Today's Fantasy Rx

Schedule recommendations for teams with 7 games

Good for hitters / Good for pitchers
Boston: 4 Home vs. CLE; 3 Road at TB.
Detroit: 4 Road at TB; 3 Home vs. CLE.

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Arizona: 4 Road at CHC; 3 Home vs. HOU.
Chicago Cubs: 4 Home vs. ARI; 3 Home vs. PIT.
Florida: 1 Road at PHI; 3 Home vs. NYM; 3 Home vs. LAD.
Kansas City: 3 Home vs. CHW; 4 Home vs. MIN.
Minnesota: 3 Home vs. TEX; 4 Road at KC.
Los Angeles Angels: 3 Home vs. OAK; 4 Home vs. TEX.

Bad for hitters / Good for pitchers
Texas: 3 Road at MIN; 4 Road at LAA.

Bad for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Cleveland: 4 Road at BOS; 3 Road at DET.
Philadelphia: 1 Home vs. FLO; 3 Road at STL; 3 Road at NYM.
Tampa Bay: 4 Home vs. DET: 3 Home vs. BOS.

Schedule recommendations for teams with 6 games

Good for hitters / Good for pitchers
New York Mets: 3 Road at FLO; 3 Home vs. PHI.
New York Yankees: 3 Home vs. TOR: 3 Road at BAL.
San Francisco: 3 Home vs. WAS; 3 Home vs. COL.
St. Louis: 3 Home vs. PHI; 3 Home vs. MIL.

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Atlanta: 3 Road at PIT; 3 Road at CIN.
Baltimore: 3 Home vs. SEA: 3 Home vs. NYY.
Chicago White Sox: 3 Road at KC; 3 Road at TOR.
Cincinnati: 3 Home vs. LAD; 3 Home vs. ATL.
Colorado: 3 Home vs. MIL; 3 Road at SF.
Los Angeles Dodgers: 3 Road at CIN; 3 Road at FLO.
Milwaukee: 3 Road at COL; 3 Road at STL.
Pittsburgh: 3 Home vs. ATL; 3 Road at CHC.
Toronto: 3 Road at NYY; 3 Home vs. CHW.

Bad for hitters / Good for pitchers
Houston: 3 Road at SD; 3 Road at ARI.
Oakland: 3 Road at LAA; 3 Road at SEA.
San Diego: 3 Home vs. HOU; 3 Home vs. WAS.
Seattle: 3 Road at BAL; 3 Home s. OAK.

Bad for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Washington: 3 Road at SF; 3 Road at SD.

Pitchers with 2 starts(to deploy everywhere you own them):
Bronson Arroyo: Tue:LAD(A.Sele); Sun:ATL(J.Smoltz)
Joe Blanton: Tue:@LAA(J.Saunders?); Sun:@SEA(G.Meche)
A.J. Burnett: Tue:@NYY(Jar.Wright); Sun:CHW(J.Contreras)
Jose Contreras: Mon:@KC(Run.Hernandez); Sun:@TOR(A.Burnett)
Dan Haren: Mon:@LAA(Er.Santana); Sat:@SEA(J.Pineiro)
Josh Johnson: Mon:@PHI(J.Lieber); Sat:LAD(M.Hendrickson)
Jon Lieber?: Mon:FLO(Jo.Johnson); Sat:@NYM(O.Hernandez)
Noah Lowry: Mon:WAS(P.Astacio); Sun:COL(A.Cook)
Gil Meche: Mon:@BAL(A.Loewen); Sun:OAK(J.Blanton)
Scott Olsen: Tue:NYM(M.Pelfrey); Sun:LAD(A.Sele)
Jake Peavy: Tue:HOU(A.Pettitte); Sun:WAS(L.Hernandez?)
Mike Pelfrey: Tue:@FLO(S.Olsen); Sun:PHI(R.Madson)
Odalis Perez: Tue:CHW(M.Buehlre); Sun:MIN(S.Baker)
Andy Pettitte: Tue:@SD(J.Peavy); Sun:@ARI(C.Vargas)
Mark Prior: Mon:ARI(B.Webb); Sat:PIT(Z.Duke)
Kenny Rogers: Mon:@TB(C.Fossum); Sat:CLE(P.Byrd)
C.C. Sabathia: Tue:@BOS(K.Snyder); Sun:@DET(J.Verlander)
Ervin Santana: Mon:OAK(D.Haren); Sat:TEX(J.Rheinecker)
Joe Saunders?: Tue:OAK(J.Blanton)?; Sun:TEX(A.Eaton)?
John Smoltz; Tue:@PIT(I.Snell); Sun:@CIN(B.Arroyo)
Ian Snell: Tue:ATL(J.Smoltz); Sun:@CHC(M.Prior)
Jeff Suppan: Tue:PHI(R.Madson); Sun:MIL(D.Bush?)
Justin Verlander: Tue:@TB(J.Howell); Sun:CLE(C.Sabathia)
Brandon Webb: Mon:@CHC(M.Prior); Sat:HOU(R.Clemens)
David Wells: Mon:CLE(P.Byrd); Sat:@TB(C.Fossum)
Jaret Wright: Tue:TOR(A.Burnett); Sun:@BAL(Rod.Lopez?)

Pitchers with 2 starts to deploy only in leagues that don't count qualitative stats:
Pedro Astacio?: Mon:@SF(N.Lowry)?; Sat:@SD(M.Thompson)?
Scott Baker: Tue:TEX(A.Eaton); Sun:@KC(Od.Perez)
David Bush?: Mon:@COL(A.Cook); Sun:@STL(J.Suppan)?
Paul Byrd: Mon:@BOS(D.Wells); Sat:@DET(K.Rogers)
Aaron Cook: Mon:MIL(D.Bush); Sun:@SF(N.Lowry)
Adam Eaton: Tue:@MIN(S.Baker); Sun:@LAA(J.Saunders?)
Casey Fossum: Mon:DET(K.Rogers); Sat:BOS(D.Wells)
Runelvys Hernandez: Mon:CHW(J.Contreras); Sat:MIN(C.Silva)
Livan Hernandez???: Tue:@SF(M.Cain)???; Sun:@SD(J.Peavy???
Rich Hill: Tue:ARI(C.Vargas); Sun:PIT(I.Snell)
J.P. Howell: Tue:DET(J.Verlander); Sun:BOS(K.Snyder)
Adam Loewen: Mon:SEA(G.Meche); Sat:NYY(M.Mussina)
Rod Lopez?: Tue:SEA(J.Moyer); Sun:NYY(Jar.Wright)
Ryan Madson?: Tue:@STL(J.Suppan); Sun:@NYM(M.Pelfrey)
John Rheinecker: Mon:@MIN(C.Silva); Sat:@LAA(Er.Santana)
Aaron Sele: Tue:@CIN(B.Arroyo); Sun:@FLO(S.Olsen)
Carlos Silva: Mon:TEX(J.Rheinecker); Sat:@KC(Run.Hernandez)
Kyle Snyder: Tue:CLE(C.Sabathia); Sun:@TB(J.Howell)
Claudio Vargas: Tue:@CHC(R.Hill); Sun:HOU(A.Pettitte)

Diamond Challenge

With Weeks likely out for the year, we're dumping him and adding the ultra-low percentage play of Howie Kendrick, who at least will help our BA even if he only plays five games a week.

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Fri:@KC(M.Redman)
Roy Oswalt: Fri:@ARI(M.Batista)
Pedro Martinez: Thu:@FLO(D.Willis)
Chris Carpenter: Sat:MIL(B.Sheets)
Randy Johnson: Fri:@BAL(K.Benson?)
Jake Peavy: Tue:HOU(A.Pettitte); Sun:WAS(L.Hernandez?)
Roy Halladay: Fri:CHW(J.Garland)
Curt Schilling: Fri:@TB(J.Shields)
Brandon Webb: Mon:@CHC(M.Prior); Sat:HOU(R.Clemens)
Felix Hernandez: Wed:@BAL(E.Bedard)
John Lackey: Fri:TEX(J.Koronka)
Dan Haren: Mon:@LAA(Er.Santana); Sat:@SEA(J.Pineiro)
Francisco Liriano: Wed:TEX(V.Padilla)

Santana, Lackey, and Liriano will join our three doubles. Hopefully the home starts will mitigate the effects of the Rangers' reloaded lineup. Street also replaces Putz as Seattle faces Baltimore and then Oakland.

Along with the Kendrick/Weeks switch, Victor and Tracy will sub for Willingham and Swisher as Encarnacion and Tex stay benched.

Rotohelp.com(6th lg; 73rd div; 1515th overall)
Week 18: July 31-August 6

 
C	Victor Martinez		1020
C	Joe Mauer		770 
1B	Albert Pujols		2060
1B	Ryan Howard		880
2B	Chase Utley		1190
2B	Howie Kendrick		750
3B	David Wright		1210 
3B	Garrett Atkins		610 
SS	Felipe Lopez		1070
SS	Jose Reyes		1030 
OF	Jason Bay		1380 
OF	Chone Figgins		1350
OF	Matt Holliday		1040 
OF	Pat Burrell		1040 
OF	Chad Tracy		1020
OF	Brad Hawpe		440
DH	Travis Hafner		1180 
DH	Jim Thome		1070

SP	Johan Santana		1960 
SP	Jake Peavy		1240 
SP	Brandon Webb		1030 
SP	John Lackey		940
SP	Dan Haren		860
SP	Francisco Liriano	700 
RP	Huston Street		1300
RP	Bobby Jenks		1150
RP	Jon Papelbon		890
RP	Chris Ray		820

Total Salary for Week 18: 	30000

Diamond Challenge - 2nd Season

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Fri:@KC(M.Redman)
Pedro Martinez: Thu:@FLO(D.Willis)
John Smoltz; Tue:@PIT(I.Snell); Sun:@CIN(B.Arroyo)
Roy Halladay: Fri:CHW(J.Garland)
Curt Schilling: Fri:@TB(J.Shields)
Brandon Webb: Mon:@CHC(M.Prior); Sat:HOU(R.Clemens)
C.C. Sabathia: Tue:@BOS(K.Snyder); Sun:@DET(J.Verlander)
Mike Mussina: Sat:@BAL(A.Loewen)
John Lackey: Fri:TEX(J.Koronka)
Chris Capuano: Tue:@COL(J.Fogg)
Dan Haren: Mon:@LAA(Er.Santana); Sat:@SEA(J.Pineiro)
Brad Penny: Wed:@CIN(Eli.Ramirez)
Tom Glavine: Fri:PHI(R.Wolf)
Scott Kazmir: No start(DL).
Francisco Liriano: Wed:TEX(V.Padilla)

Deploying the four doubles, Lackey, and Liriano leaves us sufficient cap room to flip Soriano for Weeks. For cap reasons, Swisher also flips for Kearns while Rios stays benched.

Rotohelp.com(10th lg; 85th div; 514th overall)
Week 18: July 31-August 6

C	Joe Mauer		770
C	Ramon Hernandez		690
1B	Travis Hafner		1180
1B	Ryan Howard		880 
2B	Alfonso Soriano		1830
2B	Chase Utley		1190
3B	David Wright		1210 
3B	Garrett Atkins		610 
SS	Jose Reyes		1030 
SS	Hanley Ramirez		400
OF	Jason Bay		1380 
OF	Scott Podsednik		1370 
OF	Matt Holliday		1040 
OF	Corey Patterson		910 
OF	Nick Swisher		620
OF	Brad Hawpe		440
DH	Albert Pujols		2060
DH	Jim Thome		1070

SP	John Smoltz		1240 
SP	Brandon Webb		1030 
SP	C.C. Sabathia		980 
SP	John Lackey		940
SP	Dan Haren		860
SP	Francisco Liriano	700
RP	Bobby Jenks		1150
RP	Jon Papelbon		890
RP	Chris Ray		820
RP	Akinori Otsuka		690

Total Salary for Week 18: 	27980

Internet Challenge

We'll follow our DC lead here by adding Howie Kendrick and cutting Rickie Weeks.

SP(6)
Johan Santana: No start.
Roy Oswalt: No start.
Pedro Martinez: Thu:@FLO(D.Willis)
Chris Carpenter: No start.
Randy Johnson: No start.
Jake Peavy: Tue:HOU(A.Pettitte)
Roy Halladay: No start.
Mark Buehrle: Tue:@KC(Od.Perez)
Curt Schilling: No start.
Felix Hernandez: Wed:@BAL(E.Bedard)
John Lackey: No start.
Dan Haren: Mon:@LAA(Er.Santana)
Francisco Liriano: Wed:TEX(V.Padilla)

All six starters go to an obvious lack of alternatives. Dempster replaces Putz with Seattle in Baltimore.

Kendrick replaces Weeks, Figgins subs for Patterson, and then Victor, Encarnacion, and Swisher stay benched.

Rotohelp.com(11th lg; 298th overall)
Week 18a: July 31-August 3

 
C	Joe Mauer		770 
C	Josh Willingham		340
1B	Travis Hafner		1180 
1B	Ryan Howard		880
2B	Chase Utley		1190
2B	Howie Kendrick		750
3B	David Wright		1210
3B	Garrett Atkins		610
SS	Felipe Lopez		1070
SS	Jose Reyes		1030 
OF	Jason Bay		1380 
OF	Chone Figgins		1350
OF	Pat Burrell		1040 
OF	Matt Holliday		1040
OF	Chad Tracy		1020 
OF	Jermaine Dye		840
DH	Albert Pujols		2060 
DH	Mark Teixeira		1470

SP	Pedro Martinez		1700 
SP	Jake Peavy		1240 
SP	Mark Buehrle		1120 
SP	Felix Hernandez		960
SP	Dan Haren		860 
SP	Francisco Liriano	700
RP	Huston Street		1300 
RP	Ryan Dempster		1180
RP	Jon Papelbon		890
RP	Chris Ray		820

Total Salary for Week 18a:	30000

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

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Fri:@KC(M.Redman)
Roy Oswalt: Fri:@ARI(M.Batista)
Chris Carpenter: Sat:MIL(B.Sheets)
Pedro Martinez: Thu:@FLO(D.Willis)
Randy Johnson: Fri:@BAL(K.Benson?)
John Lackey: Fri:TEX(J.Koronka)
Mike Mussina: Sat:@BAL(A.Loewen)
Roy Halladay: Fri:CHW(J.Garland)
Dan Haren: Mon:@LAA(Er.Santana); Sat:@SEA(J.Pineiro)
Francisco Liriano: Wed:TEX(V.Padilla)

Santana, Lackey, Halladay, Haren, and Liriano appear automatic, and then we'll deploy Carpenter on the basis of his slightly safer home start.

Ellis subs for the injured Weeks, at least for this week, and then Tex, Barmes, and Swisher respectively replace Willingham, Crosby, and Hermida. Berkman, Encarnacion, Sullivan, and Gomes all stay benched.

Rotohelp.com(FB: 8th lg; 461st overall)
& Rotohelp.com(BB: 9th lg; 983rd overall)
Week 18: July 31-August 6

 
C	Victor Martinez		1940 
C	Joe Mauer		1710 
1B	Travis Hafner		2680
1B	Ryan Howard		1950
2B	Chase Utley		2270
2B	Mark Ellis		1340
3B	David Wright		2480 
3B	Garrett Atkins		1330
SS	Felipe Lopez		1800 
SS	Clint Barmes		1610
OF	Jason Bay		2550
OF	Grady Sizemore		2200 
OF	Matt Holliday		2140
OF	Chad Tracy		2100 
OF	Nick Swisher		1550
OF	Curtis Granderson	1000 
DH	Albert Pujols		3870 
DH	Mark Teixeira		3220

SP	Johan Santana		3310 
SP	Chris Carpenter		3140 
SP	John Lackey		2760 
SP	Roy Halladay		2480
SP	Dan Haren		1940 
SP	Francisco Liriano	1300
RP	Huston Street		2320 
RP	J.J. Putz		1600
RP	Jon Papelbon		1590
RP	Chris Ray		1580

Total Salary for Week 18:	59760

Mid-Season Fantasy Baseball

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Fri:@KC(M.Redman)
Chris Carpenter: Sat:MIL(B.Sheets)
John Lackey: Fri:TEX(J.Koronka)
Mike Mussina: Sat:@BAL(A.Loewen)
Curt Schilling: Fri:@TB(J.Shields)
Jeremy Bonderman: Fri:CLE(Cl.Lee)
Jose Contreras: Mon:@KC(Run.Hernandez); Sun:@TOR(A.Burnett)
Felix Hernandez: Wed:@BAL(E.Bedard)
Jered Weaver: Thu:TEX(K.Millwood)
Francisco Liriano: Wed:TEX(V.Padilla)

Santana, Lackey, Bonderman, Contreras, Weaver, and Liriano offer the most upside.

With no real incentive to activate Berkman or Hafner, Dye will replace Willingham while Guillen subs for Hanley Ramirez. Weeks, Zimmerman, Kearns, and Swisher also stay benched.

Rotohelp.com(9th lg; 254th overall)
Week 18: July 31-August 6

 
C	Joe Mauer		1710 
C	Brian McCann		1000
1B	Jim Thome		2500
1B	Ryan Howard		1950
2B	Chase Utley		2270
2B	Ian Kinsler		1000
3B	David Wright		2480 
3B	Garrett Atkins		1330 
SS	Jose Reyes		2100 
SS	Carlos Guillen		1400
OF	Jason Bay		2550
OF	Grady Sizemore		2200 
OF	Matt Holliday		2140
OF	Rocco Baldelli		1780
OF	Brad Hawpe		1260
OF	Curtis Granderson	1000
DH	Alex Rodriguez		3790 
DG	Jermaine Dye		2070

SP	Johan Santana		3310 
SP	John Lackey		2760 
SP	Jeremy Bonderman	2190 
SP	Jose Contreras		2070 
SP	Jered Weaver		1500
SP	Francisco Liriano	1300 
RP	Bobby Jenks		224
RP	J.J. Putz		1600
RP	Jon Papelbon		1590
RP	Takashi Saito		1500

Total Salary for Week 18: 	54590

Today's Fantasy Rx: The incredibly volatile status of the trade market right now means you shouldn't make any player purchases this weekend unless absolutely necessary, such as a second baseman to replace Weeks. Although Ian Kinsler offers the most upside for a similar salary, Orlando Hudson and Josh Barfield look like safer picks, and if you can afford the extra cash, Ryan Freel offers plenty of SB upside.

However, other than obtaining replacements for slots that otherwise would provide you zero stats for the week, please try to wait until after tomorrow's trade deadline before making further moves unless you know that the players involved won't change in value to any significant extent e.g. Albert Pujols, David Ortiz, Roger Clemens, Johan Santana, Trevor Hoffman, and Mariano Rivera.