Today's Fantasy Rx

Please check here for a complete description of these rankings. We've included the five most recent 2003 QA scores for each starter, along with the 10 most recent QA scores for each reliever, tabulating all data through May 22nd.

123
abcxyz - Billy Wagner(5545445335)

Wagner moves to his rightful place at the head of the list since he remains the most consistent closer in the league over the last three seasons.

12
ABXY - Odalis Perez(45255)
ABX - Woody Williams(44535)

Cabxyz - John Smoltz(2455344545)

Williams and Smoltz join Perez as the pitchers who've demonstrated the most consistently high level of skill over the last two years.

13
ABCXZ - Kevin Brown(54554)

23
ABCXY - Roy Oswalt(34434)
BCYZ - Randy Johnson(4404)

bcyz - Jason Isringhausen
bcyz - Robb Nen

1
ABXY - Mark Prior(53414)
AX - Matt Kinney(43545)
X - Mark Redman(33344)

abxy - Eric Gagne(4432555555)
abxy - Tim Spooneybarger(3045543445)
aby - Mike Koplove(3403551235)
Guillermo Mota(3355442352)

While Schilling slipped off this list, Kinney, Gagne, Koplove, and Spooneybarger all joined. If any of these pitchers are somehow unowned in your league, roster them immediately.

2
ABCXY - Matt Morris(54345)
ABXY - Kevin Millwood(43443)
Abcyz - Byung-Hyun Kim(45252)

axy - Joe Borowski(4434345235)
byz - Steve Reed(3352432354)
cz - Jay Witasick

Williams and Smoltz moved upward, and half of these guys look very close to making similar ascents.

3
ABCX - Javier Vazquez(34404)
BCYZ - Brian Lawrence(03021)
BCYZ - Greg Maddux(52320)
CXZ - Brad Penny(23335)
BC - Al Leiter(33204)

bcyz - Scott Stewart(5235235531)
acy - Rheal Cormier(4444433041)
cxz - Jeff Fassero(3325355235)
cyz - Jose Mesa(3433323244)
c - Grant Roberts

A
BCXYZ - Curt Schilling(51443)
BXY - Matt Clement(44334)
BXy - Carlos Zambrano(43353)
XYz - Kip Wells(44355)
BX - Adam Eaton(44043)
XZ - Darren Dreifort(54454)

B - Jason Schmidt(44044)
X - Jeff Suppan(33340)
b - Zach Day(34420)
Livan Hernandez(34444)
Horacio Ramirez(54334)
Kerry Wood(32441)

Livan replaces Estes, however the upward improvement from Clement and Schmidt particularly pleases me as both pitchers look extremely solid right now.

B
C - Wade Miller(24034)
Y - A.J. Burnett(4444)
z - Miguel Batista(43532 as starter)
Ben Sheets(33341)
Jake Peavy(43323)

C
X - Shane Reynolds(43353)
Z - Brandon Duckworth(03304)
Steve Trachsel(42324)
Pedro Astacio(03102)

Zbxy - Terry Adams(3013233533)
ax - Rocky Biddle(4433343352)
a - Juan Cruz(3245355233)

X
Ycz - Vincente Padilla(30053)
Y - Randy Wolf(33435)
Russ Ortiz(33345)
Brett Myers(43353)
Brandon Webb(53343)
Tom Glavine(32334)
Claudio Vargas(34323)
Scott Linebrink(43303)
Hideo Nomo(33233)
Tony Armas, Jr.(31443)

Tomko and Hampton drop off as Padilla moves slightly upward, yet the surprises joining the list include Webb, Linebrink, Vargas, and Glavine, although only Webb likely owns the skills to insure he'll remain ranked.

Y
Orlando Hernandez.

Z
None.

a
bcxyz - Octavio Dotel(4454424443)
bcxyz - Paul Shuey(3434244355)
bcxyz - Mike Williams(2433423544)
bcxyz - Paul Quantrill(2234241553)
bcxy - Armando Benitez(5552545455)
bcxy - Mark Guthrie(4443014351)
bcxz - Braden Looper(3234443135)
bcyz - Jose Jimenez(4435434354)

bcx - Mike Myers(4440355344)
bcz - Scott Strickland(3454243434)
bxy - Ricky Stone(4455434413)
bxy - Darren Holmes(5503550544)
bxy - Tim Worrell(3353444433)
bxy - Armando Almanza(2431244443)
cxz - Kyle Farnsworth(5245254443)
cxz - Graeme Lloyd(4343544304)
bx - Matt Herges(5343334550)
bz - Scott Sauerbeck(0335003544)
cx - Curt Leskanic(3433555451)

x - Tom Martin(5545540404)
x - Luis Ayala(4432344445)
x - Javier Lopez(4554255353)
x - Trey Hodges(4534343355)
x - Joe Nathan(3443214450)
Brad Lidge(4342355442)
Kevin Gryboski(4401334454)
Cal Eldred(5034514442)
T.J. Tucker(1334342225)
Troy Brohawn(3342435241)

b
cz - Danny Graves(35342)
cz - John Riedling(0040 as starter)
y - Chris Reitsma(410)
Carl Pavano(03434)
Jeff Austin(33230)

cxyz - Roberto Hernandez(333304333)
cyz - Mike Remlinger(2441402553)
cyz - Antonio Alfonseca(525243532)
cyz - Ray King(3400304434)
cyz - Todd Jones(3443322141)
cyz - Eddie Oropesa(333)
xyz - Joey Eischen(4352333343)
cy - Trevor Hoffman
cz - Steve Kline(2203205315)
cz - Mike Lincoln
xy - Scott Williamson(3344353322)

c - Brian Fuentes(4423323242)
y - Luis Vizcaino(5444054313)
y - Mike Crudale(2323344)
y - Hector Mercado(3112)
y - Dave Coggin
y - Jayson Durocher
Carlos Silva(3434534135)
Justin Speier(4423033442)
Brian Boehringer(4224323423)
Blaine Neal(5251422221)
Toby Borland(2424332)
Gene Stechschulte

c
z - Josh Fogg(2530)
Nelson Cruz(31130)

y - Chad Zerbe(432432444)
z - Joe Beimel(3353055423)
z - Dave Weathers(2345333114)
z - Felix Rodriguez(5344223020)
z - Jason Christiansen
z - Kevin Walker
Dan Plesac(0040443551)
Jesse Orosco(2404353240)
Scott Eyre(3243430433)
Allen Levrault(122243424)
Dave Veres(23333)
John Franco

x
y - Matt Mantei(3525255335)
Kent Mercker(3545443324)
John Foster(4544132443)
Mike Stanton(3544343403)
Tommy Phelps(3324334453)
Scott Service(4234335533)
Brian Reith(3443333424)
Matt Ford(3345334332)

Hodges, Ayala, and Nathan moved up as Wendell slips off and Service, Phelps, and Reith join, however none of these middle relievers should be considered as anything more than roster filler right now.

y
Mike DeJean(3322445233)
Brandon Puffer(323443223)
Jaime Cerda(3323432312)
Manny Aybar
Brandon Villafuerte(5345433411)

z
Paul Wilson(20234)

NL starters I recommend despite their failure to appear above include Kurt Ainsworth(20433), Kris Benson(30442), Jeff D'Amico(44233), Elmer Dessens(52440), Shawn Estes(03443), Damian Moss(24333), Tomo Ohka(00404), Tim Redding(42224), and Jae Seo(35224).

Other decent relievers include Kiko Calero, Leo Estrella, and Oscar Villarreal.

We modified these ratings slightly since posting our team-by-team LPR scores in January. By reworking the A-Z and a-z ratings, we wanted to be able to easily identify effective starters rather than looking for truly dominant performers, of which we only found a few pitchers in any of the previous few seasons.

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 2003.
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 2002.
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 2001.

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 any of the following skill qualifications: K>=IP-2, BB<=IP/3, H<=IP, HR<=1, and G-F>=1.00. Any starter who doesn't reach any of the required statistical goals or fails to pitch 5 innings earns a 0 QA score.

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 any of the following skill qualifications: K>=IP, BB=0, H<=IP, HR=0, and G-F>=1.00. Any reliever who doesn't reach any of the required statistical goals or fails to retire a batter earns a 0 QA score.

Note: Starters must pitch in five games before scoring DOM or DIS ratings; relievers must appear in no less than 10 games before earning DOM/DIS consideration. All pitchers are evaluated as relievers aside from those who both reached 5 starts in a given season and qualified for DOM or DIS ratings.

A - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2003 starts
B - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2002 starts
C - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2001 starts

X - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2003 starts
Y - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2002 starts
Z - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2001 starts

a - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2003 relief outings
b - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2002 relief outings
c - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2001 relief outings

x - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2003 relief outings
y - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2002 relief outings
z - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2001 relief outings

Tomorrow, like every Sunday, we'll post our preview of the coming week's games and our CDM challenge lineups.

Today's Fantasy Rx: Both Mike Koplove and Tim Spooneybarger could see significant save opportunities by the beginning of the second half, making them excellent targets to pursue now.