Today's Fantasy Rx

Schedule recommendations for teams with 7 games

Good for hitters / Good for pitchers
Boston: 3 Home vs. NYY; 4 Home vs. TB.
Detroit: 4 Road at KC; 3 Home vs. CLE.
Houston: 4 Road at WAS; 3 Road at PIT.

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Oakland: 3 Road at CHW; 4 Road at TEX.
Tampa Bay: 3 Road at TOR; 4 Road at BOS.
Texas: 3 Home vs. LAA; 4 Home vs. OAK.

Bad for hitters / Good for pitchers
Baltimore: 4 Road at SEA; 3 Road at LAA.
Seattle: 4 Home vs. BAL; 3 Road at MIN.
Washington: 4 Home vs. HOUS; 3 Home vs. LAD.

Bad for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Kansas City: 4 Home vs. DET; 3 Road at NYY.

Schedule recommendations for teams with 6 games

Good for hitters / Good for pitchers
Atlanta: 3 Road at SF; 3 Road at CHC.
New York Mets: 3 Home vs. PHI; 3 Road at FLO.
New York Yankees: 3 Road at BOS; 3 Home vs. KC.

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Arizona: 3 Home vs. PIT; 3 Road at CIN.
Chicago White Sox: 3 Home vs. OAK; 3 Road at TOR.
Cincinnati: 3 Home vs. MIL; 3 Home vs. ARI.
Los Angeles Angels: 3 Road at TEX; 3 Home vs. BAL.
Milwaukee: 3 Road at CIN; 3 Road at PHI.
Pittsburgh: 3 Road at ARI; 3 Home vs. HOU.
Toronto: 3 Home vs. TB; 3 Home vs. CHW.

Bad for hitters / Good for pitchers
Chicago Cubs: 3 Road at FLO; 3 Home vs. ATL.
Colorado: 3 Road at LAD; 3 Road at SF.
Florida: 3 Home vs. CHC: 3 Home vs. NYM.
Los Angeles Dodgers: 3 Home vs. COL; 3 Road at WAS.
San Diego: 3 Home vs. ATL; 3 Home vs. STL.
San Francisco: 3 Home vs. STL; 3 Home vs. COL.
St. Louis: 3 Road at SF; 3 Road at SF.

Bad for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Philadelphia: 3 Road at NYM; 3 Home vs. MIL.

Schedule recommendations for teams with 5 games

Good for hitters / Good for pitchers
Minnesota: 2 Home vs. CLE; 3 Home vs. SEA.

Bad for hitters / Good for pitchers
Cleveland: 2 Road at MIN; 3 Road at DET.

Pitchers with 2 starts(to deploy everywhere you own them):
Bronson Arroyo: Mon:MIL(D.Bush); Sun:ARI(O.Hernandez)
Erik Bedard: Mon:@SEA(J.Moyer); Sat:LAA(K.Escobar)
David Bush: Mon:@CIN(B.Arroyo); Sat:@PHI(C.Lidle)
Kelvim Escobar: Mon:@TEX(K.Loe): Sat:BAL(E.Bedard)
Roy Halladay: Tue:TB(M.Hendrickson); Sun:CHW(J.Garland)
Zach Day: Mon:HOU(Wa.Rodriguez); Sat:LAD(D.Lowe)
Ramon Ortiz: Tue:HOU(F.Nieve); Sun:LAD(J.Seo)
John Lackey: Tue:@TEX(V.Padilla); Sun:BAL(H.Penn)
Jason Marquis: Tue:@SF(M.Morris); Sun:@SD(J.Peavy)
Sean Marshall Mon:@FLO(R.Nolasco); Sat:ATL(J.Smoltz)
Jamie Moyer: Mon:BAL(E.Bedard); Sat:@MIN(S.Baker)
Joel Pineiro: Tue:BAL(H.Penn); Sun:@MIN(J.Santana)
Mark Mulder: Mon:@SF(Jam.Wright); Sat:@SD(C.Park)
Jake Peavy: Mon:ATL(J.Smoltz); Sun:STL(J.Marquis)
Hayden Penn: Tue:@SEA(J.Pineiro); Sun:@LAA(J.Lackey)
Kenny Rogers: Tue:@KC(Run.Hernandez); Sun:CLE(Jas.Johnson)
Johan Santana: Tue:CLE(Cl.Lee); Sun:SEA(J.Pineiro)
Curt Schilling: Mon:NYY(C.Wang); Sat:TB(S.McClung)
Jae Seo: Mon:COL(B.Kim); Sun:@WAS(Ra.Ortiz)
John Smoltz: Mon:@SD(J.Peavy); Sat:@CHC(S.Marshall)
Jorge Sosa: Tue:@SD(M.Thompson): Sun:@CHC(K.Wood)
Steve Trachsel: Tue:PHI(G.Floyd); Sun:@FLO(R.Nolasco)
Justin Verlander: Mon:@KC(J.Affeldt); Sat:CLE(P.Byrd)
Tim Wakefield: Tue:NYY(Jar.Wright); Sun:TB(M.Hendrickson)
Kerry Wood: Tue:@FLO(S.Olsen); Sun:ATL(Jor.Sosa)
Barry Zito: Mon:@CHW(J.Garland); Sat:@TEX(K.Loe)

Pitchers with 2 starts to deploy only in leagues that don't count qualitative stats:
Jeremy Affeldt: Mon:DET(J.Verlander); Sat:@NYY(S.Chacon)
Dana Eveland: Tue:@CIN(El.Ramirez); Sun:@PHI(G.Floyd)
Gavin Floyd: Tue:@NYM(S.Trachsel); Sun:MIL(D.Eveland)
Jon Garland: Mon:OAK(B.Zito); Sun:@TOR(R.Halladay)
Mark Hendrickson: Tue:@TOR(R.Halladay); Sun:@BOS(T.Wakefield)
Orlando Hernandez: Mon:PIT(Ol.Perez); Sun:@CIN(B.Arroyo)
Runelvys Hernandez: Tue:DET(K.Rogers); Sun:@NYY(C.Wang)
Byung-Hyun Kim: Mon:@LAD(J.Seo); Sun:@SF(Jam.Wright)
Kameron Loe: Mon:LAA(K.Escobar); Sat:OAK(B.Zito)
Seth McClung: Mon:@TOR(C.Janssen); Sat:@BOS(C.Schilling)
Fernando Nieve: Tue:@WAS(Ra.Ortiz); Sun:@PIT(Ol.Perez)
Ricky Nolasco: Mon:CHC(S.Marshall); Sun:NYM(S.Trachsel)
Vicente Padilla: Tue:LAA(J.Lackey); Sun:OAK(K.Saarloos)
Oliver Perez: Mon:@ARI(O.Hernandez); Sun:HOU(F.Nieve)
Wandy Rodriguez: Mon:@WAS(Z.Day); Sat:@PIT(P.Maholm)
Kirk Saarloos: Tue:@CHW(J.Vazquez); Sun:@TEX(V.Padilla)
Chien-ming Wang: Mon:@BOS(C.Schilling); Sun:KC(J.Affeldt)
Jamey Wright: Mon:STL(M.Mulder); Sun:COL(B.Kim)

Diamond Challenge

With Colorado heading to the road and no desire to run Juan Uribe due to his lack of quantitative stats, Felipe Lopez joins our club for Uribe. While we also might cut Clint Barmes in the near future, he hangs around for now despite worse current skills than Uribe since I still believe he could contribute by the second half.

A lack of outfielders similarly leads us to Nick Swisher. We considered Armando Rios as a free agent, but we just don't trust his playing time and he lacks Swisher's skills and overall upside. We're cutting Cory Sullivan, who remains a fairly useless two-category player.

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Tue:CLE(Cl.Lee); Sun:SEA(J.Pineiro)
Roy Oswalt: Wed:@WAS(M.O'Connor)
Pedro Martinez: Fri:@FLO(Jos.Johnson)
Chris Carpenter: Wed:@SF(N.Lowry)
Randy Johnson: Wed:@BOS(M.Clement)
Jake Peavy: Mon:ATL(J.Smoltz); Sun:STL(J.Marquis)
Roy Halladay: Tue:TB(M.Hendrickson); Sun:CHW(J.Garland)
Mark Buehrle: Wed:OAK(D.Haren)
Curt Schilling: Mon:NYY(C.Wang); Sat:TB(S.McClung)
Felix Hernandez: Fri:@MIN(F.Liriano)
John Lackey: Tue:@TEX(V.Padilla); Sun:BAL(H.Penn)
Dan Haren: Wed:@CHW(M.Buehrle)

Pedro will join our five doubles. Street hits the bench with Oakland heading to Chicago and Texas.

Swisher and Lopez replace Barmes and the departed Sullivan. Tex, Encarnacion, and Tracy also flip out Pujols, Atkins, and Holliday, and while we want to keep Pujols deployed, the combination of his schedule and a need for cap space lets us bench him this week.

Rotohelp.com(7th lg; 68th div; 1085th overall)
Week 8: May 22-May 28

C	Victor Martinez		1020
C	Josh Willingham		340 
1B	Mark Teixeira		1470
1B	Ryan Howard		880
2B	Chase Utley		1190
2B	Rickie Weeks		620
3B	David Wright		1210 
3B	Edwin Encarnacion	600 
SS	Felipe Lopez		1070
SS	Jose Reyes		1030 
OF	Jason Bay		1380 
OF	Chone Figgins		1350 
OF	Pat Burrell		1040 
OF	Chad Tracy		1020 
OF	Nick Swisher		620 
OF	Joey Gathright		450 
DH	Travis Hafner		1180
DH	Jim Thome		1070

SP	Johan Santana		1960 
SP	Pedro Martinez		1700 
SP	Jake Peavy		1240 
SP	Roy Halladay		1230
SP	Curt Schilling		1070 
SP	John Lackey		940
RP	Ryan Dempster		1180
RP	Mike Gonzalez		1120 
RP	Jon Papelbon		890
RP	Chris Ray		820

Total Salary for Week 8: 	29690

Internet Challenge

With a need for cap space and a tremendous lack of saves, we're gambling that Kansas City will win an occasional game by adding Elmer Dessens. As a SP that costs merely 520, he fits perfectly, and given his skills, he at least won't hurt us at that price. After adding Felipe Lopez last week to join Jose Reyes at short, we're comfortable cutting Clint Barmes, who simply isn't providing much of anything at the plate at the moment.

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Tue:CLE(Cl.Lee)
Roy Oswalt: Wed:@WAS(M.O'Connor)
Pedro Martinez: No start.
Chris Carpenter: Wed:@SF(N.Lowry)
Randy Johnson: Wed:@BOS(M.Clement)
Jake Peavy: Mon:ATL(J.Smoltz)
Roy Halladay: Tue:TB(M.Hendrickson)
Mark Buehrle: Wed:OAK(D.Haren)
Curt Schilling: Mon:NYY(C.Wang)
Felix Hernandez: No start.
John Lackey: Tue:@TEX(V.Padilla)
Dan Haren: Wed:@CHW(M.Buehrle)
Elmer Dessens: 4 Home vs. DET.

Dessens joins Santana, Carpenter, Peavy, Halladay, and Buehrle. Dempster returns to the lineup for Gonzalez, who's seeing nearly as few save opps. as Dessens.

The Rockies head out on their ten-day California road trip, sending Helton, Atkins, and Sullivan to the bench for Tex, Encarnacion, and Gathright. Holliday remains deployed for cap reasons over Bay, as well as the fact that he offers much more upside on the road than his teammates.

Rotohelp.com(7th lg; 239th overall)
Week 8a: May 22-May 25

C	Victor Martinez		1020
C	Josh Willingham		340 
1B	Albert Pujols		2060
1B	Ryan Howard		880
2B	Chase Utley		1190
2B	Rickie Weeks		620
3B	David Wright		1210 
3B	Edwin Encarnacion	600 
SS	Felipe Lopez		1070
SS	Jose Reyes		1030 
OF	Chone Figgins		1350 
OF	Matt Holliday		1040
OF	Pat Burrell		1040 
OF	Chad Tracy		1040
OF	Nick Swisher		620 
OF	Joey Gathright		450
DH	Mark Teixeira		1470
DH	Travis Hafner		1180 

SP	Johan Santana		1960 
SP	Roy Halladay		1230 
SP	Jake Peavy		1240
SP	Chris Carpenter		1550
SP	Mark Buehrle		1120 
SP	Elmer Dessens		520
RP	Huston Street		1300 
RP	Ryan Dempster		1180
RP	Jon Papelbon		890
RP	Chris Ray		820

Total Salary for Week 8a:	30000

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

With a general lack of cap space and a desire for another quality outfielder, Nick Swisher will join our team as Barry Bonds departs.

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Tue:CLE(Cl.Lee); Sun:SEA(J.Pineiro)
Roy Oswalt: Wed:@WAS(M.O'Connor)
Chris Carpenter: Wed:@SF(N.Lowry)
Pedro Martinez: Fri:@FLO(Jos.Johnson)
Randy Johnson: Wed:@BOS(M.Clement)
Javier Vazquez: Tue:OAK(K.Saarloos)
John Lackey: Tue:@TEX(V.Padilla); Sun:BAL(H.Penn)
Roy Halladay: Tue:TB(M.Hendrickson); Sun:CHW(J.Garland)
Dan Haren: Wed:@CHW(M.Buehrle)

Selecting Carpenter, Pedro, Vazquez, and the three doubles seemed easy given the alternatives as only Oswalt appears a viable option. Gonzalez remains deployed over Street for cap reasons.

The Rockies' road trip sends Helton, Atkins, Barmes, Holliday, and Sullivan to join Victor Martinez, Ellis, and Hermida on the bench. Tex, Encarnacion, Crosby, Swisher, and Tracy all join the lineup.

Rotohelp.com(FB: 6th lg; 291st overall)
& Rotohelp.com(BB: 5th lg; 626th overall)
Week 8: May 22-May 28

 
C	Joe Mauer		1710
C	Josh Willingham		1000 
1B	Lance Berkman		2860
1B	Ryan Howard		1950
2B	Chase Utley		2270
2B	Rickie Weeks		1300
3B	David Wright		2480 
3B	Edwin Encarnacion	1030
SS	Felipe Lopez		1800 
SS	Bobby Crosby		1640
OF	Jason Bay		2550 
OF	Grady Sizemore		2200 
OF	Chad Tracy		2100
OF	Jonny Gomes		1570
OF	Nick Swisher		1550
OF	Curtis Granderson	1000 
DH	Mark Teixeira		3220
DH	Travis Hafner		2680

SP	Johan Santana		3310 
SP	Chris Carpenter		3140
SP	Pedro Martinez		2970 
SP	Javier Vazquez		2810 
SP	John Lackey		2760
SP	Roy Halladay		2480 
RP	Ryan Dempster		2150
RP	Mike Gonzalez		1820 
RP	Jon Papelbon		1590
RP	Chris Ray		1580

Total Salary for Week 8:	59520

Today's Fantasy Rx: We know that adding Elmer Dessens is a big gamble. The Royals could return to Ambiorix Burgos at any time, Mike MacDougal eventually will reclaim the job, and the club simply won't win many games. However, Dessens historically flourishes when kept under 30 pitches a game, and given his fantastic salary in CDM games, he merits your consideration here, as well as a double-digit FAAB bid in any league where he remains available.