Today's Fantasy Rx

Schedule recommendations for teams with 7 games

Good for hitters / Good for pitchers
Atlanta: 4 Home vs. WAS; 3 Home vs. CIN.
Boston: 4 Home vs. TB; 3 Home vs. BAL.

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Baltimore: 1 Home vs. OAK; 3 Road at TOR; 3 Road at BOS.
Chicago White Sox: 3 Road at TEX; 4 Home vs. DET.
Cincinnati: 1 Road at PIT; 3 Road at HOU; 3 Road at ATL.
Kansas City: 3 Home vs. MIN; 4 Home vs. TEX.
Oakland: 1 Road at BAL; 3 Road at LAA; 3 Home vs. NYY.
Seattle: 4 Home vs. NYY; 3 Road at LAA.
Tampa Bay: 4 Road at BOS; 3 Road at TOR.
Texas: 3 Home vs. CHW; 4 Road at KC.

Bad for hitters / Good for pitchers
New York Yankees: 4 Road at SEA; 3 Road at OAK.
San Diego: 3 Home vs. ARI; 4 Road at MIL.
Washington: 4 Road at ATL; 3 Home vs. PHI.

Bad for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Detroit: 3 Road at CLE; 4 Road at CHW.

Schedule recommendations for teams with 6 games

Good for hitters / Good for pitchers
Chicago Cubs: 3 Home vs. LAD; 3 Road at PIT.
Cleveland: 3 Home vs. DET; 3 Road at MIN.
Florida: 3 Home vs. STL; 3 Home vs. NYM.
Milwaukee: 2 Home vs. PIT; 4 Home vs. SD.

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Colorado: 3 Road at SF; 3 Home vs. LAD.
Houston: 3 Home vs. CIN; 3 Home vs. STL.
Los Angeles Angels: 3 Home vs. OAK; 3 Home vs. SEA.
Los Angeles Dodgers: 3 Road at CHC; 3 Road at COL.
Minnesota: 3 Road at KC; 3 Home vs. CLE.
San Francisco: 3 Home vs. COL; 3 Road at ARI.
St. Louis: 3 Road at FLO; 3 Road at HOU.
Toronto: 3 Home vs. BAL; 3 Home vs. TB.

Bad for hitters / Good for pitchers
Arizona: 3 Road at SD; 3 Home vs. SF.
New York Mets: 3 Home vs. PHI; 3 Road at FLO.
Philadelphia: 3 Road at NYM; 3 Road at WAS.

Bad for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Pittsburgh: 1 Home vs. CIN; 2 Road at MIL; 3 Home vs. CHC.

Pitchers with 2 starts(to deploy everywhere you own them):
Erik Bedard: Mon:OAK(K.Saarloos); Sat:@BOS(M.Clement)
Jeremy Bonderman: Mon:@CLE(S.Elarton); Sat:@CHW(M.Buerhle)
Mark Buehrle: Mon:@TEX(J.Dominguez); Sat:DET(J.Bonderman)
A.J. Burnett: Mon:STL(C.Carpenter); Sun:NYM(J.Seo)
Matt Cain: Mon:COL(B.Kim); Sun:@ARI(J.Vazquez)
Chris Carpenter: Mon:@FLO(A.Burnett); Sun:@HOU(W.Rodriguez)
Shawn Chacon: Tue:@SEA(J.Harris); Sun:@OAK(B.Zito)
Matt Clement: Mon:TB(S.McClung); Sat:BAL(E.Bedard)
Bartolo Colon: Tue:OAK(B.Zito); Sun:SEA(J.Harris?)
Doug Davis: Tue:PIT(D.Williams); Sun:SD(J.Peavy?)
Scott Elarton: Mon:DET(J.Bonderman); Sun:@MIN(C.Silva)
Jon Garland: Tue:@TEX(J.Benoit); Sun:DET(M.Maroth)
Livan Hernandez: Tue:@ATL(J.Thomson); Sun:PHI(R.Tejada)
Mike Mussina: Mon:@SEA(R.Franklin); Sat:@OAK(K.Saarloos)
John Patterson: Mon:@ATL(Jor.Sosa); Sat:PHI(E.Brito?)
Jake Peavy: Tue:ARI(J.Vazquez); Sun:@MIL(D.Davis)
Kirk Saarloos: Mon:@BAL(E.Bedard); Sat:NYY(M.Mussina)
Curt Schilling: Tue:TB(S.Kazmir); Sun:BAL(Rod.Lopez)
Jae Seo: Tue:PHI(R.Tejada); Sun:@FLO(A.Burnett)
Carlos Silva: Tue:@KC(J.Lima); Sun:CLE(S.Elarton)
John Thomson: Tue:WAS(L.Hernandez); Sun:CIN(B.Claussen)
Javier Vazquez: Tue:@SD(J.Peavy); Sun:SF(M.Cain)
David Williams?: Tue:@MIL(D.Davis); Sun:CHC(Jer.Williams)?
Jerome Williams: Mon:LAD(D.Houlton); Sun:@PIT(D.Williams?)
Woody Williams: Mon:ARI(Ru.Ortiz); Sat:@MIL(V.Santos?)
Barry Zito: Tue:@LAA(B.Colon); Sun:NYY(S.Chacon)

Pitchers with 2 starts to deploy only in leagues that don't count qualitative stats:
Joaquin Benoit?: Tue:CHW(J.Garland); Sun:@KC(J.Lima)?
David Bush: Tue:BAL(Rod.Lopez); Sun:TB(S.Kazmir)
D.J. Carrasco: Mon:MIN(S.Baker); Sat:TEX(J.Dominguez)
Brandon Claussen: Tue:@HOU(W.Rodriguez); Sun:@ATL(J.Thomson)
Aaron Cook: Tue:@SF(B.Hennessey); Sun:LAD(B.Penny)
Juan Dominguez: Mon:CHW(M.Buehrle); Sat:@KC(D.Carrasco)
Ryan Franklin: Mon:NYY(M.Mussina); Sat:@LAA(J.Washburn)
Jeff Harris?: Tue:NYY(S.Chacon); Sun:@LAA(B.Colon)
D.J. Houlton: Mon:@CHC(Jer.Williams); Sat:@COL(B.Kim)
Scott Kazmir: Tue:@BOS(C.Schilling); Sun:@TOR(D.Bush)
Byung-Hyun Kim: Mon:@SF(M.Cain); Sat:LAD(D.Houlton)
Jose Lima: Tue:MIN(C.Silva); Sun:TEX(J.Benoit?)
Rodrigo Lopez: Tue:@TOR(D.Bush); Sun:@BOS(C.Schilling)
Mike Maroth: Tue:@CLE(C.Lee); Sun:@CHW(J.Garland)
Seth McClung: Mon:@BOS(M.Clement); Sat:@TOR(J.Towers)
Ramon Ortiz: Mon:@PIT(P.Maholm); Sat:ATL(Jor.Sosa)
Brad Penny: Tue:@CHC(M.Prior); Sun:@COL(A.Cook)
Wandy Rodriguez: Tue:CIN(B.Claussen); Sun:STL(C.Carpenter)
Jorge Sosa: Mon:WAS(J.Patterson); Sat:CIN(Ra.Ortiz)
Robinson Tejada: Tue:@NYM(J.Seo); Sun:@WAS()

Diamond Challenge

After last week's three moves, we suddenly find ourselves in need of more starting pitching. With two strong doubles each, Matt Clement and Chris Carpenter rank as the logical picks here, especially considering we don't need to add Jhonny Peralta this week.

SP(6)
Randy Johnson: Wed:@SEA(F.Hernandez)
Johan Santana: Sat:CLE(J.Westbrook)
Jason Schmidt: Fri:@ARI(B.Webb)
Pedro Martinez: Wed:PHI(B.Myers)
Roy Oswalt: Thu:CIN(E.Milton)
Roger Clemens: Fri:STL(M.Mulder?)
Mark Mulder: Fri:@HOU(R.Clemens)?
Matt Clement: Mon:TB(S.McClung); Sat:BAL(E.Bedard)
Jake Peavy: Tue:ARI(J.Vazquez); Sun:@MIL(D.Davis)
Chris Carpenter: Mon:@FLO(A.Burnett); Sun:@HOU(W.Rodriguez)
Dontrelle Willis: Fri:NYM(K.Benson?)
A.J. Burnett: Mon:STL(C.Carpenter); Sun:NYM(P.Martinez)
Josh Beckett: Sat:NYM(V.Zambrano?)
Miguel Batista: 3 Home vs. BAL; 3 Home vs. TB.

Deploying Oswalt, Clement, Peavy, Carpenter, Willis, and Burnett gives us a decent chance at winning over a half-dozen games. KRod stays benched among our relievers.

Despite decent upside, Utley, Iguchi, Mora, and even Podsednik remain out of the lineup as only swapping Crawford for Mench seems to make sense.

Rotohelp.com(10th lg; 63rd div; 1560th overall)
Week 22: August 29-September 4

 
C	Victor Martinez		860 
C	Joe Mauer		440
1B	Derrek Lee		1440
1B	Mark Teixeira		1310 
2B	Brian Roberts		960
2B	Marcus Giles		950 
3B	Troy Glaus		830
3B	David Wright		800
SS	Miguel Tejada		1800 
SS	Jose Reyes		850 
OF	Carl Crawford		1560
OF	Jim Edmonds		1250
OF	Adam Dunn		1110
OF	Miguel Cabrera		1110 
OF	Jason Bay		820
OF	Jason Lane		400 
UT	Albert Pujols		1930
UT	Manny Ramirez		1530
 
SP	Roy Oswalt		1320 
SP	Matt Clement		1030
SP	Jake Peavy		1030 
SP	Chris Carpenter		930 
SP	Dontrelle Willis	870 
SP	A.J. Burnett		830
RP	Brad Lidge		1280
RP	Trevor Hoffman		1270 
RP	B.J. Ryan		950 
RP	Todd Jones		510

Total Salary for Week 22: 	29970

Diamond Challenge 2nd Season

While another starting pitcher would help, we need to keep improving our offense, which means adding Ken Griffey, Jr.

SP(6)
Randy Johnson: Wed:@SEA(F.Hernandez)
Johan Santana: Sat:CLE(J.Westbrook)
Pedro Martinez: Wed:PHI(B.Myers)
Roy Oswalt: Thu:CIN(E.Milton)
Roger Clemens: Fri:STL(M.Mulder?)
Jake Peavy: Tue:ARI(J.Vazquez); Sun:@MIL(D.Davis)
Chris Carpenter: Mon:@FLO(A.Burnett); Sun:@HOU(W.Rodriguez)
Rich Harden: Thu:@LAA(Er.Santana)???
Dontrelle Willis: Fri:NYM(K.Benson?)
A.J. Burnett: Mon:STL(C.Carpenter); Sun:NYM(P.Martinez)
Josh Beckett: Sat:NYM(V.Zambrano?)
Brett Myers: Wed:@NYM(P.Martinez)
Ryan Dempster: 3 Home vs. CHC; 3 Road at PIT.

A rotation of Oswalt, Peavy, Carpenter, Willis, Burnett, and Dempster nicely addresses our most pressing needs.

Griffey and Tejada enter the lineup for Mench and Molina, who join Morneau, Iguchi, Atkins, and Clark on the bench.

Rotohelp.com(7th lg; 63rd div; 372nd overall)
Week 22: August 29-September 4

 
C	Jorge Posada		930
C	Joe Mauer		440
1B	Derrek Lee		1440 
1B	Mark Teixeira		1310
2B	Brian Roberts		960 
2B	Chase Utley		480
3B	David Wright		800
3B	Morgan Ensberg		690 
SS	Jose Reyes		850
SS	Jhonny Peralta		420
OF	Bobby Abreu		1860 
OF	Adam Dunn		1110
OF	Miguel Cabrera		1110 
OF	Pat Burrell		870 
OF	Brady Clark		540 
UT	Alex Rodriguez		1880 
UT	Miguel Tejada		1800
 
SP	Roy Oswalt		1320 
SP	Jake Peavy		1030
SP	Chris Carpenter		930 
SP	Dontrelle Willis	870 
SP	A.J. Burnett		830 
SP	Ryan Dempster		520
RP	Trevor Hoffman		1270 
RP	Chad Cordero		1000 
RP	B.J. Ryan		950
RP	Huston Street		750

Total Salary for Week 22: 	27820

Internet Challenge

With Sheets out and a general lack of starters troubling us, we're spending one of our last two buys on Clement, dumping Sheets. While this leaves us with no backup either at catcher or shortstop, hopefully we won't suffer more than one more key injury this season.

SP(6)
Randy Johnson: Wed:@SEA(F.Hernandez)
Johan Santana: No start.
Pedro Martinez: Wed:PHI(B.Myers)
Roy Oswalt: Thu:CIN(E.Milton)
Roger Clemens: No start.
Matt Clement: Mon:TB(S.McClung)
Jake Peavy: Tue:ARI(J.Vazquez)
Chris Carpenter: Mon:@FLO(A.Burnett)
Dontrelle Willis: No start.
A.J. Burnett: Mon:STL(C.Carpenter)
Josh Beckett: No start.
Miguel Batista: 3 Home vs. BAL

Deploying Pedro, Oswalt, Clement, Peavy, Burnett, and Batista looks solid here.

Crawford and Mora replaces Giles and Glaus as Morneau, Iguchi, Atkins, Podsednik, and Holliday stay benched.

Rotohelp.com(7th lg; 231st overall)
Week 22a: August 29-September 1

 
C	Victor Martinez		860 
C	Joe Mauer		440
1B	Albert Pujols		1930 
1B	Mark Teixeira		1310 
2B	Brian Roberts		960
2B	Chase Utley		480 
3B	Melvin Mora		1270
3B	David Wright		810
SS	Miguel Tejada		1800 
SS	Jose Reyes		850 
OF	Jim Edmonds		1250
OF	Miguel Cabrera		1110
OF	Adam Dunn		1110
OF	Jason Bay		820 
OF	Kevin Mench		580
UT	Travis Hafner		810  
UT	Carl Crawford		1560

SP	Pedro Martinez		1450
SP	Roy Oswalt		1320
SP	Matt Clement		1030
SP	Jake Peavy		1030
SP	A.J. Burnett		830 
SP	Miguel Batista		840  
RP	Brad Lidge		1280
RP	Trevor Hoffman		1270 
RP	B.J. Ryan		950 
RP	Todd Jones		510

Total Salary for Week 22a: 	29980

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

With our rotation in trouble due to the injuries to Sheets and Harden, adding Clement and Carpenter provides the depth we need here. However, Huston Street's salary simply makes him too tempting to skip, so we'll purchase him and cut Sheets.

SP(6)
Pedro Martinez: Wed:PHI(B.Myers)
Johan Santana: Sat:CLE(J.Westbrook)
Roger Clemens: Fri:STL(M.Mulder?)
Roy Oswalt: Thu:CIN(E.Milton)
Ben Sheets: No start(DL).
Matt Clement: Mon:TB(S.McClung); Sat:BAL(E.Bedard)
Dontrelle Willis: Fri:NYM(K.Benson?)
Jake Peavy: Tue:ARI(J.Vazquez); Sun:@MIL(D.Davis)
Chris Carpenter: Mon:@FLO(A.Burnett); Sun:@HOU(W.Rodriguez)
A.J. Burnett: Mon:STL(C.Carpenter); Sun:NYM(P.Martinez)
Rich Harden: Thu:@LAA(Er.Santana)???
Josh Beckett: Sat:NYM(V.Zambrano?)

Oswalt, Clement, Willis, Peavy, Carpenter, and Beckett seems quite strong this week.

The extra cap space provided by Street allows several lineup moves, including the deployment of Helton, Giles, Chavez, Crawford, and Kearns for Hudson, Glaus, Blalock, Reed, and Mench. Holliday, Morneau, and Buck stay benched.

Rotohelp.com(9th lg; 827th overall)
& Rotohelp.com(13th lg; 2052nd overall)
Week 22: August 29-September 4

 
C	Victor Martinez		1800
C	Joe Mauer		1140 
1B	Albert Pujols		3700 
1B	Travis Hafner		1870
2B	Marcus Giles		1850
2B	Brian Roberts		1770 
3B	Morgan Ensberg		1530 
SS	Rafael Furcal		2430
SS	Jhonny Peralta		1050 
OF	Vladimir Guerrero	3230
OF	Miguel Cabrera		2420 
OF	Carl Crawford		2120
OF	Jason Bay		1680 
OF	Austin Kearns		1540
OF	Jason Lane		1000 
UT	David Ortiz		2890 
UT	Eric Chavez		2740 

SP	Roy Oswalt		2970 
SP	Matt Clement		2610
SP	Dontrelle Willis	2170
SP	Jake Peavy		2090
SP	Chris Carpenter		2020 
SP	A.J. Burnett		1900
RP	Brad Lidge		2510
RP	Trevor Hoffman		2350
RP	B.J. Ryan		2060
RP	Huston Street		1000

Total Salary for Week 22: 	59900

Mid-Season Fantasy Baseball

Adding Burnett is an easy call here given the composition of our pitching staff, however spending two more moves, on Victor Martinez and David Wright, should provide a nice offensive boost. Blalock and Zaun depart.

SP(6)
Pedro Martinez: Wed:PHI(B.Myers)
Johan Santana: Sat:CLE(J.Westbrook)
Roger Clemens: Fri:STL(M.Mulder?)
Roy Oswalt: Thu:CIN(E.Milton)
Matt Clement: Mon:TB(S.McClung); Sat:BAL(E.Bedard)
Dontrelle Willis: Fri:NYM(K.Benson?)
Jake Peavy: Tue:ARI(J.Vazquez); Sun:@MIL(D.Davis)
Chris Carpenter: Mon:@FLO(A.Burnett); Sun:@HOU(W.Rodriguez)
A.J. Burnett: Mon:STL(C.Carpenter); Sun:NYM(P.Martinez)
Rich Harden: Thu:@LAA(Er.Santana)???
Dan Haren: Fri:NYY(A.Leiter)

Like half our other leagues, Oswalt, Clement, Willlis, Peavy, Carpenter, and Burnett comprise our rotation.

Martinez and Wright replace Molina and Blalock while Crosby and Crawford join the lineup for Peralta and Jenkins. Despite strong skills, D.Lee, M.Giles, Atkins, Matsui, and Miguel Cabrera remain benched.

Rotohelp.com(5th lg; 495th overall)
Week 22: August 29-September 4

C	Victor Martinez	1800
C	Joe Mauer		1140 
1B	Mark Teixeira		2820
1B	Travis Hafner		1870
2B	Brian Roberts		1770
2B	Chase Utley		1050
3B	David Wright		1810
3B	Morgan Ensberg		1530 
SS	Jose Reyes		1590 
SS	Bobby Crosby		1480 
OF	Vladimir Guerrero	3230 
OF	Carl Crawford		2120
OF	Jason Bay		1680 
OF	Ken Griffey, Jr.	1530 
OF	Jason Lane		1000
OF	Grady Sizemore		1000
UT	Albert Pujols		3700
UT	David Ortiz		2890 

SP	Roy Oswalt		2970 
SP	Matt Clement		2610
SP	Dontrelle Willis	2170 
SP	Jake Peavy		2090 
SP	Chris Carpenter		2020
SP	A.J. Burnett		1900
RP	Francisco Rodriguez	2360
RP	Chad Cordero		2000
RP	Todd Jones		1550
RP	Huston Street		1000

Total Salary for Week 22: 	54680

Today's Fantasy Rx: Recommended roster expansion at each position, including an inexpensive alternative if the best player costs over 1000: Victor Martinez, Albert Pujols or Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, David Wright, Jhonny Peralta, and Manny Ramirez, Ken Griffey, Jason Bay, or Jeff Francoeur.

A.J. Burnett, Chris Carpenter, and Matt Clement lead the ranks of starting pitchers, although Felix Hernandez ranks as the top sleeper. Add either Todd Jones and/or Huston Street if you lack cheap closers.