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Saturday's updated forecasts don't change the threat of poor weather for several of today's matchups. The weather in Kansas City has me benching my Royals or Twins if I have another option. The forecast actually uses the words "unseasonably cold and blustery." However the weather is looking up for the games in Cleveland and Washington between the Indians-A's and Nationals-Braves.

Time	Visitors		L/R	Record	ERA	WHIP		Home		L/R	Record	ERA	WHIP
1:05 p.m.		Justin Verlander	R	18-6	3.66	1.23	@		Gavin Floyd	R	1-5	5.27	1.49
1:05 p.m.		John Smoltz	R	14-8	3.11	1.18	@		John Lannan	L	2-2	4.15	1.53
1:10 p.m.		Ben Sheets	R	12-5	3.82	1.24	@		Johan Santana	L	15-13	3.33	1.07
3:55 p.m.		Mike Mussina	R	11-10	5.15	1.47	@		Josh Beckett	R	20-7	3.27	1.14
3:55 p.m.		Franklin Morales	L	3-2	3.43	1.22	@		Dan Haren	R	15-9	3.07	1.21
4:05 p.m.		Todd Wellemeyer	R	3-3	4.54	1.47	@		Matt Cain	R	7-16	3.65	1.26
7:05 p.m.		Lenny DiNardo	L	8-10	4.11	1.42	@		Fausto Carmona	R	19-8	3.06	1.21
7:05 p.m.		Andrew Miller	L	5-5	5.63	1.75	@		Brandon Backe	R	3-1	3.77	1.33
7:05 p.m.		Ted Lilly	L	15-8	3.83	1.14	@		Cole Hamels	L	15-5	3.39	1.12
7:05 p.m.		Bronson Arroyo	R	9-15	4.23	1.40	@		Ian Snell	R	9-12	3.76	1.33
7:10 p.m.		Daniel Cabrera	R	9-18	5.55	1.54	@		Jason Hammel	R	3-5	6.14	1.65
7:10 p.m.		Boof Bonser	R	8-12	5.10	1.53	@		Brett Tomko	R	4-12	5.55	1.50
8:05 p.m.		Roy Halladay	R	16-7	3.71	1.24	@		Luis Mendoza	R	1-0	2.25	1.06
9:10 p.m.		Jon Garland	R	10-13	4.23	1.32	@		Carlos Silva	R	13-14	4.19	1.31
10:10 p.m.		Chris Young	R	9-8	3.12	1.10	@		Derek Lowe	R	12-14	3.88	1.27

All times are ET. Statistics are from the 2007 regular season.

Out
Michael Barrett, C, Padres (elbow)
Cliff Floyd, OF, Rays (knee)
Tony Gwynn, OF, Brewers (hamstring)
Rich Harden, SP, A's (shoulder)
Mike Lowell, OF, Red Sox (thumb)
Dave Roberts, OF, Giants (knee)
Rafael Soriano, RP, Braves (sore arm)
Nick Swisher, 1B/OF, White Sox (hip)

Day-to-day
Willy Aybar, 3B, Rays (hamstring)
Luis Castillo, 2B, Mets (knee)
David DeJesus, OF, Royals (ankle)
Derek Jeter, SS, Yankees (quadriceps)
Howie Kendrick, 2B, Angels (thumb)
Mike Lamb, 3B, Twins (foot)
Jorge Posada, C, Yankees (shoulder)
Francisco Rodriguez, RP, Angels (ankles)
Jimmy Rollins, SS, Phillies (ankle)
Ty Wigginton, 3B/2B, Astros (thumb)
Carlos Guillen, SS/1B, Tigers (hamstring)
Chipper Jones, 3B, Braves (quadriceps)
Jose Reyes, SS, Mets (hamstring)
Aaron Rowand, OF, Giants (ribs)
Gary Sheffield, DH, Tigers (finger)

Hitters: Hunter Pence is in a bit of a slump, but it's been prolonged enough that you should at least start thinking about benching him on occasion until he kicks into gear. Pence faces a lefty in Andrew Miller on Saturday, and even though he hit left-handers well last season, this season he is 0-for-8 and hasn't even drawn a walk. … Paul Konerko cannot solve Justin Verlander (3-for-23, .130), though he might be the only South Sider who can say that (see below). … With Johan Santana on the mound, you have to consider benching some of your Brewers. Corey Hart and Ryan Braun mash lefties well enough to leave them in. Rickie Weeks is 2-for-2 with a home run against Johan, while Bill Hall hits .167 against him (2-for-12). … John Smoltz may have limited Ryan Zimmerman to a .250 average in 32 career at-bats, but Zimmerman has still managed nine RBIs against him. … Jimmy Rollins is only 1-for-7 lifetime versus Lilly anyway, so coupled with the risk that he won't play, feel free to use a replacement. … Adam Dunn is particularly vulnerable against Ian Snell (2-for-17, .118). … Chris Duncan gets the starts against righties, and even though it's Snell on the mound, Duncan has had some success against him (4-for-15, a home run and 3 walks). … With Carlos Silva pitching, give an edge to your Angels hitters. The lineup hits .278 against him, with Chone Figgins (.333 in 27 at-bats), Gary Matthews Jr. (.292 in 20) and Mike Napoli (3-for-3) standing out. Former teammate Torii Hunter has only one at-bat against Silva, but he went yard. … Stephen Drew usually hits left-handers better than right-handers, but Colorado's Franklin Morales has been particularly tough against left-handed batters in his brief career (4-for-31). … Carlos Pena is 5-for-13 with 2 home runs and a double off of Daniel Cabrera, and B.J. Upton also has a history of success versus Cabrera, going 6-for-16 with a homer and two doubles. … Jorge Posada is drawing DH duties for the Yankees while he works out his shoulder troubles. His home run Thursday says he is still a fantasy must-start as a hitter only. … The latest of the Mets' Luis Castillo and the Angels' Howie Kendrick has them playing on Saturday. Check closer to game time.

Pitchers: I'd avoid Justin Verlander in this game because he has a bad case of gopher-ball-itis against the White Sox. Jim Thome, Jermaine Dye, Nick Swisher and A.J. Pierzynski have combined for 14 home runs versus the Tigers' young hurler. … No underlying numbers should scare you away from Fausto Carmona. He has a career ERA worse than 5.00 versus the A's, but few members of the current lineup have faced him much. … John Smoltz showed us in his previous outing (five shutout innings April 6) that even if his shoulder continues to bug him, he can still be very effective. … Ted Lilly has limited the current Phillies lineup to just a .153 average in 59 at-bats. … Alfonso Soriano (.250), Ryan Theriot (.500) and Aramis Ramirez (.500) are the only Cubs to have ever even gotten a hit off of Cole Hamels. The rest of the lineup is a combined 0-for-20. … In 151 combined at-bats, the current Dodgers lineup bats .199 against Chris Young. … For that matter, in 204 combined at-bats, the current Padres lineup bats .225 against Derek Lowe. The late game should be a pitchers' duel. … Don't risk using John Garland versus the Mariners. Although he owns Richie Sexson (1-for-10), the trio of Raul Ibanez, Ichiro Suzuki and Adrian Beltre is a combined 33-for-90 (.366) with 3 home runs and 7 doubles against the righty. … You can't bench him right now, but Ian Snell isn't a top option today. The Reds lineup has hit .312 off of him with 7 home runs in 138 at-bats, and before you blame Great American Ball Park for it, consider the fact he has actually held the Reds to a .271 average with just four home runs there, so home field isn't the great equalizer in this battle. … Chad Cordero needs at least one more rehab inning, and his tentative return date is now Sunday. For Saturday, keep him on your bench and Jon Rauch in your lineup. … Atlanta's Peter Moylan has another chance at a save, and Justin Speier is the Angel I would gamble on to get closing duties.

Hitters: Franklin Gutierrez is an option whenever the Tribe is up against a lefty (Lenny DiNardo). … Chris Coste should start for the Phillies against lefty Ted Lilly and is a decent option when you know he is playing. … Sean Casey is due for regular at-bats with Mike Lowell on the shelf. With a career average better than .300 versus right-handed pitching, he should have deep-league value whenever the Red Sox face a righty. He is 3-for-8 in his career against Mike Mussina. … The Braves face a lefty in John Lannan, so feel free to use Matt Diaz in your lineup. His splits are still exaggerated this season, even though he is playing almost every day (.150 versus righties; .375 versus lefties). … If you play in a super deep league, the Mets may find a way to give Marlon Anderson a start because of his history against Ben Sheets (7-for-13, .538). … Derek Jeter's possible absence may mean a start for Wilson Betemit, but that doesn't change the fact he is hitless in five career at-bats versus Josh Beckett. Just because he starts doesn't mean he has value. … Brandon Inge punished Gavin Floyd when the Tigers and White Sox met on April 5. Inge had all three Detroit RBI's in a 5-3 loss, taking Floyd for a two-run homer and an RBI double. … Paul Lo Duca (.359 in 39 at-bats) and Austin Kearns (.304 in 23 at-bats)) have both had success against John Smoltz. … If a waiver-wire stolen base is something you fancy, try out Scott Podsednik. He has a career .545 on-base percentage versus Dan Haren in ten at-bats. … Jack Cust has taken Fausto Carmona deep twice in five career at-bats. … Javier Valentin is a career 9-for-16 (.563) with two home runs versus Ian Snell. … Eric Hinske and Jonny Gomes might seem like decent options with the injuries that have beset the Rays, but not in this game. Hinske is 3-for-21 (.143) with ten strikeouts while facing Daniel Cabrera, and Gomes is 0-for-7. … Ben Broussard is 4-for-11 (.363) versus Roy Halladay and already has a hot start to his season. … With a righty on the mound, Matt Stairs should get the start for the Blue Jays. Although he is off to a rough start, Stairs hit .285 with 21 home runs in 312 at-bats versus right-handers last season. … The start might go to Brad Wilkerson over Mike Morse thanks to Wilkerson's two home runs in 19 at-bats versus Jon Garland. … With Dave Roberts out, Fred Lewis draws the left-field assignment against righties. … If Chipper Jones sits the speedy Martin Prado is worthy of a start in deep leagues. … The speedy Rajai Davis should play if Aaron Rowand sits another game. … Marcus Thames is a good bet to get a start with both Gary Sheffield and Carlos Guillen dinged up. … Evan Longoria makes his major league debut against Daniel Cabrera, who has already surrendered four home runs this season.

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Pitchers: Todd Wellemeyer put up a 3.65 ERA as a starter last season and has a 2.25 ERA in two starts against Colorado and Houston this season. It's definitely worth thinking about him for a spot start against the hapless Giants. … The Marlins are asking Andrew Miller to change his approach and just throw his fastball without being too worried about placing it. Sounds like something that could work for the rookie, but you'll first want to watch and see how things go before inserting him into your fantasy lineup. … Brandon Backe has been exactly what I expected: perfectly average. The Marlins aren't an overly dangerous lineup so Backe might be a good gamble for a cheap win. … Nobody in the Braves lineup has faced John Lannan yet, so the lefty might be able to fool the hitters the first couple of times through, but he's easily the riskiest spot start of the bunch. … Rockies lefty Franklin Morales, the team's top prospect according to Baseball America, has faced the current Diamondbacks lineup once already this season, shutting them down for six innings at Coors Field.

Light rain mixing with snow is possible in Chicago and Kansas City. … Keep an eye on possible thunderstorms in Washington, New York and Philadelphia. … Light or scattered showers are forecast for Boston, Cleveland and Pittsburgh. … Arizona-Colorado, Florida-Houston and Angels-Seattle are weatherproof.

Sean Allen is a fantasy baseball and hockey analyst for ESPN.com. You can e-mail him here.