Today's Fantasy Rx

Please refer to this link for an in-depth look at the new LPR codes.

Due to an inability to locate pitcher game logs for 2000 including detailed data like G-F ratio, we are currently lacking any c, C, z, or Z ratings. We regret any inconvenience this may cause you.

The following each require a 25 IP minimum in each season:

1 - K/9 of 6.0+, BB/9 of 3.0-, H/9 of 9.0-, HR/9 of 1.0-,
     and G-F of 1.0+ in 25+ IP in 2002.
2 - K/9 of 6.0+, BB/9 of 3.0-, H/9 of 9.0-, HR/9 of 1.0-,
     and G-F of 1.0+ in 25+ IP in 2001.
3 - K/9 of 6.0+, BB/9 of 3.0-, H/9 of 9.0-, HR/9 of 1.0-,
     and G-F of 1.0+ in 25+ IP in 2000.

QA score for starts: up to 5 total points, one for each statistical goal, to any starter who pitches at least 5 innings and fulfills the following skill qualifications: K>=IP-2, BB<=IP/3, H<=IP, HR<=1, and G-F>=1.00. Any starter who does not reach at least one of the required statistical goals or fails to pitch 5 innings earns a QA score of 0.

QA score for relief outings: up to 5 total points, one for each statistical goal, to any reliever who retires at least one batter and fulfills the following skill qualifications: K>=IP, BB=0, H<=IP, HR=0, and G-F>=1.00. Any reliever who does not reach at least one of the required statistical goals or fails to retire a batter earns a QA score of 0.

Note: Pitchers must pitch in five games before scoring DOM or DIS points.

a - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2002 appearances
A - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 75% of 2002 appearances
b - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2001 appearances
B - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 75% of 2001 appearances
c - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2000 appearances
C - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 75% of 2000 appearances

x - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2002 appearances
X - QA score below 3 in no more than 10% of 2002 appearances
y - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2001 appearances
Y - QA score below 3 in no more than 10% of 2001 appearances
z - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2000 appearances
Z - QA score below 3 in no more than 10% of 2000 appearances

123
aBxy - Pedro Martinez
abxY - Mariano Rivera

12
abxY - Arthur Rhodes
abxy - Buddy Groom
Abx - Roy Halladay
Bx - Mark Mulder

23
None.

1
abxy - Keith Foulke
abxy - Ricardo Rincon
abx - Chad Bradford
abx - Alan Embree
ax - Francisco Cordero
ax - LaTroy Hawkins
a - Damaso Marte

2
aBxY - Bob Wickman
abxy - Tim Hudson
abxy - Steve Karsay
abY - Roger Clemens
ax - Cliff Politte
b - Kevin Appier
b - John Burkett
b - Ramiro Mendoza
Y - Jack Cressend
y - Jeremy Fikac
y - Joel Pineiro
Freddy Garcia
Mike Mussina

3
abXy - Derek Lowe
abxy - Billy Koch

A
X - Francisco Rodriguez
X - Aaron Taylor

a
Bxy - Troy Percival
bXy - Ugueth Urbina
bxy - Tom Gordon
bxy - Jason Grimsley
bxy - Kazuhiro Sasaki
bxy - Rick White

by - Danys Baez
by - Jim Mecir
by - Jeff Nelson
by - Rich Rodriguez
Xy - Ben Weber
xy - Mike Fetters
xy - Tim Wakefield

b - Kelvim Escobar
b - Kelly Wunsch
X - Brian Bowles
X - Franklyn German
X - Alex Herrera
X - Mike MacDougal
X - Matt Wise
x - Mark Buehrle
x - Eric Eckenstahler
x - Eddie Guardado
x - Chris Hammond
x - Mark Hendrickson
x - Albie Lopez
x - Chad Paronto
x - J.C. Romero
x - Carl Sadler
y - Randy Choate
y - Andy Pettitte

Juan Acevedo
Mickey Callaway
Lance Carter
Bartolo Colon
Brendan Donnelly
Brian Fitzgerald
Rodrigo Lopez
Julio Mateo
Sidney Ponson
Ryan Rupe
Brian Shouse
John Stephens
Jeff Weaver

B
None.

b
xy - Jeff Tam

Y - Jeff Zimmerman
y - Matt Anderson
y - Tom Davey
y - Chad Fox
y - Jon Lieber
y - Brandon Lyon
y - Danny Patterson
y - Rudy Seanez
y - Esteban Yan
y - Victor Zambrano
Rick Bauer
Aaron Fultz
Cory Lidle
Ron Mahay
Bart Miadich
Matt L. Miller
Chan Ho Park
Jerrod Riggan
David Riske
Willis Roberts
Bobby Seay
John Thomson
Todd Van Poppel
Barry Zito

X
Bob File

x
y - Danny Kolb

Dave Elder
Nate Field
Oscar Henriquez
Jorge Julio
Scott Mullen
Scot Shields
David Wells

Y
Tony Fiore

y
Adam Bernero
Shigetoshi Hasegawa
Sean Lowe
Jay Powell
Mark Wohlers

I will continue reviewing our pre-season LPR scores tomorrow with pitchers on NL teams.

Today's Fantasy Rx: The majority of pitchers worth drafting in AL leagues are listed above. While the following pitchers did not qualify, we would happily draft them in most leagues: Ramon Ortiz, Jarrod Washburn, Jamie Moyer, Jesus Colome, Rick Reed, Ted Lilly, John Lackey, Casey Fossum, Ryan Franklin, Johan Santana, Kyle Lohse, Dan Wright, Robert Person, and Sterling Hitchcock.

Runelvys Hernandez, Nate Cornejo, Jeremy Affeldt, and Juan Rincon all offer upside, however I would prefer not to draft them unless I could easily reserve them. They all possess significantly more long-term potential than immediate upside.