Today's Fantasy Rx

Schedule recommendations for teams with 7 games

Good for hitters / Good for pitchers
Chicago Cubs: 4 Home vs. PHI; 3 Home vs. NYM.
Minnesota: 4 Home vs. KC; 3 Home vs. CLE.

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Philadelphia: 4 Road at CHC; 3 Road at MIL.

Bad for hitters / Good for pitchers
Los Angeles Angels: 3 Road at SEA; 4 Road at OAK.
Oakland: 3 Home vs. DET; 4 Home vs. LAA.

Bad for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Kansas City: 4 Road at MIN; 3 Road at NYY.

Schedule recommendations for teams with 6 games

Good for hitters / Good for pitchers
Atlanta: 3 Home vs. HOU; 3 Home vs. COL.
Boston: 3 Home vs. BAL; 3 Road at SEA.
Cleveland: 3 Home vs. TEX; 3 Road at MIN.
Detroit: 3 Road at OAK; 3 Home vs. CHW.
Los Angeles Dodgers: 3 Home vs. SF; 3 Home vs. ARI.
New York Yankees: 3 Home vs. CHW; 3 Home vs. KC.
San Diego: 3 Home vs. ARI; 3 Home vs. SF.

Good for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Florida: 3 Home vs. COL; 3 Home vs. HOU.
Milwaukee: 3 Home vs. NYM; 3 Home vs. PHI.
New York Mets: 3 Road at MIL; 3 Road at CHC.
Pittsburgh: 3 Home vs. STL; 3 Home vs. CIN.
Seattle: 3 Home vs. LAA; 3 Home vs. BOS.
Tampa Bay: 3 Home vs. TOR; 3 Home vs. BAL.
Toronto: 3 Road at TB; 3 Home vs. TEX.

Bad for hitters / Good for pitchers
Arizona: 3 Road at SD; 3 Road at LAD.
Cincinnati: 3 Road at WAS; 3 Road at PIT.
St. Louis: 3 Road at PIT; 3 Road at WAS.
Washington: 3 Home vs. CIN; 3 Home vs. STL.

Bad for hitters / Bad for pitchers
Baltimore: 3 Road at BOS; 3 Road at TB.
Chicago White Sox: 3 Road at NYY; 3 Road at DET.
Colorado: 3 Road at FLO; 3 Road at ATL.
Houston: 3 Road at ATL; 3 Road at FLO.
San Francisco: 3 Road at LAD; 3 Road at SD.
Texas: 3 Road at CLE; 3 Road at TOR.

Pitchers with 2 starts(to deploy everywhere you own them):
Scott Baker: Mon:KC(G.Meche); Sat:CLE(A.Laffey?)
Miguel Batista: Mon:LAA(K.Escobar); Sun:BOS(J.Beckett)
Josh Beckett: Tue:BAL(E.Bedard); Sun:@SEA(M.Batista)
Erik Bedard: Tue:@BOS(J.Beckett); Sun:@TB(A.Sonnanstine)
Joe Blanton: Mon:DET(J.Tata); Sat:LAA(K.Escobar)
Fausto Carmona: Tue:TEX(B.McCarthy); Sun:@MIN(C.Silva)
Matt Chico: Tue:CIN(K.Lohse); Sun:STL(A.Wainwright)
Aaron Cook: Tue:@FLO(S.Olsen); Sun:@ATL(C.James)
Kelvim Escobar: Mon:@SEA(M.Batista); Sat:@OAK(J.Blanton)
Justin Germano: Tue:ARI(B.Webb); Sun:SF(N.Lowry)
Tom Glavine: Tue:@MIL(J.Suppan); Sun:@CHC(J.Marquis)
Cole Hamels: Mon:@CHC(J.Marquis); Sat:@MIL(Y.Gallardo)
Dan Haren: Tue:DET(J.Verlander); Sun:LAA(J.Lackey)
Chuck James: Tue:HOU(C.Sampson); Sun:COL(A.Cook)
John Lackey: Tue:@SEA(Jef.Weaver); Sun:@OAK(D.Haren)
Ted Lilly: Mon:PHI(C.Hamels); Sat:NYM(J.Maine)
Noah Lowry: Tue:@LAD(B.Penny); Sun:@SD(J.Germano)
Gil Meche: Mon:@MIN(S.Baker); Sat:@NYY(P.Hughes?)
Mike Mussina: Tue:CHW(J.Contreras); Sun:KC(J.de la Rosa)
Brad Penny: Tue:SF(N.Lowry); Sun:ARI(B.Webb)
Andrew Sonnanstine: Mon:TOR(D.McGowan); Sun:BAL(E.Bedard)
Jeff Suppan: Tue:NYM(T.Glavine); Sun:PHI(A.Eaton)
Justin Verlander?: Tue:@OAK(D.Haren); Sun:CHW(J.Contreras)?
Adam Wainwright: Tue:@PIT(P.Maholm); Sun:@WAS(M.Chico)
Brandon Webb: Tue:@SD(J.Germano); Sun:@LAD(B.Penny)

Pitchers with 2 starts to deploy only in leagues that do not count qualitative stats:
Jose Contreras: Tue:@NYY(M.Mussina); Sun:@DET(J.Verlander?)
Jorge de la Rosa: Tue:@MIN(C.Silva); Sun:@NYY(M.Mussina)
Adam Eaton: Tue:@CHC(J.Marquis); Sun:@MIL(J.Suppan)
Kyle Lohse?: Tue:@WAS(M.Chico)?; Sun:@PIT(P.Maholm)?
Paul Maholm: Tue:STL(A.Wainwright); Sun:CIN(K.Lohse)
Jason Marquis: Tue:PHI(A.Eaton); Sun:NYM(T.Glavine)
Brandon McCarthy: Tue:@CLE(F.Carmona); Sun:@TOR(D.McGowan)
Dustin McGowan: Mon:@TB(A.Sonnanstine); Sun:TEX(B.McCarthy)
Scott Olsen: Tue:COL(A.Cook); Sun:HOU(C.Sampson)
Chris Sampson: Tue:@ATL(C.James); Sun:@FLO(S.Olsen)
Carlos Silva: Tue:KC(J.de la Rosa); Sun:CLE(F.Carmona)

Diamond Challenge

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Thu:KC(Od.Perez)
Roy Oswalt: Fri:@FLO(D.Willis)
John Smoltz: Fri:COL(U.Jimenez?)
Ben Sheets: No start(DL).
Jake Peavy: Thu:ARI(Y.Petit)
Roy Halladay: Fri:TEX(K.Millwood)
Brandon Webb: Tue:@SD(J.Germano); Sun:@LAD(B.Penny)
John Lackey: Tue:@SEA(Jef.Weaver); Sun:@OAK(D.Haren)
C.C. Sabathia: Fri:@MIN(M.Garza)
Josh Beckett: Tue:BAL(E.Bedard); Sun:@SEA(M.Batista)
Chris Young: No start(DL).
Felix Hernandez: Wed:LAA(Jer.Weaver)
Jon Papelbon: 4 Home vs. BAL; 3 Road at SEA.

While we would like to run Santana, we do not view deploying Smoltz, Peavy, and Felix with Webb, Lackey, and Beckett as a downgrade warranting benching someone like Pujols or Howard on offense. Saito returns to the lineup for Cordero.

Wright and Morneau replace Atkins and Taveras on offense while Kendrick and Hall remain benched.

Rotohelp.com(7th lg; 72nd div; 1120th overall)
Week 18: July 30-August 5

 
C	Brian McCann		880
C	Russ Martin		680 
1B	Albert Pujols		2050 
1B	Ryan Howard		1420 
2B	Brandon Phillips	930
2B	Kelly Johnson		400 
3B	David Wright		1550
3B	Mark Teahen		750
SS	Jose Reyes		1610 
SS	Hanley Ramirez		1100
OF	Matt Holliday		1410 
OF	Manny Ramirez		1390
OF	Barry Bonds		830 
OF	Magglio Ordonez		820 
OF	Delmon Young		750
OF	Shane Victorino		560 
DH	Justin Morneau		1180
DH	Prince Fielder		910 

SP	John Smoltz		1260 
SP	Brandon Webb		1130 
SP	John Lackey		1040 
SP	Jake Peavy		1180 
SP	Josh Beckett		1000 
SP	Felix Hernandez		840
RP	Takashi Saito		1200
RP	Ryan Dempster		1130
RP	Joe Borowski		1110 
RP	Matt Capps		600

Total Salary for Week 18: 	29710

Diamond Challenge - 2nd Season

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Thu:KC(Od.Perez)
Roy Oswalt: Fri:@FLO(D.Willis)
John Smoltz: Fri:COL(U.Jimenez?)
Jake Peavy: Thu:ARI(Y.Petit)
John Lackey: Tue:@SEA(Jef.Weaver); Sun:@OAK(D.Haren)
C.C. Sabathia: Fri:@MIN(M.Garza)
Jeremy Bonderman: Sat:CHW(J.Vazquez)
Daisuke Matsuzaka: Sat:@SEA(J.Washburn)
Dan Haren: Tue:DET(J.Verlander); Sun:LAA(J.Lackey)
Tim Hudson: Sat:COL(R.Lopez or J.Hirsh)
Cole Hamels: Mon:@CHC(J.Marquis); Sat:@MIL(Y.Gallardo)
Jon Papelbon: 4 Home vs. BAL; 3 Road at SEA.

We like a lot of these starters, but to maximize value, we will deploy Santana, Hudson, and Papelbon with Lackey, Haren, and Hamels. Saito stays benched here since we own Valverde and Arizona faces LA.

Despite his recent slump, Martin remains in the lineup for cap reasons over the equally ineffective Brian McCann. Youkilis and Kendrick also stay inactive, though swaps of Alex Rios and Hanley Ramirez for Ken Griffey and J.J. Hardy hopefully will boost our lineup.

Rotohelp.com(14th lg; 88th div; 495th overall)
Week 18: July 30-August 5

C	Victor Martinez		1310
C	Russ Martin		680
1B	Justin Morneau		1180
1B	Prince Fielder		910
2B	Brandon Phillips	930
2B	Kelly Johnson		400
3B	Mike Lowell		1070
3B	B.J. Upton		410
SS	Jose Reyes		1610
SS	Hanley Ramirez		1100
OF	Vladimir Guerrero	1880
OF	Matt Holliday		1410
OF	Grady Sizemore		1380
OF	Alex Rios		1000
OF	Magglio Ordonez		820
OF	Shane Victorino		560 
DH	Ryan Braun		750
DH	Corey Hart		430 

SP	Johan Santana		1960
SP	John Lackey		1040
SP	Dan Haren		940
SP	Tim Hudson		880
SP	Cole Hamels		660
SP	Jon Papelbon		900
RP	Francisco Cordero	1260
RP	Jose Valverde		1100 
RP	Al Reyes		750
RP	Matt Capps		600

Total Salary for Week 18: 	27920

Internet Challenge

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Thu:KC(Od.Perez)
Roy Oswalt: No start.
Ben Sheets: No start(DL).
Jake Peavy: Thu:ARI(Y.Petit)
Brandon Webb: Tue:@SD(J.Germano)
Greg Maddux: No start.
Josh Beckett: Tue:BAL(E.Bedard)
Daisuke Matsuzaka: No start.
Dan Haren: Tue:DET(J.Verlander)
Felix Hernandez: Wed:LAA(Jer.Weaver)
Matt Cain: No start.
Jon Papelbon: 4 Home vs. BAL.

While normally we would bench Webb for his road start, pitching in SD against someone struggling as badly as Germano, he seems a better play than Haren, backed by Oakland's awful offense, against Verlander and the first place Tigers. Santana, Peavy, Beckett, Felix, and Papelbon will join Webb, and Saito will flip with the slumping Cordero.

Those pitching moves give us room to deploy Teahen, Hanley, Manny, and Delmon Young for Hafner, Hall, Bonds, and Taveras.

Rotohelp.com(8th lg; 183rd overall)
Week 18a: July 30-August 2

 
C	Victor Martinez		1310
C	Brian McCann		880 
1B	Ryan Howard		1420 
1B	Prince Fielder		910
2B	Brandon Phillips	930
2B	Kelly Johnson		400 
3B	David Wright		1550
3B	B.J. Upton		410
SS	Jose Reyes		1610 
SS	Hanley Ramirez		1100
OF	Matt Holliday		1410 
OF	Manny Ramirez		1390 
OF	Alex Rios		1000 
OF	Delmon Young		750
OF	Shane Victorino		560 
OF	Corey Hart		430
DH	Albert Pujols		2050 
DH	Mark Teahen		750

SP	Johan Santana		1960 
SP	Jake Peavy		1180 
SP	Brandon Webb		1130 
SP	Josh Beckett		1000
SP	Felix Hernandez		840
SP	Jon Papelbon		900  
RP	Takashi Saito		1200 
RP	Ryan Dempster		1130
RP	Joe Borowski		1110 
RP	Matt Capps		600

Total Week 18a Salary:		29910

Fantasy Baseball & Fanball.Com Cap Challenge (aka Budget Baseball)
(Same rules = same rosters and moves for both teams)

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Thu:KC(Od.Perez)
Roy Oswalt: Fri:@FLO(D.Willis)
John Lackey: Tue:@SEA(Jef.Weaver); Sun:@OAK(D.Haren)
Jake Peavy: Thu:ARI(Y.Petit)
Josh Beckett: Tue:BAL(E.Bedard); Sun:@SEA(M.Batista)
C.C. Sabathia: Fri:@MIN(M.Garza)
Chris Young: No start(DL).
Cole Hamels: Mon:@CHC(J.Marquis); Sat:@MIL(Y.Gallardo)
Jon Papelbon: 4 Home vs. BAL; 3 Road at SEA.

Santana, Lackey, Peavy, Beckett, Hamels, and Papelbon look quite solid here. While Papelbon faces Putz, Saito also faces Valverde. Papelbon's cap cost makes him too valuable to sit, and since we also prefer Putz to Saito, Saito stays seated.

Offensively, Bard, Atkins, and Baldelli remain benched while Teahen, Hanley, Swisher, and Delmon Young sub for Adrian Gonzalez, Hall, Bonds, and Willy Taveras. Ian Kinsler, who should return on Tuesday, replaces the injured Utley. While we may make a move next week if Kinsler relapses, we prefer to defer purchasing decisions until after the trade deadline.

Rotohelp.com(FB: 10th lg; 705th overall)
& Rotohelp.com(FC: 9th lg; 1498th overall)
Week 18: July 30-August 5

C	Joe Mauer		1890 
C	Brian McCann		1880 
1B	Albert Pujols		3890
1B	Prince Fielder		1850 
2B	Ian Kinsler		1270 
2B	Brandon Phillips	1160
3B	David Wright		2900  
3B	B.J. Upton		1000
SS	Jose Reyes		2460 
SS	Hanley Ramirez		2150
OF	Matt Holliday		2730
OF	Grady Sizemore		2760 
OF	Nick Swisher		2190
OF	Magglio Ordonez		1770
OF	Delmon Young		1500
OF	Chris B. Young		1000 
DH	Ryan Howard		3240
DH	Mark Teahen		1980

SP	Johan Santana		3410 
SP	John Lackey		2790
SP	Jake Peavy		2730 
SP	Josh Beckett		2520 
SP	Cole Hamels		1450
SP	Jon Papelbon		1950 
RP	J.J. Putz		2360
RP	Joe Borowski		2100
RP	Jose Valverde		1880
RP	Matt Capps		1000

Total Salary for Week 18:	59810

Mid-Season Fantasy Baseball

After examining several second basemen, including Dan Uggla, Aaron Hill, and Kelly Johnson, we opted to replace Utley with Robinson Cano given his superior current plate discipline and much higher overall upside. We will cut Hunter Pence, who should miss a month more than Howie Kendrick.

In light of Fausto Carmona's increasing dominance, extremely inexpensive salary, and intriguing double this week, we also added Carmona and cut Jeremy Bonderman, who pitched terribly today and likely faces Sabathia and then the Yankees for his next double.

SP(6)
Jake Peavy: Thu:ARI(Y.Petit)
Josh Beckett: Tue:BAL(E.Bedard); Sun:@SEA(M.Batista)
C.C. Sabathia: Fri:@MIN(M.Garza)
Roy Halladay: Fri:TEX(K.Millwood)
Erik Bedard: Tue:@BOS(J.Beckett); Sun:@TB(A.Sonnanstine)
Cole Hamels: Mon:@CHC(J.Marquis); Sat:@MIL(Y.Gallardo)
John Maine: Sat:@CHC(T.Lilly)
Fausto Carmona: Tue:TEX(B.McCarthy); Sun:@MIN(C.Silva)
Jon Papelbon: 4 Home vs. BAL; 3 Road at SEA.

Peavy and Papelbon join our four doubles while Saito also flips for Putz, who faces Papelbon.

Cano, Hanley, and Sizemore join the lineup for Utley, Hardy, and Sheffield while McCann, Iwamura, Kendrick, Rios, and Chris Young stay benched.

Rotohelp.com(4th lg; 298th overall)
Week 18: July 30-August 5

 
C	Joe Mauer		1890
C	Russ Martin		1290
1B	Justin Morneau		2620
1B	Prince Fielder		1850
2B	Robinson Cano		1950 
2B	Brandon Phillips	1160
3B	Ryan Braun		1500 
3B	B.J. Upton		1000
SS	Jose Reyes		2460 
SS	Hanley Ramirez		2150 
OF	Grady Sizemore		2760
OF	Matt Holliday		2730 
OF	Magglio Ordonez		1770 
OF	Curtis Granderson	1550
OF	Shane Victorino		1340
OF	Corey Hart		1120 
DH	Alex Rodriguez		3630 
DH	Ryan Howard		3240 

SP	Jake Peavy		2730 
SP	Josh Beckett		2520 
SP	Erik Bedard		2160
SP	Cole Hamels		1450
SP	Fausto Carmona		1070
SP	Jon Papelbon		1950 
RP	Takashi Saito		2200
RP	Joe Borowski		2100
RP	Kevin Gregg		1430
RP	Matt Capps		1000

Total Salary for Week 18:	54620

Today's Fantasy Rx: Take a careful look around the trade rumor and baseball news sites before making any possibly precipitous moves today. With at least a dozen players likely to change teams by Tuesday's trade deadline, changing your team this weekend, particularly in national contests, could lead to problems unless you know you're adding someone with a no-trade clause or at least a seeming certainty not to be dealt.