Today's Fantasy Rx

Schedule recommendations for teams with 8 games

Good for hitters / Good for pitchers
Houston: 4 Road at PIT; 4 Road at WAS.
Minnesota: 3 Home vs. BAL; 5 Road at DET.

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Pittsburgh: 4 Home vs. HOU; 4 Home vs. COL.

Bad for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Detroit: 3 Road at CHW; 5 Home vs. MIN.

Schedule recommendations for teams with 7 games

Good for hitters / Good for pitchers
Cleveland: 4 Home vs. KC; 3 Home vs. SEA.
St. Louis: 4 Home vs. MIL; 3 Home vs. CHC.
Washington: 3 Home vs. COL; 4 Home vs. HOU.

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Boston: 3 Home vs. TB; 4 Road at CHW.
Chicago Cubs: 4 Road at CIN; 3 Road at STL.
Chicago White Sox: 3 Home vs. DET; 4 Home vs. BOS.
Los Angeles Angels: 3 Home vs. OAK; 4 Home vs. NYY.
Milwaukee: 4 Road at STL; 3 Road at CIN.
New York Yankees: 3 Road at TEX; 4 Road at LAA.
Oakland: 3 Road at LAA; 3 Road at TEX.
Texas: 3 Home vs. NYY; 4 Home vs. OAK.

Bad for hitters / Good for pitchers
Colorado: 3 Road at WAS; 4 Road at PIT.

Bad for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Cincinnati: 4 Home vs. CHC; 3 Home vs. MIL.
Kansas City: 4 Road at CLE; 3 Home vs. TOR.

Schedule recommendations for teams with 6 games

Good for hitters / Good for pitchers
Atlanta: 3 Road at SF; 3 Road at ARI.
Florida: 3 Road at ARI; 3 Road at SF.
Los Angeles Dodgers: 3 Road at PHI; 3 Road at NYM.
San Diego: 3 Road at NYM; 3 Road at PHI.

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Baltimore: 3 Road at MIN; 3 Road at TB.
Philadelphia: 3 Home vs. LAD; 3 Home vs. SD.
Seattle: 3 Road at TOR: 3 Road at CLE.
Toronto: 3 Home vs. SEA; 3 Road at KC.

Bad for hitters / Good for pitchers
New York Mets: 3 Home vs. SD; 3 Home vs. LAD.
San Francisco: 3 Home vs. ATL; 3 Home vs. FLO.

Bad for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Arizona: 3 Home vs. FLO; 3 Home vs. ATL.
Tampa Bay: 3 Road at BOS; 3 Home vs. BAL.

Pitchers with 2 starts(to deploy everywhere you own them):
Tony Armas: Mon:COL(B.Kim); Sun:HOU(B.Backe)
John Patterson: Tue:COL(S.Chacon); Sun:HOU(E.Astacio)
Bronson Arroyo: Tue:TB(C.Fossun); Sun:@CHW(J.Contreras)
Brandon Backe: Mon:@PIT(Da.Williams); Sat:@WAS(T.Armas)
Kris Benson: Tue:SD(B.Lawrence); Sun:LAD(B.Penny)
Jeremy Bonderman: Tue:@CHW(J.Contreras); Sun:MIN(K.Lohse)
Zach Greinke: Tue:@CLE(K.Millwood); Sun:TOR(T.Lilly)
Brian Lawrence: Tue:@NYM(K.Benson); Sun:@PHI(B.Myers)
Cliff Lee: Mon:KC(D.Carrasco); Sat:SEA(G.Meche)
Ted Lilly: Tue:SEA(A.Sele); Sun:@KC(Z.Greinke)
Wade Miller: Mon:TB(S.Kazmir); Sat:@CHW(O.Hernandez)
Kevin Millwood: Tue:KC(Z.Greinke); Sun:SEA(A.Sele)
Matt Morris: Mon:MIL(V.Santos); Sat:CHC(Jer.Williams)
Brett Myers: Tue:LAD(B.Penny); Sun:SD(B.Lawrence)
Brad Penny: Tue:@PHI(B.Myers); Sun:@NYM(K.Benson)
Mark Prior: Tue:@CIN(L.Hudson); Sun:@STL(J.Suppan)
Mark Redman: Tue:HOU(E.Astacio); Sun:COL(S.Chacon)
Jason Schmidt?: Tue:ATL(Ho.Ramirez); Sun:FLO(A.Burnett)?
Carlos Silva: Mon:BAL(E.Bedard); Sat:@DET(S.Douglass)
Jeff Suppan: Tue:MIL(D.Davis); Sun:CHC(M.Prior)
David Williams: Mon:HOU(B.Backe); Sat:COL(B.Kim)

Pitchers with 2 starts to deploy only in leagues that don't count qualitative stats:
Ezequiel Astacio: Tue:@PIT(M.Redman); Sun:@WAS(J.Patterson)
Erik Bedard: Mon:@MIN(C.Silva); Sun:@TB(C.Fossum)
Kevin Brown: Mon:@TEX(Ric.Rodriguez); Sat:@LAA(Er.Santana)
A.J. Burnett: Tue:@ARI(J.Vazquez); Sun:@SF(J.Schmidt?)
D.J. Carrasco: Mon:@CLE(Cl.Lee); Sat:TOR(D.Bush?)
Shawn Chacon: Tue:@WAS(J.Patterson); Sun:@PIT(M.Redman)
Brandon Claussen: Mon:CHC(Jer.Williams); Sat:MIL(V.Santos)
Jose Contreras: Tue:DET(J.Bonderman); Sun:BOS(B.Arroyo)
Doug Davis: Tue:@STL(J.Suppan); Sun:@CIN(L.Hudson)
Sean Douglass: Mon:@CHW(O.Hernandez); Sat:MIN(C.Silva)
Casey Fossum: Tue:@BOS(B.Arroyo); Sun:E.Bedard)
Mike Gosling: Mon:FLO(Ja.Vargas); Sun:ATL(Ho.Ramirez)
Rich Harden: Tue:@LAA(J.Washburn); Sun:@TEX(C.Park)
Orlando Hernandez: Mon:DET(S.Douglass): Sat:BOS(W.Miller)
Luke Hudson: Tue:CHC(M.Prior); Sun:MIL(D.Davis)
Scott Kazmir: Mon:@BOS(W.Miller); Sat:BAL(S.Ponson)
Byung-Hyun Kim: Mon:@WAS(T.Armas); Sat:@PIT(Da.Williams)
Kyle Lohse: Tue:BAL(D.Cabrera); Sun:@DET(J.Bonderman)
Mike Mussina: Tue:@TEX(C.Park); Sun:@LAA(J.Washburn)
Chan Ho Park: Tue:NYY(M.Mussina); Sun:OAK(R.Harden)
Horacio Ramirez: Tue:@SF(J.Schmidt); Sun:@ARI(M.Gosling)
Ricardo Rodriguez: Mon:NYY(K.Brown); Sat:OAK(K.Saarloos)
Kirk Saarloos: Mon:@LAA(Er.Santana); Sat:@TEX(Ric.Rodriguez)
Ervin Santana: Mon:OAK(K.Saarloos); Sat:NYY(K.Brown)
Victor Santos: Mon:@STL(M.Morris); Sat:@CIN(B.Claussen)
Aaron Sele: Tue:@TOR(T.Lilly); Sun:@CLE(K.Millwood)
Jarrod Washburn: Tue:OAK(R.Harden); Sun:NYY(M.Mussina)
Jerome Williams: Mon:@CIN(B.Claussen); Sat:@STL(M.Morris)

Diamond Challenge

The appearance of Derrek Lee as a free agent essentially requires us to add him. While he could cause cap problems in general, he at least allows us to play a comparable player to Pujols without the extra 500 cap hit. Matt Holliday departs since he doesn't look ready to return any time soon.

SP(6)
Randy Johnson: Thu:@LAA(B.Colon)
Johan Santana: Thu:@DET(Jas.Johnson)
Jason Schmidt?: Tue:ATL(Ho.Ramirez); Sun:FLO(A.Burnett)?
Pedro Martinez: Fri:LAD(J.Weaver)
Roy Oswalt: Thu:@WAS(E.Loaiza)
Roger Clemens: Fri:@WAS(R.Drese)
Mark Mulder: Wed:MIL(B.Sheets)
Jake Peavy: Thu:@NYM(V.Zambrano)
Dontrelle Willis: Fri:@SF(B.Tomko)
A.J. Burnett: Tue:@ARI(J.Vazquez); Sun:@SF(J.Schmidt?)
Josh Beckett: No start(DL).
Miguel Batista: 3 Home vs. SEA; 3 Road at KC.

Rotohelp.com(6th lg; 45th div; 1133rd overall)
Week 16: July 18-July 24

 
C	Victor Martinez		860
C	Joe Mauer		440 
1B	Derrek Lee		1440
1B	Mark Teixeira		1310 
2B	Brian Roberts		960
2B	Marcus Giles		950 
3B	Melvin Mora		1270
3B	David Wright		800
SS	Miguel Tejada		1800 
SS	Jose Reyes		850 
OF	Jim Edmonds		1250
OF	Adam Dunn		1110
OF	Miguel Cabrera		1110 
OF	Scott Podsednik		1090 
OF	Kevin Mench		580
OF	Jason Lane		400 
UT	Carl Crawford		1560
UT	Chase Utley		480
 
SP	Jason Schmidt		1510 
SP	Pedro Martinez		1450 
SP	Roger Clemens		1280 
SP	Jake Peavy		1030
SP	Dontrelle Willis	870 
SP	A.J. Burnett		830
RP	Brad Lidge		1280
RP	Trevor Hoffman		1270 
RP	Francisco Rodriguez	1250
RP	B.J. Ryan		950 

Total Salary for Week 16: 	29980

Diamond Challenge 2nd Season

SP(6)
Randy Johnson: Thu:@LAA(B.Colon)
Johan Santana: Thu:@DET(Jas.Johnson)
Pedro Martinez: Fri:LAD(J.Weaver)
Roy Oswalt: Thu:@WAS(E.Loaiza)
Roger Clemens: Fri:@WAS(R.Drese)
Jake Peavy: Thu:@NYM(V.Zambrano)
Chris Carpenter: Fri:CHC(C.Zambrano)
Dontrelle Willis: Fri:@SF(B.Tomko)
A.J. Burnett: Tue:@ARI(J.Vazquez); Sun:@SF(J.Schmidt?)
Josh Beckett: No start(DL).
Brett Myers: Tue:LAD(B.Penny); Sun:SD(B.Lawrence)
Ryan Dempster: 4 Road at CHC; 3 Road at STL.

With a need for offense more than pitching and saves seemingly solid, deploying Clemens, Peavy, Carpenter, Willis, Burnett, and Myers leaves us plenty of room for hitting.

Yadier Molina and Brad Hawpe obviously appear locked to our bench, and neither Atkins nor Counsell should add anything to our team. While we want to deploy David Wright somewhere, we lack the cap room to sub him for Justin Morneau, so instead we'll maintain the same lineup while hoping that Morneau's 8-game week will lead to a surge.

Rotohelp.com(3rd lg; 25th div; 114th overall)
Week 16: July 18-July 24

 
C	Jorge Posada		930
C	Joe Mauer		440
1B	Derrek Lee		1440 
1B	Mark Teixeira		1310
2B	Brian Roberts		960 
2B	Chase Utley		480
3B	Alex Rodriguez	1880
3B	Morgan Ensberg		690
SS	Miguel Tejada		1800 
SS	Jose Reyes		850
OF	Bobby Abreu		1860 
OF	Miguel Cabrera		1110
OF	Scott Podsednik		1090 
OF	Pat Burrell		870
OF	Kevin Mench		580 
OF	Brady Clark		540
UT	Tadahito Iguchi		750
UT	Justin Morneau		680

SP	Roger Clemens		1280
SP	Jake Peavy		1030 
SP	Chris Carpenter	930 
SP	Dontrelle Willis	870 
SP	A.J. Burnett		830
SP	Brett Myers		630 
RP	Trevor Hoffman		1270
RP	Chad Cordero		1000
RP	B.J. Ryan		950
RP	Dustin Hermanson	920

Total Salary for Week 16: 	27970

Internet Challenge

SP(6)
Randy Johnson: Thu:@LAA(B.Colon)
Johan Santana: Thu:@DET(Jas.Johnson)
Pedro Martinez: No start.
Roy Oswalt: Thu:@WAS(E.Loaiza)
Roger Clemens: No start.
Ben Sheets: Wed:@MIL(M.Mulder)
Mark Mulder: Wed:MIL(B.Sheets)
Jake Peavy: Thu:@NYM(V.Zambrano)
Dontrelle Willis: No start.
A.J. Burnett: Tue:@ARI(J.Vazquez)
Josh Beckett: No start(DL).
Miguel Batista: 3 Home vs. SEA.

With Sheets unplayable, we then will sit Randy in a tough road start, which allows us to maximize the rest of our offense.

Buck, Morneau, Atkins, and Holliday remain seated as Edmonds replaces Crawford due to a primary need for power over steals.

Rotohelp.com(4th lg; 91st overall)
Week 16a: July 18-July 21

 
C	Victor Martinez		860 
C	Joe Mauer		440
1B	Albert Pujols		1930 
1B	Mark Teixeira		1310
2B	Brian Roberts		960
2B	Marcus Giles		950
3B	Melvin Mora		1270
3B	Troy Glaus		830
SS	Miguel Tejada		1800 
SS	Jose Reyes		850 
OF	Jim Edmonds		1250
OF	Miguel Cabrera		1110
OF	Adam Dunn		1110 
OF	Scott Podsednik		1090
OF	Kevin Mench		580 
OF	Jeremy Reed		400 
UT	Travis Hafner		810 
UT	Tadahito Iguchi		750

SP	Johan Santana		1710 
SP	Roy Oswalt		1320 
SP	Mark Mulder		1060 
SP	Jake Peavy		1030 
SP	A.J. Burnett		830 
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 16a: 	29840

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

SP(6)
Randy Johnson: Thu:@LAA(B.Colon)
Jason Schmidt?: Tue:ATL(Ho.Ramirez); Sun:FLO(A.Burnett)?
Pedro Martinez: Fri:LAD(J.Weaver)
Johan Santana: Thu:@DET(Jas.Johnson)
Roger Clemens: Fri:@WAS(R.Drese)
Ben Sheets: Wed:@STL(M.Mulder)
Jake Peavy: Thu:@NYM(V.Zambrano)
Dontrelle Willis: Fri:@SF(B.Tomko)
A.J. Burnett: Tue:@ARI(J.Vazquez); Sun:@SF(J.Schmidt?)
Josh Beckett: No start(DL).
Pedro, Clemens, Peavy, and Willis join our doubles as Santana barely missed the cut.

Offensively, we lack the cap room to add Derrek Lee this week, but at least leaving Buck, Helton, Morneau, Hudson, Drew, Kearns, and Holliday benched causes no problems. The only move that looks good is flipping Kevin Mench into the lineup for Scott Podsednik, who shouldn't run too much against IRod and Varitek.

Rotohelp.com(7th lg; 675th overall)
& Rotohelp.com(10th lg; 1697th overall)
Week 16: July 18-July 24

 
C	Victor Martinez		1800
C	Joe Mauer		1140 
1B	Albert Pujols		3700 
1B	Travis Hafner		1870
2B	Marcus Giles		1850
2B	Brian Roberts		1770 
3B	Eric Chavez		2740
3B	Morgan Ensberg		1530 
SS	Rafael Furcal		2430
SS	Khalil Greene		1410 
OF	Miguel Cabrera		2420 
OF	Carl Crawford		2120
OF	Jason Bay		1680 
OF	Kevin Mench		1660
OF	Jason Lane		1000 
OF	Jeremy Reed		1000
UT	Troy Glaus		2460
UT	Hank Blalock		2240

SP	Pedro Martinez		3140 
SP	Jason Schmidt		3180 
SP	Roger Clemens		3030
SP	Dontrelle Willis	2170 
SP	Jake Peavy		2090 
SP	A.J. Burnett		1900 
RP	Brad Lidge		2510
RP	Francisco Rodriguez	2360
RP	Trevor Hoffman		2350
RP	B.J. Ryan		2060

Total Salary for Week 16: 	59610

Mid-Season Fantasy Baseball

SP(6)
Randy Johnson: Thu:@LAA(B.Colon)
Pedro Martinez: Fri:LAD(J.Weaver)
Johan Santana: Thu:@DET(Jas.Johnson)
Roger Clemens: Fri:@WAS(R.Drese)
Roy Oswalt: Thu:@WAS(E.Loaiza)
Matt Clement: Thu:@CHW(M.Buehrle)
Dontrelle Willis: Fri:@SF(B.Tomko)
Jake Peavy: Thu:@NYM(V.Zambrano)
Chris Carpenter: Fri:CHC(C.Zambrano)
Dan Haren: Fri:@TEX(Ch.Young)

With Randy, Clement, and Haren facing good competition, Santana then loses a close contest to our other six starters.

With Blalock and Peralta automatic subs for Atkins and Jose Reyes, cap problems then necessitate deploying Sizemore and Lane for Podsednik and either Miguel Cabrera or Hideki Matsui. A superior schedule of both games and parks gives Matsui the edge, so Cabrera then joins Atkins, Reyes, Podsednik, Ben Molina, Marcus Giles, Carlos Lee, and Hawpe on our bench.

Rotohelp.com(13th lg; 900th overall)
Week 16: July 18-July 24

C	Joe Mauer		1140
C	Gregg Zaun		1090
1B	Derrek Lee		3010
1B	Travis Hafner		1870
1B	Brian Roberts		1770
2B	Chase Utley		1050
3B	Hank Blalock		2240
3B	Morgan Ensberg		1530
SS	Bobby Crosby		1480 
SS	Jhonny Peralta		1050
OF	Hideki Matsui		2820
OF	Carl Crawford		2120
OF	Jason Bay		1680
OF	Ken Griffey, Jr.		1530 
OF	Grady Sizemore		1000
OF	Jason Lane		1000
DH	David Ortiz		2890
DH	Mark Teixeira		2820

SP	Pedro Martinez		3140 
SP	Roger Clemens		3030
SP	Roy Oswalt		2970
SP	Dontrelle Willis		2170
SP	Jake Peavy		2090
SP	Chris Carpenter		2020 
RP	Felix Rodriguez		2360
RP	Dustin Hermanson		2130
RP	Chad Cordero		2000
RP	Huston Street		1000

Total Salary for Week 16: 	55000

Today's Fantasy Rx: A poor week for doubles presents intriguing options on offense. We certainly recommend deploying all your Twins, Tigers, Astros, and Pirates to boost your hitting with their eight-game schedules. Also, adding Derrek Lee as a DC free agent appears rather mandatory since he at least provides more efficient production than the most expensive players in the game.