Welcome to Week 18. Jonathan Broxton is now available in the SportsBuff contest. He is currently a $31 dollar value that I would get into your starting lineup. He is also only $800K in the CDM challenge. These players are also recommended this week, as they all have seven game schedules: Josh Hamilton, Robinson Cano, Carlos Quentin, Hanley Ramirez, Albert Pujols and Ryan Ludwick.
Sports Buff Contest and CDM Challenge
1. CC Sabathia ($54) - CHC Home, ATL Away
2. Daisuke Matsuzaka ($48) - LAA Home, OAK Home
3. James Shields ($45) - TOR Away, DET Home
4. Felix Hernandez ($47) - TEX Away, BAL Home
5. Zach Greinke ($34) - OAK Away, CHW Home
6. John Maine ($44) - FLA Away, HOU Away
7. John Lackey ($52) - BOS Away, NYY Away
8. Todd Wellemeyer ($30)- ATL Away, PHI Home
9. Oliver Perez ($46) - FLA Away, HOU Away
10. Carlos Zambrano ($47) - MIL Away, PIT Home
11. Ben Sheets ($43) - CHC Home, ATL Away
12. Hiroki Kuroda ($30) - SF Home, ARZ Home
13. Armando Galarraga ($28) - CLE Away, TB Away
14. Matt Garza ($36) - TOR Away, DET Home
I personally like Kuroda, Galarraga and Wellemeyer.
CDM Diamond Challenge
1. CC Sabathia ($1270) - CHC Home, ATL Away
2. Daisuke Matsuzaka ($48) - LAA Home, OAK Home
3. James Shields ($1020) - TOR Away, DET Home
4. Felix Hernandez ($1040) - TEX Away, BAL Home
5. Zach Greinke ($620) - OAK Away, CHW Home
6. John Maine ($810) - FLA Away, HOU Away
7. John Lackey ($1210) - BOS Away, NYY Away
8. Oliver Perez ($770) - FLA Away, HOU Away
9. Carlos Zambrano ($1160) - MIL Away, PIT Home
10. Ben Sheets ($930) - CHC Home, ATL Away
11. Matt Garza ($540) - TOR Away, DET Home
Team Schedules
Seven Games - Arizona, Atlanta, Chicago Cubs, Cleveland, Colorado, Chicago White Sox, Detroit, Florida, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee, Minnesota, New York Yankees, Seattle, St.Louis, Texas
Everybody else plays six games.
Injuries
1. Chipper Jones (3B, ATL) - Strained hamstring could have him miss a few games this week.
2. Kerry Wood (RP, CHC) - On the 15-day DL with blisters on his pitching hand.
Players on the rise
1. Robinson Cano (2B, NYY) - Has his average up to .270 with 9 HRs and 48 RBIs.
2. Ryan Braun (OF, MIL) - Now has 27 HRs for the year with a .300 BA.
3. Dustin Pedroia (2B, BOS) - Hitting .317 with 9 HRs and 47 RBIs for the Sox.
Players on the decline
1. Ryan Garko (1B, CLE) - Average is down to .236 and he only has 6 HRs.
2. Gary Matthews Jr. (OF, LAA) - .233 BA with 7 HRs and 36 RBIs for the year.
3. Paul Konerko (1B, CHW) - .215 BA and 9 HRs seems to indicate he will have two bad years in a row.
4. Chris Young (OF, ARZ) - Still has not mastered the strike zone yet, as evidenced by his .236 batting average.
Got a fantasy question you would like answered in my column? Send it to me via
e-mail at mikek@creativesports.com. Until next week, I wish you the best of
luck.