Today's Fantasy Rx

Schedule recommendations for teams with 7 games

Good for hitters / Good for pitchers
Chicago Cubs: 3 Home vs. HOU; 4 Home vs. COL.
Cleveland: 4 Home vs. MIN; 3 Home vs. OAK.
Florida: 3 Home vs. PHI; 4 Home vs. NYM.
Los Angeles Angels: 4 Home vs. CHW; 3 Home vs. KC.

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Chicago White Sox: 4 Road at LAA; 3 Road at TEX.
Cincinnati: 3 Home vs. WAS; 4 Home vs. PIT.
Minnesota: 4 Road at CLE; 3 Road at TOR.
Pittsburgh: 3 Road at STL; 4 Road at CIN.

Bad for hitters / Good for pitchers
Colorado: 3 Road at MIL; 4 Road at CHC.
New York Mets: 3 Road at ATL; 4 Road at FLO.

Schedule recommendations for teams with 6 games

Good for hitters / Good for pitchers
Atlanta: 3 Home vs. NYM; 3 Home vs. PHI.
Baltimore: 3 Home vs. SEA; 3 Home vs. DET.
Los Angeles Dodgers: 3 Road at SF; 3 Road at ARI.
Milwaukee: 3 Home vs. COL; 3 Home vs. HOU.
Oakland: 3 Road at TB; 3 Road at CLE.
San Diego: 3 Road at ARI; 3 Road at SF.
St. Louis: 3 Home vs. PIT; 3 Home vs. WAS.

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Boston: 3 Road at TOR; 3 Road at NYY.
Detroit: 3 Road at NYY; 3 Road at BAL.
Houston: 3 Road at CHC; 3 Road at MIL.
Kansas City: 3 Road at TEX; 3 Road at LAA.
New York Yankees: 3 Home vs. DET; 3 Home vs. BOS.
Seattle: 3 Road at BAL; 3 Road at TB.
Texas: 3 Home vs. KC; 3 Home vs. CHW.
Toronto: 3 Home vs. BOS: 3 Home vs. MIN.
Washington: 3 Road at CIN; 3 Road at STL.

Bad for hitters / Good for pitchers
San Francisco: 3 Home vs. LAD; 3 Home vs. SD.
Tampa Bay: 3 Home vs. OAK; 3 Home vs. SEA.

Bad for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Arizona: 3 Home vs. SD; 3 Home vs. LAD.
Philadelphia: 3 Road at FLO; 3 Road at ATL.

Pitchers with 2 starts(to deploy everywhere you own them):
Josh Beckett: Tue:PHI(B.Myers); Sun:NYM(T.Glavine)
Mark Buehrle: Tue:@LAA(B.Colon); Sun:@TEX(R.Drese)
Chris Carpenter: Mon:PIT(Da.Williams); Sun:WAS(L.Hernandez)
Bruce Chen: Tue:SEA(J.Pineiro); Sun:DET(W.Ledezma)
Roger Clemens: Tue:@CHC(S.Mitre?); Sun:@MIL(C.Capuano)
Bartolo Colon: Tue:CHW(M.Buehrle); Sun:KC(Run.Hernandez)
Adam Eaton: Tue:@ARI(Ru.Ortiz); Sun:@SF(J.Schmidt)
Seth Etherton: Tue:@TB(D.Waechter); Sun:@CLE(J.Westbrook)
Jon Garland: Mon:@LAA(Er.Santana); Sat:@TEX(C.Park)
Tom Glavine: Tue:@ATL(T.Hudson); Sun:@FLO(J.Beckett)
Livan Hernandez: Tue:@CIN(B.Claussen); Sun:@STL(C.Carpenter)
Tim Hudson: Tue:NYM(T.Glavine); Sun:PHI(J.Lieber)
Jon Lieber: Mon:@FLO(D.Willis); Sun:@ATL(T.Hudson)
Esteban Loaiza: Mon:@CIN(E.Milton); Sat:@STL(J.Suppan)
Mike Mussina: Tue:DET(W.Ledezma); Sun:BOS(Da.Wells)
Glendon Rusch: Mon:HOU(Wa.Rodriguez?); Sat:COL(S.Chacon)
Jason Schmidt: Tue:LAD(J.Weaver); Sun:SD(A.Eaton)
Jeff Weaver: Tue:@SF(J.Schmidt); Sun:@ARI(Ru.Ortiz)
Kip Wells: Tue:@STL(J.Marquis); Sun:@CIN(B.Claussen)
Jake Westbrook: Tue:MIN(J.Mays); Sun:OAK(S.Etherton)
David Williams: Mon:@STL(C.Carpenter); Sat:@CIN(E.Milton)
Dontrelle Willis: Mon:PHI(J.Lieber); Sat:NYM(K.Ishii)

Pitchers with 2 starts to deploy only in leagues that don't count qualitative stats:
David Bush: Tue:BOS(Da.Wells); Sun:MIN(J.Mays)
Chris Capuano: Mon:COL(S.Chacon); Sun:HOU(R.Clemens)
Shawn Chacon: Mon:@MIL(C.Capuano): Sat:@CHC(G.Rusch)
Brandon Claussen: Tue:WAS(L.Hernandez); Sun:PIT(K.Wells)
Scott Elarton: Mon:MIN(K.Lohse); Sat:OAK(K.Saarloos)
Ryan Drese: Tue:KC(Run.Hernandez); Sun:CHW(M.Buehrle)
Jeff Francis: Tue:@MIL(V.Santos): Sun:@CHC(S.Mitre?)
Runelvys Hernandez: Tue:@TEX(R,Drese); Sun:@LAA(B.Colon)
Kaz Ishii: Mon:@ATL(Ho.Ramirez); Sat:@FLO(D.Willis)
Wil Ledezma: Tue:@NYY(M.Mussina); Sun:@BAL(B.Chen)
Kyle Lohse: Mon:@CLE(S.Elarton); Sat:@TOR(J.Towers)
Joe Mays: Tue:@CLE(J.Westbrook); Sun:@TOR(D.Bush)
Eric Milton: Mon:WAS(E.Loaiza); Sat:PIT(Da.Williams)
Russ Ortiz: Tue:SD(A.Eaton); Sun:LAD(J.Weaver)
Joel Pineiro: Tue:@BAL(B.Chen); Sun:@TB(D.Waecther)
Horacio Ramirez: Mon:NYM(K.Ishii); Sat:PHI(C.Lidle)
Ervin Santana: Mon:CHW(J.Garland); Sat:KC(R.Jensen?)
Doug Waechter: Tue:OAK(S.Etherton); Sun:SEA(J.Pineiro)
David Wells: Tue:@TOR(D.Bush); Sun:@NYY(M.Mussina)

Diamond Challenge

Adding Dontrelle Willis as a free agent ranks with the few unquestionably automatic moves in DC history. Pujold, Figgins, Inge, Barmes, Santana, and Cordero also rank as decent considerations, although despite our desperate need for healthy relievers, we simply don't trust Cordero. We'll dump the injured Harden.

With two of our closers disabled, we'll copy our IC move from Friday by adding Trevor Hoffman. Since we expect Huston Street to continue closing indefinitely, Dotel will depart our roster.

After considering several options, including Joe Nathan, Chad Cordero, Derrick Turnbow, and even Francisco Cordero, we opted to spend another buy on Brad Lidge, which at least brings our bullpen nearly in line with most of the top 100, excepting Hoffman instead of Nathan. Since we like owning a backup at every position, we're cutting Travis Hafner, who seems somewhat superfluous with Morneau, Teixiera, Pujols, Glaus, Mora, and Wright ably covering our 1B/3B/DH slots.

SP(6)
Randy Johnson: Fri:BOS(T.Wakefield)
Johan Santana: Fri:@TOR(T.Lilly)
Jason Schmidt: Tue:LAD(J.Weaver); Sun:SD(A.Eaton)
Pedro Martinez: Fri:@FLO(B.Moehler)
Roy Oswalt: Fri:@MIL(D.Davis)
Roger Clemens: Tue:@CHC(S.Mitre?); Sun:@MIL(C.Capuano)
Mark Mulder: Wed:PIT(M.Redman)
Jake Peavy: Wed:@ARI(B.Halsey)
Dontrelle Willis: Mon:PHI(J.Lieber); Sat:NYM(K.Ishii)

A.J. Burnett: Thu:NYM(K.Benson)
Josh Beckett: Tue:PHI(B.Myers); Sun:NYM(T.Glavine)
Miguel Batista: 3 Home vs. BOS; 3 Home vs. MIN.

Our need for saves requires running Batista alongside our four doubles. With most of our other starters facing capable opposition, we'll opt for the inexpensive Burnett against his former team.

Wright, Mench, and Reyes replace Lane, Holliday, and Barmes with Colorado and Houston on the road. The surprisingly hot John Buck also subs for the still-slumping Victor Martinez to let us slide under the cap while Marcus Giles remains on the end of our bench until he starts showing more power.

Rotohelp.com(2nd lg; 9th div; 150th overall)
Week 8: May 23-May 29

C	Joe Mauer		440 
C	John Buck		390
1B	Mark Teixeira		1310 
1B	Justin Morneau		680
2B	Brian Roberts		960
2B	Tadahito Iguchi		750
3B	Melvin Mora		1270
3B	Troy Glaus		830 
SS	Miguel Tejada		1800 
SS	Jose Reyes		850
OF	Carl Crawford		1560 
OF	Jim Edmonds		1250
OF	Adam Dunn		1110
OF	Miguel Cabrera		1110 
OF	Scott Podsednik		1090 
OF	Kevin Mench		580
DH	Albert Pujols		1930 
DH	David Wright		800

SP	Jason Schmidt		1510
SP	Roger Clemens		1280 
SP	Dontrelle Willis	870
SP	A.J. Burnett		830
SP	Josh Beckett		820 
SP	Miguel Batista		840
RP	Brad Lidge		1280
RP	Trevor Hoffman	1270
RP	Francisco Rodriguez	1250
RP	B.J. Ryan		950

Total Salary for Week 8: 	29610

Internet Challenge

Lidge also joins this roster to complete our bullpen as Dotel departs this team.

SP(6)
Roger Clemens: Tue:@CHC(S.Mitre?)
Mark Mulder: Wed:PIT(M.Redman)
Jake Peavy: Wed:@ARI(B.Halsey)
Dontrelle Willis: Mon:PHI(J.Lieber)

A.J. Burnett: Thu:NYM(K.Benson)
Josh Beckett: Tue:PHI(B.Myers)
Miguel Batista: 3 Home vs. BOS.

No starts: Randy, Santana, Pedro, Oswalt, and Sheets.

With six solid starts and a desperate need for both wins and strikeouts, Batista will sit in favor of our starters.

Offensively, only swapping Reyes for Barmes makes much sense for us.

Rotohelp.com(1st lg; 26th overall)
Week 8a: May 23-May 26

 
C	Joe Mauer		440 
C	John Buck		390
1B	Albert Pujols		1930 
1B	Justin Morneau	680
2B	Brian Roberts		960 
2B	Tadahito Iguchi		750
3B	Melvin Mora		1270
3B	Troy Glaus		830
SS	Miguel Tejada		1800 
SS	Jose Reyes		850
OF	Carl Crawford		1560
OF	Jim Edmonds		1250 
OF	Adam Dunn		1110
OF	Miguel Cabrera		1110 
OF	Scott Podsednik		1090 
OF	Kevin Mench		580
UT	Mark Teixeira		1310 
UT	Travis Hafner		810

SP	Roger Clemens		1280
SP	Mark Mulder		1060 
SP	Jake Peavy		1030 
SP	Dontrelle Willis	870
SP	A.J. Burnett		830 
SP	Josh Beckett		820 
RP	Brad Lidge		1280
RP	Trevor Hoffman	1270
RP	Francisco Rodriguez	1250 
RP	B.J. Ryan		950

Total Salary for Week 8a: 	29360

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

Here we don't have the luxury of holding an extra reliever due to our limited number of starters. We almost cut Sheets instead of Lyon but instead opted to cut Lyon and Dotel while adding Brad Lidge and Trevor Hoffman.

SP(6)
Randy Johnson: Fri:BOS(T.Wakefield)
Jason Schmidt: Tue:LAD(J.Weaver); Sun:SD(A.Eaton)
Pedro Martinez: Fri:@FLO(B.Moehler)
Johan Santana: Fri:@TOR(T.Lilly)
Roger Clemens: Tue:@CHC(S.Mitre?); Sun:@MIL(C.Capuano)
Ben Sheets: Sat:Hou(A.Pettitte???)???
Dontrelle Willis: Mon:PHI(J.Lieber); Sat:NYM(K.Ishii)

Jake Peavy: Wed:@ARI(B.Halsey)
A.J. Burnett: Thu:NYM(K.Benson)
Josh Beckett: Tue:PHI(B.Myers); Sun:NYM(T.Glavine)

Santana and Burnett look like the strongest pulls here to go with our four doubles.

Offensively, deploying Buck, Greene, Mench, and the finally productive Eric Chavez for Victor Martinez, Barmes, Kearns, and Helton hopefully will provide a small jolt. Hafner, Giles, Holliday, and Reed remain glued to our bench.

Rotohelp.com(11th lg; 961st overall)
& Rotohelp.com(14th lg; 2248th overall)
Week 8: May 23-May 29

 
C	Joe Mauer		1140 
C	John Buck		1030
1B	Albert Pujols		3700
1B	Justin Morneau		1780
2B	Brian Roberts		1770 
2B	Orlando Hudson		1540
3B	Troy Glaus		2460
3B	Hank Blalock		2240
SS	Rafael Furcal		2430 
SS	Khalil Greene		1410
OF	J.D. Drew		2490
OF	Miguel Cabrera		2420
OF	Carl Crawford		2120 
OF	Scott Podsednik		1990 
OF	Kevin Mench		1660
OF	Jason Lane		1000 
DH	Eric Chavez		2740
DH	Morgan Ensberg		1530

SP	Jason Schmidt		3180
SP	Johan Santana		3090 
SP	Roger Clemens		3030 
SP	Dontrelle Willis		2170 
SP	A.J. Burnett		1900 
SP	Josh Beckett		1730
RP	Brad Lidge		2510
RP	Francisco Rodriguez	2360
RP	Trevor Hoffman		2350
RP	B.J. Ryan		2060

Total Salary for Week 8: 	59830

Today's Fantasy Rx: Adding Dontrelle and likely Barmes in DC appears an absolute must if you don't own those two roto studs. Also, look to team save opportunities as your tiebreaker when deciding between similar closers.