending Pittsburgh squad down the stretch.

Anthony Rizzo (CHC) –

Although touted as more of a contact hitter, Rizzo has been driving the ball with authority since his promotion to the big club on June 26. Getting traded out of San Diego to a park like Wrigley was great news for this young hitter and was certainly beneficial from a fantasy perspective. He’s been the best rookie hitter in the National League since his arrival and is putting up numbers worthy of Rookie-of-the-Year consideration, even considering his limited action.

Ike Davis (NYM) –

After a brutal start to the season that had him teetering on a minor league demotion, Davis has been red-hot of late. Although he won’t be able to keep up this pace down the stretch, he is a viable option for the rest of the season, as he is hitting his stride and putting that awful start behind him. Consider him a solid option the rest of the way.

Chris Carter (OAK) –

After several failed attempts to field a regular first baseman, the Athletics appear to have found an end to the revolving door at first base in Carter. A free swinger in his previous big league auditions, Carter has shown a huge increase in patience at the plate and the results are impressive. With an OBP over .400 and showing good power, Carter should get the lion’s share of the at bats at first base in Oakland making him a viable fantasy option as well.

Even if all the big names are gone, there are still options to help your fantasy squad down the stretch. Any one of these players could help fill a gap in your line up and might just give you the boost you need to contend.