Today's Fantasy Rx

Schedule recommendations for teams with 7 games

Good for hitters / Good for pitchers
Arizona: 3 Home vs. SF; 4 Home vs. PIT.
Boston: 4 Road at DET; 3 Home vs. SEA.
Houston: 3 Home vs. PIT; 4 Road at ATL.
New York Yankees: 4 Road at TB; 3 Home vs. OAK.
St. Louis: 3 Road at CIN; 4 Home vs. SD.

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
New York Mets: 4 Home vs. PHI; 3 Road at MIL.
Pittsburgh: 3 Road at HOU; 4 Road at ARI.
San Diego: 3 Home vs. COL; 4 Road at STL.
Tampa Bay: 4 Home vs. NYY; 3 Home vs. MIN.

Bad for hitters / Good for pitchers
Philadelphia: 4 Road at NYM; 3 Road at CHC.

Bad for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Detroit: 4 Home vs. BOS; 3 Road at ANA.

Schedule recommendations for teams with 6 games

Good for hitters / Good for pitchers
Chicago White Sox: 3 Home vs. KC; 3 Road at TOR.
Los Angeles Dodgers: 3 Home vs. WAS; 3 Road at CIN.
Minnesota: 3 Home vs. CLE; 3 Road at TB.
San Francisco: 3 Road at ARI; 3 Home vs. WAS.

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Baltimore: 3 Home vs. TOR; 3 Home vs. KC.
Chicago Cubs: 3 Road at MIL; 3 Home vs. PHI.
Cincinnati: 3 Home vs. STL; 3 Home vs. LA.
Cleveland: 3 Road at MIN; 3 Road at TEX.
Kansas City: 3 Road at CHW; 3 Road at BAL.
Milwaukee: 3 Home vs. CHC; 3 Home vs. NYM.
Seattle: 3 Home vs. ANA; 3 Road at BOS.
Toronto: 3 Road at BAL; 3 Home vs. CHW.

Bad for hitters / Good for pitchers
Atlanta: 2 Home vs. FLO; 4 Home vs. HOU.
Colorado: 3 Road at SD; 3 Road at FLO.
Oakland: 3 Home vs. TEX; 3 Road at NYY.
Texas: 3 Road at OAK; 3 Home vs. CLE.
Washington: 3 Road at LA: 3 Road at SF.

Bad for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Los Angeles Angels: 3 Road at SET; 3 Home vs. DET.

Schedule recommendations for teams with 5 games

Bad for hitters / Good for pitchers
Florida: 2 Road at ATL; 3 Home vs. COL.

Pitchers with 2 starts(to deploy everywhere you own them):
Jeremy Bonderman: Mon:BOS(Jer.Gonzalez); Sat:@ANA(B.Colon)
Kevin Brown: Tue:@TB(D.Waechter); Sun:OAK(R.Harden)
Mark Buehrle: Tue:KC(Br.Anderson); Sun:@TOR(G.Chacin)
Chris Capuano: Tue:CHC(C.Zambrano); Sun:NYM(T.Glavine)
Chris Carpenter: Mon:@CIN(E.Milton); Sat:SD(A.Eaton)
Gusatavo Chacin: Mon:@BAL(Rod.Lopez); Sun:CHW(M.Buehrle)
Adam Eaton: Mon:COL(J.Francis); Sat:@STL(C.Carpenter)
Jeff Francis: Mon:@SD(A.Eaton): Sun:@FLO(A.Leiter)
Ryan Franklin: Mon:ANA(J.Washburn); Sun:@BOS(J.Halama)
Tom Glavine: Tue:PHI(B.Myers); Sun:@MIL(C.Capuano)
Mike Hampton: Tue:FLO(A.Leiter); Sun:HOU(E.Astacio)
Rich Harden: Mon:TEX(K.Rogers); Sat:@NYY(M.Mussina)
Jon Lieber: Mon:@NYM(P.Martinez); Sat:@CHC(G.Rusch)
Esteban Loaiza: Mon:@LA(S.Erickson); Sat:@SF(J.Schmidt)
Rod Lopez: Mon:TOR(G.Chacin); Sun:KC(Br.Anderson)
Mike Maroth: Tue:BOS(J.Halama); Sun:@ANA(J.Wasburn)
Jason Marquis: Tue:@CIN(A.Harang); Sun:SD(T.Redding?)
Pedro Martinez: Mon:PHI(J.Lieber); Sat:@NYM(B.Sheets?)
Mike Mussina: Mon:@TB(); Sat:OAK(B.Zito)
Brett Myers: Tue:@NYM(T.Glavine); Sun:@CHC(C.Zambrano)
Kenny Rogers: Mon:@OAK(R.Harden); Sun:CLE(J.Westbrook)
Jason Schmidt: Mon:@ARI(Ru.Ortiz); Sat:WAS(E.Loaiza)
Jarrod Washburn: Mon:@SEA(R.Franklin); Sun:DET(M.Maroth)
Brad Halsey: Tue:SF(K.Rueter); Sun:PIT(K.Wells)
Jake Westbrook: Tue:@MIN(J.Mays); Sun:@TEX(K.Rogers)
Carlos Zambrano: Tue:@MIL(C.Capuanp); Sun:PHI(B.Myers)

Pitchers with 2 starts to deploy only in leagues that don't count qualitative stats:
Brian Anderson: Tue:@CHW(M.Buehrle); Sun:@BAL(Rod.Lopez)
Ezequiel Astacio: Tue:PIT(K.Wells); Sun:@ATL(M.Hampton)
Scott Erickson?: Mon:WAS(E.Loaiza); Sun:@CIN(E.Milton)
Josh Fogg: Mon:@HOU(A.Pettitte); Sat:@ARI(Ru.Ortiz)
John Halama?: Tue:@DET(M.Maroth); Sun:SEA(R.Franklin)?
Scott Kazmir: Mon:NYY(M.Mussina); Sat:MIN(K.Lohse)
Al Leiter: Tue:@ATL(M.Hampton); Sun:COL(J.Francis)
Joe Mays: Tue:CLE(J.Westbrook); Sun:@TB(D.Waechter)
Eric Milton: Mon:STL(C.Carpenter); Sun:LA(S.Erickson?)
Russ Ortiz: Mon:SF(J.Schmidt); Sat:PIT(J.Fogg)
Andy Pettitte: Mon:PIT(J.Fogg); Sat:@ATL(H.Ramirez)
Tim Redding?: Tue:COL(Jam.Wright); Sun:@STL(J.Marquis)?
Kirk Rueter: Tue:@ARI(B.Halsey); Sun:WAS(T.Ohka or Z.Day?)
Doug Waechter: Tue:NYY(K.Brown); Sun:MIN(J.Mays)
Kip Wells: Tue:@HOU(E.Astacio); Sun:@ARI(B.Halsey)

Diamond Challenge

We desperately need more HR, RBI, and Runs here, so we're adding Miguel Tejada, who provides a dramatic upgrade on Jose Reyes at SS, as well as picking up Jason Lane as a free agent, cutting Jeremy Reed, who just isn't adding enough quantitatively here. Tejada replaces Guillermo Mota, who could miss the entire month and plays for the team with the fewest save opportunities in the majors last month.

While Buck continues to worry us, we just don't see a significantly better option. If he starts producing as we expect, he'll have a lot more value to us than Joe Mauer, easily the popular pick at catcher.

SP(6)
Randy Johnson: Wed:@TB(H.Nomo)
Johan Santana: Fri:@TB(D.Brazelton)
Jason Schmidt: Mon:@ARI(Ru.Ortiz); Sat:WAS(E.Loaiza)
Pedro Martinez: Mon:PHI(J.Lieber); Sat:@NYM(B.Sheets?)
Roy Oswalt: Fri:@ATL(J.Smoltz)?
Roger Clemens: Wed:PIT(M.Redman)
Ben Sheets: Sat:NYM(P.Martinez)???
Mark Mulder: Wed:@CIN(B.Claussen)
Jake Peavy: Wed:COL(J.Jennings)
Rich Harden: Mon:TEX(K.Rogers); Sat:@NYY(M.Mussina)
A.J. Burnett: Wed:@ATL(T.Hudson)
Josh Beckett: Sat:COL(S.Chacon)
Miguel Batista: 3 Road at BAL; 3 Home vs. CHW.

With wins almost more important than saves to us after good weeks from Batista and Lyon, as well as Batista facing the two best AL clubs this week, he'll sit in favor of more starters. Randy, Santana, and Peavy edge Beckett, who struggled on Sunday and again faces a long layoff, joining Schmidt, Pedro, and Harden in the rotation.

Tejada replaces Reyes, Morneau forces Pujols to the bench for cap reasons, the newly-acquired Lane starts for Holliday, and then Iguchi subs for Giles due to a slightly superior schedule and a need to fit under the cap. David Wright remains at the end of our bench until we start seeing more quantitatively from him.

Rotohelp.com(4th lg; 18th div; 371st overall)
Week 5: May 2-May 8

C	Victor Martinez		860
C	John Buck		390
1B	Mark Teixeira		1310
1B	Travis Hafner		810
2B	Brian Roberts		960
2B	Tadahito Iguchi		750
3B	Melvin Mora		1270
3B	Troy Glaus		830 
SS	Miguel Tejada		1800
SS	Clint Barmes		400
OF	Carl Crawford		1560 
OF	Jim Edmonds		1250
OF	Adam Dunn		1110
OF	Miguel Cabrera		1110 
OF	Scott Podsednik		1090
OF	Jason Lane		400 
DH	Justin Morneau		680
DH	Kevin Mench		580

SP	Randy Johnson		1980
SP	Johan Santana		1710 
SP	Jason Schmidt		1510
SP	Pedro Martinez		1450 
SP	Jake Peavy		1030 
SP	Rich Harden		900
RP	Francisco Rodriguez	1250
RP	Octavio Dotel		1240
RP	B.J. Ryan		950
RP	Brandon Lyon		750

Total Salary for Week 5: 	29930

Internet Challenge

Tejada also joins our team here to help fix our lack of power. With Helton offering us nothing, we instead will keep Mota here until we either see a better move or hopefully he returns to give us additional salary flexibility.

SP(6)
Randy Johnson: Wed:@TB(H.Nomo)
Jason Schmidt: Mon:@ARI(Ru.Ortiz)
Pedro Martinez: Mon:PHI(J.Lieber)
Roger Clemens: Wed:PIT(M.Redman)
Mark Mulder: Wed:@CIN(B.Claussen)
Jake Peavy: Wed:COL(J.Jennings)
Rich Harden: Mon:TEX(K.Rogers)
A.J. Burnett: Wed:@ATL(T.Hudson)
Miguel Batista: 3 Road at BAL.

No starts: Santana, Oswalt, Sheets, Beckett.

With Schmidt and Mulder looking questionable and a desperate need for wins here, Randy, Pedro, Clemens, Peavy, Harden, and Burnett will comprise our rotation. Dotel returns to the lineup for Mota.

Tejada obviously forces Reyes to the bench, and then Iguchi and Reed sub for Giles and Hafner to get us under the cap.

Rotohelp.com(5th lg; 170th overall)
Week 5a: May 2-May 5

C	Victor Martinez		860
C	John Buck		390 
1B	Albert Pujols		1930 
1B	Justin Morneau	680
2B	Brian Roberts		960 
2B	Tadahito Iguchi		750
3B	Melvin Mora		1270
3B	Troy Glaus		830
SS	Miguel Tejada		1800
SS	Clint Barmes		400 
OF	Carl Crawford		1560
OF	Jim Edmonds		1250 
OF	Adam Dunn		1110
OF	Miguel Cabrera		1110 
OF	Scott Podsednik		1090 
OF	Kevin Mench		580 
UT	Mark Teixeira		1310 
UT	Jeremy Reed		400

SP	Randy Johnson		1980 
SP	Pedro Martinez		1450
SP	Roger Clemens		1280 
SP	Jake Peavy		1030 
SP	Rich Harden		900
SP	A.J. Burnett		830
RP	Francisco Rodriguez	1250 
RP	Octavio Dotel		1240
RP	B.J. Ryan		950
RP	Brandon Lyon		750

Total Salary for Week 5a: 	29940

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

Mota's injury requires a move here, so we'll echo our DC/IC moves from last week, adding Brandon Lyon and cutting Mota.

SP(6)
Randy Johnson: Wed:@TB(H.Nomo)
Jason Schmidt: Mon:@ARI(Ru.Ortiz); Sat:WAS(E.Loaiza)
Pedro Martinez: Mon:PHI(J.Lieber); Sat:@NYM(B.Sheets?)
Johan Santana: Fri:@TB(D.Brazelton)
Roger Clemens: Wed:PIT(M.Redman)
Ben Sheets: Sat:NYM(P.Martinez)???
Jake Peavy: Wed:COL(J.Jennings)
A.J. Burnett: Wed:@ATL(T.Hudson)
Josh Beckett: Sat:COL(S.Chacon)
Dan Haren: Wed:TEX(C.H.Park)

Selecting six starters seems surprisingly easy with two doubles, two aces in Tampa, and two aces facing the Rockies outside of Colorado.

Buck, Pujols, and Drew replace Closser, Helton, and Holliday with the Rockies on the road. Morneau then replaces Eric Chavez while Hudson, Ensberg, K.Greene, and Kearns remain benched.

Rotohelp.com(10th lg; 935th overall)
& Rotohelp.com(14th lg; 2112th overall)
Week 5: May 2-May 8

C	Victor Martinez		1800 
C	John Buck		1030 
1B	Travis Hafner		1870 
1B	Justin Morneau		1780
2B	Marcus Giles		1850
2B	Brian Roberts		1770 
3B	Troy Glaus		2460
3B	Hank Blalock		2240
SS	Rafael Furcal		2430 
SS	Clint Barmes		1000 
OF	J.D. Drew		2490
OF	Miguel Cabrera		2420
OF	Carl Crawford		2120 
OF	Scott Podsednik		1990
OF	Jason Lane		1000 
OF	Jeremy Reed		1000 
DH	Albert Pujols		3700
DH	Kevin Mench		1660

SP	Randy Johnson		3330
SP	Johan Santana		3090
SP	Jason Schmidt		3180
SP	Pedro Martinez		3140 
SP	Jake Peavy		2090 
SP	Josh Beckett		1730 
RP	Octavio Dotel		2440
RP	Francisco Rodriguez	2630
RP	B.J. Ryan		2060
RP	Brandon Lyon		1500

Total Salary for Week 5: 	59560

Today's Fantasy Rx: Begin spending your Challenge moves if you see any needs. With more than 15% of the season completed, you can't afford to let slow starters remain active in national contests if you possess any reasonable alternative. Brian Roberts remains the only must-own player here, but Clint Barmes and a couple of Florida starters remain equally excellent bargains, and I can't fault anyone for adding Derrek Lee as a better option than Teixeira, Hafner, Morneau, Pujols, and Helton.