It's championship week in fantasy baseball.
No Dick Vitale -- always a good thing.
No Josh Hamilton -- not so good.
Remember how you got here. Don't get cute. Check the schedules and the injury reports.
Basically, do these things.
Eleven teams are kind enough to play seven games this week -- the Athletics, Indians, Rangers, Rays, Royals, Yankees, Astros, Brewers, Cardinals, Marlins and Nationals. Only one -- appropriately the Mets, who aren't big fans of September anyway -- is scheduled to play five.
For a complete chart of the pitching matchups, check out ESPN's Fantasy Forecaster. But not before you read our breakdown of the two-start pitchers and the start-and-sit candidates for Week 25.
All stats are through Sept. 18.
Automatic starts: Chad Billingsley, Dodgers; Trevor Cahill, Athletics; Matt Cain, Giants; Chris Carpenter, Cardinals; Matt Garza, Rays; Cole Hamels, Phillies; Phil Hughes, Yankees; Jered Weaver, Angels.
Automatic sit: In a first for the Planner in 2010, the Diamondbacks' Joe Saunders is alone on this list. No wonder he cried when he was traded from the Angels.
Twice as Nice
These pitchers have a pair of favorable matchups:
Brian Duensing, Twins (Sept. 20 vs. Indians; Sept. 26 at Tigers): He would've made the automatic list above, but I put him here to emphasize the fact he's available in more than half of the ESPN leagues. Is it the fact he's struck out only 36 in 65 innings in his last 10 starts? Well, in that span, Duensing is 6-1 with a 2.35 ERA. On the season, he's 9-2 with a 2.07 ERA and 1.11 WHIP. Find Ks elsewhere and play him this week.
Zack Greinke, Royals (Sept. 20 at Tigers; Sept. 25 at Indians): He's had four no-decisions in his last seven games and is probably more sick of the Royals' losing ways than was longtime former K.C. designated hitter Mike Sweeney (did you know he's now a bench player for the Phillies? Me neither.) But Greinke is 2-1 with a 3.16 ERA in that span, and he's scheduled to face Detroit's Rick Porcello, who missed his last start with a finger injury, and the Tribe's Jeanmar Gomez, who has lost four straight.
J.A. Happ, Astros (Sept. 21 at Nationals; Sept. 26 at Pirates): He's 3-0 with a 2.84 ERA and 24 Ks in 31 2/3 innings in his last five starts, allowing two runs or fewer in four of the five. So much for the trade to Houston being a bad thing. His second start this week will be against Friend of the Opposing Pitcher Paul Maholm (7-15, 5.36 ERA).
John Lannan, Nationals (Sept. 21 vs. Astros; Sept. 26 vs. Braves): He's a Waiver-Wire Pick this week because of his 6-2 mark since August, and Lannan's second start this week is against Jair Jurrjens, who has lost two in a row. Don't be scared off by the game against Happ -- both can pitch well, and maybe one will get a no-decision.
Colby Lewis, Rangers (Sept. 21 at Angels; Sept. 26 at Athletics): He's won back-to-back games and has a 2.19 ERA in those contests. Lewis is a game under .500 and his first start is on the road against Ervin Santana, but I wouldn't bench a pitcher with a respectable ERA and WHIP who has 176 Ks in 183 innings.
Bud Norris, Astros (Sept. 20 at Nationals; Sept. 25 at Pirates): OK, he's 8-8 with a 4.95 ERA and 1.45 WHIP. Look at his stats since July 28: 6-1, 3.61 ERA, 62 Ks in 62 1/3 innings. See? That's why I get the big bucks. OK, I don't, but I'd still play Norris against Livan Hernandez and Friend of the Opposing Pitcher II Zach Duke (7-14, 5.78 ERA).
James Shields, Rays (Sept. 21 at Yankees; Sept. 26 vs. Mariners): He's winless in his last three starts, but he won three in a row prior to that stretch and he's recorded eight of his 13 wins on the road. It doesn't hurt that he's been excellent against the Yankees (2-0, 2.51 ERA) and Mariners (1-0, 2.25) this season.
Jake Westbrook, Cardinals (Sept. 21 at Pirates; Sept. 26 at Cubs): Another Waiver-Wire Pick. Another pitcher scheduled to face F.O.T.O.P. Maholm. Another set of numbers: Westbrook has allowed three runs or fewer in eight of his nine starts with St. Louis.
Middle Men
Pitchers with one favorable and one difficult matchup: Chris Capuano, Brewers; Fausto Carmona, Indians; Bruce Chen, Royals; Gavin Floyd, White Sox; Jeanmar Gomez, Indians; Jason Hammel, Rockies; Livan Hernandez, Nationals; Derek Holland, Rangers; Jair Jurrjens, Braves; Daisuke Matsuzaka, Red Sox; Mike Pelfrey, Mets; Rick Porcello, Tigers; Clayton Richard, Padres.
Two-Start Pitchers to Sit
Homer Bailey, Reds; Dave Bush, Brewers; Bobby Cramer, Athletics; Luke French, Mariners; Adalberto Mendez, Marlins; Ivan Nova, Yankees; Chris Volstad, Marlins.
Start 'Em
Billy Butler, 1B, Royals: Butler is batting .317, but his lack of run production (14 homers, 72 RBI and 68 runs, compared to 21 homers and 93 RBI in 2009) has him on the bench in some leagues. He's heated up in September, though (.385, three homers, nine runs and nine RBI in 52 at-bats), which is perfect timing for us.
Raul Ibanez, OF, Phillies: He averaged 28 homers and 108 RBI per season from 2006-09, but is at 15 homers, 75 RBI and 70 runs in 511 at-bats in 2010. This month, Ibanez has regained our trust, batting .361 with three homers, 11 RBI and 12 runs in 61 at-bats.
Yadier Molina, C, Cardinals: No offense to Bengie and Jose, but he's the Molina you want. Yadier's average dropped to .241 entering August, which is why he's available in more than 30 percent of the ESPN leagues. Since Aug. 1, he's hitting .310 with 11 runs, two homers and 24 RBI in 142 at-bats. He has nine RBI in his last seven games.
Drew Stubbs, OF, Reds: He's available in almost 35 percent of the ESPN leagues, despite hitting 19 homers and stealing 25 bases. Stubbs' average is substandard (.250), but he is hitting .310 with four homers and 11 RBI in 58 at-bats this month.
Sit 'Em
Josh Beckett, SP, Red Sox: You already know he's struggled, but did you know he is 0-2 with an 11.17 ERA in four starts against the Yankees, this week's opponent?
Rafael Furcal, SS, Dodgers: Since returning from a back injury on Sept. 3, he is 8-for-50 (.160) with two runs, no homers and one RBI.
Carlos Quentin, OF, White Sox: Manny Ramirez's arrival has resulted in Quentin sitting five times this month.
Kurt Suzuki, C, Athletics: Since Aug. 1, he's hitting .193 with as many homers as you.