Today's Fantasy Rx

Schedule recommendations for teams with 7 games

Good for hitters / Good for pitchers
Boston: 2 Home vs. NYY; 2 Home vs. TOR; 3 Home vs. BAL.
Chicago Cubs: 2 Home vs. PIT; 2 Road at ARI; 3 Road at SD.
Chicago White Sox: 2 Road at CLE; 2 Home vs. SEA; 3 Home vs. KC.
Cleveland: 2 Home vs. CHW; 2 Road at OAK; 3 Road at SEA.
Minnesota: 2 Home vs. SEA; 2 Home vs. KC; 3 Home vs. DET.
New York Mets: 2 Home vs. WAS; 2 Home vs. PIT; 3 Home vs. ATL.
Oakland: 2 Road at LAA; 2 Home vs. CLE; 3 Home vs. TB.

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Arizona: 2 Home vs. LAD; 2 Home vs. CHC; 3 Home vs. CIN.
Atlanta: 2 Home vs. COL; 2 Road at PHI; 3 Road at NYM.
Baltimore: 2 Home vs. TOR; 2 Road at TEX; 3 Road at BOS.
Cincinnati: 2 Home vs. STL; 2 Road at COL; 3 Road at ARI.
Colorado: 2 Road at ATL; 2 Home vs. CIN; 3 Home vs. HOU.
Detroit: 2 Home vs. KC; 2 Home vs. LAA; 3 Road at MIN.
Houston: 2 Road at MIL; 2 Home vs. STL; 3 Road at COL.
Los Angeles Angels: 2 Home vs. OAK; 2 Road at DET; 3 Road at TOR.
New York Yankees: 2 Road at BOS; 2 Road at TB; 3 Road at TEX.
Philadelphia: 2 Road at FLO; 2 Home vs. ATL; 3 Home vs. SF.
San Francisco: 2 Home vs. SD; 2 Road at MIL; 3 Road at PHI.
St. Louis: 2 Road at CIN; 2 Road at HOU; 3 Road at FLO.
Texas: 2 Road at TB; 2 Home vs. BAL; 3 Home vs. NYY.
Toronto: 2 Road at BAL; 2 Road at BOS; 3 Home vs. LAA.

Bad for hitters / Good for pitchers
Florida: 2 Home vs. PHI; 2 Road at WAS; 3 Home vs. STL.
Los Angeles Dodgers: 2 Road at ARI; 2 Home vs. SF; 3 Road at LAD.
San Diego: 2 Road at SF; 2 Road at LAD; 3 Home vs. CHC.
Washington: 2 Road at NYM; 2 Home vs. FLO; 2 Home vs. PIT.

Bad for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Kansas City: 2 Road at DET; 3 Road at MIN; 3 Road at CHW.
Pittsburgh: 2 Road at CHC; 2 Road at NYM; 3 Road at WAS.
Seattle: 2 Road at MIN; 2 Road at CHW; 3 Home vs. CLE.
Tampa Bay: 2 Home vs. TEX; 2 Home vs. NYY; 3 Road at OAK.

Pitchers with 2 starts(to deploy everywhere you own them):
Bronson Arroyo: Mon:STL(M.Mulder); Sat:@ARI(C.Vargas)
Scott Baker: Mon:SEA(J.Pineiro); Sat:DET(J.Bonderman)
Josh Beckett: Tue:NYY(S.Chacon); Sun:BAL(K.Benson)
Kris Benson: Tue:TOR(C.Janssen): Sun:@BOS(J.Beckett)
Jeremy Bonderman: Mon:KC(Run.Hernandez); Sat:@MIN(S.Baker)
Mark Buehrle: Tue:@CLE(C.Sabathia): Sun:KC(M.Redman)
Zach Duke: Tue:@CHC(An.Guzman); Sun:@WAS(M.O'Connor)
Angel Guzman: Tue:PIT(Z.Duke); Sun:@SD(W.Williams)
Tim Hudson: Mon:COL(J.Jennings); Sat:@NYM(V.Zambrano)
John Lackey: Tue:OAK(B.Halsey?); Sun:@TOR(C.Janssen)
Cliff Lee: Mon:CHW(M.Buehrle); Sat:@SEA(J.Pineiro)
Jon Lieber: Tue:@FLO(S.Olsen); Sun:SF(M.Morris)
Ted Lilly: Mon:@BAL(E.Bedard); Sat:LAA(H.Carrasco)
John Maine: Tue:WAS(M.O'Connor); Sun:ATL(Jor.Sosa)
Mike Maroth: Tue:KC(M.Redman); Sun:@MIN(J.Santana)
Sean Marshall: Mon:PIT(V.Santos); Sat:@SD(J.Peavy)
Matt Morris: Tue:SD(W.Williams); Sun:@PHI(J.Lieber)
Mark Mulder: Mon:@CIN(B.Arroyo); Sat:@FLO(D.Willis)
Tomo Ohka: Mon:HOU(W.Rodriguez); Sat:@LAD(B.Penny)
Ramon Ortiz: Mon:@NYM(V.Zambrano); Sat:PIT(V.Santos)
Jake Peavy: Mon:@SF(Jam.Wright); Sat:CHC(S.Marshall)
Brad Penny: Mon:@ARI(C.Vargas); Sat:MIL(T.Ohka)
Odalis Perez: Tue:@ARI(Or.Hernandez); Sun:MIL(B.Sheets)
Joel Pineiro: Mon:@MIN(S.Baker); Sat:CLE(Cl.Lee)
Sidney Ponson: Tue:@CIN(D.Williams); Sun:@FLO(S.Olsen)
Johan Santana: Tue:SEA(J.Washburn); Sun:DET(M.Maroth)
Ben Sheets: Tue:HOU(F.Nieve); Sun:@LAD(Od.Perez)
Javier Vazquez: Mon:@CLE(Cl.Lee); Sat:KC(Run.Hernandez)
Tim Wakefield: Mon:NYY(C.Wang); Sat:BAL(E.Bedard)
Jarrod Washburn: Tue:@MIN(J.Santana); Sun:CLE(C.Sabathia)
Woody Williams: Tue:@SF(M.Morris); Sun:CHC(An.Guzman)
Dontrelle Willis: Mon:PHI(R.Madson); Sat:STL(M.Mulder)
Victor Zambrano: Mon:WAS(Ra.Ortiz); Sat:ATL(T.Hudson)
Barry Zito: Mon:@LAA(H.Carrasco); Sat:TB(S.McClung)

Pitchers with 2 starts to deploy only in leagues that don't count qualitative stats:
Erik Bedard: Mon:TOR(T.Lilly); Sat:@BOS(T.Wakefield)
Hector Carrasco: Mon:OAK(B.Zito); Sat:@TOR(T.Lilly)
Shawn Chacon: Tue:@BOS(J.Beckett); Sun:@TEX(R.Tejeda)
Aaron Cook: Tue:@ATL(Jor.Sosa); Sun:HOU(F.Nieve)
Brad Halsey???: Tue:@LAA(J.Lackey)???; Sun:TB(M.Hendrickson)???
Mark Hendrickson: Tue:TEX(R.Tejeda); Sun:@OAK(B.Halsey?)
Orlando Hernandez: Tue:LAD(Od.Perez); Sun:CIN(D.Williams)
Runelvys Hernandez: Mon:@DET(J.Bonderman); Sat:@CHW(J.Vazquez)
Casey Janssen: Tue:@BAL(K.Benson); Sun:LAA(J.Lackey)
Jason Jennings: Mon:@ATL(T.Hudson); Sat:HOU(W.Rodriguez)
Kameron Loe: Mon:@TB(S.McClung); Sat:NYY(C.Wang)
Ryan Madson: Mon:@FLO(D.Willis); Sat:SF(Jam.Wright)
Seth McClung: Mon:TEX(K.Loe); Sat:@OAK(B.Zito)
Fernando Nieve: Tue:@MIL(B.Sheets); Sun:@COL(A.Cook)
Mike O'Connor: Tue:@NYM(J.Maine); Sun:PIT(Z.Duke)
Scott Olsen: Tue:PHI(R.Madson); Sun:STL(S.Ponson)
Mark Redman: Tue:@DET(M.Redman); Sun:@CHW(M.Buehrle)
Wandy Rodriguez: Mon:@MIL(T.Ohka); Sat:@COL(J.Jennings)
C.C. Sabathia: Tue:CHW(M.Buehrle); Sun:@SEA(J.Washburn)
Victor Santos: Mon:@CHC(S.Marshall); Sat:@WAS(Ra.Ortiz)
Jorge Sosa: Tue:COL(A.Cook); Sun:@NYM(J.Maine)
Robinson Tejeda: Tue:@TB(M.Hendrickson); Sun:NYY(S.Chacon)
Claudio Vargas: Mon:LAD(B.Penny); Sat:CIN(B.Arroyo)
Chien-ming Wang: Mon:@BOS(T.Wakefield); Sat:@TEX(K.Loe)
David Williams: Tue:STL(S.Ponson); Sun:@ARI(Or.Hernandez)
Jamey Wright: Mon:SD(J.Peavy); Sat:@PHI(R.Madson)

Diamond Challenge

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Tue:SEA(J.Washburn); Sun:DET(M.Maroth)
Roy Oswalt: Wed:STL(J.Marquis)
Pedro Martinez: Wed:PIT(I.Snell)
Chris Carpenter: Thu:@HOU(A.Pettitte)
Randy Johnson: Thu:@TB(D.Waechter)
Jake Peavy: Mon:@SF(Jam.Wright); Sat:CHC(S.Marshall)
Roy Halladay: Wed:@BOS(M.Clement)
Mark Buehrle: Tue:@CLE(C.Sabathia): Sun:KC(M.Redman)
Curt Schilling: Fri:BAL(Rod.Lopez)
Rich Harden: No start(DL)
Felix Hernandez: Thu:@CHW(J.Contreras)
John Lackey: Tue:OAK(B.Halsey?); Sun:@TOR(C.Janssen)
Dan Haren: Wed:CLE(P.Byrd)

With four solid doubles and easy choices of Pedro and Haren over Schilling and Oswalt, selecting our starting staff proved surprisingly easy. We also will leave Huston Street on the bench for one more week, especially with Mike Gonzalez heading to New York and Washington.

Offensively, the Colorado platoon returns to active duty, with the exception of Cory Sullivan, who just isn't a better bet than running Joey Gathright against the Yankees and Athletics. Uribe and Tracy hit the bench to make room for Barmes and Holliday, and then with Encarnacion heading to Colorado, Travis Hafner and his road trip to Oakland and Seattle will sit for this week.

The odds remain good that we'll add an outfielder within the next couple of weeks, probably for Sullivan, who only contributes in our strongest category of BA. Jonny Gomes appears as a free agent in two weeks, and while Jason Giambi tempted us this week, we're not convinced he'll outperform Tex over the balance of the year.

Rotohelp.com(3rd lg; 15th div; 184th overall)
Week 5: May 1-May 7

C	Victor Martinez		1020
C	Josh Willingham		340 
1B	Albert Pujols		2060
1B	Ryan Howard		880
2B	Chase Utley		1190
2B	Rickie Weeks		620
3B	David Wright		1210
3B	Edwin Encarnacion	600 
SS	Jose Reyes		1030 
SS	Clint Barmes		780 
OF	Jason Bay		1380 
OF	Chone Figgins		1350 
OF	Matt Holliday		1040
OF	Pat Burrell		1040 
OF	Joey Gathright		450
OF	Brad Hawpe		440 
DH	Mark Teixeira		1470
DH	Garrett Atkins		610

SP	Johan Santana		1960 
SP	Pedro Martinez		1700
SP	Jake Peavy		1240 
SP	Mark Buehrle		1120 
SP	John Lackey		940
SP	Dan Haren		860
RP	Ryan Dempster		1180
RP	Mike Gonzalez		1120 
RP	Jon Papelbon		890
RP	Chris Ray		820

Total Salary for Week 5: 	29340

Internet Challenge

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Tue:SEA(J.Washburn)
Roy Oswalt: Wed:STL(J.Marquis)
Pedro Martinez: Wed:PIT(I.Snell)
Chris Carpenter: Thu:@HOU(A.Pettitte)
Randy Johnson: Thu:@TB(D.Waechter)
Jake Peavy: Mon:@SF(Jam.Wright)
Roy Halladay: Wed:@BOS(M.Clement)
Mark Buehrle: Tue:@CLE(C.Sabathia)
Curt Schilling: No start.
Rich Harden: No start(DL)
Felix Hernandez: Thu:@CHW(J.Contreras)
John Lackey: Tue:OAK(B.Halsey?)
Dan Haren: Wed:CLE(P.Byrd)

We'll play the odds by employing our five home starts, and then Buehrle looks like the best fit of the other options. Street remains benched despite Gonzalez facing Dempster for two days.

Atkins, Barmes, and Holliday return to the lineup for Uribe, Tracy, and finally Hafner, the latter primarily for cap reasons. Helton stays benched until Colorado activates him.

Rotohelp.com(1st lg; 27th overall)
Week 5a: May 1-May 4

C	Victor Martinez		1020
C	Josh Willingham		340 
1B	Mark Teixeira		1470
1B	Ryan Howard		880
2B	Chase Utley		1190
2B	Rickie Weeks		620
3B	David Wright		1210 
3B	Edwin Encarnacion	600
SS	Jose Reyes		1030 
SS	Clint Barmes		780
OF	Jason Bay		1380
OF	Chone Figgins		1350 
OF	Pat Burrell		1040 
OF	Matt Holliday		1040 
OF	Cory Sullivan		460 
OF	Joey Gathright		450
DH	Albert Pujols		2060
DH	Garrett Atkins		610

SP	Pedro Martinez		1700 
SP	Chris Carpenter		1550
SP	Randy Johnson		1360 
SP	Roy Halladay		1230
SP	Curt Schilling		1070 
SP	Dan Haren		860
RP	Ryan Dempster		1180
RP	Mike Gonzalez		1120
RP	Jon Papelbon		890
RP	Chris Ray		820

Total Week 5a Salary:		29950

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

We're not waiting for Rich Harden to return given our paucity of doubles and lack of a tenth pitcher due to adding Papelbon last week, so we're dropping Harden for Javier Vazquez, who seems a slightly better bet than Mark Buehrle due the virtual guarantee of two starts this week and superior strikeout numbers.

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Tue:SEA(J.Washburn); Sun:DET(M.Maroth)
Roy Oswalt: Wed:STL(J.Marquis)
Chris Carpenter: Thu:@HOU(A.Pettitte)
Pedro Martinez: Wed:PIT(I.Snell)
Randy Johnson: Thu:@TB(D.Waechter)
Javier Vazquez: Mon:@CLE(Cl.Lee); Sat:KC(Run.Hernandez)
John Lackey: Tue:OAK(B.Halsey?); Sun:@TOR(C.Janssen)
Roy Halladay: Wed:@BOS(M.Clement)
Dan Haren: Wed:CLE(P.Byrd)

Given the run-scoring potential of the Cardinals, Astros, and Red Sox, we don't want to risk gunning for the Oswalt, Carpenter, and Halladay wins. We'll deploy our other six starters: Santana, Pedro, Randy, Vazquez, Lackey, and Haren.

Offensively, the return of Colorado to Coors involves swapping Barmes, Atkins, Holliday, and Sullivan for Crosby, Hafner(with Encarnacion in Colorado), Tracy, and Granderson. Mauer, Helton, Ellis, and Hermida stay benched. While these moves leave us a thousand bucks of extra cap space, everyone's respective schedules leaves Bay-for-Granderson as the best alternative, and that would just give us even more room. The return of Helton and Street at least will alleviate that concern for us.

Rotohelp.com(FB: 4th lg; 112th overall)
& Rotohelp.com(BB: 4th lg; 300th overall)
Week 5: May 1-May 7

 
C	Victor Martinez		1940
C	Josh Willingham		1000 
1B	Lance Berkman		2860
1B	Ryan Howard		1950
2B	Chase Utley		2270
2B	Rickie Weeks		1300
3B	David Wright		2480
3B	Edwin Encarnacion	1030 
SS	Felipe Lopez		1800 
SS	Clint Barmes		1610
OF	Barry Bonds		2720
OF	Jason Bay		2550 
OF	Grady Sizemore		2200 
OF	Matt Holliday		2140
OF	Jonny Gomes		1570 
OF	Cory Sullivan		1180
DH	Mark Teixeira		3220
DH	Garrett Atkins		1330

SP	Johan Santana		3310 
SP	Pedro Martinez		2970
SP	Randy Johnson		2910
SP	John Lackey		2760 
SP	Javier Vazquez		2810 
SP	Dan Haren		1940
RP	Ryan Dempster		2150
RP	Mike Gonzalez		1820
RP	Jon Papelbon		1590
RP	Chris Ray		1580

Total Salary for Week 5:	58990

Today's Fantasy Rx: Everyone gets seven games this week, so don't be afraid to deploy slightly more risky pitchers if you expect they'll face an easier lineup. Most managers will use this stretch of games, when the majority of teams switch cities at least once without an off-day. The hitters and relievers on the Royals, Yankees, Pirates, and Cardinals will be exhausted by week's end due to each of these clubs switching cities on both Tuesday and Thursday night without an off-day, so feel free to run your backups on these teams while benching as many middle relievers as possible.