Today's Fantasy Rx

Schedule recommendations for teams with 7 games

Good for hitters / Good for pitchers
Chicago White Sox: 2 Road at KC; 2 Home vs. DET; 3 Home vs. LAA.

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Boston: 3 Home vs. TOR; 2 Road at BAL; 3 Road at NYY.
Cleveland: 2 Road at MIN; 2 Home vs. TEX; 3 Home vs. BAL.
Detroit: 2 Home vs. LAA; 2 Road at CHW; 3 Home vs. MIN.
Houston: 1 Road at PHI; 3 Road at PIT; 3 Home vs. MIL.
Los Angeles Angels: 2 Home vs. DET; 2 Home vs. TB; 3 Road at CHW.
New York Yankees: 2 Road at TB; 2 Home vs. TOR; 3 Home vs. BOS.
Oakland: 2 Road at BAL; 2 Home vs. SEA; 3 Home vs. TB.
Philadelphia: 1 Home vs. HOU; 3 Home vs. WAS; 3 Home vs. FLO.
Seattle: 2 Road at TEX; 2 Road at OAK; 3 Home vs. KC.
Tampa Bay: 2 Home vs. NYY; 2 Road at LAA; 3 Road at OAK.
Texas: 2 Home vs. SEA; 2 Road at CLE; 3 Road at TOR.
Toronto: 2 Road at BOS; 2 Road at NYY; 3 Home vs. TEX.

Bad for hitters / Good for pitchers
Kansas City: 2 Home vs. CHW; 3 Road at MIN; 3 Road at SEA.
Minnesota: 2 Home vs. CLE; 3 Home vs. KC; 3 Road at DET.

Bad for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Baltimore: 2 Home vs. OAK; 2 Home vs. BOS; 3 Road at CLE.

Schedule recommendations for teams with 6 games

Good for hitters / Good for pitchers
Arizona: 3 Home vs. SD; 3 Home vs. SF.
New York Mets: 3 Home vs. COL; 3 Road at WAS.

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Atlanta: 3 Road at FLO; 3 Road at COL.
Chicago Cubs: 3 Home vs. MIL; 3 Road at STL.
Cincinnati: 3 Road at STL; 3 Road at PIT.
Colorado: 3 Road at NYM; 3 Home vs. ATL.
Florida: 3 Home vs. ATL; 3 Road at PHI.
Milwaukee: 3 Road at CHC; 3 Road at HOU.
Pittsburgh: 3 Home vs. HOU; 3 Home vs. CIN.
San Diego: 3 Road at ARI; 3 Home vs. LAD.
St. Louis: 3 Home vs. CIN; 3 Home vs. CHC.
Washington: 3 Road at PHI; 3 Home vs. NYM.

Bad for hitters / Good for pitchers
Los Angeles Dodgers: 3 Home vs. SF; 3 Road at SD.

Bad for hitters / Bad for pitchers
San Francisco: 3 Road at LAD; 3 Road at ARI.

Pitchers with 2 starts(to deploy everywhere you own them):
Brian Bannister: Tue:CHW(J.Vazquez); Sun:@SEA(J.Washburn)
Erik Bedard: Mon:OAK(D.Haren); Sat:@CLE(J.Sowers)
Jeremy Bonderman: Tue:@LAA(K.Escobar); Sun:MIN(J.Santana)
Mark Buehrle: Mon:@KC(G.Meche); Sat:LAA(Jer.Weaver)
Kelvim Escobar: Tue:DET(J.Bonderman); Sun:@CHW(J.Vazquez)
Roy Halladay: Tue:@BOS(Ju.Tavarez); Sun:TEX(V.Padilla)
Aaron Harang: Tue:@STL(K.Wells); Sun:@PIT(P.Maholm)
Dan Haren: Mon:@BAL(E.Bedard); Sat:TB(C.Fossum)
Rich Hill: Tue:MIL(J.Suppan); Sun:@STL(K.Wells)
Randy Johnson: Tue:SD(D.Wells); Sun:SF(M.Morris)
Scott Kazmir: Tue:NYY(C.Wang); Sun:@OAK(B.Halsey?)
Derek Lowe: Tue:SF(M.Morris); Sun:@SD(D.Wells)
Paul Maholm: Tue:HOU(W.Williams); Sun:CIN(A.Harang)
John Maine: Mon:COL(A.Cook); Sun:@WAS(J.Bergmann)
Gil Meche: Mon:CHW(M.Buehrle); Sat:@SEA(C.Baek)
Matt Morris: Tue:@LAD(D.Lowe); Sun:@ARI(R.Johnson)
Johan Santana: Tue:CLE(F.Carmona); Sun:@DET(J.Bonderman)
Javier Vazquez: Tue:@KC(B.Bannister); Sun:LAA(K.Escobar)
Jered Weaver: Mon:DET(M.Maroth); Sat:@CHW(M.Buehrle)
David Wells: Tue:@ARI(R.Johnson); Sun:LAD(D.Lowe)
Dontrelle Willis: Mon:ATL(K.Davies); Sat:@PHI(A.Eaton)
Kip Wells: Tue:CIN(A.Harang); Sun:CHC(R.Hill)
Carlos Zambrano: Mon:MIL(C.Vargas); Sat:@STL(A.Wainwright)

Pitchers with 2 starts to deploy only in leagues that don't count qualitative stats:
Cha Seung Baek: Mon:@TEX(K.Millwood); Sat:KC(G.Meche)
Jason Bergmann: Tue:@PHI(J.Moyer); Sun:NYM(J.Maine)
Fausto Carmona: Tue:@MIN(J.Santana); Sun:BAL(Jar.Wright)
Aaron Cook: Tue:@NYM(Or.Hernandez); Sun:ATL(K.Davies)?
Kyle Davies: Mon:@FLO(D.Willis); Sun:@COL(A.Cook?)
Adam Eaton: Mon:HOU(C.Sampson); Sat:FLO(D.Willis)
Casey Fossum: Mon:NYY(K.Igawa); Sat:@OAK(D.Haren)
Kei Igawa: Mon:@TB(C.Fossum); Sat:@BOS(T.Wakefield)
Mike Maroth: Mon:@LAA(Jer.Weaver); Sat:MIN(C.Silva)
Kevin Millwood: Mon:SEA(C.Baek); Sat:@TOR(T.Ohka)
Vicente Padilla: Tue:SEA(J.Washburn); Sun:@TOR(R.Hallady)
Jamie Moyer: Tue:WAS(J.Bergmann); Sun:FLO(RVanden Hurk)
Tomo Ohka: Mon:@BOS(T.Wakefield); Sat:TEX(K.Millwood)
Chris Sampson: Mon:@PHI(A.Eaton); Sat;MIL(D.Bush)
Carlos Silva: Mon:CLE(J.Sowers); Sat:@DET(M.Maroth)
Jeremy Sowers: Mon:@MIN(C.Silva); Sat:BAL(E.Bedard)
Rick Vanden Hurk: Tue:ATL(M.Redman); Sun:@PHI(J.Moyer)
Claudio Vargas: Mon:@CHC(C.Zambrano); Sun:@HOU(W.Williams)
Tim Wakefield: Mon:TOR(T.Ohka); Sat:@NYY(K.Igawa)
Julian Tavarez: Tue:TOR(R.Halladay); Sun:@NYY(C.Wang)
Chien-ming Wang: Tue:@TB(S.Kazmir); Sun:BOS(Ju.Tavarez)
Jarrod Washburn: Tue:@TEX(V.Padilla); Sun:KC(B.Bannister)
Woody Williams: Tue:@PIT(P.Maholm); Sun:MIL(C.Vargas)

Diamond Challenge

Following the success of our IC move from Friday, we're adding Kelly Johnson here, though instead of cutting Kendrick, Jorge Julio departs this roster due to his move to the DL and the subsequent appointment of Henry Owens at closer.

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Tue:CLE(F.Carmona); Sun:@DET(J.Bonderman)
Roy Oswalt: Fri:MIL(C.Capuano)
John Smoltz: Sat:@COL(J.Hirsh)
Ben Sheets: Wed:@CHC(T.Lilly)
Jake Peavy: Wed:@ARI(B.Webb)
Roy Halladay: Tue:@BOS(Ju.Tavarez); Sun:TEX(V.Padilla)
Brandon Webb: Wed:SD(J.Peavy)
Josh Beckett: Thu:@BAL(A.Loewen)
Jon Papelbon: 2 Home vs. TOR; 2 Road at BAL; 3 Road at NYY.
Rich Harden: Sun:TB(C.Fossum)???
Chris Young: Thu:@ARI(L.Hernandez)
A.J. Burnett: Wed:@NYY(A.Pettitte)
Felix Hernandez: No starts(injured)

In addition to Santana, Halladay, and Papelbon, Oswalt and Beckett seem our strongest plays. Since Pettitte pitched in relief today and the Yankees' pitching remains in shambles, we're going to risk running Burnett in New York rather than deploy Chris Young in Arizona or run Webb against Peavy.

Thanks to the DL trips for Bard and Kendrick out, we see few viable options here. As Cleveland doesn't enjoy a particularly impressive schedule, and Howard appears healthy and sees seven at home, he stays in the lineup and Hafner stays on the bench. Also, with Colorado spending half the week in New York, playing just six games total, and facing five right-handers, both Holliday and Atkins hit the bench to make room for Hanley and Teahen.

Rotohelp.com(14th lg; 167th div; 2852nd overall)
Week 4: April 23-April 29

C	Brian McCann		880 
C	Chris Iannetta		340
1B	Ryan Howard		1420 
1B	Frank Thomas		890
2B	Ian Kinsler		630
2B	Kelly Johnson		400
3B	David Wright		1550 
3B	Mark Teahen		750
SS	Jose Reyes		1610 
SS	Bill Hall		900 
OF	Manny Ramirez		1390
OF	J.D. Drew		940
OF	Willy Taveras		860
OF	Rocco Baldelli		750
OF	Delmon Young		750 
OF	Shane Victorino		560
DH	Albert Pujols		2050 
DH	Hanley Ramirez		1100

SP	Johan Santana		1960
SP	Roy Oswalt		1550 
SP	Roy Halladay		1140
SP	Josh Beckett		1000 
SP	A.J. Burnett		880 
SP	Jon Papelbon		900
RP	Francisco Cordero	1260
RP	Takashi Saito		1200
RP	Ryan Dempster		1130
RP	Joe Borowski		1110

Total Salary for Week 4: 	29900

Internet Challenge

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Tue:CLE(F.Carmona))
Roy Oswalt: No start.
Ben Sheets: Wed:@CHC(T.Lilly)
Jake Peavy: Wed:@ARI(B.Webb)
Roy Halladay: Tue:@BOS(Ju.Tavarez)
Brandon Webb: Wed:SD(J.Peavy)
Josh Beckett: Thu:@BAL(A.Loewen)
Daisuke Matsuzaka: No start.
Dan Haren: Mon:@BAL(E.Bedard)
Jon Papelbon: 2 Home vs. TOR; 2 Road at BAL.
Rich Harden: No start.
Felix Hernandez: No start(injured)
Matt Cain: No start.

Santana, Halladay, Beckett, Haren, and Papelbon all seem solid. Despite our reticence to run Webb against Peavy, the home start seems safer than either Peavy or Sheets in Chicago.

Howard returns to the lineup for Hafner, who joins Bard and Kaz Matsui on the bench. The Rockies' road trip then necessitates deploying Teahen and Drew, and since Taveras seems a safer bet in New York than the two right-handed sluggers, Holliday and Atkins will sit for a couple days.

Rotohelp.com(15th; 438th overall)
Week 4a: April 23-April 26

C	Brian McCann		880 
C	Chris Iannetta		340 
1B	Albert Pujols		2050
1B	Ryan Howard		1420 
2B	Ian Kinsler		630
2B	Kelly Johnson		400
3B	David Wright		1550
3B	Mark Teahen		750
SS	Jose Reyes		1610
SS	Bill Hall		900
OF	Manny Ramirez		1390
OF	Alex Rios		1000 
OF	Willy Taveras		860
OF	Rocco Baldelli		750
OF	Delmon Young		750 
OF	Shane Victorino		560
DH	Hanley Ramirez		1100 
DH	J.D. Drew		940

SP	Johan Santana		1960 
SP	Roy Halladay		1140 
SP	Brandon Webb		1130 
SP	Josh Beckett		1000
SP	Dan Haren		940
SP	Jon Papelbon		900
RP	Francisco Cordero	1260
RP	Takashi Saito		1200
RP	Ryan Dempster		1130
RP	Joe Borowski		1110

Total Week 4a Salary:		29940

Fantasy Baseball & Fanball.Com Cap Challenge (aka Budget Baseball)
(Same rules = same rosters and moves for both teams)

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Tue:CLE(F.Carmona); Sun:@DET(J.Bonderman)
Roy Oswalt: Fri:MIL(C.Capuano)
Jake Peavy: Wed:@ARI(B.Webb)
Josh Beckett: Thu:@BAL(A.Loewen)
Ben Sheets: Wed:@CHC(T.Lilly)
Felix Hernandez: No starts(injured)
A.J. Burnett: Wed:@NYY(A.Pettitte)
Chris Young: Thu:@ARI(L.Hernandez)
Rich Harden: Sun:TB(C.Fossum)???
Jon Papelbon: 2 Home vs. TOR; 2 Road at BAL; 3 Road at NYY.

So we missed out on more than fifty points by opting for Felix over Dice-K this week, and now we lose Felix's double. We similarly lose Harden's double, so need to deploy Beckett, Burnett, and Young in addition to Santana, Oswalt, and Papelbon. Thankfully, at least we should have doubles from Peavy, Beckett, Sheets, Burnett, and Young next week.

Most of our position players finally appear on track, but most of our taxi guys also appear solid. With only Bard and Miguel Cabrera glued to the bench, we'll flip Teahen for Atkins and Swisher for Holliday, reluctantly sitting Fielder, Hall, Hanley, Sizemore for cap reasons.

Rotohelp.com(FB: 12th lg; 896th overall)
& Rotohelp.com(FC: 12th lg; 1717th overall)
Week 4: April 23-April 29

 
C	Joe Mauer		1890
C	Brian McCann		1880
1B	Ryan Howard		3240 
1B	Adrian Gonzalez		1420
2B	Chase Utley		2850
2B	Brandon Phillips	1160
3B	David Wright		2900  
3B	Mark Teahen		1980
SS	Jose Reyes		2460 
SS	Stephen Drew		1450 
OF	J.D. Drew		2640 
OF	Nick Swisher		2190
OF	Rocco Baldelli		1500
OF	Delmon Young		1500 
OF	Willy Taveras		1460
OF	Chris B. Young		1000
DH	Albert Pujols		3890
DH	Ian Kinsler		1270

SP	Johan Santana		3410
SP	Roy Oswalt		3070
SP	Josh Beckett		2520 
SP	A.J. Burnett		1940 
SP	Chris Young		1760 
SP	Jon Papelbon		1950
RP	Ryan Dempster		2240
RP	Takashi Saito		2200
RP	Joe Borowski		2100
RP	Jose Valverde		1880

Total Salary for Week 4:	59750

Today's Fantasy Rx: With around ten percent of the season now complete for most teams, taking brief stock of your teams isn't a bad idea, but don't overreact to most early developments, especially any spring struggles suffered by reputedly healthy veterans. The weather will continue to warm, ushering in the inevitably prolific offensive production of summer, so right now focus mostly on underperforming pitchers with unexpected command issues. Even if those guys aren't hiding injuries, they may not rebound soon and even could lose rotation spots. Similarly, monitor all the young starters slowly joining big league rotation. Although we don't anticipate this year's rookie class approaching last season's tremendous haul of youngsters in any way, recent call-ups like Rick Vanden Hurk and Cha Baek could hold starting slots far longer than expected, making them decent gambles in the vast majority of roto leagues.