Today's Fantasy Rx

Schedule recommendations for teams with 7 games

Good for hitters / Good for pitchers
Chicago White Sox: 3 Home vs. DET; 4 Home vs. SEA.
Los Angeles Dodgers: 1 Home vs. SD; 3 Home vs. PIT; 3 Home vs. ARI.
New York Mets: 4 Home vs. FLO; 3 Home vs. WAS.
Oakland: 4 Home vs. CLE: 3 Home vs. LAA.
San Diego: 1 Road at LAD; 3 Home vs. ARI; 3 Home vs. PIT.

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Atlanta: 3 Road at WAS; 4 Road at COL.
Cleveland: 4 Road at OAK; 3 Road at TEX.
Colorado: 3 Home vs. SF; 4 Home vs. ATL.
Detroit: 3 Road at CHW; 1 Road at BAL; 3 Road at KC.
Florida: 4 Road at NYM; 3 Road at PHI.
Houston: 3 Home vs. CIN; 4 Home vs. STL.
San Francisco: 3 Road at COL; 4 Road at MIL.
Seattle: 3 Road at TEX; 4 Road at CHW.
St. Louis: 3 Road at MIL; 4 Road at HOU.

Bad for hitters / Good for pitchers
Milwaukee: 3 Home vs. STL; 4 Home vs. SF.

Bad for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Baltimore: 3 Road at TB; 1 Home vs. DET; 3 Home vs. MIN.

Schedule recommendations for teams with 6 games

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Boston: 3 Home vs. MIN; 3 Road at TOR.
Chicago Cubs: 3 Road at PHI; 3 Road at CIN.
Cincinnati: 3 Road at HOU; 3 Home vs. CHC.
Minnesota: 3 Road at BOS; 3 Road at BAL.
New York Yankees: 3 Road at TOR; 3 Road at TB.
Philadelphia: 3 Home vs. CHC; 3 Home vs. FLO.
Tampa Bay: 3 Home vs. BAL; 3 Home vs. NYY.
Texas: 3 Home vs. SEA; 3 Home vs. CLE.
Toronto: 3 Home vs. NYY; 3 Home vs. BOS.

Bad for hitters / Good for pitchers
Arizona: 3 Road at SD; 3 Road at LAD.

Bad for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Pittsburgh: 3 Road at LAD; 3 Road at SD.
Washington: 3 Home vs. ATL; 3 Road at NYM.

Schedule recommendations for teams with 5 games

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Kansas City: 2 Home vs. LAA; 3 Home vs. DET.

Bad for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Los Angeles Angels: 2 Road at KC; 3 Road at OAK.

Pitchers with 2 starts(to deploy everywhere you own them):
Erik Bedard: Mon:@TB(J.Hammel); Sat:MIN(B.Radke?)
Mark Buehrle: Mon:DET(K.Rogers); Sat:SEA(F.Hernandez)
A.J. Burnett: Mon:NYY(D.Rasner); Sun:BOS(T.Wakefield)
Matt Cain: Tue:@COL(J.Jennings); Sun:@MIL(B.Sheets)
Chris Capuano: Mon:STL(An.Reyes); Sat:SF(N.Lowry)
Freddy Garcia: Tue:DET(J.Verlander); Sun:SEA(J.Washburn)
Aaron Harang: Tue:@HOU(A.Pettitte); Sun:CHC(S.Marshall?)
Dan Haren: Mon:CLE(J.Westbrook); Sun:LAA(Er.Santana)
Clay Hensley: Tue:ARI(M.Batista); Sun:PIT(S.Youman)
Felix Hernandez: Mon:@TEX(K.Millwood); Sat:@CHW(M.Buehrle)
Livan Hernandez: Tue:@SD(C.Hensley); Sun:@LAD(H.Kuo)
Cliff Lee: Tue:@OAK(K.Saarloos); Sun:@TEX(K.Millwood)
Jon Lieber: Mon:CHC(S.Marshall); Sun:FLO(S.Olsen)
Adam Loewen: Tue:@TB(T.Corcoran); Sun:MIN(M.Garza)
Kevin Millwood: Mon:SEA(F.Hernandez); Sun:CLE(Cl.Lee)
Roy Oswalt: Mon:CIN(K.Lohse); Sat:STL(An.Reyes)
Jake Peavy: Mon:@LAD(B.Penny); Sat:PIT(Z.Duke)
Brad Penny: Mon:SD(J.Peavy); Sat:ARI(M.Batista)
Andy Pettitte: Tue:CIN(A.Harang); Sun:STL(J.Marquis)
Kenny Rogers: Mon:@CHW(M.Buehrle); Sat:@KC(M.Redman)
Ben Sheets: Tue:STL(J.Marquis); Sun:SF(M.Cain)
Steve Trachsel: Mon:FLO(B.Moehler); Sun:WAS(T.Armas)
Justin Verlander: Tue:@CHW(F.Garcia); Sun:@KC(Run.Hernandez)
Tim Wakefield: Tue:MIN(M.Garza); Sun:@TOR(A.Burnett)
Jarrod Washburn: Tue:@TEX(Ed.Volquez); Sun:@CHW(F.Garcia)
Jake Westbrook: Mon:@OAK(D.Haren); Sat:@TEX(V.Padilla)

Pitchers with 2 starts to deploy only in leagues that don't count qualitative stats:
Kyle Davies: Mon:@WAS(B.Traber); Sat:@COL(J.Francis)
Matt Garza: Tue:@BOS(T.Wakefield); Sun:@BAL(A.Loewen)
Jason Hammel: Mon:BAL(E.Bedard); Sun:NYY(C.Lidle?)
Chuck James: Tue:@WAS(Bel.Perez); Sun:@COL(J.Jennings)
Jason Jennings: Tue:SF(M.Cain); Sun:ATL(C.James)
Hong-Chih Kuo: Tue:PIT(I.Snell); Sun:ARI(L.Hernandez)
Kyle Lohse: Mon:@HOU(R.Oswalt); Sat:CHC(C.Zambrano)
Noah Lowry: Mon:@COL(J.Hampson); Sat:@MIL(C.Capuano)
Jason Marquis: Tue:@MIL(B.Sheets); Sun:@HOU(A.Pettitte)
Sean Marshall: Mon:@PHI(J.Lieber); Sun:@CIN(A.Harang)?
Scott Olsen: Tue:@NYM(T.Glavine); Sun:@PHI(J.Lieber)
Anthony Reyes: Mon:@MIL(C.Capuano); Sat:@HOU(R.Oswalt)

Diamond Challenge

In order to squeeze back to third place, we need to slam upward in BA, runs, and steals without losing our hard-earned power gains. With the cap room to run anyone we want at DH, we're going to pay for Ichiro despite his injury on Sunday. To hedge our bets on Ichiro, we'll also add Derek Jeter, who faces an equally weak schedule and ranks alongside only Ichiro as the two best BA bets in the game. Hafner and Papelbon depart our roster, and although we lack a backup at second, we're comfortable finishing the year with Kendrick in the lineup if necessary.

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Thu:@BOS(J.Beckett)
Roy Oswalt: Mon:CIN(K.Lohse); Sat:STL(An.Reyes)
Pedro Martinez: Thu:FLO(An.Sanchez)
Chris Carpenter: Thu:@HOU(J.Hirsh)
Randy Johnson: Fri:@TB(J.Shields)
Jake Peavy: Mon:@LAD(B.Penny); Sat:PIT(Z.Duke)
Roy Halladay: Wed:NYY(S.Henn)
Curt Schilling: Wed:MIN(B.Bonser)
Brandon Webb: Thu:@SD(W.Williams)
Felix Hernandez: Mon:@TEX(K.Millwood); Sat:@CHW(M.Buehrle)
John Lackey: Sat:@OAK(J.Blanton)
Dan Haren: Mon:CLE(J.Westbrook); Sun:LAA(Er.Santana)
Francisco Liriano: No start(Out for the year)
Seth McClung: 3 Home vs. BAL; 3 Home vs. NYY.

Halladay joins the four doubles and McClung here. Street flips for Jenks.

Ichiro, Jeter, and Hawpe sub for Thome, Figgins, and Swisher while Willingham and Encarnacion stay benched.

Rotohelp.com(6th lg; 46th div; 919th overall)
Week 25: September 18-September 25

 
C	Victor Martinez		1020
C	Joe Mauer		770 
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	Ichiro Suzuki		1910
OF	Jason Bay		1380 
OF	Grady Sizemore		1070
OF	Matt Holliday		1040 
OF	Brad Hawpe		440
OF	Nick Markakis		400
DH	Mark Teixeira		1470 
DH	Derek Jeter		1330

SP	Roy Oswalt		1830 
SP	Jake Peavy		1240
SP	Roy Halladay		1230 
SP	Felix Hernandez		960
SP	Dan Haren		860
SP	Seth McClung		420 
RP	Huston Street		1300
RP	J.J. Putz		890 
RP	Chris Ray		820 
RP	Takashi Saito		750

Total Salary for Week 25: 	29930

Diamond Challenge - 2nd Season

We lost five BA points in one of the worst offensive weeks we've seen, and needing the safest BA source on the board to help us rebound, we'll follow our DC move by adding Jeter here with our last purchase, benching Kearns and cutting Hafner. Despite plenty of cap room, Ichiro's Sunday night injury makes him a riskier play than Jeter, so we'll add the likely AL MVP, who at least gives us a third shortstop. While this leaves us without a backup at second, third, and closer, we're willing to take our chances that our current starters at those positions will stay healthy for two more weeks.

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Thu:@BOS(J.Beckett)
Pedro Martinez: Thu:FLO(An.Sanchez)
John Smoltz: Thu:@COL(B.Kim)
Roy Halladay: Wed:NYY(S.Henn)
Curt Schilling: Wed:MIN(B.Bonser)
Brandon Webb: Thu:@SD(W.Williams)
C.C. Sabathia: Thu:@OAK(R.Harden)
Mike Mussina: Sat:@TB(J.Howell)
John Lackey: Sat:@OAK(J.Blanton)
Chris Capuano: Mon:STL(An.Reyes); Sat:SF(N.Lowry)
Dan Haren: Mon:CLE(J.Westbrook); Sun:LAA(Er.Santana)
Brad Penny: Mon:SD(J.Peavy); Sat:ARI(M.Batista)
Tom Glavine: Tue:FLO(S.Olsen)
Francisco Liriano: No start(Out for the year)

Halladay, Webb, and Glavine will join Capuano, Haren, and Penny, giving us plenty of room on offense for our new acquisition.

While we're leaving a ton of money on the board, we can't justify deploying anyone from our ineffective bench of Ramon Hernandez, Corey Patterson, Podsednik, and Rios, leaving switching Jeter for Kearns as our only offensive transaction.

Rotohelp.com(5th lg; 30th div; 186th overall)
Week 25: September 18-September 25

C	Joe Mauer		770 
C	Brian McCann		460 
1B	Jim Thome		1070
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	Ichiro Suzuki		1910
OF	Jason Bay		1380 
OF	Matt Holliday		1040 
OF	Jermaine Dye		840 
OF	Nick Swisher		620
OF	Brad Hawpe		440 
DH	Albert Pujols		2060 
DH	Derek Jeter		1330

SP	Roy Halladay		1230 
SP	Brandon Webb		1030 
SP	Chris Capuano		870
SP	Dan Haren		860 
SP	Brad Penny		820 
SP	Tom Glavine		820
RP	Bobby Jenks		1150
RP	Chris Ray		820 
RP	Takashi Saito		750
RP	Akinori Otsuka		690

Total Salary for Week 25: 	27220

Internet Challenge

Given we like our lineup for the next couple days, we're waiting to spend our last purchase until Friday to see if we need to address a positional need.

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Thu:@BOS(J.Beckett)
Roy Oswalt: Mon:CIN(K.Lohse)
Pedro Martinez: Thu:FLO(An.Sanchez)
Chris Carpenter: Thu:@HOU(J.Hirsh)
Randy Johnson: No start.
Jake Peavy: Mon:@LAD(B.Penny)
Roy Halladay: Wed:NYY(S.Henn)
Curt Schilling: Wed:MIN(B.Bonser)
Felix Hernandez: Mon:@TEX(K.Millwood)
John Lackey: No start.
Dan Haren: Mon:CLE(J.Westbrook)
Francisco Liriano: No start(Out for the year)
Seth McClung: 3 Home vs. BAL.

Oswalt, Carpenter, Peavy, Halladay, Haren, and McClung appear the safest bets here. Dempster and Papelbon stay glued to the bench as we try to preserve our ERA.

Our only move on offense looks like Victor for Mauer as Kendrick, Tracy, and Patterson face poor schedules.

Rotohelp.com(6th lg; 127th overall)
Week 25a: September 18-September 21

 
C	Victor Martinez		1020
C	Josh Willingham		340 
1B	Mark Teixeira		1470
1B	Ryan Howard		880
2B	Chase Utley		1190
2B	Ian Kinsler		400
3B	David Wright		1210
3B	Garrett Atkins		610 
SS	Felipe Lopez		1070
SS	Jose Reyes		1030
OF	Bobby Abreu		1790 
OF	Jason Bay		1380 
OF	Chone Figgins		1350
OF	Matt Holliday		1040 
OF	Jermaine Dye		840 
OF	Nick Swisher		620
DH	Albert Pujols		2060 
DH	Edwin Encarnacion	600 

SP	Roy Oswalt		1830
SP	Chris Carpenter		1550 
SP	Jake Peavy		1240
SP	Roy Halladay		1230 
SP	Dan Haren		860
SP	Seth McClung		430
RP	Huston Street		1300
RP	J.J. Putz		890 
RP	Chris Ray		820
RP	Takashi Saito		750

Total Salary for Week 25a:	29790

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

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Thu:@BOS(J.Beckett)
Roy Oswalt: Mon:CIN(K.Lohse); Sat:STL(An.Reyes)
Chris Carpenter: Thu:@HOU(J.Hirsh)
Randy Johnson: Fri:@TB(J.Shields)
Carlos Zambrano: Sat:@CIN(K.Lohse)
John Lackey: Sat:@OAK(J.Blanton)
Andy Pettitte: Tue:CIN(A.Harang); Sun:STL(J.Marquis)
Mike Mussina: Sat:@TB(J.Howell)
Roy Halladay: Wed:NYY(S.Henn)
Brad Penny: Mon:SD(J.Peavy); Sat:ARI(M.Batista)
Dan Haren: Mon:CLE(J.Westbrook); Sun:LAA(Er.Santana)

Halladay and the four doubles appear automatic, and then Carpenter edges Mussina. Jenks stays benched due to injury concerns.

With no moves and five reserve spots completely wasted on Hafner, Ellis, Barmes, Sullivan, and Gomes, all we can do is sub Tex for Mauer. Encarnacion and Hermida do not fit in this lineup.

Rotohelp.com(FB: 7th lg; 345th overall)
& Rotohelp.com(BB: 7th lg; 687th overall)
Week 25: September 18-September 25

 
C	Victor Martinez		1940
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	Nick Swisher		1550 
OF	Curtis Granderson	1000
DH	Albert Pujols		3870 
DH	Mark Teixeira		3220

SP	Roy Oswalt		3200
SP	Chris Carpenter		3140 
SP	Andy Pettitte		2550
SP	Roy Halladay		2480
SP	Brad Penny		1950 
SP	Dan Haren		1940
RP	Huston Street		2320
RP	J.J. Putz		1600
RP	Chris Ray		1580
RP	Takashi Saito		1500

Total Salary for Week 25:	59620

Mid-Season Fantasy Baseball

With three moves left, a relatively stable offense, and a need for more doubles, we're purchasing A.J. Burnett and Dan Haren, dumping Papelbon and John Lackey, who looks like the one starter on our squad certain not to double this week or next week.

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Thu:@BOS(J.Beckett)
Roy Oswalt: Mon:CIN(K.Lohse); Sat:STL(An.Reyes)
Chris Carpenter: Thu:@HOU(J.Hirsh)
Randy Johnson: Fri:@TB(J.Shields)
Andy Pettitte: Tue:CIN(A.Harang); Sun:STL(J.Marquis)
Jeremy Bonderman: Wed:@CHW(J.Garland)
A.J. Burnett: Mon:NYY(D.Rasner); Sun:BOS(T.Wakefield)
Jose Contreras: Fri:SEA(G.Meche)
Brad Penny: Mon:SD(J.Peavy); Sat:ARI(M.Batista)
Dan Haren: Mon:CLE(J.Westbrook); Sun:LAA(Er.Santana)
Jered Weaver: Fri:@OAK(B.Zito)

Carpenter will join the five doubles here.

With the cap room gained from running Penny and Haren, we can deploy ARod, Carlos Guillen, and Baldelli for Mauer, Granderson, and Bay, who faces a terrible road schedule in LA and SD. Thome, Hafner, Weeks, Zimmerman, and Kearns stay benched.

Rotohelp.com(3rd lg; 49th overall)
Week 25: September 18-September 25

 
C	Brian McCann		1000 
C	Josh Willingham		1000 
DH	Lance Berkman		2860
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	Grady Sizemore		2200
OF	Matt Holliday		2140 
OF	Jermaine Dye		2070 
OF	Rocco Baldelli		1780
OF	Nick Swisher		1550
OF	Brad Hawpe		1260 
DH	Alex Rodriguez		3790 
DH	Carlos Guillen		1400

SP	Roy Oswalt		3200 
SP	Chris Carpenter		3140
SP	Andy Pettitte		2550 
SP	A.J. Burnett		2180
SP	Brad Penny		1950 
SP	Dan Haren		1940
RP	Bobby Jenks		2240
RP	J.J. Putz		1600
RP	Takashi Saito		1500
RP	Joe Borowski		1450

Total Salary for Week 25: 	54930

Today's Fantasy Rx: Spend your moves now for twice the impact, conserving only if you have specific transactions in mind to take advantage of players' schedules the last week of the year.