Today's Fantasy Rx

Colorado: 7 Road games: 4 at San Diego; 3 at San Francisco.
Houston: 6 games: 3 Home vs. St. Louis; 3 Road at Chicago Cubs.

Cleveland: 7 Home games: 4 vs. Detroit; 3 vs. Chicago White Sox.
San Diego: 7 Home games: 4 vs. Colorado; 3 vs. Milwaukee.
San Francisco: 7 Home games: 4 vs. Arizona; 3 vs. Colorado.

Florida: 7 games: 1 Road game at New York Mets; 3 Home games vs. Cincinnati; 3 Home games vs. New York Mets.

Atlanta: 7 games: 4 Home games vs. Montreal; 3 Road games at Cincinnati.
Milwaukee: 7 games: 3 Road games at Texas; 4 Home games vs. Anaheim.
Pittsburgh: 7 games: 4 Home games vs. Chicago Cubs; 3 Road games at St. Louis.

Chicago Cubs: 7 games: 4 Road games at Pittsburgh; 3 Home games vs. Houston.
Detroit: 7 games: 4 Road games at Cleveland; 3 Home games vs. Toronto.

Arizona: 7 Road games: 4 games at San Francisco; 3 games at Los Angeles.
Montreal: 7 Road games: 4 at Atlanta; 3 at Philadelphia.

Philadelphia: 5 games: 2 Road games at New York Mets; 3 Home games vs. Montreal.

Kansas City: 5 games: 2 Home games vs. Anaheim; 3 Road games vs. Texas.

All other teams play six games.

Pitchers of interest with two starts:
Aaron Sele: Tue:@KC(Byrd); Sun:@MIN(Fiore?)
Miguel Batista: Tue:@SF(Schmidt); Sun:@LA(Nomo)
Tom Glavine: Mon:MON(Armas); Sat:@CIN(Rijo)
Damian Moss: Tue:MON(B.Chen?); Sun:@CIN(Dessens)
Frank Castillo: Mon:@TOR(Halladay); Sun:@NYY(Lilly?)
Dan Wright: Mon:NYY(M.Thurman); Sun:@CLE(Finley)
Mark Prior: Mon:@PIT(D.Williams); Sat:HOU(C.Hernandez)
Matt Clement: Tue:@PIT(Tomko); Sun:HOU(Oswalt)
Elmer Dessens: Tue:@FLO(Tavarez); Sun:@ATL(Moss)
Danys Baez: Mon:DET(Redman); Sat:CHW(Ritchie)
Chuck Finley: Tue:DET(Weaver); Sun:CHW(D.Wright)
Mike Hampton: Mon:@SD(Lawrence); Sat:@SF(L.Hernandez)
John Thomson: Tue:@SD(Tomko); Sun:@SF(Schmidt)
Mark Redman: Mon:@CLE(Baez); Sat:TOR(Prokopec)
Jeff Weaver: Tue:@CLE(Finley); Sun:TOR(Halladay)
Ryan Dempster: Mon:@NYM(A.Leiter); Sat:NYM(D'Amico)
Roy Oswalt: Mon:STL(Kile); Sun:@CHC(Clement)
Paul Byrd: Tue:ANA(Sele); Sun:@TEX(Park or K.Rogers)
Hideo Nomo: Mon:MIL(Sheets); Sun:ARI(M.Batista)
Ben Sheets: Mon:@LA(Nomo); Sun:@SD(Tomko)
Kyle Lohse: Mon:@TEX(K.Rogers); Sat:ANA(Appier)
Tony Armas: Mon:@ATL(Glavine); Sat:@PHI(Coggin)
Bruce Chen(?): Tue:@ATL(Moss); Sun:@PHI(Padilla)
Al Leiter: Mon:FLO(Dempster); Sun:@FLO(Ju.Tavarez)
Ted Lilly(?): Tue:@CHW(Garland); Sun:BOS(F.Castillo)?
Erik Hiljus(?): Tue:@BAL(Maduro); Sun:@TB(Rupe)?
Kris Benson: Tue:CHC(Clement); Sun:@STL(Morris)
Brian Lawrence: Mon:COL(Hampton); Sat:MIL(Figueroa)
Brett Tomko: Tue:COL(Thomson); Sun:MIL(Sheets)
Joel Pineiro: Tue:@TB(Rupe); Sun:@BAL(Maduro)
Livan Hernandez: Mon:ARI(B.Anderson); Sat:COL(Hampton)
Jason Schmidt: Tue:ARI(M.Batista); Sun:COL(Thomson)
Darryl Kile: Mon:@HOU(Oswalt); Sat:PIT(D.Williams)
Matt Morris: Tue:@HOU(Reynolds); Sun:PIT(K.Benson)
Ryan Rupe: Tue:SEA(Pineiro); Sun:OAK(Hiljus?)
Kenny Rogers: Mon:MIN(Lohse); Sat:KC(Ascencio) or Sun:KC(Byrd)
Chan Ho Park(?): Tue:MIN(Fiore); Sun:KC(Byrd)?
Roy Halladay: Mon:BOS(F.Castillo); Sun:@DET(Weaver)

Diamond Challenge

Vlad's available as a free agent, so per our existing plan, as originally suggested by Loyal Rotohelp Reader(LRR) Lance Taschner, we're adding him this week. We'll dump Maddux since we like his upside less than anyone else on his staff, especially in consideration of his high salary. We're not prepared to add Mark Prior anywhere, but if you want to take the risk, we won't recommend against it, especially if you have plenty of burns left.

We remain locked into Isringhausen, Kim, Guardado, and Williams, as we're not ready to bail on Guardado until he officially loses his job; we still expect him to work past his current problems to remain Minnesota's primary saves' option.

SP(6)
Randy Johnson: Fri:@LA(Ashby)
Pedro Martinez: Tue:@TOR(P.Walker)
Curt Schilling: Wed:@SF(Ru.Ortiz)
Mike Mussina: Sat:BOS(Oliver)
Roger Clemens: Wed:@CHW(Buehrle)
Matt Morris: Tue:@HOU(Reynolds); Sun:PIT(K.Benson)
Tim Hudson: Thu:@TB(P.Wilson)
Russ Ortiz: Wed:ARI(Schilling)
Javier Vazquez: Fri:@PHI(Wolf)
Barry Zito: Sat:@TB(J.Kennedy)
Kerry Wood: Th:@PIT(J.Anderson)
Roy Oswalt: Mon:STL(Kile); Sun:@CHC(Clement)
Eric Gagne: 6 Home games: 3 vs. Milwaukee; 3 vs. Arizona.
Brian Lawrence: Mon:COL(Hampton); Sat:MIL(Figueroa)

We're pleased with the Morris, Oswalt, and Lawrence double starts, and we'll continue starting Gagne until we're solidly above 6000 points in saves.

With Colorado on the road, we'll start our new road platoon of Sosa, Vlad, Rollins, and Je. Giambi. This leaves us 2960 for two pitchers, although we may pull Jeremy Giambi and Rollins since Philadelphia only plays five games this week, and Colorado plays seven, albeit on the road.

The safest percentage plays are probably Hudson and Zito in Tampa Bay, so we'll see if we can add more offense after these changes. However we really like Kerry Wood in Pittsburgh; we'll deploy him instead of Tim Hudson, who faces a hot Paul Wilson at the end of a terrible May. Mussina is the only other starter at home, but we don't particularly like him against Boston and Darren Oliver.

We'll keep Rollins since Uribe's been awful, but we'll take our chances on benching Jeremy Giambi, instead starting Juan Pierre since he's usually solid on the road.

Shadow of the Umpire(1st lg; 1st div; tied for 1st overall)
& Interview with the Umpire(1st lg; 1st div; tied for 1st overall)
Week 9: May 27-June 2

C 	Jorge Posada		990
C	Toby Hall		320
1B	Jason Giambi		1640
1B	Ryan Klesko		1300
2B	Luis Castillo		1000
2B	Alfonso Soriano		900
3B	Eric Chavez		1070
3B	Shea Hillenbrand	450
SS	Alex Rodriguez		1880
SS	Jimmy Rollins		940
OF	Ichiro Suzuki		1330
OF	Lance Berkman		1320
OF	Juan Pierre		1180
OF	J.D. Drew		1010
OF	Adam Dunn		710
OF	Daryle Ward		620
DH	Sammy Sosa		1900
DH	Vladimir Guerrero	1880

SP	Matt Morris		1190
SP	Barry Zito		1080
SP	Kerry Wood		1050
SP	Roy Oswalt		830
SP	Eric Gagne		500
SP	Brian Lawrence		480
RP	Jason Isringhausen	1290
RP	Byung-Hyun Kim		1200
RP	Mike Williams		900
RP	Eddie Guardado		900

Internet Challenge

SP(6)
Pedro Martinez: Tue:@TOR(P.Walker)
Curt Schilling: Wed:@SF(Ru.Ortiz)
Roger Clemens: Wed:@CHW(Buehrle)
Matt Morris: Tue:@HOU(Reynolds)
Kerry Wood: Th:@PIT(J.Anderson)
Roy Oswalt: Mon:STL(Kile)
Eric Gagne: 3 Home games vs. Milwaukee.
Brian Lawrence: Mon:COL(Hampton)

No starts: Randy, Brown, Mussina, Vazquez, and Zito.

RP(4)
Jason Isringhausen: 3 Road games at Houston.
Byung-Hyun Kim: 4 Road games at San Francisco.
Mike Williams: 4 Home games vs. Chicago Cubs
Eddie Guardado: 4 games: 3 Road at Texas; 1 Home vs. Anaheim.
Jorge Julio: 3 Home games vs. Oakland.

Izzy will sit since he's tied for the least games and faces the toughest opposition.

Oswalt, Lawrence, and Gagne are automatic starts, and we're also fond of Pedro and Wood. We'll determine our last starter after we examine our offense.

We're sticking with Bonds a little longer here since Vlad's on the road, although we may switch in the middle of the week. The Rockies sit, except for Helton, who we prefer over Jason Giambi since Helton plays one more game and faces all righties while Giambi faces Buehrle.

We have enough money left to take any starter, so we'll go with Schilling over Clemens and Morris.

The Umpire Hunter(1st lg; 4th overall)
Week 9a: May 27-May30

C 	Jorge Posada		990
C	Toby Hall		320
1B	Todd Helton		1980
1B	Ryan Klesko		1300
2B	Luis Castillo		1000
2B	Alfonso Soriano		900
3B	Eric Chavez		1070
3B	Shea Hillenbrand	450
SS	Alex Rodriguez		1880
SS	Jimmy Rollins		940
OF	Ichiro Suzuki		1330
OF	Lance Berkman		1320
OF	J.D. Drew		1010
OF	Adam Dunn		710
OF	Daryle Ward		620
OF	Erubiel Durazo		440
DH	Sammy Sosa		1900
DH	Barry Bonds		1830

SP	Pedro Martinez		1770
SP	Curt Schilling		1540
SP	Kerry Wood		1050
SP	Roy Oswalt		830
SP	Eric Gagne		500
SP	Brian Lawrence		480
RP	Byung-Hyun Kim		1200
RP	Mike Williams		900
RP	Eddie Guardado		900
RP	Jorge Julio		750

Fantasy Baseball & Budget Baseball
(Same game = same rosters and moves for both teams)

We have no relievers on the bench, so we'll stay with Smoltz, Isringhausen, Kim, and Guardado until further notice.

While we also want to add Vlad Guerrero here, we'll hold off until we have more cap room available. Tim Hudson has also disappointed us, so we're going to join most of the rest of the league by adding Roy Oswalt.

SP(6)
Randy Johnson: Fri:@LA(Ashby)
Curt Schilling: Wed:@SF(Ru.Ortiz)
Pedro Martinez: Tue:@TOR(P.Walker)
Mike Mussina: Sat:BOS(Oliver)
Roger Clemens: Wed:@CHW(Buehrle)
Matt Morris: Tue:@HOU(Reynolds); Sun:PIT(K.Benson)
Javier Vazquez: Fri:@PHI(Wolf)
Kerry Wood: Th:@PIT(J.Anderson)
Roy Oswalt: Mon:STL(Kile); Sun:@CHC(Clement)
Eric Gagne: 6 Home games: 3 vs. Milwaukee; 3 vs. Arizona.

Oswalt, Wood, and Gagne will start, we like Wood in Pittsburgh, Mussina's at home, and Pedro faces the least proven opposing starter of this group.

The Colorado platoon sits, as will Toby Hall, Steve Cox, and Jeremy Giambi due to poor schedules; Juan Pierre will remain in the lineup since his salary and upside work better for this week.

The Umpire Chronicles(1st lg; 82nd overall)
& Umpire with a Soul(4th lg; 235th overall)
Week 9: May 27-June 2

C	Paul Lo Duca		1640
C	A.J. Pierzynski		1000
1B	Jason Giambi		3320
1B	Nick Johnson		1200
2B	Bret Boone		2650
2B	Alfonso Soriano		1800
3B	Eric Chavez		2270
3B	Aramis Ramirez		1590
SS	Alex Rodriguez		3430
SS	D'Angelo Jimenez	1000
OF	Lance Berkman		2540
OF	J.D. Drew		2310
OF	Cliff Floyd		2300
OF	Juan Pierre		1880
OF	Adam Dunn		1610
OF	Daryle Ward		1590
DH	Sammy Sosa		3480
DH	Corey Patterson		1370

SP	Pedro Martinez		2950
SP	Mike Mussina		2940
SP	Matt Morris		2650
SP	Kerry Wood		2300
SP	Roy Oswalt		1750
SP	Eric Gagne		1230
RP	John Smoltz		2610
RP	Jason Isringhausen	2370
RP	Byung-Hyun Kim		2230
RP	Eddie Guardado		1690

Today's Fantasy Rx: We've been very happy with Sammy's production since adding him a week ago, so we'll strongly recommend adding Vlad as a free agent. Use the two of them opposite Helton and Larry Walker in your Coors' platoon.