Today's Fantasy Rx

Schedule recommendations for teams with 8 games

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Kansas City: 4 Road at CHW; 4 Home vs. OAK.
New York Yankees: 1 Home vs. LAA: 3 Home vs. BAL; 4 Road at BOS.

Schedule recommendations for teams with 7 games

Good for hitters / Good for pitchers
Atlanta: 4 Road at WAS; 3 Road at FLO.
Oakland: 3 Home vs. SEA; 4 Road at KC.

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Arizona: 4 Road at COL; 3 Road at SD.
Boston: 3 Home vs. DET; 4 Home vs. NYY.
Chicago White Sox: 4 Home vs. KC; 3 Road at MIN.
Colorado: 4 Home vs. ARI; 3 Road at NYM.
Detroit: 3 Road at BOS; 4 Home vs. TEX.
Houston: 3 Home vs. CHC; 4 Road at MIL.
Los Angeles Angels: 1 Road at NYY; 2 Road at TEX; Home vs. SEA.
Milwaukee: 3 Road at PIT; 4 Home vs. HOU.
New York Mets: 4 Road at PHI; 3 Home vs. COL.
Philadelphia: 4 Home vs. NYM; 3 Home vs. WAS.
Washington: 4 Home vs. ATL; 3 Road at PHI.

Bad for hitters / Good for pitchers
San Diego: 4 Home vs. SF; 3 Home vs. ARI.

Bad for hitters / Bad for pitchers
San Francisco: 4 Road at SD; 3 Home vs. LAD.
Seattle: 3 Road at OAK; 4 Road at LAA.

Schedule recommendations for teams with 6 games

Good for hitters / Good for pitchers
Los Angeles Dodgers: 3 Home vs. FLO; 3 Road at SF.
Minnesota: 3 Home vs. CLE; 3 Home vs. CHW.
Tampa Bay: 3 Home vs. TOR; 3 Home vs. CLE.

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Baltimore: 3 Road at NYY; 3 Home vs. TOR.
Chicago Cubs: 3 Road at HOU; 3 Home vs. STL.
Cincinnati: 3 Road at STL; 3 Home vs. PIT.
Pittsburgh: 3 Home vs. MIL; 3 Road at CIN.
St. Louis: 3 Home vs. CIN; 3 Road at CHC.
Toronto: 3 Road at TB; 3 Road at BAL.

Bad for hitters / Good for pitchers
Cleveland: 3 Road at MIN; 3 Road at TB.
Florida: 3 Road at LAD; 3 Home vs. ATL.

Bad for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Texas: 2 Home vs. LAA; 4 Road at DET.

Pitchers with 2 starts(to deploy everywhere you own them):
Josh Beckett: Mon:DET(N.Robertson); Sat:NYY(R.Johnson)
Erik Bedard: Tue:@NYY(M.Mussina); Sun:TOR(R.Halladay)
Jeremy Bonderman: Tue:@BOS(C.Schilling); Sun:TEX(V.Padilla)
David Bush: Mon:@PIT(V.Santos); Sat:HOU(R.Oswalt)
Chris Carpenter: Tue:CIN(A.Harang); Sun:@CHC(C.Zambrano)
Roger Clemens: Tue:CHC(J.Mateo); Sun:@MIL(D.Davis)
Doug Davis: Tue:@PIT(T.Gorzelanny); Sun:HOU(R.Clemens)
Jeff Francis: Mon:ARI(C.Vargas); Sat:@NYM(P.Martinez)
Jon Garland: Mon:KC(M.Redman); Sat:@MIN(B.Radke)
Roy Halladay: Tue:@TB(J.Seo); Sun:@BAL(E.Bedard)
Aaron Harang: Tue:@STL(C.Carpenter); Sun:PIT(V.Santos)
Clay Hensley: Mon:SF(B.Hennessey); Sat:ARI(C.Vargas)
Orlando Hernandez: Tue:@PHI(R.Wolf); Sun:COL(J.Jennings)
Chuck James: Mon:@WAS(Ra.Ortiz); Sat:@FLO(R.Nolasco)
Jason Jennings: Tue:ARI(M.Batista); Sun:@NYM(O.Hernandez)
Randy Johnson: Mon:LAA(J.Lackey); Sat:@BOS(J.Beckett)
John Lackey: Mon:@NYY(R.Johnson); Sat:SEA(J.Washburn)
Derek Lowe: Mon:FLO(D.Willis); Sun:@SF(M.Morris)
Pedro Martinez: Mon:@PHI(C.Hamels); Sat:COL(J.Francis)
Matt Morris: Tue:@SD(C.Young); Sun:LAD(D.Lowe)
Mike Mussina: Tue:BAL(E.Bedard); Sun:@BOS(C.Schilling)
Ramon Ortiz: Mon:ATL(C.James); Sat:@PHI(C.Hamels)
Roy Oswalt: Mon:CHC(C.Zambrano); Sat:@MIL(D.Bush)
Joel Pineiro: Tue:@OAK(K.Saarloos); Sun:@LAA(Er.Santana)
Mark Redman: Mon:@CHW(J.Garland); Sat:OAK(B.Zito)
Nate Robertson: Mon:@BOS(J.Beckett); Sat:TEX(E.Volquez)
Ervin Santana: Tue:@TEX(M.Mussina); Sun:SEA(J.Pineiro)
Johan Santana: Tue:CLE(J.Westbrook); Sun:CHW(J.Vazquez)
Curt Schilling: Tue:DET(J.Bonderman); Sun:NYY(M.Mussina)
Jae Seo: Tue:TOR(R.Halladay); Sun:CLE(J.Westbrook)
Javier Vazquez: Tue:KC(Run.Hernandez); Sun:@MIN(J.Santana)
Jarrod Washburn: Mon:@OAK(B.Zito); Sat:@LAA(J.Lackey)
Jake Westbrook: Tue:@MIN(J.Santana); Sun:@TB(J.Seo)
Dontrelle Willis: Mon:@LAD(D.Lowe); Sun:ATL(L.Cormier)
Chris Young: Tue:SF(M.Morris); Sun:ARI(M.Batista)
Carlos Zambrano: Mon:@HOU(R.Oswalt); Sun:STL(C.Carpenter)
Barry Zito: Mon:SEA(J.Washburn); Sat:@KC(M.Redman)

Pitchers with 2 starts to deploy only in leagues that don't count qualitative stats:
Pedro Astacio: Tue:ATL(L.Cormier); Sun:@PHI(R.Wolf)
Miguel Batista: Tue:@COL(J.Jennings); Sun:@SD(C.Young)
Lance Cormier: Tue:@WAS(P.Astacio); Sun:@FLO(D.Willis)
Cole Hamels: Mon:NYM(P.Martinez); Sat:WAS(Ra.Ortiz)
Brad Hennessey: Mon:@SD(C.Hensley); Sat:LAD(G.Maddux)
Runelvys Hernandez: Tue:@CHW(J.Vazquez); Sun:OAK(K.Saarloos)
Vicente Padilla: Tue:LAA(Er.Santana); Sun:@DET(J.Bonderman)
Kirk Saarloos: Tue:SEA(J.Pineiro); Sun:@KC(Run.Hernandez)
Victor Santos: Mon:MIL(D.Bush); Sun:@CIN(A.Harang)
Claudio Vargas: Mon:@COL(J.Francis); Sat:@SD(C.Hensley)
Randy Wolf: Tue:NYM(O.Hernandez); Sun:WAS(P.Astacio)

Diamond Challenge

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Tue:CLE(J.Westbrook); Sun:CHW(J.Vazquez)
Roy Oswalt: Mon:CHC(C.Zambrano); Sat:@MIL(D.Bush)
Pedro Martinez: Mon:@PHI(C.Hamels); Sat:COL(J.Francis)
Chris Carpenter: Tue:CIN(A.Harang); Sun:@CHC(C.Zambrano)
Randy Johnson: Mon:LAA(J.Lackey); Sat:@BOS(J.Beckett)
Jake Peavy: Thu:SF(M.Cain)
Roy Halladay: Tue:@TB(J.Seo); Sun:@BAL(E.Bedard)
Curt Schilling: Tue:DET(J.Bonderman); Sun:NYY(M.Mussina)
Brandon Webb: Thu:@COL(J.Fogg)
Felix Hernandez: Fri:@LAA(Jer.Weaver)
John Lackey: Mon:@NYY(R.Johnson); Sat:SEA(J.Washburn)
Dan Haren: Wed:SEA(G.Meche)
Francisco Liriano: No start(DL)

With this ridiculous number of options, we'll sit Pedro due to his Philly start and Lackey, since he both faces Randy and hasn't pitched well lately. Hopefully the other six doubles will provide nice boosts for us.

Of course, deploying most of our expensive pitchers creates massive cap problems. Ray returns to the lineup for Street, and then Swisher and Encarnacion sub for Figgins and Thome, who join Victor and Tex on our bench.

Rotohelp.com(5th lg; 58th div; 1119th overall)
Week 20: August 14-August 20

 
C	Joe Mauer		770 
C	Josh Willingham		340
1B	Albert Pujols		2060
1B	Ryan Howard		880
2B	Chase Utley		1190
2B	Howie Kendrick		750
3B	David Wright		1210 
3B	Garrett Atkins		610 
SS	Felipe Lopez		1070
SS	Jose Reyes		1030 
OF	Jason Bay		1380 
OF	Matt Holliday		1040 
OF	Pat Burrell		1040 
OF	Chad Tracy		1020 
OF	Nick Swisher		620
OF	Brad Hawpe		440 
DH	Jim Thome		1070
DH	Edwin Encarnacion	600 

SP	Johan Santana		1960
SP	Roy Oswalt		1830 
SP	Chris Carpenter		1550 
SP	Randy Johnson		1360 
SP	Roy Halladay		1230
SP	Curt Schilling		1070
RP	Bobby Jenks		1150
RP	Jon Papelbon		890 
RP	J.J. Putz		890 
RP	Chris Ray		820

Total Salary for Week 20: 	29870

Diamond Challenge - 2nd Season

With six relatively expensive doubles here and Weeks done for the year, we need to purchase a cheap player on offense. Ramon Hernandez remains our biggest hole on offense, so by buying Brian McCann, a slightly safer option than Josh Willingham despite his higher salary, we have a decent DH for this week and a long-term replacement at catcher. Weeks departs.

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Tue:CLE(J.Westbrook); Sun:CHW(J.Vazquez)
Pedro Martinez: Mon:@PHI(C.Hamels); Sat:COL(J.Francis)
John Smoltz: Wed:@WAS(B.Traber)
Roy Halladay: Tue:@TB(J.Seo); Sun:@BAL(E.Bedard)
Curt Schilling: Tue:DET(J.Bonderman); Sun:NYY(M.Mussina)
Brandon Webb: Thu:@COL(J.Fogg)
C.C. Sabathia: Fri:@TB(C.Fossum)
Mike Mussina: Tue:BAL(E.Bedard); Sun:@BOS(C.Schilling)
John Lackey: Mon:@NYY(R.Johnson); Sat:SEA(J.Washburn)
Chris Capuano: Wed:@PIT(Z.Duke)
Dan Haren: Wed:SEA(G.Meche)
Brad Penny: Fri:@SF(J.Schmidt)
Tom Glavine: Wed:@PHI(J.Lieber)
Scott Kazmir: Thu:TOR(A.Burnett)
Francisco Liriano: No start(DL)

Obviously we'll deploy our six doubles here, and then McCann subs for Pujols, who enjoys a less favorable schedule than Soriano. Podsednik and Rios stay benched.

Rotohelp.com(5th lg; 50th div; 305th overall)
Week 20: August 14-August 20

C	Joe Mauer		770
C	Ramon Hernandez		690
1B	Travis Hafner		1180
1B	Ryan Howard		880 
2B	Alfonso Soriano		1830
2B	Chase Utley		1190
3B	David Wright		1210 
3B	Garrett Atkins		610 
SS	Jose Reyes		1030 
SS	Hanley Ramirez		400
OF	Jason Bay		1380 
OF	Matt Holliday		1040 
OF	Corey Patterson		910 
OF	Austin Kearns		700
OF	Nick Swisher		620
OF	Brad Hawpe		440
DH	Jim Thome		1070

SP	Johan Santana		1960 
SP	Pedro Martinez		1700 
SP	Roy Halladay		1230
SP	Curt Schilling		1070 
SP	John Lackey		940
SP	Mike Mussina		940
RP	Bobby Jenks		1150
RP	Jon Papelbon		890
RP	Chris Ray		820
RP	Akinori Otsuka		690

Total Salary for Week 20: 	27800

Internet Challenge

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Tue:CLE(J.Westbrook)
Roy Oswalt: Mon:CHC(C.Zambrano)
Pedro Martinez: Mon:@PHI(C.Hamels)
Chris Carpenter: Tue:CIN(A.Harang)
Randy Johnson: Mon:LAA(J.Lackey)
Jake Peavy: Thu:SF(M.Cain)
Roy Halladay: Tue:@TB(J.Seo)
Mark Buehrle: Thu:KC(Od.Perez?)
Curt Schilling: Tue:DET(J.Bonderman)
Felix Hernandez: No start.
John Lackey: Mon:@NYY(R.Johnson)
Dan Haren: Wed:SEA(G.Meche)
Francisco Liriano: No start(DL)

While we like most of these options, Santana, Oswalt, Carpenter, Peavy, Halladay, and Haren appear the safest bets. Papelbon flips for Street with Oakland against Seattle and Putz.

Of course, running the expensive starts creates cap problems, leading us to deploy Burrell and Encarnacion for Pujols and Hafner, who join Victor and Swisher on the bench.

Rotohelp.com(10th lg; 239th overall)
Week 20a: August 14-August 17

 
C	Joe Mauer		770 
C	Josh Willingham		340 
1B	Mark Teixeira		1470
1B	Ryan Howard		880
2B	Chase Utley		1190
2B	Howie Kendrick		750
3B	David Wright		1210
3B	Garrett Atkins		610
SS	Felipe Lopez		1070
SS	Jose Reyes		1030 
OF	Jason Bay		1380 
OF	Chone Figgins		1350 
OF	Matt Holliday		1040
OF	Chad Tracy		1020 
OF	Corey Patterson		910
OF	Jermaine Dye		840 
DH	Pat Burrell		1040
DH	Edwin Encarnacion	600 

SP	Johan Santana		1960
SP	Roy Oswalt		1830 
SP	Chris Carpenter		1550
SP	Jake Peavy		1240
SP	Roy Halladay		1230 
SP	Dan Haren		860 
RP	Ryan Dempster		1180
RP	J.J. Putz		890 
RP	Jon Papelbon		890
RP	Chris Ray		820

Total Salary for Week 20a:	29950

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

With Crosby on the disabled list and Barmes contributing little, we are rectifying one of our primary errors by purchasing Jose Reyes, dropping Crosby.

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Tue:CLE(J.Westbrook); Sun:CHW(J.Vazquez)
Roy Oswalt: Mon:CHC(C.Zambrano); Sat:@MIL(D.Bush)
Chris Carpenter: Tue:CIN(A.Harang); Sun:@CHC(C.Zambrano)
Pedro Martinez: Mon:@PHI(C.Hamels); Sat:COL(J.Francis)
Randy Johnson: Mon:LAA(J.Lackey); Sat:@BOS(J.Beckett)
John Lackey: Mon:@NYY(R.Johnson); Sat:SEA(J.Washburn)
Mike Mussina: Tue:BAL(E.Bedard); Sun:@BOS(C.Schilling)
Roy Halladay: Tue:@TB(J.Seo); Sun:@BAL(E.Bedard)
Dan Haren: Wed:SEA(G.Meche)
Francisco Liriano: No start(DL)

Seeing eight doubles here simply isn't fun since that means we have no more than one next week, virtually insuring we'll spend a move or two on adding more starters. Randy and Lackey will sit due to their recent inconsistency.

Deploying those expensive pitchers requires several offensive moves, so Willingham, Howard, and Swisher all return to the lineup, displacing Victor, Tex, and Hafner. Ellis, Encarnacion, Barmes, Gomes, and Swisher stay benched.

Rotohelp.com(FB: 6th lg; 399th overall)
& Rotohelp.com(BB: 9th lg; 830th overall)
Week 20: August 14-August 20

 
C	Joe Mauer		1710 
C	Josh Willingham		1000
1B	Lance Berkman		2860 
1B	Ryan Howard		1950
2B	Chase Utley		2270
2B	Ian Kinsler		1000
3B	David Wright		2480 
3B	Garrett Atkins		1330 
SS	Jose Reyes		2100 
SS	Felipe Lopez		1800 
OF	Jason Bay		2550
OF	Grady Sizemore		2200 
OF	Matt Holliday		2140
OF	Chad Tracy		2100 
OF	Jeremy Hermida		1000
OF	Curtis Granderson	1000 
DH	Albert Pujols		3870 
DH	Nick Swisher		1550

SP	Johan Santana		3310 
SP	Roy Oswalt		3200 
SP	Chris Carpenter		3140
SP	Pedro Martinez		2970 
SP	Roy Halladay		2480 
SP	Mike Mussina		2480
RP	Huston Street		2320 
RP	J.J. Putz		1600
RP	Jon Papelbon		1590
RP	Chris Ray		1580

Total Salary for Week 20:	59580

Mid-Season Fantasy Baseball

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Tue:CLE(J.Westbrook); Sun:CHW(J.Vazquez)
Chris Carpenter: Tue:CIN(A.Harang); Sun:@CHC(C.Zambrano)
John Lackey: Mon:@NYY(R.Johnson); Sat:SEA(J.Washburn)
Mike Mussina: Tue:BAL(E.Bedard); Sun:@BOS(C.Schilling)
Curt Schilling: Tue:DET(J.Bonderman); Sun:NYY(M.Mussina)
Jeremy Bonderman: Tue:@BOS(C.Schilling); Sun:TEX(V.Padilla)
Jose Contreras: Wed:KC(A.Bernero)
Felix Hernandez: Fri:@LAA(Jer.Weaver)
Jered Weaver: Fri:SEA(F.Hernandez)
Francisco Liriano: No start(DL)

To fit our six doubles and deploy ARod for his eight-game week, we need to cut over 4000 of cap room. Howard, Hanley Ramirez, Kearns, Swisher, and Willingham respectively replace Berkman, Hafner, Guillen, Bay, and Sizemore.

Rotohelp.com(3rd lg; 106th overall)
Week 20: August 14-August 20

 
C	Joe Mauer		1710 
C	Brian McCann		1000
1B	Jim Thome		2500
1B	Ryan Howard		1950
2B	Chase Utley		2270
3B	David Wright		2480 
3B	Garrett Atkins		1330 
SS	Jose Reyes		2100 
SS	Hanley Ramirez		1000
OF	Matt Holliday		2140 
OF	Jermaine Dye		2070 
OF	Austin Kearns		1570
OF	Nick Swisher		1550
OF	Brad Hawpe		1260
OF	Curtis Granderson	1000
DH	Alex Rodriguez		3790 
DH	Josh Willingham		1000

SP	Johan Santana		3310 
SP	Chris Carpenter		3140 
SP	John Lackey		2760
SP	Mike Mussina		2480 
SP	Curt Schilling		2310
SP	Jeremy Bonderman	2190 
RP	Bobby Jenks		224
RP	J.J. Putz		1600
RP	Jon Papelbon		1590
RP	Takashi Saito		1500

Total Salary for Week 20: 	54840

Today's Fantasy Rx: With seven weeks left in the season and two weeks until roster expansion, you need to evaluate all your teams now to see where you need to improve. Purchasing players in CDM games and similar contests now makes a lot of sense if you see an obvious weakness, especially if you followed our lead by hoarding your moves in mid-season games.

For standard roto leagues, pursue obvious trade partners now to allow three weeks to complete deals prior to the normal trade deadline around September 1st. Most teams looking toward next year will not wait until the last week of dealing to complete their dump deals, and more importantly, players acquired now provide 75% more stats than those grabbed at the end of the month.