Today's Fantasy Rx

Schedule recommendations for teams with 7 games

Good for hitters / Good for pitchers
Cleveland: 3 Home vs. CHW; 4 Home vs. TB.
Los Angeles Angels: 3 Home vs. TEX; 4 Home vs. OAK.
Minnesota: 4 Home vs. KC; 3 Home vs. CHW.

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Arizona: 3 Road at SF; 4 Home vs. SD.
Houston: 1 Road at PHI; 3 Road at PIT; 3 Road at ATL.
Kansas City: 4 Road at MIN; 3 Road at DET.
New York Yankees: 1 Road at TB; 3 Home vs. BAL; 3 Home vs. TOR.
San Diego: 3 Road at STL; 4 Road at ARI.
St. Louis: 3 Home vs. SD; 4 Home vs. MIL.
Toronto: 1 Home vs. BOS; 3 Road at DET; 3 Road at NYY.
Washington: 1 Road at NYM; 3 Home vs. PHI; 3 Home vs. NYM.

Bad for hitters / Good for pitchers
New York Mets: 1 Home vs. WAS; 3 Road at ATL; 3 Road at WAS.
Oakland: 3 Road at SEA; 4 Road at LAA.
Philadelphia: 1 Home vs. HOU; 3 Road at WAS; 3 Road at FLO.

Bad for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Cincinnati: 1 Home vs. CHC; 3 Road at FLO; 3 Road at PIT.
Tampa Bay: 1 Home vs. NYY; 2 Road at BOS; 4 Road at CLE.

Schedule recommendations for teams with 6 games

Good for hitters / Good for pitchers
Chicago Cubs: 1 Road at CIN; 2 Home vs. MIL; 3 Home vs. COL.
San Francisco: 3 Home vs. ARI; 3 Home vs. LAD.

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Atlanta: 3 Home vs. NYM; 3 Home vs. HOU.
Baltimore: 3 Road at NYY; 3 Road at BOS.
Boston: 1 Road at TOR; 2 Home vs. TB: 3 Home vs. BAL.
Colorado: 3 Home vs. LAD; 3 Road at CHC.
Detroit: 3 Home vs. TOR; 3 Home vs. KC.
Florida: 3 Home vs. CIN; 3 Home vs. PHI.
Los Angeles Dodgers: 3 Road at COL; 3 Road at SF.
Pittsburgh: 3 Home vs. HOU; 3 Home vs. CIN.

Bad for hitters / Good for pitchers
Seattle: 3 Home vs. OAK; 3 Home vs. TEX.

Bad for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Chicago White Sox: 3 Road at CLE; 3 Road at MIN.
Milwaukee: 2 Road at CHC; 4 Road at STL.
Texas: 3 Road at LAA; 3 Road at SEA.

Pitchers with 2 starts(to deploy everywhere you own them):
Bronson Arroyo: Mon:CHC(W.Miller); Sat:@PIT(I.Snell)
Cha Seung Baek: Mon:OAK(E.Loaiza); Sun:TEX(Ro.Tejeda?)?
Jeremy Bonderman?: Tue:TOR(D.McGowan); Sun:KC(Od.Perez)
Boof Bonser: Mon:KC(J.de la Rosa); Sat:CHW(F.Garcia)
Chris Carpenter???: Tue:SD(W.Williams); Sun:MIL(C.Villaneuva)???
Kelvim Escobar: Tue:TEX(Ro.Tejeda); Sun:OAK(R.Harden)
Jon Garland: Mon:@CLE(Cl.Lee); Sun:@MIN(J.Santana???)
Tom Glavine???: Mon:WAS(Be.Perez); Sun:WAS(Ra.Ortiz)???
Rich Harden?: Tue:@SEA(J.Woods); Sun:@LAA(K.Escobar)?
Cliff Lee: Mon:CHW(J.Garland); Sat:TB(J.Seo)
Cory Lidle: Tue:BAL(H.Penn); Sun:TOR(D.McGowan)
Esteban Loaiza: Mon:@SEA(C.Baek); Sat:TOR(S.Marcum)
Brett Myers: Tue:@WAS(Ra.Ortiz); Sun:@FLO(D.Willis)
Andy Pettitte?: Tue:@PIT(I.Snell); Sun:@ATL(J.Smoltz)
C.C. Sabathia: Tue:CHW(J.Vazquez); Sun:TB(J.Hammel)
Johan Santana?: Tue:KC(Od.Perez); Sun:CHW(J.Garland)???
Curt Schilling: Tue:TB(J.Hammel); Sun:BAL(H.Penn)
Jason Schmidt: Mon:ARI(Ed.Gonzalez); Sun:LAD(G.Maddux)
John Smoltz: Tue:NYM(Ol.Perez); Sun:HOU(A.Pettitte)
Jeff Suppan: Mon:SD(D.Wells); Sat:MIL(B.Sheets)
Tim Wakefield: Mon:@TOR(S.Marcum); Sat:BAL(A.Loewen)
Brandon Webb: Tue:SF(M.Morris); Sun:SD(W.Williams)
David Wells: Mon:@STL(J.Suppan); Sat:@ARI(Ed.Gonzalez)
Woody Williams: Tue:@STL(C.Carpenter); Sun:@ARI(B.Webb)
Dontrelle Willis: Tue:CIN(M.Belisle); Sun:PHI(B.Myers)

Pitchers with 2 starts to deploy only in leagues that don't count qualitative stats:
Matt Albers: Mon:@PHI(R.Wolf); Sat:@ATL(L.Cormier)
Matt Belisle: Tue:@FLO(D.Willis); Sun:@PIT(I.Snell)
Jorge de la Rosa: Mon:@MIN(B.Bonser); Sat:@DET(W.Ledezma?)
Edgar Gonzalez: Mon:@SF(J.Schmidt); Sat:SD(D.Wells)
Jason Hammel: Tue:@BOS(C.Schilling); Sun:@CLE(C.Sabathia)
Jason Jennings: Tue:LAD(G.Maddux); Sun:@CHC(W.Miller)
Derek Lowe: Wed:@COL(A.Cook); Sun:@SF(J.Schmidt)???
Greg Maddux: Tue:@COL(J.Jennings); Sat:@SF(M.Cain)?
Shaun Marcum: Mon:BOS(T.Wakefield); Sat:@NYY(Jar.Wright)
Dustin McGowan: Tue:@DET(J.Bonderman); Sun:@NYY(C.Lidle)
Wade Miller: Mon:@CIN(B.Arroyo); Sun:COL(J.Jennings)
Ramon Ortiz: Tue:PHI(B.Myers); Sun:NYM(T.Glavine???)
Hayden Penn: Tue:@NYY(C.Lidle); Sun:@BOS(C.Schilling)
Beltran Perez: Mon:NYM(T.Glavine); Sat:NYM(S.Trachsel)
Odalis Perez: Tue:@MIN(J.Santana); Sun:@DET(J.Bonderman?)
Joe Saunders: Mon:TEX(Ed.Volquez); Sat:OAK(E.Loaiza)
Jae Seo: Mon:NYY(Jar.Wright); Sat:@CLE(Cl.Lee)
Robinson Tejeda???: Tue:@LAA(K.Escobar); Sun:@SEA(C.Baek?)???
Carlos Villanueva: Tue:CHC(S.Marshall); Sun:@STL(C.Carpenter)

Diamond Challenge

SP(6)
Johan Santana?: Tue:KC(Od.Perez); Sun:CHW(J.Garland)???
Roy Oswalt: Thu:@PIT(T.Gorzelanny)
Pedro Martinez: Wed:@ATL(T.Hudson)
Chris Carpenter???: Tue:SD(W.Williams); Sun:MIL(C.Villaneuva)???
Randy Johnson: Thu:BAL(D.Cabrera)
Jake Peavy: Thu:@ARI(M.Batista)
Roy Halladay: No start(Out for the year)
Curt Schilling: Tue:TB(J.Hammel); Sun:BAL(H.Penn)
Brandon Webb: Tue:SF(M.Morris); Sun:SD(W.Williams)
Felix Hernandez: Fri:TEX(V.Padilla) or Sat:TEX(K.Millwood)???
John Lackey: Thu:OAK(J.Blanton)
Dan Haren: Fri:@LAA(Er.Santana)
Francisco Liriano: No start(Out for the year)
Seth McClung: 1 Home vs. NYY; 2 Road at BOS; 4 Road at CLE.

With no moves and a priority on saves, ERA/WHIP, steals, and average, we're deploying Santana, Carpenter, Schilling, Webb, and McClung, adding Lackey over Haren for cap reasons. Street sits for Jenks since Oakland faces Seattle and Putz costs a lot less.

With Tex in Seattle and Hawpe effectively benched, Figgins and Willingham enter the lineup. Poor schedules keep Thome, Encarnacion, and Swisher benched.

Rotohelp.com(5th lg; 42nd div; 814th overall)
Week 26: September 25-October 1

 
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	Chone Figgins		1350
OF	Grady Sizemore		1070
OF	Matt Holliday		1040 
OF	Nick Markakis		400
DH	Derek Jeter		1330 
DH	Josh Willingham		340

SP	Johan Santana		1960
SP	Chris Carpenter		1550 
SP	Curt Schilling		1070
SP	Brandon Webb		1030
SP	John Lackey		940
SP	Seth McClung		420 
RP	Bobby Jenks		1150
RP	J.J. Putz		890 
RP	Chris Ray		820 
RP	Takashi Saito		750

Total Salary for Week 26: 	29990

Diamond Challenge - 2nd Season

SP(6)
Johan Santana?: Tue:KC(Od.Perez); Sun:CHW(J.Garland)???
Pedro Martinez: Wed:@ATL(T.Hudson)
John Smoltz: Tue:NYM(Ol.Perez); Sun:HOU(A.Pettitte)
Roy Halladay: No start(Out for the year)
Curt Schilling: Tue:TB(J.Hammel); Sun:BAL(H.Penn)
Brandon Webb: Tue:SF(M.Morris); Sun:SD(W.Williams)
C.C. Sabathia: Tue:CHW(J.Vazquez); Sun:TB(J.Hammel)
Mike Mussina: Fri:TOR(G.Chacin)
John Lackey: Thu:OAK(J.Blanton)
Chris Capuano: Fri:@STL(J.Weaver)
Dan Haren: Fri:@LAA(Er.Santana)
Brad Penny: Thu:@COL(B.Kim)
Tom Glavine???: Mon:WAS(Be.Perez); Sun:WAS(Ra.Ortiz)???

Since our staff already stands third overall in strikeouts, we're sitting Santana to see if we can gain ground on offense with Pujols and Jeter. Instead Lackey will join Smoltz, Schilling, Webb, Sabathia, and Glavine.

To finish squeezing under the cap, Patterson and Rios enter the lineup for Thome and Hawpe, leaving Ramon Hernandez, Podsednik, and the injured Kearns on the bench.

Rotohelp.com(5th lg; 30th div; 178th overall)
Week 26: September 25-October 1

C	Joe Mauer		770 
C	Brian McCann		460 
1B	Albert Pujols		2060
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 
OF	Corey Patterson		910 
DH	Derek Jeter		1330 
DH	Alex Rios		860

SP	John Smoltz		1240 
SP	Curt Schilling		1070 
SP	Brandon Webb		1030
SP	C.C. Sabathia		980 
SP	John Lackey		940
SP	Tom Glavine		820
RP	Bobby Jenks		1150
RP	Chris Ray		820 
RP	Takashi Saito		750
RP	Akinori Otsuka		690

Total Salary for Week 26: 	27980

Internet Challenge

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Tue:KC(Od.Perez)
Roy Oswalt: Thu:@PIT(T.Gorzelanny)
Pedro Martinez: Wed:@ATL(T.Hudson)
Chris Carpenter: Tue:SD(W.Williams)
Randy Johnson: Thu:BAL(D.Cabrera)
Jake Peavy: Thu:@ARI(M.Batista)
Roy Halladay: No start(Out for the year)
Curt Schilling: Tue:TB(J.Hammel)
Felix Hernandez: No start.
John Lackey: Thu:OAK(J.Blanton)
Dan Haren: No start.
Francisco Liriano: No start(Out for the year)
Seth McClung: 1 Home vs. NYY; 2 Road at BOS; 1 Road at CLE.

Taking the five home starts and McClung appears our safest course of action. Dempster and Papelbon remain glued to our bench despite Street facing Putz.

With steals and BA also our top priorities here, Mauer and Kendrick will replace Tex and Kinsler due to the Rangers' poor schedule. Tracy, Swisher, and Encarnacion complete our bench.

Rotohelp.com(6th lg; 113th overall)
Week 26a: September 25-September 28

 
C	Victor Martinez		1020
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	Bobby Abreu		1790 
OF	Jason Bay		1380 
OF	Chone Figgins		1350
OF	Matt Holliday		1040 
OF	Jermaine Dye		840 
OF	Chris Duffy		460 
DH	Corey Patterson		910 
DH	Joe Mauer		770 

SP	Johan Santana		1960 
SP	Chris Carpenter		1550 
SP	Randy Johnson		1360
SP	Curt Schilling		1070
SP	John Lackey		940
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 26a:	29760

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

SP(6)
Johan Santana?: Tue:KC(Od.Perez); Sun:CHW(J.Garland)???
Roy Oswalt: Thu:@PIT(T.Gorzelanny)
Chris Carpenter???: Tue:SD(W.Williams); Sun:MIL(C.Villaneuva)???
Randy Johnson: Thu:BAL(D.Cabrera)
Carlos Zambrano: Fri:COL(J.Fogg)
John Lackey: Thu:OAK(J.Blanton)
Andy Pettitte?: Tue:@PIT(I.Snell); Sun:@ATL(J.Smoltz)
Mike Mussina: Fri:TOR(G.Chacin)
Roy Halladay: No start(Out for the year)
Brad Penny: Thu:@COL(B.Kim)
Dan Haren: Fri:@LAA(Er.Santana)

Santana, Carpenter, Zambrano, Lackey, and Pettitte appear fairly safe, and then with a need for a cheaper pitcher to get us under the cap, Mussina grabs the last slot. Jenks also flips for Street.

On offense, with virtually everyone on our bench unusable, including Hafner, Ellis, Encarnacion, Barmes, Sullivan, Gomes, and Hermida, the only move that makes sense looks like a swap of Mauer for Tex, which thankfully brings us below the cap.

Rotohelp.com(FB: 4th lg; 247th overall)
& Rotohelp.com(BB: 6th lg; 493rd overall)
Week 26: September 25-October 1

 
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	Joe Mauer		1710

SP	Johan Santana		3310 
SP	Chris Carpenter		3140 
SP	Carlos Zambrano		2860
SP	John Lackey		2760 
SP	Andy Pettitte		2550
SP	Mike Mussina		2480 
RP	Bobby Jenks		2240
RP	J.J. Putz		1600
RP	Chris Ray		1580
RP	Takashi Saito		1500

Total Salary for Week 26:	59870

Mid-Season Fantasy Baseball

Sabathia, Schmidt, and Webb all look reasonably healthy, but Schilling rejoins our squad with our last purchase as his schedule easily surpasses the opponents of the other aces. Contreras departs since he's done for the year.

SP(6)
Johan Santana?: Tue:KC(Od.Perez); Sun:CHW(J.Garland)???
Roy Oswalt: Thu:@PIT(T.Gorzelanny)
Chris Carpenter???: Tue:SD(W.Williams); Sun:MIL(C.Villaneuva)???
Randy Johnson: Thu:BAL(D.Cabrera)
Andy Pettitte?: Tue:@PIT(I.Snell); Sun:@ATL(J.Smoltz)
Curt Schilling: Tue:TB(J.Hammel); Sun:BAL(H.Penn)
Jeremy Bonderman?: Tue:TOR(D.McGowan); Sun:KC(Od.Perez)
A.J. Burnett: Thu:@DET(K.Rogers)
Brad Penny: Thu:@COL(B.Kim)
Dan Haren: Fri:@LAA(Er.Santana)
Jered Weaver: Wed:TEX(A.Eaton)

Schilling accompanies Santana, Carpenter, Pettitte, and Bonderman on our automatic start list. Weaver then edges Randy for cap reasons.

We're benching Thome, Hafner, Weeks, Dye, Kearns, and Hawpe for injury and/or playing time considerations. Bay and Granderson return to two outfield slots, and then at DH, the ARod/Zimmerman combo appears far superior to Mauer/Guillen.

Rotohelp.com(2nd lg; 26th overall)
Week 26: September 25-October 1

 
C	Brian McCann		1000 
C	Josh Willingham		1000 
1B	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	Jason Bay		2550
OF	Grady Sizemore		2200
OF	Matt Holliday		2140 
OF	Rocco Baldelli		1780
OF	Nick Swisher		1550 
OF	Curtis Granderson	1000
DH	Alex Rodriguez		3790 
DH	Ryan Zimmerman		1020 

SP	Johan Santana		3310 
SP	Chris Carpenter		3140 
SP	Andy Pettitte		2550 
SP	Curt Schilling		2310
SP	Jeremy Bonderman	2190
SP	Jered Weaver		1500 
RP	Bobby Jenks		2240
RP	J.J. Putz		1600
RP	Takashi Saito		1500
RP	Joe Borowski		1450

Total Salary for Week 25: 	54810

Today's Fantasy Rx: Spend your last moves, make your last round of transactions, and sit back to enjoy the last week of the regular season. Don't forget to check all your lineups carefully to make sure you aren't running someone unlikely to play again due to injury or a club looking at younger players.