On-Deck

On the Horizon: June 18 - June 24

One of the new features that we'll be bringing you each week will involve each team's upcoming schedule. This can be a major boost for those of you who keep a flex spot on your roster so that you can pick up players and use them as plug and play options. By knowing not only who they'll be facing, but also where they'll be facing them, this should give you some insight as to who the hot pickups for next week might be a few extra days in advance.

On Tuesdays, we'll be publishing our ballpark data from last season and a three year average for each stadium so that you'll be a little more familiar with how each stadium plays and what, exactly, it plays well to (it's a myth that all hitter's parks only play extremely well to power hitters). For now, we'll be using some of the top hitter's and pitcher's parks based on that data to compile which offenses have favorable schedules coming up and which offenses will be playing in parks that are more geared toward pitchers. As the year wears on, each team's opponents will factor more into the equation, based on how they have performed.

Home games are listed in CAPS, while the number in parentheses shows how many games they'll be playing each team.

Favorable

Los Angeles Angels: HOUSTON (3), PITTSBURGH (3) - While the fact that they'll avoid Roy Oswalt plays a major part in placing the Halos here, so does their performance at home this season. While Angel Stadium has traditionally played as a neutral pitcher's park, the Angels bats have been loving the home cooking so far this season, scoring an average of 5.58 runs per game (they're scoring just 4.5 RPG on the road).

Texas Rangers: CHICAGO CUBS (3), HOUSTON (3) - The Rangers are actually scoring less per game at home than they are on the road this season, but that figures to change based on Ameriquest's history. Given that the only starter that they'll face who inspires fear in the hearts of fantasy owners is Roy Oswalt, the Rangers should do plenty of damage next week.

Arizona Diamondbacks: TAMPA BAY (3), BALTIMORE (3) - Any time you play six at home in last year's second best hitter's park, you should be in business. Toss in Edwin Jackson and Steve Trachsel bookending the week, and it's Yahtzee time!

Milwaukee Brewers: SAN FRANCISCO (3), KANSAS CITY (3) - While you certainly can't love the Giants' trio they'll have to face (Lowry, Zito, Lincecum), the fact that they'll face the hapless Royals' starters later in the week balances things out. The Brew Crew is currently ninth in the league with 164 runs scored at home and 28th in the league with just 130 runs scored on the road. Thankfully, Prince Fielder and Co. will play all six games in Miller Park this week.

Unfavorable

Boston Red Sox: Atlanta (3), San Diego (3) - If you don't subscribe to the theory that the Red Sox will suffer a bit offensively from being on the road all week (they're scoring 5.59 RPG at home as opposed to 4.51 on the road) or you think they'll get by offensively despite playing three games in baseball's best pitcher's park, consider this: John Smoltz, Tim Hudson, Chris Young, Greg Maddux, and Jake Peavy are all on the docket for the Sawx this week.

Minnesota Twins: New York Mets (3), Florida (3) - While the Twins offense has put up an identical 4.63 RPG average at home and on the road this season, they'll be heading to two parks where home runs go to die this week. Toss in the solid arms of John Maine and the resurgent Oliver Perez, and runs may be hard to come by for the Twinkies this week.

Seattle Mariners: PITTSBURGH (3), CINCINNATI (3) - When you consider that the M's are scoring five runs a game at home, things don't seem so bad at Safeco anymore. Then you look at the fact that they're still averaging more than a third of a run less at home than they are on the road. The six in Safeco aren't a great sign, and the mix of solid young arms that they'll face, headed by Aaron Harang, Ian Snell, and Tom Gorzelanny, could make matters even worse.

Cincinnati Reds: Oakland (3), Seattle (3) - The Reds will be forced away from power friendly Great American Ballpark all week, but that's only part of the problem. They've been banished to two extreme pitcher's parks on the west coast, and they'll have to deal with both Joe Blanton and Dan Haren in Oaktown.

Philadelphia Phillies: Cleveland (3), St. Louis (3) - Sure, they'll have the pleasure of facing converted relievers Todd Wellemeyer and Brad Thompson in St. Louis, but that's about all the Phils have to look forward to. Rather than playing at home in one of the top power parks in the league, they'll head out to two parks which border on the extreme pitcher's side of the ledger. C.C. Sabathia and the suddenly resurgent Adam Wainwright are both on the dockett as well.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Seattle (3), Los Angeles Angels (3) - While any team that faces Jeff Weaver is liable to put up fifteen runs, he's the only thing that the Bucs have to look forward to. Both Safeco and Angels Stadium have always played as extreme pitcher's parks, while they'll also have to face Felix Hernandez, Jeff's brother Jered Weaver, Kelvim Escobar, and major league wins leader John Lackey.

San Diego Padres: BALTIMORE (3), BOSTON (3) - Any time the Pads are at home, they'll make this list. However, this week could prove especially troubling, as they'll close it out against Erik Bedard, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Tim Wakefield, and Curt Schilling.

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