Today's Fantasy Rx

Schedule recommendations for teams with 7 games

Good for hitters / Good for pitchers
Arizona: 4 Home vs. SF; 3 Road at LAD.
Boston: 1 Home vs. SEA; 3 Home vs. TB; 3 Road at TOR.
Cleveland: 1 Road at DET; 3 Road at BAL; 3 Road at KC.

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Baltimore: 1 Home vs. LAA; 3 Home vs. CLE; 3 Road at NYY.
Cincinnati: 3 Home vs. FLO; 4 Road at MIL.
Milwaukee: 3 Road at HOU; 4 Home vs. CIN.
San Diego: 3 Road at COL; 4 Home vs. NYM.
San Francisco: 4 Road at ARI; 3 Road at COL.

Bad for hitters / Good for pitchers
Detroit: 1 Home vs. CLE; 3 Road at OAK; 3 Road at SEA.
New York Mets: 3 Home vs. ATL; 4 Road at SD.
Seattle: 1 Road at BOS; 3 Home vs. TEX; 3 Home vs. DET.

Bad for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Los Angeles Angels: 1 Road at BAL; 3 Road at MIN; 3 Road at OAK.

Schedule recommendations for teams with 6 games

Good for hitters / Good for pitchers
Chicago White Sox: 3 Home vs. KC; 3 Home vs. MIN.
Oakland: 3 Home vs. DET; 3 Home vs. LAA.
Philadelphia: 3 Home vs. WAS; 3 Home vs. FLO.
St. Louis: 3 Road at PIT; 3 Home vs. CHC.

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Colorado: 3 Home vs. SD; 3 Home vs. SF.
Florida: 3 Road at CIN; 3 Road at PHI.
Houston: 3 Home vs. MIL; 3 Home vs. PIT.
Minnesota: 3 Home vs. LAA; 3 Road at CHW.
Pittsburgh: 3 Home vs. STL; 3 Road at HOU.
Tampa Bay: 3 Road at BOS; 3 Road at TEX.
Texas: 3 Road at SEA; 3 Home vs. TB.

Bad for hitters / Good for pitchers
Atlanta: 3 Road at NYM; 3 Road at WAS.
Chicago Cubs: 3 Road at LAD; 3 Road at STL.
Los Angeles Dodgers: 3 Home vs. CHC; 3 Home vs. ARI.

Bad for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Kansas City: 3 Road at CHW; 3 Home vs. CLE.
Washington: 3 Road at PHI; 3 Home vs. ATL.

Schedule recommendations for teams with 5 games

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
New York Yankees: 2 Road at TOR; 3 Home vs. BAL.
Toronto: 2 Home vs. NYY; 3 Home vs. BOS.

Pitchers with 2 starts (to deploy everywhere you own them):
Miguel Batista: Mon:SF(J.Fassero); Sat:@LAD(J.Seo)
Paul Byrd: Mon:@DET(N.Robertson); Sat:@KC(J.Mays)
Daniel Cabrera: Mon:LAA(J.Weaver); Sat:@NYY(C.Wang)
Bruce Chen: Tue:CLE(Jas.Johnson); Sun:@NYY(R.Johnson)
Matt Clement: Tue:TB(C.Fossum); Sun:@TOR(J.Towers)
Jose Contreras: Mon:KC(J.Mays); Sun:MIN(C.Silva)
Doug Davis: Tue:@HOU(R.Oswalt); Sun:CIN(E.Milton)
Kelvim Escobar: Tue:@MIN(C.Silva); Sun:@OAK(E.Loaiza)
Felix Hernandez: Tue:TEX(J.Koronka); Sun:DET(J.Verlander)
Jason Johnson: Tue:@BAL(B.Chen); Sun:@KC(J.Affeldt)
Randy Johnson: Tue:@TOR(G.Chacin); Sun:BAL(B.Chen)
Cory Lidle: Tue:WAS(T.Armas); Sun: FLO(B.Moehler)
Esteban Loaiza: Tue:DET(J.Verlander); Sun:LAA(K.Escobar)
Greg Maddux: Mon:@LAD(B.Tomko); Sat:@STL(M.Mulder)
Paul Maholm: Mon:STL(J.Marquis); Sun:@HOU(R.Oswalt)
Jason Marquis: Mon:@PIT(P.Maholm); Sun:CHC(C.Zambrano)
Pedro Martinez: Mon:ATL(Jo.Sosa); Sat:@SD(C.Young)
Roy Oswalt?: Tue:MIL(D.Davis); Sun:PIT(P.Maholm)?
Nate Robertson: Mon:CLE(P.Byrd); Sat:@SEA(G.Meche)
Justin Verlander: Tue:@OAK(E.Loaiza); Sun:@SEA(F.Hernandez)
Carlos Silva: Tue:LAA(K.Escobar); Sun:@CHW(J.Contreras)
Brett Tomko: Mon:CHC(G.Maddux); Sun:ARI(Ru.Ortiz)
Jeff Weaver: Mon:@BAL(D.Cabrera); Sat:@OAK(D.Haren)
Victor Zambrano: Tue:ATL(K.Davies); Sun:SD(C.Hensley)
Carlos Zambrano?: Tue:@LAD(D.Lowe): Sun:@STL(J.Marquis)?

Pitchers with 2 starts to deploy only in leagues that do not count qualitative stats:
Jeremy Affeldt: Tue:@CHW(J.Garland); Sun:CLE(Jas.Johnson)
Tony Armas: Tue:@PHI(C.Lidle); Sun:ATL(Jo.Sosa)
Taylor Buchholz: Mon:MIL(D.Bush); Sat:PIT(I.Snell)
David Bush: Mon:@HOU(T.Buchholz); Sat:CIN(B.Claussen)
Brandon Claussen: Mon:FLO(B.Moehler); Sat:@MIL(D.Bush)
Lenny DiNardo: Mon:SEA(G.Meche); Sat:@TOR(A.Burnett)
Casey Fossum: Tue:@BOS(M.Clement); Sun:@TEX(J.Koronka)
Jeff Francis: Mon:@SD(C.Young); Sun:SF(M.Morris)
Jeff Fassero?: Mon:@ARI(M.Batista); Sat:@COL(A.Cook)?
Clay Hensley: Tue:@COL(J.Fogg); Sun:NYM(V.Zambrano)
John Koronka: Tue:@SEA(F.Hernandez); Sun:TB(C.Fossum)
Joe Mays: Mon:@CHW(J.Contreras); Sat:CLE(P.Byrd)
Gil Meche: Mon:@BOS(L.DiNardo); Sat:DET(N.Robertson)
Eric Milton: Tue:FLO(J.Vargas); Sun:@MIL(D.Davis)
Brian Moehler: Mon:@CIN(B.Claussen); Sun:@PHI(C.Lidle)
Matt Morris: Tue:@ARI(Ru.Ortiz); Sun:@COL(J.Francis)
Russ Ortiz: Tue:SF(M.Morris); Sun:@LAD(B.Tomko)
Jorge Sosa: Mon:@NYM(P.Martinez); Sun:@WAS(T.Armas)
Chris Young: Mon:@COL(J.Francis); Sat:NYM(P.Martinez)

Diamond Challenge

Once again we are not prepared to cut anyone, so Jon Papelbon remains off our squad.

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Fri:@CHW(M.Buehrle)
Roy Oswalt?: Tue:MIL(D.Davis); Sun:PIT(P.Maholm)?
Pedro Martinez: Mon:ATL(Jo.Sosa); Sat:@SD(C.Young)
Chris Carpenter: Wed:@PIT(V.Santos)
Randy Johnson: Tue:@TOR(G.Chacin); Sun:BAL(B.Chen)
Jake Peavy: Thu:NYM(S.Trachsel)
Roy Halladay: Fri:BOS(J.Beckett)
Mark Buehrle: Fri:MIN(J.Santana)
Barry Zito: Thu:DET(J.Bonderman)
Rich Harden: Fri:LAA(J.Lackey)
Felix Hernandez: Tue:TEX(J.Koronka); Sun:DET(J.Verlander)
John Lackey: Fri:@OAK(R.Harden)
Dan Haren: Sat:LAA(J.Weaver)

With four likely doubles and four other pitchers opposing each other, we really have few viable choices here. Dan Haren easily ranks as the best value, and then Zito edges Carpenter and Peavy due to a generally safer scenario.

Flipping Gathright for Griffey allows us to keep Pujols active while returning some speed to the lineup. We would like Figgins, but we hope to receive similar production at a $900 discount. Tex, Uribe, and Encarnacion also remain benched.

Rotohelp.com(2nd lg; 21st div; 364th overall)
Week 3: April 17-April 23

C	Victor Martinez		1020
C	Josh Willingham		340
1B	Travis Hafner		1180
2B	Chase Utley		1190
2B	Rickie Weeks		620
3B	David Wright		1210
3B	Garrett Atkins		610
SS	Jose Reyes		1030
SS	Clint Barmes		780
OF	Jason Bay		1380
OF	Matt Holliday		1040 
OF	Pat Burrell		1040
OF	Chad Tracy		1020
OF	Cory Sullivan		460 
OF	Joey Gathright		450
DH	Albert Pujols		2060
DH	Todd Helton		1380

SP	Roy Oswalt		1830 
SP	Pedro Martinez		1700
SP	Randy Johnson		1360
SP	Barry Zito		1070
SP	Felix Hernandez		960
SP	Dan Haren		860
RP	Huston Street		1300
RP	Ryan Dempster		1180
RP	Mike Gonzalez		1120
RP	Chris Ray		820

Total Salary for Week 3: 	29890

Internet Challenge

While we again considered Jon Papelbon, we do not need the cap room right now and we are not ready to cut anyone. We need Uribe to platoon with Barmes and unless Halladay bombs next weekend, we have no starter we want to cut.

SP(6)
Johan Santana: No start.
Roy Oswalt: Tue:MIL(D.Davis)
Pedro Martinez: Mon:ATL(Jo.Sosa)
Chris Carpenter: Wed:@PIT(V.Santos)
Randy Johnson: Tue:@TOR(G.Chacin)
Jake Peavy: Thu:NYM(S.Trachsel)
Roy Halladay: No start.
Mark Buehrle: No start.
Barry Zito: Thu:DET(J.Bonderman)
Rich Harden: No start.
Felix Hernandez: Tue:TEX(J.Koronka)
John Lackey: No start.
Dan Haren: No start.

Randy's shakiness leaves us with six viable options, and to accommodate the expensive starters, Edwin Encarnacion will replace Pujols while Tex, Uribe, Griffey, and Gathright stay lodged on our bench.

Rotohelp.com(4th lg; 127th overall)
Week 3a: April 17-April 20

C	Victor Martinez		1020
C	Josh Willingham		340 
1B	Travis Hafner		1180
1B	Ryan Howard		880
2B	Chase Utley		1190
2B	Rickie Weeks		620
3B	David Wright		1210 
3B	Garrett Atkins		610
SS	Jose Reyes		1030 
SS	Clint Barmes		780
OF	Jason Bay		1380
OF	Chone Figgins		1350 
OF	Pat Burrell		1040
OF	Chad Tracy		1040 
OF	Matt Holliday		1040
OF	Cory Sullivan		460 
DH	Todd Helton		1380
DH	Edwin Encarnacion	600

SP	Roy Oswalt		1830 
SP	Pedro Martinez		1700 
SP	Chris Carpenter		1550 
SP	Jake Peavy		1240
SP	Barry Zito		1070
SP	Felix Hernandez		960
RP	Huston Street		1300
RP	Ryan Dempster		1180
RP	Mike Gonzalez		1120
RP	Chris Ray		820

Total Week 3a Salary:		29900

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

With Ellis contributing nothing, we need to add a second baseman. Despite his high salary, we are tired of giving up points to the 70% of owners with Utley, so we will add Utley for the injured Coco Crisp.

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Fri:@CHW(M.Buehrle)
Roy Oswalt?: Tue:MIL(D.Davis); Sun:PIT(P.Maholm)?
Chris Carpenter: Wed:@PIT(V.Santos)
Pedro Martinez: Mon:ATL(Jo.Sosa); Sat:@SD(C.Young)
Randy Johnson: Tue:@TOR(G.Chacin); Sun:BAL(B.Chen)
John Lackey: Fri:@OAK(R.Harden)
Roy Halladay: Fri:BOS(J.Beckett)
Rich Harden: Fri:LAA(J.Lackey)
Dan Haren: Sat:LAA(J.Weaver)
Felix Hernandez: Tue:TEX(J.Koronka); Sun:DET(J.Verlander)

Along with our four probable doubles, the Lackey/Harden match-up, Halladay rebound start, and tough road outing for Santana leave us with Carpenter and Haren as the safest options.

Offensively, Mauer, Tex, Encarnacion, Crosby, and Hermida remain benched while Utley sends Ellis out and Granderson replaces Sizemore to cover the salary difference. Bonds then replaces Griffey since we have a good feeling about Barry with the Giants heading to Coors next weekend.

Rotohelp.com(FB: 2th lg; 158th overall)
& Rotohelp.com(BB: 3rd lg; 355th overall)
Week 3: April 17-April 23

 
C	Victor Martinez		1940
C	Josh Willingham		1000
1B	Travis Hafner		2680
1B	Ryan Howard		1950
2B	Chase Utley		2270
2B	Rickie Weeks		1300
3B	David Wright		2480
3B	Garrett Atkins		1330 
SS	Felipe Lopez		1800
SS	Clint Barmes		1610 
OF	Barry Bonds		2720
OF	Jason Bay		2550
OF	Matt Holliday		2140
OF	Chad Tracy		2100 
OF	Cory Sullivan		1180 
OF	Curtis Granderson	1000
DH	Todd Helton		3040
DH	Lance Berkman		2860

SP	Roy Oswalt		3200
SP	Chris Carpenter		3140
SP	Pedro Martinez		2970 
SP	Randy Johnson		2910 
SP	Dan Haren		1940 
SP	Felix Hernandez		1650
RP	Huston Street		2320
RP	Ryan Dempster		2150
RP	Mike Gonzalez		1820
RP	Chris Ray		1580

Total Salary for Week 3:	59630

Today's Fantasy Rx: Although we shied away from any purchases this week outside of adding Utley in FB, we see little reason not to join several bandwagons. While league leaders like Garrett Atkins, Chris Shelton, Curt Schilling, Jon Papelbon, and Derrick Turnbow own excellent skill foundations, folks like Jim Thome, Craig Wilson, Oscar Villareal, and Mike Maroth do not look like particularly solid investments. Perhaps Thome and even Wilson will continue proving us wrong, but we recommend exercising plenty of caution before investing in either veteran.