Today's Fantasy Rx

Schedule recommendations for teams with 7 games

Good for hitters / Good for pitchers
Arizona: 3 Home vs. COL; 4 Home vs. HOU.
Cleveland: 1 Home vs. SEA; 3 Road at KC; 3 Road at DET.

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Cincinnati: 4 Home vs. WAS; 3 Home vs. PIT.
Houston: 3 Road at SF; 4 Road at ARI.
Seattle: 1 Road at CLE; 3 Road at TB; 3 Road at KC.
Washington: 4 Road at CIN; 3 Road at STL.

Schedule recommendations for teams with 6 games

Good for hitters / Good for pitchers
San Diego: 3 Home vs. CHC; 3 Home vs. MIL.
San Francisco: 3 Home vs. HOU; 3 Home vs. COL.
St. Louis: 3 Home vs. PIT; 3 Home vs. WAS.

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Atlanta: 3 Home vs. NYM; 3 Home vs. PHI.
Baltimore: 3 Home vs. TOR; 3 Home vs. OAK.
Boston: 3 Road at NYY; 3 Road at TEX.
Chicago White Sox: 3 Home vs. OAK; 3 Home vs. TB.
Detroit: 3 Home vs. LAA; 3 Home vs. CLE.
Florida: 3 Home vs. PHI; 3 Home vs. NYM.
Kansas City: 3 Home vs. CLE; 3 Home vs. SEA.
Los Angeles Angels: 3 Road at DET; 3 Road at NYY.
Los Angeles Dodgers: 3 Home vs. MIL; 3 Home vs. CHC.
Minnesota: 3 Road at TEX; 3 Home vs. TOR.
New York Yankees: 3 Home vs. BOS; 3 Home vs. LAA.
Oakland: 3 Road at CHW; 3 Road at BAL.
Pittsburgh: 3 Road at STL; 3 Road at CIN.
Tampa Bay: 3 Home vs. SEA; 3 Road at CHW.
Texas: 3 Home vs. MIN; 3 Home vs. BOS.

Bad for hitters / Good for pitchers
Chicago Cubs: 3 Road at SD; 3 Road at LAD.
Milwaukee: 3 Road at LAD; 3 Road at SD.
New York Mets: 3 Road at ATL; 3 Road at FLO.
Philadelphia: 3 Road at FLO; 3 Road at ATL.

Bad for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Colorado: 3 Road at ARI; 3 Road at SF.
Toronto: 3 Road at BAL; 3 Road at MIN.

Pitchers with 2 starts(to deploy everywhere you own them):
Bronson Arroyo: Mon:WAS(L.Speigner); Sat:PIT(S.Chacon?)
Cha Baek: Mon:@CLE(C.Sabathia); Sat:@KC(B.Bannister)
Joe Blanton: Mon:@CHW(J.Contreras); Sun:@BAL(D.Cabrera)
A.J. Burnett: Tue:@BAL(D.Cabrera); Sun:@MIN(C.Silva)
Daniel Cabrera: Tue:TOR(A.Burnett); Sun:OAK(J.Blanton)
Fausto Carmona: Tue:@KC(Od.Perez); Sun:@DET(M.Maroth)
Cole Hamels: Tue:@FLO(S.Olsen); Sun:@ATL(K.Davies)
Livan Hernandez: Tue:COL(J.Fogg); Sun:HOU(R.Oswalt)
Rich Hill: Tue:@SD(J.Peavy); Sun:@LAD(R.Wolf)
John Lackey: Tue:@DET(M.Maroth); Sun:@NYY(C.Wang)
Noah Lowry: Mon:HOU(C.Sampson); Sun:COL(J.Fogg)
Mike Mussina: Mon:BOS(T.Wakefield); Sat:LAA(K.Escobar)
Scott Olsen: Tue:PHI(C.Hamels); Sun:NYM(J.Sosa)
Roy Oswalt: Tue:@SF(T.Lincecum); Sun:@ARI(L.Hernandez)
Jake Peavy: Tue:CHC(R.Hill); Sun:MIL(J.Suppan)
C.C. Sabathia: Mon:SEA(C.Baek); Sat:@DET(J.Verlander)
Jeff Suppan: Mon:@LAD(B.Tomko); Sun:@SD(J.Peavy)
Jorge Sosa: Tue:@ATL(K.Davies); Sun:@FLO(S.Olsen)
Adam Wainwright: Tue:PIT(Z.Duke); Sun:WAS(M.Chico)
Brandon Webb: Mon:COL(A.Cook); Sat:HOU(C.Sampson)
Randy Wolf: Tue:MIL(B.Sheets); Sun:CHC(R.Hill)

Pitchers with 2 starts to deploy only in leagues that don't count qualitative stats:
Matt Chico: Tue:@CIN(K.Saarloos); Sun:@STL(A.Wainwright)
Jose Contreras: Mon:OAK(J.Blanton); Sun:TB(C.Fossum)
Aaron Cook: Mon:@ARI(B.Webb); Sat:@SF(M.Morris)
Kyle Davies: Tue:NYM(J.Sosa); Sun:PHI(C.Hamels)
Zach Duke: Tue:@STL(A.Wainwright); Sun:@CIN(K.Saarloos)
Josh Fogg: Tue:@ARI(L.Hernandez); Sun:@SF(N.Lowry)
Casey Fossum: Tue:SEA(J.Washburn); Sun:@CHW(J.Contreras)
Kameron Loe: Tue:MIN(J.Santana); Sun:BOS(J.Tavarez)
Mike Maroth: Tue:LAA(J.Lackey); Sun:CLE(F.Carmona)
Vicente Padilla: Mon:MIN(C.Silva); Sat:BOS(T.Wakefield)
Odalis Perez: Tue:CLE(F.Carmona); Sun:SEA(J.Washburn)
Kirk Saarloos: Tue:WAS(M.Chico); Sun:PIT(Z.Duke)
Chris Sampson: Mon:@SF(N.Lowry); Sat:@ARI(B.Webb)
Carlos Silva: Mon:@TEX(V.Padilla); Sun:TOR(A.Burnett)
Levale Speigner: Mon:@CIN(B.Arroyo); Sat:@STL(B.Thompson)
Julian Tavarez: Tue:@NYY(C.Wang); Sun:@TEX(K.Loe)
Tim Wakefield: Mon:@NYY(M.Mussina); Sat:@TEX(V.Padilla)
Jarrod Washburn: Tue:@TB(); Sun:@KC(Od.Perez)

Diamond Challenge

We need offense desperately and will take advantage of free agency to add Justin Morneau and Russ Martin, cutting Frank Thomas and Chris Iannetta. If Dempster loses his job, we expect to add Valverde next week, though if Dempster continues to close, we'll add J.J. Hardy for Bill Hall in two weeks and Prince Fielder for Ryan Howard in three.

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Tue:@TEX(K.Loe)
Roy Oswalt: Tue:@SF(T.Lincecum); Sun:@ARI(L.Hernandez)
John Smoltz: Thu:NYM(T.Glavine)
Ben Sheets: Tue:@LAD(R.Wolf)
Jake Peavy: Tue:CHC(R.Hill); Sun:MIL(J.Suppan)
Roy Halladay: No start(DL)
Brandon Webb: Mon:COL(A.Cook); Sat:HOU(C.Sampson)
Josh Beckett: No start(DL)
Jon Papelbon: 3 Road at NYY; 3 Road at TEX.
Rich Harden: No start(DL)
Chris Young: Thu:CHC(J.Marquis)
A.J. Burnett: Tue:@BAL(D.Cabrera); Sun:@MIN(C.Silva)
Felix Hernandez: Fri:@KC(G.Meche)

Oswalt, Peavy, Webb, and Burnett appear automatic, and between Smoltz, Young, and Papelbon, we're opting for Smoltz and Papelbon, the latter since we can't afford to lose any ground in saves.

Both Martin and Morneau enter our lineup immediately, along with Delmon Young, while we sent Brian McCann, Garrett Atkins, and Bill Hall to join Howard and Baldelli on the bench.

Rotohelp.com(15th lg; 138th div; 2242nd overall)
Week 8: May 21-May 27

C	Russ Martin		680
C	Josh Bard		300 
1B	Albert Pujols		2050
1B	Travis Hafner		1380
2B	Ian Kinsler		630
2B	Kelly Johnson		400 
3B	David Wright		1550
3B	Mark Teahen		750
SS	Jose Reyes		1610 
SS	Hanley Ramirez		1100
OF	Matt Holliday		1410
OF	Manny Ramirez		1390 
OF	J.D. Drew		940 
OF	Willy Taveras		860
OF	Barry Bonds		830 
OF	Shane Victorino		560
DH	Justin Morneau		1180
DH	Delmon Young		750

SP	Roy Oswalt		1550 
SP	John Smoltz		1260 
SP	Jake Peavy		1180 
SP	Brandon Webb		1130
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 8: 	29970

Internet Challenge

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Tue:@TEX(K.Loe)
Roy Oswalt: Tue:@SF(T.Lincecum))
Ben Sheets: Tue:@LAD(R.Wolf)
Jake Peavy: Tue:CHC(R.Hill)
Brandon Webb: Mon:COL(A.Cook)
Greg Maddux: No start.
Josh Beckett: No start(DL)
Daisuke Matsuzaka: No start.
Dan Haren: No start.
Jon Papelbon: 3 Road at NYY.
Rich Harden: No start(DL)
Felix Hernandez: No start.
Matt Cain: No start.

Once again, we'll deploy our six active pitchers here, though that creates massive cap problems that necessitate benching Pujols. Obviously Howard and Baldelli remain seated, and then we'll activate Bard, Delmon Young, and Bill Hall, benching Iannetta and Atkins.

Rotohelp.com(15th lg; 374th overall)
Week 8a: May 21-May 24

 
C	Brian McCann		880 
C	Josh Bard		300
1B	Travis Hafner		1380
1B	Prince Fielder		910
2B	Ian Kinsler		630
2B	Kelly Johnson		400 
3B	David Wright		1550
3B	Mark Teahen		750
SS	Jose Reyes		1610 
SS	Hanley Ramirez		1100
OF	Matt Holliday		1410
OF	Manny Ramirez		1390
OF	Alex Rios		1000 
OF	Willy Taveras		860
OF	Barry Bonds		830
OF	Shane Victorino		560 
DH	Bill Hall		900 
DH	Delmon Young		750

SP	Johan Santana		1960 
SP	Roy Oswalt		1550 
SP	Ben Sheets		1220 
SP	Jake Peavy		1180
SP	Brandon Webb		1130
SP	Jon Papelbon		900
RP	Francisco Cordero	1260
RP	Takashi Saito		1200
RP	Ryan Dempster		1130
RP	Joe Borowski		1110

Total Week 8a Salary:		29850

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

We need a double start here, and with Rich Harden once again shut down, he'll depart our staff. Five solid options appear on this week's schedule: Brandon Webb: Cole Hamels, Rich Hill, John Lackey, and C.C. Sabathia. Webb and Lackey cost a ton and face tough schedules over the upcoming weeks, leaving with a strong preference toward a cheaper pitcher. We also don't trust Hill, so after extensive review, we decided to add both Sabathia and Hamels while cutting Harden and Felix Hernandez.

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Tue:@TEX(K.Loe)
Roy Oswalt: Tue:@SF(T.Lincecum); Sun:@ARI(L.Hernandez)
Jake Peavy: Tue:CHC(R.Hill); Sun:MIL(J.Suppan)
Josh Beckett: No start(DL)
C.C. Sabathia: Mon:SEA(C.Baek); Sat:@DET(J.Verlander)
Ben Sheets: Tue:@LAD(R.Wolf)
A.J. Burnett: Tue:@BAL(D.Cabrera); Sun:@MIN(C.Silva)
Jon Papelbon: 3 Road at NYY; 3 Road at TEX.
Chris Young: Thu:CHC(J.Marquis)
Cole Hamels: Tue:@FLO(S.Olsen); Sun:@ATL(K.Davies)

Adding Sabathia and Hamels lets us run five doubles, along with Jon Papelbon, who simply seems a better bet than any of our singles.

Mauer, Howard, Atkins, Stephen Drew, and Baldelli all stay benched. With extra cap room, we can deploy Pujols, Brandon Phillips, and Delmon Young while sitting Bill Hall, Ian Kinsler, and Chris B. Young, who seems solid but again appears troubled by a groin injury.

Rotohelp.com(FB: 8th lg; 944th overall)
& Rotohelp.com(FC: 12th lg; 1857th overall)
Week 8: May 21-May 27

 
C	Brian McCann		1880
C	Josh Bard		1010
1B	Prince Fielder		1850
1B	Adrian Gonzalez		1420 
2B	Chase Utley		2850 
2B	Brandon Phillips	1160
3B	Mark Teahen		1980
3B	B.J. Upton		1000
SS	Jose Reyes		2460 
SS	Hanley Ramirez		2150
OF	Grady Sizemore		2760 
OF	Matt Holliday		2730
OF	Barry Bonds		2560
OF	Nick Swisher		2190 
OF	Delmon Young		1500
OF	Willy Taveras		1460 
DH	Albert Pujols		3890
DH	David Wright		2900  

SP	Roy Oswalt		3070
SP	Jake Peavy		2730 
SP	C.C. Sabathia		2490
SP	A.J. Burnett		1940
SP	Cole Hamels		1450
SP	Jon Papelbon		1950
RP	Ryan Dempster		2240
RP	Takashi Saito		2200
RP	Joe Borowski		2100
RP	Jose Valverde		1880

Total Salary for Week 8:	59800

Today's Fantasy Rx: Right now looks like prime free agent season in DC. We see good arguments for Russ Martin, Justin Morneau, and Grady Sizemore this week, Aramis Ramirez, Barry Bonds, Jake Peavy, and Jose Valverde next week, Kelly Johnson, J.J. Hardy, and Josh Beckett in two weeks, and Prince Fielder, B.J. Upton, Brandon Webb, and Takashi Saito in three weeks. A few of these guys qualify as must-owns, such as Peavy and Saito, while all of them at least rank somewhere between good and outstanding values. Adding four of these guys now makes a lot more sense than randomly burning purchases or waiting until later in the year to make moves in general, a highly questionable decision if you see areas where your team needs help now.