Today's Fantasy Rx

Schedule recommendations for teams with 8 games

Good for hitters / Good for pitchers
New York Mets: 4 Home vs. PIT; 4 Home vs. FLO.

Bad for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Florida: 4 Road at WAS; 4 Road at NYM.

Schedule recommendations for teams with 7 games

Good for hitters / Good for pitchers
Cleveland: 4 Home vs. NYY; 3 Home vs. BAL.
Los Angeles Dodgers: 3 Home vs. ARI; 4 Home vs. SF.
Milwaukee: 3 Home vs. CIN; 4 Home vs. CHC.
Oakland: 3 Home vs. DET; 4 Home vs. LAA.

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Atlanta: 3 Home vs. STL; 4 Home vs. CIN.
Boston: 4 Road at TB; 3 Road at CHW.
Chicago White Sox: 4 Home vs. BAL; 3 Home vs. BOS.
Chicago Cubs: 3 Road at HOU; 4 Road at Mil.
Cincinnati: 3 Road at MIL; 4 Road at ATL.
Houston: 3 Home vs. CHC; 4 Home vs. STL.
Kansas City: 3 Home vs. MIN; 4 Home vs. TOR.
Pittsburgh: 4 Road at NYM; 3 Road at PHI.
San Francisco: 3 Road at COL; 4 Road at LAD.
St. Louis: 3 Road at ATL; 4 Road at HOU.
Tampa Bay: 4 Home vs. BOS; 3 Home vs. NYY.
Toronto: 3 Road at TEX; 4 Road at KC.

Bad for hitters / Good for pitchers
Los Angeles Angels: 3 Road at SEA; 4 Road at OAK.
New York Yankees: 4 Road at CLE; 3 Road at TB.
Washington: 4 Home vs. FLO; 3 Home vs. SD.

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

Schedule recommendations for teams with 6 games

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Arizona: 3 Road at LAD; 3 Road at COL.
Colorado: 3 Home vs. SF; 3 Home vs. ARI.
Minnesota: 3 Road at KC; 3 Road at TEX.
Texas: 3 Home vs. TOR; 3 Home vs. MIN.
Philadelphia: 3 Home vs. SD; 3 Home vs. PIT.
San Diego: 3 Road at PHI; 3 Road at WAS.

Bad for hitters / Good for pitchers
Detroit: 3 Road at OAK; 3 Road at SEA.
Seattle: 3 Home vs. LAA; 3 Home vs. DET.

Pitchers with 2 starts(to deploy everywhere you own them):
Bronson Arroyo: Tue:@MIL(D.Davis); Sun:@ATL(J.Thomson?)
Pedro Astacio: Mon:FLO(R.Nolasco); Sat:SD(C.Young)
Josh Beckett: Mon:TB(S.Kazmir); Sat:@CHW(F.Garcia)
Joe Blanton: Mon:DET(N.Robertson); Sat:LAA(Jer.Weaver)
David Bush: Mon:CIN(A.Harang); Sat:CHC(C.Marmol)
Chris Carpenter: Tue:@ATL(J.Thomson?); Sun:@HOU(A.Pettitte)
Roger Clemens: Mon:CHC(C.Marmol); Sat:STL(An.Reyes)
Jose Contreras: Tue:BAL(R.Lopez); Sun:BOS(C.Schilling)
Zach Duke: Tue:@NYM(T.Glavine); Sun:@PHI(C.Hamels)
Freddy Garcia: Mon:BAL(E.Bedard); Sat:BOS(J.Beckett)
Tom Glavine: Tue:PIT(Z.Duke); Sun:FLO(S.Olsen)
Roy Halladay: Tue:@TEX(J.Koronka); Sun:@KC(J.Gobble)
Cole Hamels: Tue:SD(C.Hensley); Sun:PIT(Z.Duke)
Aaron Harang: Mon:@MIL(D.Bush); Sat:@ATL(J.Smoltz)
Dan Haren: Tue:DET(J.Verlander); Sun:LAA(Er.Santana)
Clay Hensley: Tue:@PHI(C.Hamels); Sun:@WAS(J.Patterson)
Felix Hernandez: Mon:LAA(Jer.Weaver); Sun:DET(N.Robertson)
Scott Kazmir: Mon:BOS(J.Beckett); Sat:NYY(C.Wang)
Derek Lowe: Mon:ARI(J.Cruz); Sat:SF(N.Lowry)
Paul Maholm: Mon:@NYM(P.Martinez); Sat:@PHI(C.Lidle)
Ricky Nolasco: Mon:@WAS(P.Astacio); Sat:NYM(P.Martinez)
Scott Olsen: Tue:@WAS(J.Patterson); Sun:@NYM(T.Glavine)
John Patterson: Tue:FLO(S.Olsen); Sun:SD(C.Hensley)
Andy Pettitte: Tue:CHC(M.Prior); Sun:STL(C.Carpenter)
Anthony Reyes: Mon:@ATL(J.Smoltz); Sat;@HOU(R.Clemens)
Nate Robertson: Mon:@OAK(J.Blanton); Sun:@SEA(F.Hernandez)
Ervin Santana: Tue:@SEA(G.Meche); Sun:@OAK(D.Haren)
Johan Santana: Mon:@KC(S.Elarton); Sat:@TEX(K.Millwood)
Curt Schilling: Tue:@TB(C.Fossum); Sun:@CHW(J.Contreras)
Jason Schmidt: Tue:@COL(J.Francis); Sun:@LAD(A.Sele)
Aaron Sele: Tue:ARI(En.Gonzalez); Sun:SF(J.Schmidt)
John Smoltz: Mon:STL(An.Reyes); Sat:CIN(A.Harang)
Jeremy Sowers: Mon:NYY(C.Wang); Sat:BAL(E.Bedard)
Jered Weaver: Mon:SEA(F.Hernandez); Sat:@OAK(J.Blanton)
Jake Westbrook: Tue:NYY(S.Chacon); Sun:BAL(R.Lopez)

Pitchers with 2 starts to deploy only in leagues that don't count qualitative stats:
Erik Bedard: Mon:@CHW(F.Garcia); Sat:@CLE(J.Sowers)
Shawn Chacon: Tue:@CLE(J.Westbrook); Sun:@TB(C.Fossum)
Aaron Cook: Mon:SF(N.Lowry); Sun:ARI(J.Cruz)
Juan Cruz: Mon:@LAD(D.Lowe); Sun:@COL(A.Cook)
Doug Davis: Tue:CIN(B.Arroyo); Sun:CHC(M.Prior)
Scott Elarton: Mon:MIN(J.Santana); Sat:TOR(T.Lilly)
Casey Fossum: Tue:BOS(C.Schilling); Sun:NYY(S.Chacon)
Jimmy Gobble: Tue:MIN(B.Bonser); Sun:TOR(R.Halladay)
Ted Lilly: Mon:@TEX(J.Rheinecker); Sat:@KC(S.Elarton)
Rod Lopez: Tue:@CHW(J.Contreras); Sun:@CLE(J.Westbrook)
Noah Lowry: Mon:@COL(A.Cook); Sat:@LAD(D.Lowe)
Carlos Marmol: Mon:@HOU(R.Clemens); Sat:@MIL(D.Bush)
Mark Prior: Tue:@HOU(A.Pettitte); Sun:@MIL(D.Davis)
John Rheinecker: Mon:TOR(T.Lilly); Sun:MIN(C.Silva?)
Chien-ming Wang: Mon:@CLE(J.Sowers); Sat:@TB(S.Kazmir)

Diamond Challenge

Since we need cap room yet absolutely refuse to deploy Ryan Dempster, we're burning another purchase on J.J. Putz.

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Mon:@KC(S.Elarton); Sat:@TEX(K.Millwood)
Roy Oswalt: Wed:CHC(S.Marshall)
Pedro Martinez: Sat:FLO(R.Nolasco)???
Chris Carpenter: Tue:@ATL(J.Thomson?); Sun:@HOU(A.Pettitte)
Randy Johnson: Thu:@CLE(C.Lee)
Jake Peavy: Wed:@PHI(S.Mathieson)
Roy Halladay: Tue:@TEX(J.Koronka); Sun:@KC(J.Gobble)
Mark Buehrle: Fri:BOS(J.Lester)
Curt Schilling: Tue:@TB(C.Fossum); Sun:@CHW(J.Contreras)
Brandon Webb: Sat:@COL(J.Jennings)
Felix Hernandez: Mon:LAA(Jer.Weaver); Sun:DET(N.Robertson)
John Lackey: Fri:@OAK(B.Zito)
Dan Haren: Tue:DET(J.Verlander); Sun:LAA(Er.Santana)

With six doubles, we're looking to find cap room anywhere possible to rectify our awful error of benching Mauer last week. Subbing Putz for Street takes care of most of our problems as Mauer will replace Willingham while Tex, Figgins, and Encarnacion stay benched.

Rotohelp.com(7th lg; 84th div; 1607th overall)
Week 14: July 3-July 9

C	Victor Martinez		1020 
C	Joe Mauer		770
1B	Albert Pujols		2060
1B	Ryan Howard		880
2B	Chase Utley		1190
2B	Rickie Weeks		620
3B	David Wright		1210 
3B	Garrett Atkins		610 
SS	Felipe Lopez		1070
SS	Jose Reyes		1030 
OF	Jason Bay		1380 
OF	Pat Burrell		1040 
OF	Matt Holliday		1040 
OF	Chad Tracy		1020
OF	Nick Swisher		620 
OF	Brad Hawpe		440
DH	Travis Hafner		1180 
DH	Jim Thome		1070

SP	Johan Santana		1960
SP	Chris Carpenter		1550 
SP	Roy Halladay		1230
SP	Curt Schilling		1070 
SP	Felix Hernandez		960 
SP	Dan Haren		860
RP	Bobby Jenks		1150
RP	J.J. Putz		890
RP	Jon Papelbon		890
RP	Chris Ray		820

Total Salary for Week 14: 	29630

Diamond Challenge - 2nd Season

Despite our initial plan to only add hitting with our purchases, we can't resist Francisco Liriano as a free agent, so he'll join our team while Jake Peavy will depart due to his persistent aches and pines, plus the Padres' decision to baby him after the break.

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Mon:@KC(S.Elarton); Sat:@TEX(K.Millwood)
Pedro Martinez: Sat:FLO(R.Nolasco)???
John Smoltz: Mon:STL(An.Reyes); Sat:CIN(A.Harang)
Roy Halladay: Tue:@TEX(J.Koronka); Sun:@KC(J.Gobble)
Curt Schilling: Tue:@TB(C.Fossum); Sun:@CHW(J.Contreras)
Brandon Webb: Sat:@COL(J.Jennings)
C.C. Sabathia: Fri:BAL(K.Benson)
Mike Mussina: Wed:@CLE(P.Byrd)
John Lackey: Fri:@OAK(B.Zito)
Chris Capuano: Thu:CHC(G.Maddux)
Dan Haren: Tue:DET(J.Verlander); Sun:LAA(Er.Santana)
Brad Penny: Wed:ARI(C.Vargas)
Tom Glavine: Tue:PIT(Z.Duke); Sun:FLO(S.Olsen)
Scott Kazmir: Mon:BOS(J.Beckett); Sat:NYY(C.Wang)
Francisco Liriano: Fri:@TEX(J.Wasdin)

We'll skip Smoltz from our seven doubles due to his comparatively higher cost and lesser chance to win two. Offensively, obviously Hawpe replaces the DL's Alex Rios, and then despite the upside of Corey Patterson facing Cleveland, he'll hit the bench for Matt Holliday due to his foot problems.

Rotohelp.com(14th lg; 119th div; 657th overall)
Week 14: July 3-July 9

C	Joe Mauer		770
C	Ramon Hernandez		690
1B	Travis Hafner		1180
1B	Ryan Howard		880
2B	Chase Utley		1190
2B	Rickie Weeks		620
3B	David Wright		1210 
3B	Morgan Ensberg		1010
SS	Jose Reyes		1030 
SS	Hanley Ramirez		400
OF	Jason Bay		1380 
OF	Scott Podsednik		1370 
OF	Matt Holliday		1040
OF	Austin Kearns		700
OF	Nick Swisher		620 
OF	Brad Hawpe		440
DH	Albert Pujols		2060
DH	Jim Thome		1070

SP	Johan Santana		1960 
SP	Roy Halladay		1230 
SP	Curt Schilling		1070 
SP	Dan Haren		860
SP	Tom Glavine		820 
SP	Scott Kazmir		820
RP	Bobby Jenks		1150
RP	Jon Papelbon		890
RP	Chris Ray		820
RP	Akinori Otsuka		690

Total Salary for Week 14: 	27970

Internet Challenge

Dempster also pushed us over the edge here, and since we need massive cap relief, J.J. Putz will join our team while Todd Helton departs due to providing us no more than minimal quantitative help. Dempster remains on our bench just in case once of our other relievers succumbs to injury and we can't burn another move.

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Mon:@KC(S.Elarton)
Roy Oswalt: Wed:CHC(S.Marshall)
Pedro Martinez: No start.
Chris Carpenter: Tue:@ATL(J.Thomson?)
Randy Johnson: Thu:@CLE(C.Lee)
Jake Peavy: Wed:@PHI(S.Mathieson)
Roy Halladay: Tue:@TEX(J.Koronka)
Mark Buehrle: No start.
Curt Schilling: Tue:@TB(C.Fossum)
Felix Hernandez: Mon:LAA(Jer.Weaver)
John Lackey: No start.
Dan Haren: Tue:DET(J.Verlander)
Francisco Liriano: No start.

Selecting Santana, Oswalt, Carpenter, Schilling, Felix, and Haren proved surprisingly easy. Putz replaces Dempster in our bullpen.

Holliday will replace Tex at DH, and then to squeak under the cap, Willingham subs for Victor Martinez. Encarnacion and Figgins stay benched.

Rotohelp.com(12th lg; 351st overall)
Week 14a: July 3-July 6

 
C	Joe Mauer		770 
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	Felipe Lopez		1070
SS	Jose Reyes		1030 
OF	Jason Bay		1380 
OF	Pat Burrell		1040 
OF	Chad Tracy		1020 
OF	Corey Patterson		910
OF	Jermaine Dye		840
OF	Nick Swisher		620 
DH	Albert Pujols		2060 
DH	Matt Holliday		1040

SP	Johan Santana		1960
SP	Roy Oswalt		1830 
SP	Chris Carpenter		1550 
SP	Curt Schilling		1070
SP	Felix Hernandez		960
SP	Dan Haren		860
RP	Huston Street		1300 
RP	J.J. Putz		890
RP	Jon Papelbon		890
RP	Chris Ray		820

Total Salary for Week 14a:	29940

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

Putz also will replace Dempster outright here, saving us 550 on a weekly basis.

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Mon:@KC(S.Elarton); Sat:@TEX(K.Millwood)
Roy Oswalt: Wed:CHC(S.Marshall)
Chris Carpenter: Tue:@ATL(J.Thomson?); Sun:@HOU(A.Pettitte)
Pedro Martinez: Sat:FLO(R.Nolasco)???
Randy Johnson: Thu:@CLE(C.Lee)
Javier Vazquez: Thu:BAL(Ru.Ortiz)
John Lackey: Fri:@OAK(B.Zito)
Mike Mussina: Wed:@CLE(P.Byrd)
Roy Halladay: Tue:@TEX(J.Koronka); Sun:@KC(J.Gobble)
Dan Haren: Tue:DET(J.Verlander); Sun:LAA(Er.Santana)

Santana, Oswalt, Carpenter, Vazquez, Halladay, and Haren all should be fine.

Offensively, only Mauer for Willingham appears particularly viable. Tex, Ellis, Encarnacion, Barmes, Bay, Sullivan, and Gomes all stay benched.

Rotohelp.com(FB: 12th lg; 627th overall)
& Rotohelp.com(BB: 14th lg; 1369th overall)
Week 14: July 3-July 9

 
C	Victor Martinez		1940 
C	Joe Mauer		1710
1B	Lance Berkman		2860
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	Bobby Crosby		1640 
OF	Grady Sizemore		2200 
OF	Chad Tracy		2100 
OF	Nick Swisher		1550
OF	Curtis Granderson	1000 
OF	Jeremy Hermida		1000 
DH	Albert Pujols		3870
DH	Travis Hafner		2680

SP	Johan Santana		3310 
SP	Roy Oswalt		3200
SP	Chris Carpenter		3140 
SP	Javier Vazquez		2810 
SP	Roy Halladay		2480
SP	Dan Haren		1940
RP	Huston Street		2320 
RP	J.J. Putz		1600
RP	Jon Papelbon		1590
RP	Chris Ray		1580

Total Salary for Week 14:	59790

Today's Fantasy Rx: While the All-Star managers unsurprisingly snubbed perhaps a dozen deserving players, the choices for the 32nd man Final Vote lets the fans rectify the most egregious decisions. Please vote here, early and often, for Travis Hafner and Nomar Garciaparra before Thursday's deadline of 5PM (EDT). Hafner currently ranks as the best player in the majors and got shafted by Ozzie Guillen's marginally defensible choice to take both Konerko and Thome. In the NL, while Chris Capuano belongs on the team, Nomar holds a slight edge on the Brewers' de facto ace.

Somewhat surprisingly, the fans picked far worse squads than the players, managers, and coaches. Ivan Rodriguez, David Ortiz, Vladimir Guerrero, and Paul Lo Duca barely deserve to see the game as spectators. Those additions cost Ramon Hernandez, Hafner, Nick Swisher, and Michael Barrett. Jason Giambi, Curtis Granderson, and Francisco Liriano also all belonged, though while people decry the inclusion of Mark Redman, picking Elmer Dessens or Jimmy Gobble appears equally irrelevant. The biggest NL snubs look like Nick Johnson, Nomar, Capuano, and Takashi Saito, though at least one of those guys ceded his spot to Freddy Sanchez to give the hometown Pirates two All-Stars. Overall, as long as Hafner and Nomar win the fan vote while Capuano replaces Pedro, only Jason Giambi's absence will appear particularly noticeable next Tuesday.