Today's Fantasy Rx

Colorado: 6 Homes games: 3 vs. San Francisco; 3 vs. San Diego
Houston: 7 Road games: 3 at Cincinnati; 4 at Pittsburgh.

San Francisco: 7 Road games: 3 at Colorado; 4 at Arizona.
San Diego: 6 Road games: 3 at St. Louis; 3 at Colorado.

Boston: 8 Home games: 5 vs. Toronto; 3 vs. Detroit.
Toronto: 8 Road games: 5 at Boston; 3 at New York Yankees.

Arizona: 7 Home games: 3 vs. Los Angeles; 4 vs. San Francisco.
Atlanta: 7 Home games: 3 vs. Montreal; 4 vs. Chicago Cubs.
Cincinnati: 7 Home games: 3 vs. Houston; 4 vs. Milwaukee.
Florida: 7 Home games: 3 vs. Chicago Cubs; 4 vs. New York Mets.
Oakland: 7 Home games: 3 vs. Minnesota; 4 vs. Kansas City.
Philadelphia: 7 Home games: 3 vs. New York Mets; 4 vs. Montreal.
Pittsburgh: 7 Home games: 3 vs. Milwaukee; 4 vs. Houston.
Seattle: 7 Home games: 3 vs. Kansas City; 4 vs. Minnesota.
St. Louis: 7 Home games: 3 vs. San Diego; 4 vs. Los Angeles.

Chicago Cubs: 7 Road games: 3 at Florida; 4 at Atlanta.
Houston: 7 Road games: 3 at Cincinnati; 4 at Pittsburgh.
Kansas City: 7 Road games: 3 at Seattle; 4 at Oakland.
Los Angeles: 7 Road games: 3 at Arizona; 4 at St. Louis.
Milwaukee: 7 Road games: 3 at Pittsburgh; 4 at Cincinnati.
Minnesota: 7 Road games: 3 at Oakland; 4 at Seattle.
Montreal: 7 Road games: 3 at Atlanta; 4 at Philadelphia.
New York Mets: 7 Road games: 3 at Philadelphia; 4 at Florida.

All other teams play six games.

Pitchers of interest with two starts(whom we'd start if we owned them):
Ramon Ortiz: Tue:BAL(Rod.Lopez); Sun:TB(Sturtze)
Randy Johnson: Mon:LA(Nomo); Sat:SF(Rueter)
Rick Helling: Tue:LA(Daal); Sun:SF(Jensen)
Tom Glavine: Mon:MON(Vazquez); Sat:CHC(C.Zambrano)
Damian Moss: Tue:MON(Colon); Sun:CHC(Lieber)
Rodrigo Lopez: Tue:@ANA(Ra.Oritz); Sun:@TEX(K.Rogers)
Pedro Martinez: Mon:TOR(); Sat:DET(Maroth)
Sun-Woo Kim or Tim Wakefield: Tue:TOR(Carpenter); Sun:DET(Bernero)
Todd Ritchie: Tue:DET(Bernero); Sun:CLE(Drese)
Carlos Zambrano: Mon:@FLO(M.Tejera); Sat:@ATL(Glavine)
Jon Lieber: Tue:@FLO(Penny); Sun:@ATL(Moss)
Jimmy Haynes: Mon:HOU(C.Hernandez); Sat:MIL(Jam.Wright)
Michael Tejera: Mon:CHC(C.Zambrano); Sat:NYM(Estes)
Brad Penny: Tue:CHC(Lieber); Sun:NYM(Astacio)
Carlos Hernandez: Mon:@CIN(Haynes); Sat:@PIT(K.Wells)
Wade Miller: Tue:@CIN(Hamilton); Sun:@PIT(J.Anderson)
Paul Byrd: Tue:@SEA(R.Soriano); Sun:@OAK(Zito)
Hideo Nomo: Mon:@ARI(Randy); Sat:@STL(W.Williams)
Omar Daal: Tue:@ARI(Helling); Sun:@STL(B.Smith)
Ruben Quevedo: Tue:@PIT(J.Anderson); Sun:@CIN(Hamilton)
Kyle Lohse: Mon:@OAK(Harang); Sat:@SEA(Moyer)
Rick Reed: Tue:@OAK(Zito); Sun:@SEA(R.Soriano)
Javier Vazquez: Mon:@ATL(Glavine); Sat:@PHI(Duckworth)
Bartolo Colon: Tue:@ATL(Moss); Sun:@PHI(T.Adams)
Shawn Estes: Mon:@PHI(Duckworth); Sat:@FLO(M.Tejera)
Pedro Astacio: Tue:@PHI(T.Adams); Sun:@FLO(Penny)
Roger Clemens: Tue:CLE(Drese); Sun:TOR(Carpenter)
Aaron Harang: Mon:MIN(Lohse); Sat:KC(D.May)
Barry Zito: Tue:MIN(Reed); Sun:KC(Byrd)
Brandon Duckworth: Mon:NYM(Estes); Sat:MON(Vazquez)
Terry Adams: Tue:NYM(Astacio); Sun:MON(Colon)
Kip Wells: Mon:MIL(Jam.Wright); Sat:HOU(C.Hernandez)
Jamie Moyer: Mon:KC(D.May); Sat:MIN(Lohse)
Rafael Soriano: Tue:KC(Byrd); Sun:MIN(Reed)
Woody Williams: Mon:SD(O.Perez); Sat:LA(Nomo)
Bud Smith: Tue:SD(K.Jarvis); Sun:LA(Daal)
Kenny Rogers: Tue:TB(Sturtze); Sun:BAL(Rod.Lopez)

Diamond Challenge

As we planned to cut Lawrence and Russ Ortiz two full months ago, we'll now go ahead and rectify one of our recent mistakes by dropping Ortiz. We have five burns left, seven if we include August callups, and we need to address our RBI problems; since we're also concerned about home runs, we'll add the most cost-efficient player from one of the top three offenses in baseball. Paul Konerko takes Ortiz's roster spot.

SP(6)
Randy Johnson: Mon:LA(Nomo); Sat:SF(Rueter)
Pedro Martinez: Mon:TOR(Parris); Sat:DET(Maroth)
Curt Schilling: Fri:SF(Ru.Ortiz)
Mike Mussina: Thu:@CLE(C.Finley)
Roger Clemens: Tue:CLE(Drese); Sun:TOR(Parris)
Matt Morris: Fri:LA(O.Perez)
Tim Hudson: Fri:KC(Suppan)
Javier Vazquez: Mon:@ATL(Glavine); Sat:@PHI(Duckworth)
Barry Zito: Tue:MIN(Reed); Sun:KC(Byrd)
Kerry Wood: Wed:@FLO(Dempster)
Roy Oswalt: Wed:@CIN(Reitsma)
Eric Gagne: 7 Road games: 3 at Arizona; 4 at St. Louis.
Brian Lawrence: Wed:@STL(Simontacchi)

We'll certainly run Gagne with seven games on the road, and since we're losing ground in ERA and WHIP, we're going to run five of our studs for doubles this week in the hope of improving our ratios; Randy, Pedro, Clemens, Vazquez, and Zito will start for us.

Unfortunately we need to sit our expensive position players to accommodate all the pitching. However, we'd already planned on sitting Sosa and Vlad because of their road schedules, as well as Helton due to his injury concerns. Drew's injury forces us to keep Ichiro and Pierre active, and while we'd like Larry Walker in the lineup, our pitching is more valuable right now. Uribe and Pierre are our only Rockies' starters for their six-game home week.

Shadow of the Umpire(1st lg; 1st div; tied for 1st overall)
& Interview with the Umpire(1st lg; 1st div; tied for 1st overall)
Week 14: July 1-July 7

C 	Jorge Posada		990
C	A.J. Pierzynski		460
1B	Jason Giambi		1640
1B	Ryan Klesko		1300
2B	Luis Castillo		1000
2B	Alfonso Soriano		900
3B	Eric Chavez		1070
3B	Shea Hillenbrand	450
SS	Alex Rodriguez		1880
SS	Jimmy Rollins		940
OF	Ichiro Suzuki		1330
OF	Lance Berkman		1320
OF	Juan Pierre		1180
OF	Adam Dunn		710
OF	Daryle Ward		620
OF	Jeremy Giambi		500
DH	Paul Konerko		1220
DH	Juan Uribe		500

SP	Randy Johnson		1990
SP	Pedro Martinez		1770
SP	Roger Clemens		1240
SP	Javier Vazquez		1100
SP	Barry Zito		1080
SP	Eric Gagne		500
RP	Jason Isringhausen	1290
RP	Byung-Hyun Kim		1200
RP	Mike Williams		900
RP	Eddie Guardado		900

Diamond Challenge 2nd Season

SP(6)
Randy Johnson: Mon:LA(Nomo); Sat:SF(Rueter)
Pedro Martinez: Mon:TOR(Parris); Sat:DET(Maroth)
Curt Schilling: Fri:SF(Ru.Ortiz)
Mike Mussina: Thu:@CLE(C.Finley)
Roger Clemens: Tue:CLE(Drese); Sun:TOR(Parris)
Matt Morris: Fri:LA(O.Perez)
Freddy Garcia: Thu:MIN(Rincon?)
Javier Vazquez: Mon:@ATL(Glavine); Sat:@PHI(Duckworth)
Barry Zito: Tue:MIN(Reed); Sun:KC(Byrd)
Kerry Wood: Wed:@FLO(Dempster)
Derek Lowe: Thu:TOR(P.Walker)
Roy Oswalt: Wed:@CIN(Reitsma)
Eric Gagne: 7 Road games: 3 at Arizona; 4 at St. Louis.
Roy Halladay: Wed:@BOS(Burkett)

We'll take three doubles here while leaving Gagne in the lineup; Lowe and Oswalt start for Randy and Vazquez since we always have cap problems here. As in DC, we need to sit a couple major run producers to fit the pitching, and Sammy, Helton, and Walker will join the DL'd Drew on our bench while Pierre plays with Colorado at home.

Umpire: The Masquerade(13th lg; 30th div; 1067th overall)
Week 14: July 1-July 7

C 	Jorge Posada		990
C	Michael Barrett		590
1B	Jason Giambi		1640
1B	Paul Konerko		1220
2B	Luis Castillo		1000
2B	Alfonso Soriano		900
3B	Mike Lowell		870
3B	Shea Hillenbrand	450
SS	Alex Rodriguez		1880
SS	Nomar Garciaparra	1120
OF	Ichiro Suzuki		1330
OF	Lance Berkman		1320
OF	Juan Pierre		1180
OF	Pat Burrell		920
OF	Torii Hunter		830
OF	Adam Dunn		710
DH	Jeremy Giambi		500
DH	Adam Piatt		410

SP	Pedro Martinez		1770
SP	Roger Clemens		1240
SP	Barry Zito		1080
SP	Derek Lowe		870
SP	Roy Oswalt		830
SP	Eric Gagne		500
RP	Jason Isringhausen	1290
RP	Mike Williams		900
RP	Eddie Guardado		900
RP	Vladimir Nunez		750

Internet Challenge

SP(6)
Randy Johnson: Mon:LA(Nomo)
Pedro Martinez: Mon:TOR(Parris)
Mike Mussina: Thu:@CLE(C.Finley)
Roger Clemens: Tue:CLE(Drese)
Javier Vazquez: Mon:@ATL(Glavine)
Barry Zito: Tue:MIN(Reed)
Kerry Wood: Wed:@FLO(Dempster)
Roy Oswalt: Wed:@CIN(Reitsma)
Eric Gagne: 4 Road games: 3 at Arizona; 1 at St. Louis.
Brian Lawrence: Wed:@STL(Simontacchi)

No starts: Schilling and Morris.

RP(4)
Jason Isringhausen: 4 Home games vs. San Diego.
Byung-Hyun Kim: 4 Home games vs. Los Angeles.
Mike Williams: 4 Home games vs. Milwaukee.
Eddie Guardado: 4 Road games at Oakland.
Jorge Julio: 3 Road at Anaheim.

Izzy sits due to his injury problems and questionable recent performance. We're comfortable with Randy, Pedro, Clemens, Zito, and Gagne for starters, and Oswalt is probably the hottest pitcher of the five remaining pitchers and faces the weakest opponent in Reitsma.

Sosa, Vlad, and Helton will sit while we deploy Bonds for his Coors' trip. Nancy Drew spends the week on the DL, and we need to bench either Berkman or Ichiro; while we need RBI, Ichiro helps elsewhere and plays four while Berkman goes on the road. Larry, Uribe, and Pierre stay return to the lineup with Colorado at home.

The Umpire Hunter(1st lg; 17th overall)
Week 14a: July 1 - July 4

C 	Jorge Posada		990
C	A.J. Pierzynski		460
1B	Jason Giambi		1640
1B	Ryan Klesko		1300
2B	Luis Castillo		1000
2B	Alfonso Soriano		900
3B	Eric Chavez		1070
3B	Shea Hillenbrand	450
SS	Alex Rodriguez		1880
SS	Jimmy Rollins		940
OF	Barry Bonds		1830
OF	Larry Walker		1530
OF	Ichiro Suzuki		1330
OF	Juan Pierre		1180
OF	Adam Dunn		710
OF	Daryle Ward		620
DH	Juan Uribe		500
DH	Erubiel Durazo		440

SP	Randy Johnson		1990
SP	Pedro Martinez		1770
SP	Roger Clemens		1240
SP	Barry Zito		1080
SP	Roy Oswalt		830
SP	Eric Gagne		500
RP	Byung-Hyun Kim		1200
RP	Mike Williams		900
RP	Eddie Guardado		900
RP	Jorge Julio		750

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

We have no relievers on the bench, so we'll stay with Smoltz, Isringhausen, Kim, and Guardado until further notice.

SP(6)
Randy Johnson: Mon:LA(Nomo); Sat:SF(Rueter)
Curt Schilling: Fri:SF(Ru.Ortiz)
Pedro Martinez: Mon:TOR(Parris); Sat:DET(Maroth)
Mike Mussina: Thu:@CLE(C.Finley)
Roger Clemens: Tue:CLE(Drese); Sun:TOR(Parris)
Matt Morris: Fri:LA(O.Perez)
Javier Vazquez: Mon:@ATL(Glavine); Sat:@PHI(Duckworth)
Kerry Wood: Wed:@FLO(Dempster)
Roy Oswalt: Wed:@CIN(Reitsma)
Eric Gagne: 7 Road games: 3 at Arizona; 4 at St. Louis.

We'll deploy Randy, Pedro, Clemens, and Vazquez for their doubles, along with the inexpensive Oswalt in Cincinnati and Gagne as always.

Helton stays on our bench here due to our injury concerns, but we're also able to deploy Berkman and Floyd while sitting the DL'd Drew and Daryle Ward, giving us a hopefully stronger and deeper lineup. Finally, we prefer D'Angelo Jimenez with three in St. Louis and three in San Diego over Steve Cox's six-game Tampa road trip to Anaheim and Arlington.

The Umpire Chronicles(1st lg; 122nd overall)
& Umpire with a Soul(3rd lg; 346th overall)
Week 14: July 1-July 7

C	Paul Lo Duca		1640
C	A.J. Pierzynski		1000
1B	Jason Giambi		3320
1B	Nick Johnson		1200
2B	Bret Boone		2650
2B	Alfonso Soriano		1800
3B	Eric Chavez		2270
3B	Mike Lowell		1920
SS	Alex Rodriguez		3430
SS	Juan Uribe		1300
OF	Lance Berkman		2540
OF	Cliff Floyd		2300
OF	Juan Pierre		1880
OF	Torii Hunter		1710
OF	Adam Dunn		1610
OF	Jeremy Giambi		1300
DH	Larry Walker		2790
DH	D'Angelo Jimenez	1000

SP	Randy Johnson		3580
SP	Pedro Martinez		2950
SP	Roger Clemens		2870
SP	Javier Vazquez		2600
SP	Roy Oswalt		1750
SP	Eric Gagne		1230
RP	John Smoltz		2610
RP	Jason Isringhausen	2370
RP	Byung-Hyun Kim		2230
RP	Eddie Guardado		1690

Today's Fantasy Rx: The All-Star selection show is tonight at 6:00 PM(CDT) on ESPN and will be replayed at midnight on ESPN2. We'll post our selections for the 30th man from the presented lists tomorrow, so we recommend you try to catch one of the broadcasts to listen to the rationale for the given selections.

Also, players with minor injuries might take early vacations this week, such as J.D. Drew's trip to the DL; attempt to avoid players with either noticeable problems or even small, nagging injuries when choosing your lineups.