Today's Fantasy Rx.

Pitcher Month: AL Relievers

For Chicago fans and anyone else who's interested, we posted a new Chicago Sports article today, including analysis of the Cubs' two new lefties and extended commentary on the further potential repercussions of the Singleton/Harris trade for the White Sox.

American League Relief Pitchers with $-2 and $-3 PDV

Quick Key to the tables:
W = Wins.  S = Saves.  ERA = Earned Run Average (ER*9/IP).
WHIP = (Walks + Hits)/IP aka Ratio.  K = Strikeouts.  BB = Bases on Balls aka Walks.
H = Hits.  IP = Innings Pitched.  P = Pitches.  B = Bats.
4x4 = BA, HR, RBI, and SB in 12-team, $260 leagues with 23-man rosters.
5x5 = BA, HR, RBI, SB, and R in 12-team, $260 leagues with 23-man rosters.
DV = Draft Value.  DTCD = Draft Total Category Dollars.
AV = Actual Value.  ATCD = Actual Total Category Dollars.
LABR/Tout = 2001 Expert League prices; LABR for 4x4. Tout Wars for 5x5.

A brief review of what our dollar values mean:
Draft Value is how much a player should have gone for on draft day.
DTCD is the highest acceptable draft day price without a value loss.
Actual Value is how much a player earned this year.
ATCD is the highest price at which you could have owned a player without a value loss in leagues with an in-season salary cap.

Players are ranked in order from the highest draft value in a 4x4 league to the lowest.

81.		W	S	ERA	WHIP		K	BB	H	ER	IP
Matt Ginter		1	0	5.22	1.21		24	14	34	23	39.2
CH White Sox		DV		DTCD		AV		ATCD		LABR/Tout
P:R    B:R	4x4:	-2		1		-3		2
2001 Age: 23	5x5:	-2		2		-4		2

Ginter has more potential than most White Sox pitchers since unlike media-hyped guys like Buehrle and Garland, Ginter can actually strike batters out. His MLE ratios improved from 7.0 to 5.6 K/9 and 1.7 to 2.3 K:BB. He likely could be a capable starter, but with Rauch and Malone up soon to compliment the soft-tossers, Ginter will probably continue to dominate in the bullpen. Whenever Howry is dealt, he'll take over as the primary set-up man, and he could likely close in two years if Foulke leaves as a free agent. Try your best to pick him up in keeper leagues as he'll be a reliable set-up man for two years and then potentially a solid closer.

82.		W	S	ERA	WHIP		K	BB	H	ER	IP
Brian Cooper		0	0	2.63	1.02		7	4	10	4	13.2
ANA Angels		DV		DTCD		AV		ATCD		LABR/Tout
P:R    B:R	4x4:	-2		1		-3		2
2001 Age: 26	5x5:	-3		1		-5		2

UPN recently signed him for a remake of "Hangin' with Mr. Cooper", when an ultra-hip righty from Hollywood heads to the cultural epicenter of Toronto to help his fellow diverse pitchers get down in their division. Co-starring Whining and "Underpaid" Chris Carpenter, Australian Luke Prokopec, Denver native Roy Halladay, and Brandon Lyon as the "Only Man From Utah Not Benefitting From Taxpayer-Funded Olympic Projects". Before this series sees any airtime, Mr. Cooper will need to beat out Esteban Loaiza, Justin Miller, and possibly even Rule 5 pick Corey Thurman. Coop is certainly capable of good command, but his gopherball tendencies will likely keep him from ever establishing himself in a rotation.

83.		W	S	ERA	WHIP		K	BB	H	ER	IP
Rich Rodriguez		2	0	4.15	1.49		31	17	41	18	39.0
CLE Indians		DV		DTCD		AV		ATCD		LABR/Tout
P:L    B:L	4x4:	-2		1		-3		2
2001 Age: 38	5x5:	-2		2		-4		2

Another AARP veteran used against those pesky left-handed All-Stars, Rodriguez should continue to have more value to platoon-happy major league teams than in any roto league. He continues to keep a good strikeout rate in most seasons, but most pitchers at his age without consistent major league contracts can quickly find themselves out of work after one or two bad outings. While he might not hurt you if needed as an injury replacement, I wouldn't use him except as a last resort.

84.		W	S	ERA	WHIP		K	BB	H	ER	IP
Scott Shields		0	0	0.00	1.36		7	7	8	0	11.0
ANA Angels		DV		DTCD		AV		ATCD		LABR/Tout
P:R    B:R	4x4:	-2		1		-3		2
2001 Age: 25	5x5:	-3		1		-5		2

Shields will compete with Matt Wise for the long relief job in Anaheim. His MLEs over the last two seasons indicate that he might have some success as a starter, but he could be exceptionally good in the bullpen if he's allowed to just air out his stuff to only a few batters. He seems to have the skills necessary to both dominate hitters and finesse them; he just can't do both at the same time. I wouldn't acquire him until Anaheim determines his role, so you should likely just ignore Shields until 2003.

85.		W	S	ERA	WHIP		K	BB	H	ER	IP
Mike Fyhrie		0	0	0.00	0.60		5	1	2	0	5.0
OAK Athletics		DV		DTCD		AV		ATCD		LABR/Tout
P:R    B:R	4x4:	-2		1		-4		1		1
2001 Age: 31	5x5:	-3		1		-6		1		1

Fyhrie returned from the Cubs to give Oakland a couple decent innings in relief. He has almost no chance of making the bullpen in Spring Training barring injury, so you might consider him if he winds up in a larger role on another team. He's not a particular dominant reliever, although he definitely could help almost any team in middle relief.

86.		W	S	ERA	WHIP		K	BB	H	ER	IP
Jeff Wallace		0	0	3.40	1.59		38	37	43	19	50.1
TB Devil Rays		DV		DTCD		AV		ATCD		LABR/Tout
P:L    B:L	4x4:	-2		1		-4		1
2001 Age: 25	5x5:	-2		2		-4		2

Wallace continues to pitch effectively against most batters despite poor command and dominance. He manages to have continued success against lefties even though none of his skills other than OBA indicates that he should continue this streak of good luck. I expect him to continue in his role as the third lefty for most teams, likely splitting his season between the majors and AAA.

87.		W	S	ERA	WHIP		K	BB	H	ER	IP
Pasqual Coco		1	0	4.40	1.26		9	6	12	7	14.1
TOR Blue Jays		DV		DTCD		AV		ATCD		LABR/Tout
P:R    B:R	4x4:	-2		1		-4		1
2001 Age: 23	5x5:	-3		1		-6		1		Res

Coco certainly has some potential to develop into a major league pitcher although he likely needs at least a second season in AAA. His command slipped from his solid performance at AA in 2000, so Toronto should probably consider converting him to relief work. This brief major league appearance suggests that he might fit better in this role if he can avoid the bad luck that led to this inflated ERA.

88.		W	S	ERA	WHIP		K	BB	H	ER	IP
Mark Wohlers		1	0	4.54	1.43		33	18	33	18	35.2
NY Yankees		DV		DTCD		AV		ATCD		LABR/Tout
P:R    B:R	4x4:	-2		1		-4		1
2001 Age: 31	5x5:	-3		1		-4		2

I don't understand why the Yankees traded away two top prospects to acquire historically mediocre relievers in their push for another Series. Wohlers certainly seems to have recovered from his control troubles, but he's still no more capable than dozens of minor league free agents. New York could have simply used some of their failed starters in relief and found just as much success. He's a comfortable buy at a couple bucks in 2002. I wouldn't expect him to find great success in Cleveland's bullpen, but he also shouldn't hurt you.

89.		W	S	ERA	WHIP		K	BB	H	ER	IP
Brian Fuentes		1	0	4.63	1.20		10	8	6	6	11.2
SEA Mariners		DV		DTCD		AV		ATCD		LABR/Tout
P:L    B:L	4x4:	-2		1		-4		1
2001 Age: 25	5x5:	-3		1		-6		1

After a few innings of work as Seattle's second or third bullpen lefty, Colorado will likely rely upon Fuentes as perhaps even their primary left-handed reliever. He shockingly struck out over a batter per inning during every full season, and while he could likely develop into a decent fourth starter, he should immediate dominate in the bullpen. His 2001 MLEs include a K:BB of 2.3 and 10.6 K/9 with a very acceptable 0.7 HR/9. These skills will serve him well in Denver, where he should find more success than the inconsistent Dennys Reyes. The normal Colorado caveats apply regarding drafting any Coors' pitcher, but if you're desperate for strikeouts and can risk an ERA hit, Fuentes might be one of the few exceptions to the rule.

90.		W	S	ERA	WHIP		K	BB	H	ER	IP
Ryan Kohlmeier		1	6	7.30	1.65		29	19	48	33	40.2
BAL Orioles		DV		DTCD		AV		ATCD		LABR/Tout
P:R    B:R	4x4:	-2		1		-4		1		19
2001 Age: 24	5x5:	-3		1		-5		2		14

Kohlmeier melted down in 2001, losing nearly all the skills that enabled his quick rise to closing in the previous year. His K:BB remained around 2.0, but his HR/9 shot back up into the 2.0+ range as he pitched his way off the 40-man roster. Now with the White Sox, he could easily re-emerge as another bullpen option if he can regain his pitching abilities from AA. While Chicago isn't at all thin in hard-throwing right-handed relievers, they might strongly consider adding a "former closer" to the roster if he re-proves himself at AAA.

91.		W	S	ERA	WHIP		K	BB	H	ER	IP
Doug Creek		2	0	4.31	1.60		66	49	51	30	62.2
TB Devil Rays		DV		DTCD		AV		ATCD		LABR/Tout
P:L    B:L	4x4:	-2		1		-4		1
2001 Age: 32	5x5:	-2		2		-3		3

Creek's control problems have begun to over-shadow his excellent work against lefties; he holds them to sub .200 BAs. He'll have to fight Seay, Kent, and Martin to hold onto his spot in the Tampa bullpen, but his strikeout potential gives him an edge over the other candidates. He needs to cut down on his walks while holding the homers down before I'd consider him as an injury replacement, but if you need strikeouts and see him holding a 1.7+ K:BB, you might consider grabbing him for two weeks.

92.		W	S	ERA	WHIP		K	BB	H	ER	IP
Jay Witasick		3	0	4.69	1.61		53	18	47	21	40.1
NY Yankees		DV		DTCD		AV		ATCD		LABR/Tout
P:R    B:R	4x4:	-2		1		-4		1
2001 Age: 28	5x5:	-2		2		-4		3

As you've likely read once or twice by now, I'm quite impressed with the way that Kevin Towers managed to turn Brian Meadows into D'Angelo Jimenez. Witasick's New York "troubles" seem mostly due to bad luck, and while John Vander Wal is a nice return on him, they should have just kept Jimenez in the first place. Witasick should continue dominating as one of the six San Francisco relievers capable of striking out over a batter per inning. He doesn't have a good chance for save opportunities with Nen and FRod ahead of him, but a lot of owners might not realize exactly how dominant he can be in relief. His close to $10 first half with San Diego was no fluke, and he should be drafted for a couple of bucks in every quality NL league with decent depth.

93.		W	S	ERA	WHIP		K	BB	H	ER	IP
Hipolito Pichardo		2	0	4.93	1.50		17	10	42	19	34.2
BOS Red Sox		DV		DTCD		AV		ATCD		LABR/Tout
P:R    B:R	4x4:	-2		1		-4		1
2001 Age: 31	5x5:	-3		1		-6		1

Pichardo spent a couple months in retirement since he was reportedly somewhat unhappy with this performance. He could re-emerge as a credible middle reliever for another few years if he could somehow stay healthy. While he doesn't offer great potential as a relative soft-tosser, don't be afraid to employ him briefly if he finds a good pitchers' park with a deep bullpen.

94.		W	S	ERA	WHIP		K	BB	H	ER	IP
Chad Harville		0	0	0.00	0.67		2	0	2	0	3.0
OAK Athletics		DV		DTCD		AV		ATCD		LABR/Tout
P:R    B:R	4x4:	-3		1		-4		1		Res
2001 Age: 24	5x5:	-4		0		-7		1		Res

Harville is one of the embarrassingly deep cadre of right-handed relievers assembled by Billy Beane. Beane really needs to find a way to move Tam to make room for both Vizcaino and Harville to join the bullpen in 2002. Harville's 2001 MLEs included a 4.2 K:BB and 10.4 K/9, closer-caliber numbers for almost any other team. Instead of relying on his young guys, he dealt depth for Koch, a decision he might regret should the quality arms in the pen not reteach Koch how to close out ballgames. Harville is obviously a great pick in any league if he breaks camp with the club. Consider him a "closer of the future" until further notice.

95.		W	S	ERA	WHIP		K	BB	H	ER	IP
Jorge Julio		1	0	3.80	1.59		22	9	25	9	21.1
BAL Orioles		DV		DTCD		AV		ATCD		LABR/Tout
P:R    B:R	4x4:	-3		1		-4		1
2001 Age: 22	5x5:	-3		1		-6		1

Julio has a much better shot of emerging as a closer than many other pitchers in the Baltimore bullpen. After the Orioles stole him from the Expos for Ryan Minor and moved him to the bullpen, he rewarded them with an MLE performance of 55:22 K:BB in 56 IP over three levels. If you want to speculate on someone for a couple of cheap saves, Julio is more likely to wind up with save opportunities in 2002 than someone like Harville due to the relative lack of obvious depth in the Baltimore bullpen.

96.		W	S	ERA	WHIP		K	BB	H	ER	IP
Brian Bowles		0	0	0.00	1.36		4	1	4	0	3.2
TOR Blue Jays		DV		DTCD		AV		ATCD		LABR/Tout
P:R    B:R	4x4:	-3		0		-5		1
2001 Age: 24	5x5:	-4		0		-7		1

Bowles would be a superior option to someone like Bob File in the Toronto bullpen as Bowles strikes out around a batter per inning while holding a K:BB close to 2. He also had a more traditional rise through the minors, allowing him to truly develop his pitching against each level before advancing. I don't expect him to usurp Escobar anytime soon, but he's certainly an acceptable mid-season option.

97.		W	S	ERA	WHIP		K	BB	H	ER	IP
Mike Holtz		1	0	4.86	1.49		38	15	40	20	37.0
ANA Angels		DV		DTCD		AV		ATCD		LABR/Tout
P:L    B:L	4x4:	-3		0		-5		1		Res
2001 Age: 28	5x5:	-3		1		-5		2

As the Angels could have likely retained Holtz for what they spent on Dennis Cook, his non-tendering made no sense at all. While he seems to be a bit unlucky, his K/9 rate over the last five years has only varied between 8.4 and 9.9 while his K:BB has stayed between 1.8 and 2.7. He seems to go homer-happy every other year, so he'll likely emerge as the primary lefty option in Oakland's bullpen. Feel free to use him whenever you need an injury replacement, and he'll likely even be drafted in a few leagues that value good middle relievers.

98.		W	S	ERA	WHIP		K	BB	H	ER	IP
Johan Santana		1	0	4.74	1.51		28	16	50	23	43.2
MIN Twins		DV		DTCD		AV		ATCD		LABR/Tout
P:L    B:L	4x4:	-3		0		-5		1
2001 Age: 22	5x5:	-3		1		-5		1

Santana definitely shows the potential to develop into a quality pitcher but Minnesota simply must give him a full year in the minors in 2002. After his Rule Five year in 2000, the Twins stupidly kept him in the majors this season. He still could emerge as a solid lefty fourth starter given enough time, although he remains completely undraftable until at least 2003. Without additional minor league experience, he's unlikely to ever find much success in the majors.

99.		W	S	ERA	WHIP		K	BB	H	ER	IP
Lorenzo Barcelo		1	0	4.71	1.52		15	8	24	11	21.0
CH White Sox		DV		DTCD		AV		ATCD		LABR/Tout
P:R    B:R	4x4:	-3		0		-5		0		3
2001 Age: 23	5x5:	-4		1		-6		1		2

Barcelo's injury history prevents me from suggesting any use for him other than relief work. He could certainly develop into a decent closer, but with superior talents like Foulke, Howry, and Ginter already establishing themselves in Chicago, he'll need to pitch his best just to keep a spot in middle relief. When he's recovered from his most recent surgery, expect him to return to a draftable level, although his probable role will likely limit him to an injury replacement.

100.		W	S	ERA	WHIP		K	BB	H	ER	IP
Steve Woodard		3	0	5.20	1.51		52	17	129	56	97.0
CLE Indians		DV		DTCD		AV		ATCD		LABR/Tout
P:R    B:R	4x4:	-3		0		-5		0		2
2001 Age: 26	5x5:	-2		1		-4		2		5

We've been expecting great things from Woodard for several years and were rather shocked when Milwaukee included him to acquire Sexson. While we still think he could be an effective third or fourth starter, his future appears to be middle relief since he tends to lose his effectiveness after a few innings. His problems stem from inflated hit rates, so a good defense should aid a return of his ERA to average levels. Both his K:BB and K/9 are solid as a starter and reliever, so his future, despite any skill analysis, will likely be determined by his teams' needs. Texas needs bullpen help more than another starter, so expect him in the Arlington pen no later than the All-Star break. Hold off on acquiring him until he appears to have his hit and homer problems under control.

American League Relievers will continue tomorrow.

Today's Fantasy Rx: Go out and by your Challenge team today! You'll save $5/team in the Diamond Challenge and $10/team for Fantasy Baseball if you register before February. All transactions are free until Opening Day, so it doesn't even matter who you pick for your roster at this time. If you're planning on competing in either of these two Challenges, save yourself the money and go register your team today.

If you can't decide on a roster, just pick any players that will keep you below the salary cap.