Today's Fantasy Rx

Schedule recommendations for teams with 8 games

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Baltimore: 2 Road at KC; 3 Road at BOS; 3 Home vs. MIN.
Boston: 2 Road at SEA; 3 Home vs. BAL; 3 Home vs. NYY.
Cleveland: 2 Road at ANA; 2 Home vs. CHW; 4 Home vs. KC.
Kansas City: 2 Home vs. BAL; 2 Road at DET; 4 Road at CLE.

Schedule recommendations for teams with 7 games

Good for hitters / Good for pitchers
Atlanta: 2 Home vs. PHI; 2 Home vs. PIT; 3 Road at NYM.
Los Angeles: 2 Road at HOU; 2 Home vs. COL; 3 Home vs. SD.
Pittsburgh: 2 Home vs. MON; 2 Road at ATL; 3 Home vs. CIN.
St. Louis: 2 Road at CHC; 2 Home vs. MIL; 3 Home vs. SF.

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Anaheim: 2 Home vs. CLE; 2 Road at @TEX; 3 Road at SEA.
Arizona: 2 Home vs. SF; 2 Home vs. HOU; 3 Home vs. COL.
Chicago White Sox: 2 Road at TEX; 2 Road at CLE; 3 Home vs. DET.
Chicago Cubs: 2 Home vs. STL; 2 Home vs. CIN; 3 Road at PHI.
Cincinnati: 2 Home vs. MIL; 2 Road at CHC; 3 Road at PIT.
Colorado: 2 Home vs. SD; 2 Road at LA; 3 Road at ARI.
Florida: 2 Road at NYM; 2 Road at PHI; 3 Road at MON.
Houston: 2 Home vs. LA; 2 Road at ARI; 3 Home vs. MIL.
Milwaukee: 2 Road at CIN; 2 Road at STL; 3 Road at HOU.
Minnesota: 2 Road at DET; 2 Home vs. TB; 3 Road at BAL.
New York Yankees: 2 Road at TB; 2 Home vs. TOR; 3 Road at BOS.
Philadelphia: 2 Road at ATL; 2 Home vs. FLO; 3 Home vs. CHC.
San Diego: 2 Road at COL; 2 Road at SF; 3 Road at LA.
San Francisco: 2 Road at ARI; 2 Home vs. SD; 3 Road at STL.
Tampa Bay: 2 Home vs. NYY; 2 Road at MIN; 3 Road at TOR.
Texas: 2 Home vs. CHW; 2 Home vs. ANA; 3 Road at OAK.
Toronto: 2 Road at OAK; 2 Road at NYY; 3 Home vs. TB.

Bad for hitters / Good for pitchers
Montreal: 2 Road at PIT; 2 Road at NYM; 3 Home vs. FLO.
New York Mets: 2 Home vs. FLO; 2 Home vs. MON; 3 Home vs. ATL.
Oakland: 2 Home vs. TOR; 2 Road at SEA; 3 Home vs. TEX.
Seattle: 2 Home vs. BOS; 2 Home vs. OAK; 3 Home vs. ANA.

Bad for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Detroit: 2 Home vs. MIN; 2 Home vs. KC; 3 Road at CHW.

Pitchers with 2 starts(to deploy everywhere you own them):
Paul Abbott: Mon:@ATL(M.Hampton); Sat:CHC(C.Zambrano)
Bronson Arroyo: Mon:@SEA(R.Villone); Sat:NYY(A.Graman?)
Jeremy Bonderman: Tue:MIN(K.Lohse); Sun:@CHW(J.Garland)
Sean Burnett: Tue:MON(L.Hernandez); Sun:CIN(B.Claussen)
Daniel Cabrera: Tue:@KC(Z.Greinke); Sun:MIN(K.Lohse)
Chris Carpenter: Mon:@CHC(C.Zambrano); Sat:SF(B.Tomko)
Jose Contreras: Tue:@TB(V.Zambrano); Sun:@BOS(D.Lowe)
Doug Davis: Tue:@CIN(B.Claussen); Sun:@HOU(P.Munro)
Jon Garland: Tue:@TEX(J.Wasdin); Sun:DET(J.Bonderman)
Zach Greinke: Tue:BAL(D.Cabrera); Sun:@CLE(J.Westbrook)
Mike Hampton: Mon:PHI(P.Abbott); Sat:@NYM(S.Erickson)
Aaron Harang: Mon:MIL(B.Hendrickson); Sat:@PIT(J.Fogg)
Rich Harden: Tue:TOR(D.Bush); Sun:TEX(J.Wasdin?)
Livan Hernandez: Tue:@PIT(S.Burnett); Sun:FLO(D.Oliver?)
Jason Johnson: Mon:MIN(T.Mulholland); Sat:@CHW(S.Schoeneweis)
Randy Johnson: Tue:SF(Jer.Williams); Sun:COL(J.Jennings)
Derek Lowe: Tue:@SEA(J.Pineiro); Sun:NYY(J.Contreras)
Eric Milton: Tue:@ATL(Jar.Wright); Sun:CHC(G.Rusch or M.Prior)
Matt Morris: Tue:@CHC(G.Rusch or M.Prior); Sun:SF(Jer.Williams)
Joel Pineiro: Tue:BOS(D.Lowe); Sun:ANA(J.Washburn)
Sidney Ponson: Mon:@KC(Br.Anderson); Sat:MIN(T.Mulholland)
Glendon Rusch or MarkPrior: Tue:STL(M.Morris)?; Sun:@PHI(E.Milton)?
Kirk Saarloos: Mon:TOR(J.Towers); Sat:@TEX(J.Benoit?)
Aaron Sele: Mon:CLE(K.Tadano); Sat:@SEA(R.Villone?)
Kazuhito Tadano: Mon:@ANA(A.Sele); Sat:KC(Br.Anderson)
Brett Tomko: Mon:@ARI(S.Sparks); Sat:@STL(C.Carpenter)
Ron Villone?: Mon:BOS(B.Arroyo); Sat:ANA(A.Sele)?
Jarrod Washburn: Tue:CLE(J.Westbrook); Sun:@SEA(J.Pineiro)
Jeff Weaver: Tue:@HOU(P.Munro); Sun:MIL(Do.Davis)
Jake Westbrook: Tue:@ANA(J.Washburn); Sun:KC(Z.Greinke)
Jerome Williams: Tue:@ARI(R.Johnson); Sun:@STL(M.Morris)
Dontrelle Willis: Mon@NYM(S.Erickson); Sat:@MON(R.Biddle)
Jaret Wright: Tue:PHI(E.Milton); Sun:@NYM(S.Trachsel)
Carlos Zambrano: Mon:STL(C.Carpenter); Sat:@PHI(P.Abbott)

Pitchers with 2 starts to deploy only in leagues that don't count qualitative stats:
Brian Anderson: Mon:BAL(S.Ponson); Sat:@CLE(K.Tadano)
Rob Bell: Mon:NYY(A.Graman); Sat:@TOR(J.Towers)
Rocky Biddle: Mon:@PIT(J.Fogg); Sat:FLO(D.Willis)
David Bush: Tue:@OAK(R.Harden); Sun:TB(V.Zambrano)
Brandon Claussen: Tue:MIL(Do.Davis); Sun:@PIT(S.Burnett)
Brandon Duckworth: Mon:LA(W.Alvarez); Sat:MIL(B.Hendrickson)
Adam Eaton: Tue:@COL(J.Jennings); Sun:@LA(J.Weaver)
Scott Erickson: Mon:FLO(D.Willis); Sat:ATL(M.Hampton)
Josh Fogg: Mon:MON(R.Biddle); Sat:CIN(A.Harang)
Alex Graman?: Mon:@TB(R.Bell); Sat:@BOS(B.Arroyo)?
Ben Hendrickson: Mon:@CIN(A.Harang); Sat:@HOU(B.Duckworth)
Jason Jennings: Tue:SD(A.Eaton); Sun:@ARI(R.Johnson)
Kyle Lohse: Tue:@DET(J.Bonderman); Sun:@BAL(D.Cabrera)
Terry Mulholland: Mon:@DET(Jas.Johnson); Sat:@BAL(S.Ponson)
Peter Munro: Tue:LA(J.Weaver); Sun:MIL(Do.Davis)
Scott Schoeneweis: Mon:@TEX(J.Benoit); Sat:DET(Jas.Johnson)
Steve Sparks: Mon:SF(B.Tomko); Sat:COL(D.Stark)
Dennis Stark: Mon:SD(I.Valdez); Sat:@ARI(S.Sparks)
Josh Towers: Mon:@OAK(K.Saarloos); Sat:TB(R.Bell)
Ismael Valdez: Mon:@COL(D.Stark); Sun:@LA(W.Alvarez or Ed.Jackson)
Victor Zambrano: Tue:NYY(J.Contreras); Sun:@TOR(D.Bush)

Diamond Challenge

SP(6)
Pedro Martinez: Wed:BAL(E.Bedard)
Curt Schilling: Fri:NYY(J.Lieber)
Randy Johnson: Tue:SF(Jer.Williams); Sun:COL(J.Jennings)
Mike Mussina: No start(DL).
Roy Halladay: Wed:@NYY(J.Vazquez)???
Tim Hudson: No start(DL).
Javier Vazquez: Wed:TOR(R.Halladay???)
Mark Mulder: Fri:TEX(K.Rogers)
Roy Oswalt: Wed:@ARI(B.Webb)
Kerry Wood: Fri:@PHI(B.Myers)
Kevin Brown: Sat:@BOS(B.Arroyo)???
Josh Beckett: No start(DL)
Jeremy Affeldt: DL.

Randy, Pedro, Vazquez, and Mulder are the easy calls. Schilling and Oswalt also appear slightly stronger than Kerry.

While we're not prepared to run Mora, Wells returns to the lineup for Carl Crawford and then a Loretta-for-Lowell swap brings us under the cap. Fullmer remains benched, since he's not impressing us.

Shadow of the Umpire(15th lg; 136th div; 3494th overall)
Week 16: July 19-July 25

C	Javy Lopez		940
C	Jason Varitek		680
1B	Mark Teixeira		760
1B	Lyle Overbay		400
2B	Alfonso Soriano		1930 
2B	Orlando Hudson		550
3B	Hank Blalock		850 
3B	Joe Crede		600
SS	Alex Rodriguez		2010 
SS	Brian Roberts		610 
OF	Carlos Beltran		1760 
OF	Vernon Wells		1150
OF	Scott Podsednik		980
OF	Brad Wilkerson		690 
OF	Adam Dunn		690
OF	Miguel Cabrera		570
DH	Mark Loretta		820
DH	Alex Cintron		450 

SP	Pedro Martinez		1800 
SP	Curt Schilling		1610  
SP	Randy Johnson		1550 
SP	Javier Vazquez		1280
SP	Mark Mulder		1200 
SP	Roy Oswalt		1200
RP	Eric Gagne		1890
RP	Octavio Dotel		1250 
RP	Danny Graves		1070
RP	Matt Herges		670

Total Salary for Week 16: 	29960

Diamond Challenge 2nd Season

We'll take advantage of the intriguing group of free agents to add Hafner while dropping Ken Griffey, Jr. Although we almost added Carl Pavano, we're very happy with most of these pitchers and want to retain the flexibility to boost our offense, likely by taking Mark Teixeira as a free agent in two weeks, when we should cut Craig Wilson.

SP(6)
Pedro Martinez: Wed:BAL(E.Bedard)
Curt Schilling: Fri:NYY(J.Lieber)
Randy Johnson: Tue:SF(Jer.Williams); Sun:COL(J.Jennings)
Roy Halladay: Wed:@NYY(J.Vazquez)???
Javier Vazquez: Wed:TOR(R.Halladay???)
Jason Schmidt: Thu:SD(D.Wells)
Mark Mulder: Fri:TEX(K.Rogers)
Roy Oswalt: Wed:@ARI(B.Webb)
Roger Clemens: Fri:MIL(C.Capuano)
Brad Penny: Fri:@MON(S.Downs)
Ben Sheets: Thu:@STL(J.Marquis)
Jon Lieber: Fri:@BOS(C.Schilling)

Pedro, Randy, Vazquez, Schmidt, and Mulder are rock solid, and then we'll take Clemens instead of Schilling both based on their respective opponents and the extra cap room.

Running all our top pitchers requires us to sit a couple of expensive position players. Consequently, Rolen will sit for Loretta, since we need ARod and Abreu for steals and aren't ready to run Mora. Hafner forces Wilson to the bench while Uribe, Berkman, and Vernon Wells also remain sidelined this week.

Umpire: The Masquerade
(6th lg; 92nd div; 745th overall)
Week 16: July 19-July 25

C	Jason Varitek		680
C	Victor Martinez		450
1B	David Ortiz		800 
1B	Lyle Overbay		400
2B	Jeff Kent		1450
2B	Jerry Hairston, Jr.	660 
3B	Hank Blalock		850 
3B	Vinny Castilla		760
SS	Alex Rodriguez		2010 
SS	Royce Clayton		610
OF	Bobby Abreu		1630
OF	Manny Ramirez		1420 
OF	Carl Crawford		1040 
OF	Jeromy Burnitz		810
OF	Matt Lawton		720 
OF	Miguel Cabrera		570 
DH	Mark Loretta		820
DH	Travis Hafner		500

SP	Pedro Martinez		1800 
SP	Randy Johnson		1550 
SP	Javier Vazquez		1280 
SP	Jason Schmidt		1240
SP	Mark Mulder		1200 
SP	Roger Clemens		1130
RP	Danny Graves		1070
RP	Danny Kolb		940 
RP	Joe Nathan		720 
RP	Matt Herges		670

Total Salary for Week 16: 	27780

Internet Challenge

SP(6)
Pedro Martinez: Wed:BAL(E.Bedard)
Randy Johnson: Tue:SF(Jer.Williams)
Roy Halladay: Wed:@NYY(J.Vazquez)???
Javier Vazquez: Wed:TOR(R.Halladay???)
Jason Schmidt: Thu:SD(D.Wells)
Roy Oswalt: Wed:@ARI(B.Webb)

No starts: Schilling, Mussina, T.Hudson, Wood, K.Brown, Beckett, Affeldt.

Halladay's injury questions mean we'll run our five healthy starters and Affeldt to increase our cap room.

While Piazza, Orlando Hudson, Crede, and Pierre aren't impressing us, Vernon Wells returns to our lineup for Brad Wilkerson.

The Umpire Hunter(19th lg; 537th overall)
Week 16a: July 19-July 22

C	Jason Varitek		680 
C	Victor Martinez		450
1B	Lyle Overbay		400
1B	Mark Teixeira		760
2B	Alfonso Soriano		1930
2B	Mark Loretta		820 
3B	Scott Rolen		1460 
3B	Hank Blalock		850
SS	Alex Rodriguez		2010 
SS	Kazuo Matsui		750
OF	Carlos Beltran		1760 
OF	Vernon Wells		1150
OF	Carl Crawford		1040 
OF	Scott Podsednik		980 
OF	Adam Dunn		690
OF	Miguel Cabrera		570 
DH	Brad Fullmer		700
DH	Alex Cintron		450

SP	Pedro Martinez		1800 
SP	Randy Johnson		1550 
SP	Javier Vazquez		1280  
SP	Roy Oswalt		1200 
SP	Jason Schmidt		1240
SP	Jeremy Affeldt		650
RP	Eric Gagne		1890
RP	Octavio Dotel		1250
RP	Danny Kolb		940
RP	Matt Herges		670

Total Salary for Week 16a: 	29920

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

SP(6)
Curt Schilling: Fri:NYY(J.Lieber)
Randy Johnson: Tue:SF(Jer.Williams); Sun:COL(J.Jennings)
Javier Vazquez: Wed:TOR(R.Halladay???)
Pedro Martinez: Wed:BAL(E.Bedard)
Kerry Wood: Fri:@PHI(B.Myers)
Tim Hudson: No start(DL).
Roy Halladay: Wed:@NYY(J.Vazquez)???
Jason Schmidt: Thu:SD(D.Wells)
Josh Beckett: No start(DL)
Kevin Brown: Sat:@BOS(B.Arroyo)???

Given the injury questions of Halladay and Brown, we'll take our six presumably healthy starters.

We debated adding Victor Martinez on offense since we have four moves left, however LeCroy and Estrada appear acceptable for now. Helton hits the bench since he only plays two games at home, giving us room to play Marcus Giles and Alfonso Soriano, who supplants Orlando Hudson. Tony Batista for Mike Lowell also allows us the cap room to play Albert Pujols over Brad Wilkerson.

The Umpire Chronicles(13th lg; 1500th overall)
& Umpire with a Soul(19th lg; 3078th overall)
Week 16: July 19-July 25

 
C	Matt LeCroy		1100 
C	Johnny Estrada		1000 
1B	Mark Teixeira		1550
1B	Lyle Overbay		1000 
2B	Alfonso Soriano		3060
2B	Mark Loretta		1650 
3B	Hank Blalock		2020 
3B	Tony Batista		1640
SS	Brian Roberts		1260 
SS	Alex Cintron		1100 
OF	Albert Pujols		3350
OF	Carlos Beltran		3060
OF	Manny Ramirez		2960 
OF	Adam Dunn		1950 
OF	Hideki Matsui		1800
OF	Miguel Cabrera		1600 
DH	Derrek Lee		2690 
DH	Marcus Giles		1740

SP	Curt Schilling		3090
SP	Randy Johnson		2900 
SP	Javier Vazquez		2890
SP	Pedro Martinez		2890 
SP	Kerry Wood		2880 
SP	Jason Schmidt		2780 
RP	Armando Benitez		2490
RP	Octavio Dotel		2400
RP	Matt Herges		1610 
RP	Joe Nathan		1420

Total Salary for Week 16: 	59880

Mid-Season Fantasy Baseball

SP(6)
Curt Schilling: Fri:NYY(J.Lieber)
Randy Johnson: Tue:SF(Jer.Williams); Sun:COL(J.Jennings)
Jason Schmidt: Thu:SD(D.Wells)
Roger Clemens: Fri:MIL(C.Capuano)
Mark Mulder: Fri:TEX(K.Rogers)
Roy Oswalt: Wed:@ARI(B.Webb)
Matt Clement: Wed:CIN(Pa.Wilson)
Ben Sheets: Thu:@STL(J.Marquis)
Johan Santana: Thu:TB(D.Brazelton)
Carl Pavano: Thu:@PHI(R.Wolf)

Schilling, Randy, Schmidt, Clemens, and Mulder are easy calls, and then we like Santana's match-up more than Clement against the Reds.

Offensively, all four first basemen remain active. We will take Blalock and Vinny Castilla over Adrian Beltre while selecting Victor Martinez and Estrada over CJ as well as Marcus Giles and Loretta over Mike Young for cap reasons. Manny also sits for cap reasons, and then Drew and Jose Guillen hold a slight edge on Dunn, Hideki Matsui, and Miguel Cabrera for our last two outfield slots. Kaz Matsui remains on the end of our bench with Carlos Guillen and Royce Clayton looking good.

Umpire in Brooklyn(18th lg; 885th overall)
Week 16: July 19-July 25

 
C	Victor Martinez		1120
C	Johnny Estrada		1000
1B	David Ortiz		1980
1B	Mark Teixeira		1550
2B	Marcus Giles		1740
2B	Mark Loretta		1650
3B	Hank Blalock		2020
3B	Vinny Castilla		1610
SS	Carlos Guillen		1640
SS	Royce Clayton		1360
OF	Barry Bonds		3520
OF	Bobby Abreu		3120 
OF	Jeromy Burnitz		2100
OF	J.D. Drew		1690 
OF	Jose Guillen		1620
OF	Jason Bay		1050 
DH	Travis Hafner		1140
DH	Lyle Overbay		1000

SP	Curt Schilling		3090
SP	Randy Johnson		2900 
SP	Jason Schmidt		2780
SP	Roger Clemens		2670
SP	Mark Mulder		2610
SP	Johan Santana		2170 
RP	Armando Benitez		2490
RP	Francisco Cordero	2080
RP	Brad Lidge		1730
RP	Joe Nathan		1420

Total Salary for Week 16a: 	54850

Today's Fantasy Rx: Given that every team plays a minimum of seven games, four squads play eight this week, and nearly everyone takes at least one road trip, focus on your safest pitchers while similarly attempting to deploy as much offense as possible. We expect the depletion of most every pitching staff by week's end, leaving both tired starters and overworked relievers in danger of qualitative disasters.