Today's Fantasy Rx

Schedule recommendations for teams with 8 games

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Kansas City: 4 Home vs. DET; 4 Home vs. CLE.

Schedule recommendations for teams with 7 games

Good for hitters / Good for pitchers
Houston: 4 Road at PIT; 3 Road at CHC.

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Chicago White Sox: 3 Home vs. CLE; 4 Home vs. MIN.
Colorado: 4 Home vs. SD; 3 Home vs. SF.
Detroit: 4 Road at KC; 3 Home vs. SEA.
Minnesota: 3 Road at OAK; 4 Road at CHW.
New York Yankees: 4 Home vs. BAL; 3 Home vs. TOR.
San Diego: 4 Road at COL; 3 Road at ARI.
Seattle: 4 Road at TOR; 3 Road at DET.
Toronto: 4 Home vs. SEA; 3 Road at NYY.

Bad for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Baltimore: 4 Road at NYY; 3 Home vs. BOS.
Pittsburgh: 4 Home vs. HOU; 3 Road at LAD.

Schedule recommendations for teams with 6 games

Good for hitters / Good for pitchers
Boston: 3 Road at TB; 3 Road at BAL.
Los Angeles Angels: 3 Home vs. TEX; 3 Home vs. TB.
Oakland: 3 Home vs. MIN; 3 Home vs. TEX.

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Arizona: 3 Home vs. LAD; 3 Home vs. SD.
Atlanta: 3 Home vs. PHI; 3 Home vs. FLO.
Chicago Cubs: 3 Road at MIL; 3 Home vs. HOU.
Cincinnati: 3 Home vs. STL; 3 Home vs. PHI.
Los Angeles Dodgers: 3 Road at ARI; 3 Home vs. PIT.
Milwaukee: 3 Home vs. CHC; 3 Home vs. STL.
San Francisco: 3 Road at WAS; 3 Road at COL.
St. Louis: 3 Road at CIN; 3 Road at MIL.

Bad for hitters / Good for pitchers
Florida: 3 Road at NYM; 3 Road at ATL.
New York Mets: 3 Home vs. FLO; 3 Road at WAS.
Washington: 3 Home vs. SF; 3 Home vs. NYM.

Bad for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Philadelphia: 3 Road at ATL; 3 Road at CIN.
Tampa Bay: 3 Home vs. BOS; 3 Road at LAA.
Texas: 3 Road at LAA; 3 Road at OAK.

Pitchers with 2 starts(to deploy everywhere you own them):
Kris Benson: Tue:FLO(A.Burnett); Sun:WAS(L.Hernandez?)
Jeremy Bonderman: Mon:@KC(M.Wood); Sat:SEA(J.Moyer)?
Mark Buehrle: Tue:CLE(J.Westbrook); Sun:MIN(F.Liriano)
A.J. Burnett: Tue:@NYM(K.Benson); Sun:@ATL(Ho.Ramirez)
Roger Clemens: Mon:@PIT(I.Snell); Sat:@CHC(G.Rusch)
Bartolo Colon: Tue:TEX(J.Dominguez); Sun:TB(M.Hendrickson)
Doug Davis: Tue:CHC(Jer.Williams); Sun:STL(J.Suppan)
Freddy Garcia: Mon:CLE(K.Millwood); Sat:MIN(B.Radke)
Kevin Millwood: Mon:@CHW(F.Garcia); Sat:@KC(M.Wood)
Jeff Harris: Tue:@TOR(J.Towers); Sun:@DET(N.Robertson?)
Livan Hernandez: Tue:SF(M.Cain); Sun:NYM(K.Benson)
Cory Lidle: Tue:@ATL(H.Ramirez); Sun:@CIN(R.Keisler)
Francisco Liriano: Tue:@OAK(J.Blanton); Sun:@CHW(M.Buehrle)
Derek Lowe: Tue:@ARI(J.Vazquez); Sun:PIT(I.Snell)
Jamie Moyer: Mon:@TOR(S.Downs); Sat:@DET(J.Bonderman)
Andy Pettitte: Tue:@PIT(T.Gorzelanny); Sun:@CHC(Jer.Williams)
Brad Radke: Mon:@OAK(B.Zito); Sat:@CHW(F.Garcia)
Aaron Small: Tue:BAL(J.Maine); Sun:TOR(J.Towers)
Jeff Suppan: Tue:@CIN(R.Keisler); Sun:@MIL(D.Davis)
Josh Towers: Tue:SEA(J.Harris); Sun:@NYY(A.Small)
Javier Vazquez: Tue:LAD(D.Lowe); Sun:SD(W.Williams)
Chien-ming Wang: Mon:BAL(E.Bedard); Sat:TOR(S.Downs)
David Wells: Mon:@TB(M.Hendrickson); Sun:@BAL(J.Maine)
Jake Westbrook: Tue:@CHW(M.Buehrle); Sun:@KC(Z.Greinke)
Mike Wood: Mon:DET(J.Bonderman); Sat:CLE(K.Millwood)
Barry Zito: Mon:MIN(B.Radke); Sat:TEX(R.Dickey)

Pitchers with 2 starts to deploy only in leagues that don't count qualitative stats:
Erik Bedard: Mon:@NYY(C.Wang); Sat:BOS(M.Clement)
Matt Cain: Tue:@WAS(L.Hernandez); Sun:@COL(B.Kim)
Juan Dominguez: Tue:@LAA(B.Colon); Sun:@OAK(K.Saarloos?)
Scott Downs: Mon:SEA(J.Moyer); Sat:@NYY(C.Wang)
Zach Greinke: Tue:DET(N.Robertson?); Sun:CLE(J.Westbrook)
Mark Hendrickson: Mon:BOS(D.Wells); Sun:@LAA(B.Colon)
Randy Keisler: Tue:STL(J.Suppan); Sun:PHI(C.Lidle)
Byung-Hyun Kim: Tue:SD(W.Williams); Sun:SF(M.Cain)
Sun Woo Kim: Mon:SD(B.Lawrence); Sat:SF(N.Lowry)
Brian Lawrence: Mon:@COL(S.Kim); Sat:@ARI(C.Vargas) John Maine: Tue:@NYY(A.Small); Sun:BOS(D.Wells)
Horacio Ramirez: Tue:PHI(C.Lidle); Sun:FLO(A.Burnett)
Ian Snell: Mon:HOU(R.Clemens); Sun:@LAD(D.Lowe)
Jerome Williams: Tue:@MIL(Do.Davis); Sun:HOU(A.Pettitte)
Woody Williams: Tue:@COL(B.Kim); Sun:@ARI(J.Vazquez)

Diamond Challenge

Andy Pettitte reinforces our pitching here while David Ortiz finally joins our lineup as he possesses the best offensive skills and schedule of anyone not on our team. Iguchi and Schmidt will leave the team.

SP(6)
Randy Johnson: Wed:BAL(Rod.Lopez)
Johan Santana: Thu:@CHW(B.McCarthy)
Jason Schmidt: Fri:@COL(J.Francis)???
Pedro Martinez: Thu:FLO(D.Willis)
Roy Oswalt: Wed:@PIT(K.Wells)
Roger Clemens: Mon:@PIT(I.Snell); Sat:@CHC(G.Rusch)
Mark Mulder: Fri:@MIL(C.Capuano)
Matt Clement: Sat:@BAL(E.Bedard?)
Jake Peavy: Wed:@COL(Jam.Wright?)
Chris Carpenter: Sat:@MIL(W.Obermueller)
Dontrelle Willis: Thu:@NYM(P.Martinez)
A.J. Burnett: Tue:@NYM(K.Benson); Sun:@ATL(Ho.Ramirez)
Josh Beckett: Fri:@ATL(T.Hudson)
Andy Pettitte: Tue:@PIT(T.Gorzelanny); Sun:@CHC(Jer.Williams)
Miguel Batista: 4 Home vs. SEA; 3 Road at NYY.

Deploying Oswalt, Carpenter, and Beckett with Clemens, Burnett and Pettitte should provide a strong week of pitching numbers.

Ortiz bumps the effectively useless Podsednik from the lineup as Wright subs for Mora to push us under the cap. Giles, Lane, and Edmonds remain benched.

Rotohelp.com(5th lg; 53rd div; 1317th overall)
Week 25: September 19-September 25

 
C	Victor Martinez		860 
C	Joe Mauer		440 
1B	Albert Pujols		1930
1B	Mark Teixeira		1310 
2B	Brian Roberts		960 
2B	Chase Utley		480
3B	Troy Glaus		830
3B	David Wright		800
SS	Miguel Tejada		1800 
SS	Jose Reyes		850 
OF	Carl Crawford		1560 
OF	Adam Dunn		1110
OF	Miguel Cabrera		1110 
OF	Jason Bay		820 
OF	Kevin Mench		580
UT	Manny Ramirez		1530
UT	Derrek Lee		1440 

SP	Roy Oswalt		1320
SP	Roger Clemens		1280
SP	Chris Carpenter		930 
SP	A.J. Burnett		830
SP	Josh Beckett		820
SP	Andy Pettitte		800
RP	Brad Lidge		1280
RP	Trevor Hoffman		1270 
RP	Francisco Rodriguez	1250 
RP	Todd Jones		510

Total Salary for Week 25: 	29960

Diamond Challenge 2nd Season

With maintaining and hopefully increasing our wins easily our best bet for further advancement in the standings, Andy Pettitte will join our staff for the best double of the week as Ken Griffey departs. Spending our last move presents no problem here as we retain a backup at every position and appear set for perhaps a half-dozen doubles next week.

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Thu:@CHW(B.McCarthy)
Pedro Martinez: Thu:FLO(D.Willis)
Roy Oswalt: Wed:@PIT(K.Wells)
Roger Clemens: Mon:@PIT(I.Snell); Sat:@CHC(G.Rusch)
Jake Peavy: Wed:@COL(Jam.Wright?)
Chris Carpenter: Sat:@MIL(W.Obermueller)
Rich Harden: No start.
Dontrelle Willis: Thu:@NYM(P.Martinez)
A.J. Burnett: Tue:@NYM(K.Benson); Sun:@ATL(Ho.Ramirez)
Josh Beckett: Fri:@ATL(T.Hudson)
Andy Pettitte: Tue:@PIT(T.Gorzelanny); Sun:@CHC(Jer.Williams)
Brett Myers: Wed:@ATL(Jor.Sosa)
Ryan Dempster: 3 Road at MIL; 3 Home vs. HOU.

Pettitte joins Clemens and Burnett as one of our automatics, and with neither Willis nor Pedro feasible, Oswalt, Carpenter, and Beckett look like our best remaining options.

Runs appear at a premium on offense, so Atkins and Peralta will replace Ensberg and Mench while Molina, Morneau, and Iguchi remain benched.

Rotohelp.com(5th lg; 48th div; 303rd overall)
Week 25: September 19-September 25

 
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	David Wright		800 
3B	Garrett Atkins		400
SS	Miguel Tejada		1800
SS	Jose Reyes		850
OF	Bobby Abreu		1860 
OF	Adam Dunn		1110
OF	Miguel Cabrera		1110 
OF	Pat Burrell		870 
OF	Jason Bay		820 
OF	Brady Clark		540
UT	Alex Rodriguez		1880 
UT	Jhonny Peralta		420
 
SP	Roy Oswalt		1320
SP	Roger Clemens		1280
SP	Chris Carpenter		930 
SP	A.J. Burnett		830
SP	Josh Beckett		820
SP	Andy Pettitte		800
RP	Trevor Hoffman		1270 
RP	Chad Cordero		1000 
RP	B.J. Ryan		950
RP	Huston Street		750

Total Salary for Week 25: 	27970

Internet Challenge

Maximizing our upside in wins again results in the addition of Andy Pettitte while Iguchi departs.

SP(6)
Randy Johnson: Wed:BAL(Rod.Lopez)
Johan Santana: Thu:@CHW(B.McCarthy)
Pedro Martinez: Thu:FLO(D.Willis)
Roy Oswalt: Wed:@PIT(K.Wells)
Roger Clemens: Mon:@PIT(I.Snell)
Matt Clement: No start.
Jake Peavy: Wed:@COL(Jam.Wright?)
Chris Carpenter: No start.
Dontrelle Willis: Thu:@NYM(P.Martinez)
A.J. Burnett: Tue:@NYM(K.Benson)
Josh Beckett: No start.
Andy Pettitte: Tue:@PIT(T.Gorzelanny)
Miguel Batista: 4 Home vs. SEA.

Running Pettitte with Randy, Oswalt, Clemens, Burnett, and Batista allows us plenty of cap room on offense without risking B.J. Ryan against the Yankees and hoping that Hoffman continues his excellence in Coors.

Atkins and Holliday rejoin our lineup for Mora and Mench while Morneau, Giles, Wright, and Edmonds stay benched.

Rotohelp.com(6th lg; 217th overall)
Week 25a: September 19-September 22

 
C	Victor Martinez		860 
C	Joe Mauer		440
1B	Albert Pujols		1930 
1B	Mark Teixeira		1310 
2B	Brian Roberts		960 
2B	Chase Utley		480
3B	Troy Glaus		830
3B	Garrett Atkins		400
SS	Miguel Tejada		1800 
SS	Jose Reyes		850 
OF	Miguel Cabrera		1110
OF	Adam Dunn		1110 
OF	Scott Podsednik		1090
OF	Jason Bay		820 
OF	Matt Holliday		630
UT	Carl Crawford		1560
UT	Travis Hafner		810  

SP	Randy Johnson		1980 
SP	Roy Oswalt		1320
SP	Roger Clemens		1280 
SP	A.J. Burnett		830 
SP	Andy Pettitte		800
SP	Miguel Batista		840  
RP	Brad Lidge		1280
RP	Trevor Hoffman		1270 
RP	Francisco Rodriguez	1250 
RP	Todd Jones		510

Total Salary for Week 25a: 	29880

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

A continued need for wins and innings again results in the purchase of Andy Pettitte, pushing Rich Harden off the roster.

SP(6)
Pedro Martinez: Thu:FLO(D.Willis)
Johan Santana: Thu:@CHW(B.McCarthy)
Roger Clemens: Mon:@PIT(I.Snell); Sat:@CHC(G.Rusch)
Roy Oswalt: Wed:@PIT(K.Wells)
Matt Clement: Sat:@BAL(E.Bedard?)
Dontrelle Willis: Thu:@NYM(D.Willis)
Jake Peavy: Wed:@COL(Jam.Wright?)
Chris Carpenter: Sat:@MIL(W.Obermueller)
A.J. Burnett: Tue:@NYM(K.Benson); Sun:@ATL(Ho.Ramirez)
Josh Beckett: Fri:@ATL(T.Hudson)
Andy Pettitte: Tue:@PIT(T.Gorzelanny); Sun:@CHC(Jer.Williams)

Carpenter and Beckett join Clemens, Burnett, and Pettitte as automatics while Clement edges Oswalt for cap reasons.

Only switches of Helton and Holliday for Morneau and Mench make much sense with Hudson and Ensberg useless and Mauer, Blalock, Kearns, and Reed facing comparatively unfavorable schedules.

Rotohelp.com(7th lg; 676th overall)
& Rotohelp.com(10th lg; 1787th overall)
Week 25: September 19-September 25

 
C	Victor Martinez		1800 
C	John Buck		1030
1B	Albert Pujols		3700 
1B	David Ortiz		2890
2B	Marcus Giles		1850
2B	Brian Roberts		1770 
3B	Eric Chavez		2740
3B	Troy Glaus		2460 
SS	Rafael Furcal		2430
SS	Jhonny Peralta		1050 
OF	Vladimir Guerrero	3230
OF	Miguel Cabrera		2420 
OF	Carl Crawford		2120
OF	Jason Bay		1680 
OF	Matt Holliday		1470
OF	Jason Lane		1000 
UT	Todd Helton		3460
UT	Travis Hafner		1870

SP	Roger Clemens		3030
SP	Matt Clement		2610
SP	Chris Carpenter		2020 
SP	A.J. Burnett		1900
SP	Josh Beckett		1730
SP	Andy Pettitte		1660
RP	Brad Lidge		2510
RP	Trevor Hoffman		2350
RP	B.J. Ryan		2060
RP	Huston Street		1000

Total Salary for Week 25: 	59840

Mid-Season Fantasy Baseball

A relatively stable offense allows Andy Pettitte to sweep our purchases while we cut Rich Harden.

SP(6)
Pedro Martinez: Thu:FLO(D.Willis)
Johan Santana: Thu:@CHW(B.McCarthy)
Roger Clemens: Mon:@PIT(I.Snell); Sat:@CHC(G.Rusch)
Roy Oswalt: Wed:@PIT(K.Wells)
Matt Clement: Sat:@BAL(E.Bedard?)
Dontrelle Willis: Thu:@NYM(D.Willis)
Jake Peavy: Wed:@COL(Jam.Wright?)
Chris Carpenter: Sat:@MIL(W.Obermueller)
A.J. Burnett: Tue:@NYM(K.Benson); Sun:@ATL(Ho.Ramirez)
Andy Pettitte: Tue:@PIT(T.Gorzelanny); Sun:@CHC(Jer.Williams)
Dan Haren: Fri:TEX(K.Rogers)

Pettitte joins Clemens, Carpenter, Burnett, and Haren in our rotation while a little extra cap room allows us to deploy Oswalt over Clement.

Little on our bench interests us, so we'll merely swap Vlad for Jenkins and keep Molina, Hafner, Giles, Ensberg, Crosby, Griffey, and Matsui seated.

Rotohelp.com(4th lg; 307th overall)
Week 25: September 19-September 25

C	Victor Martinez	1800
C	Joe Mauer		1140 
1B	David Ortiz		2890
1B	Mark Teixeira		2820
2B	Brian Roberts		1770
2B	Chase Utley		1050
3B	David Wright		1810 
3B	Garrett Atkins		1000
SS	Jose Reyes		1590 
SS	Jhonny Peralta		1050 
OF	Miguel Cabrera		2420 
OF	Vladimir Guerrero	3230
OF	Carl Crawford		2120
OF	Jason Bay		1680 
OF	Jason Lane		1000
OF	Grady Sizemore		1000
UT	Albert Pujols		3700 
UT	Derrek Lee		3010 

SP	Roger Clemens		3030
SP	Roy Oswalt		2970 
SP	Chris Carpenter		2020 
SP	A.J. Burnett		1900
SP	Andy Pettitte		1660
SP	Dan Haren		1070
RP	Francisco Rodriguez	2360
RP	Chad Cordero		2000
RP	Todd Jones		1550
RP	Huston Street		1000

Total Salary for Week 25: 	54640

Today's Fantasy Rx: While retaining a purchase in each league until the last week of the season provides welcome insurance in case injury leaves you without healthy options at a particular position, also remember that players obtained this week possess twice as much impact as anyone added next weekend, the last transaction period for the 2005 regular season.