Today's Fantasy Rx

Note: For those of you unfamiliar with FAAB, each team normally begins with $100 to spend throughout the year on all free agent pickups. Most injury replacements or speculative picks go for a buck or two, hot starters go for $5-$10, top prospects go in the $10-$30 range, and we've seen $90+ bids on top players traded into the league.

Arizona: Felix Jose, 38, OF-S
3/6 for .500/.625/1.000 with 1 HR, 2 RBI, 6 R, 0/0 SB%,
and a 2:1 BB:K for Arizona.
126/334 for .377/.476/.626 with 19 HR, 83 RBI, 82 R, 10/13 SB%,
and a 66:54 BB:K for AAA Mexico(ML).

At the beginning of the month the Diamondbacks purchased the contract of Jose from a Mexican League team through the end of the season for the second straight year. In 2002 he posted a .383/.477/.710 in 324 at-bats for the Mexico City Reds before managing a .263/.360/.579 in 19 at-bats for Arizona. He obviously isn't a prospect and won't see too much playing time, but if you're desperate for any BA boost in even a dozen at-bats, Jose might help you for a minimum amount of FAAB.

Previously discussed 2003 Arizona hitting prospects: May: Alex Cintron; June: Chad Tracy; July: Billy Martin; August: Rob Hammock.

Atlanta: Ryan Langerhans, 23, OF-L
1/3 for .333/.333/.333 with 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 R, 0/0 SB%,
and a 0:1 BB:K for Atlanta.
37/132 for .280/.338/.477 with 4 HR, 11 RBI, 13 R, 2/3 SB%,
and an 11:29 BB:K for AAA Richmond(IL).
85/336 for .253/.348/.387 with 6 HR, 38 RBI, 42 R, 10/20 SB%,
and a 46:85 BB:K for AA Greenville(SL).

The Braves recalled Langerhans this month primarily to serve as a defensive replacement late in the game, and given his minor league numbers this year, I don't believe he could contribute much on offense even if needed. He possesses decent patience, but a weak contact rate, very limited power, and unimpressive speed skills make him lucky to see any time in the majors. The approaching wave of Atlanta outfield prospects soon should push Langerhans aside. Although we might see him as an occasional back-up, ignore him as I don't envision him posting helpful roto numbers in the foreseeable future.

Previously discussed 2003 Atlanta hitting prospects: May: Donzell McDonald; June: Johnny Estrada; July: Jesse Garcia; August: Mike Hessman.

Chicago Cubs: Josh Paul, 28, C-R
6/17 for .353/.450/.353 with 0 HR, 4 RBI, 6 R, 0/0 SB%,
and a 3:3 BB:K between Chicago(A) and Chicago(N).
12/64 for .188/.243/.313 with 2 HR, 5 RBI, 6 R, 1/2 SB%,
and a 5:14 BB:K for AAA Charlotte(IL).
37/146 for .253/.297/.322 with 2 HR, 15 RBI, 12 R, 0/2 SB%,
and an 9:30 BB:K for AAA Iowa(PCL).

Paul, who hails from the Chicago suburb of Evanston, seemed destined for the Cubs as soon as the Sox dumped him earlier this year. Unfortunately he can't even hit as well as Paul Bako, so while his decent speed gives him a little roto upside, his unimpressive averages and non-existent power keep him from emerging as a viable fantasy option. Ignore Paul unless you need a catcher who won't see enough playing time to hurt your BA.

Previously discussed 2003 Chicago(N) hitting prospects: May: Midre Cummings; June: Dave Kelton; July: Trenidad Hubbard; August: Augie Ojeda.

Cincinnati: Corky Miller, 27, C-R
2/9 for .222/.300/.222 with 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 R, 0/0 SB%,
and a 1:2 BBK for Cincinnati.
88/354 for .246/.326/.421 with 11 HR, 43 RBI, 49 R, 0/0 SB%,
and a 35:58 BB:K for AAA Louisville(IL).

Although Miller is only a year younger than incumbent starter Jason LaRue, he'll remain inexpensive for a couple more years as LaRue heads into arbitration, making Miller the Reds' likely starter as soon as 2004. Miller's offensive performance over the last two seasons doesn't impress me, yet he displays good patience, a decent contact rate, and solid power potential. More importantly, Miller should benefit from playing home games in one of the best hitters' parks in the game, so he should approach LaRue's numbers if he finds similar playing time. While I don't envision him seeing too many at-bats down the stretch, anyone looking towards next season definitely should FAAB Miller now.

Previously discussed 2003 Cincinnati hitting prospects: May: Jacob Cruz; June: Brandon Larson; July: Ruben Mateo; August: Dernell Stenson.

Colorado: Clint Barmes, 24, SS-R
4/6 for .667/.667/.833 with 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 R, 0/0 SB%,
and a 0:1 BB:K for Colorado.
136/493 for .276/.316/.394 with 7 HR, 54 RBI, 63 R, 12/19 SB%,
and a 22:63 BB:K for AAA Colorado Springs(PCL).

Instead of building on his .272/.329/.436 performance in the Carolina League a year ago, Barmes' noticeably regressed at the plate, and the loss of power in one of the best hitters' parks in baseball is particularly worrisome. Barmes owns little plate discipline, and 29 errors in 132 games are not an impressive mark for someone at any position. Hitting 35 doubles does give him the potential to rebound in 2004, but he again looks best suited to a utility role. I see no reason to roster him in any but the deepest of leagues, so ignore Barmes until his performance starts approaching the level of play he displayed in 2002.

Previously discussed 2003 Colorado hitting prospects: May: Garrett Atkins; June: Raul Casanova; July: Rene Reyes; August: Luke Allen.

Florida: Abraham Nunez, 26, OF-S
66/212 for .311/.398/.547 with 11 HR, 38 RBI, 35 R, 9/13 SB%,
and a 32:56 BB:K for AAA Albuquerque(PCL).
8/29 for .276/.364/.379 with 0 HR, 2 RBI, 6 R, 1/1 SB%,
and a 4:9 BB:K for A+ Jupiter(FSL).

Injuries kept Nunez from contributing to the Marlins' wild card run this year, however I don't know why management didn't recall him to play left field following Lowell's injury. While his walk rate isn't at the .18 level he managed at AA, a .15 walk rate indicates solid plate patience, and although a .73 contact rate isn't good, Nunez possesses the speed and power to overcome his abundant strikeouts. He may not fit with the current squad's need to manufacture runs, however I believe he should receive a long look as a potential outfield starter next spring. Certainly FAAB Nunez as soon as you see him available since he could emerge as a five-category contributor as soon as 2004.

Previously discussed 2003 Florida hitting prospects: May: Rob Stratton; June: Jason Wood; July: Derek Wathan; August: Matt Erickson.

Houston: Mitch Meluskey, 29, C/OF-S
0/4 for .000/.333/.000 with 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 R, 0/0 SB%,
and a 2:1 BB:K for Houston.
2/14 for .143/.188/.286 with 0 HR, 4 RBI, 0 R, 0/0 SB%,
and a 1:3 BB:K for AAA Sacramento(PCL).
13/49 for .265/.327/.367 with 1 HR, 6 RBI, 5 R, 1/1 SB%,
and a 5:9 BB:K for AA Round Rock(TL).
83/231 for .359/.446/.472 with 2 HR, 34 RBI, 39 R, 5/5 SB%,
and a 32:28 BB:K between I Nashua(ATL) and I Somerset(ATL).

Meluskey spent the summer demolishing the Atlantic League before the Astros rescued their former farmhand in August. His overall performance for the season isn't horrible considering he managed all of 27 at-bats over the previous two seasons due to injury, and he historically possesses excellent plate discipline and promising power. Yet I don't envision Houston giving him more than an occasional pinch-hitting appearances as the team seems quite satisfied with an atrocious bat behind the plate. Ignore Meluskey until he finds a team willing to give him regular playing time.

Previously discussed 2003 Houston hitting prospects: May: Eric Bruntlett; June: Raul Chavez; July: Jason Lane; August: Colin Porter.

Los Angeles: Joe Thurston, 23, 2B-L
1/3 for .333/.333/.333 with 0 HR, 0 RBI, 1 R, 0/0 SB%,
and a 0:0 BB:K for Los Angeles.
156/538 for .290/.345/.401 with 7 HR, 68 RBI, 77 R, 1/13 SB%,
and a 31:48 BB:K for AAA Las Vegas(PCL).

No one who posts a .08 SB success rate in a minor league season deserves a nickname like "Joey Ballgame". Thurston's performance regressed across-the-board due to his impatience at the plate, and while his walk and contact rates both edged upward, his extra-base hits dropped by a third as his speed vanished. Even though committing only 15 errors in 131 games in the middle infield ranks as a decent accomplishment, I'm not sure Thurston's presence would upgrade the awful Dodgers' middle infield. He needs at least another year in the minors, and if he doesn't develop better power or rediscover his lost steals soon, Thurston will not find success in the majors. Obviously ignore him in any fantasy league.

Previously discussed 2003 Los Angeles hitting prospects: May: Bubba Crosby; June: Chad Hermansen; July: Chin-Feng Chen; August: Chris Clapinski.

Milwaukee: Pete Zoccolillo, 26, OF-L
1/12 for .091/.091/.091 with 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 R, 0/0 SB%,
and a 0:3 BB:K for Milwaukee.
124/443 for .280/.360/.447 with 12 HR, 73 RBI, 57 R, 3/8 SB%,
and a 51:70 BB:K for AAA Indianapolis(IL).

Although I expect the Brewers to dump Zoccolillo as fast as they non-tendered Jim Rushford last year, he possesses enough offensive skill to hold down either outfield corner next year if the Brewers either move Geoff Jenkins or don't want Brady Clark starting. Of course, Milwaukee should keep Jenkins indefinitely to give the lineup one power threat; while Dave Krynzel could matriculate to the majors next year, other prospective starters like Anthony Gwynn and Brad Nelson need a couple more years of seasoning. The likely departure of Richie Sexson is another reason why I don't expect Zoccolillo to fill a major role for the Brewers in 2004. Although he could contribute decent numbers, continue demonstrating promising plate discipline, and build on the power development depicted by 36 doubles in his first year at AAA, Zoccolillo instead will platoon with Clark at best. Feel free to gamble by spending a minimum amount of FAAB on him as long as you realize he doesn't possess much immediate fantasy upside.

Previously discussed 2003 Milwaukee hitting prospects: May: Joe Lawrence; June: Keith Luuloa; July: Jim Rushford; August: Bill Hall.

Montreal: Scott Hodges, 24, 3B-L
139/482 for .288/.327/.419 with 12 HR, 66 RBI, 67 R, 5/7 SB%,
and a 29:93 BB:K for AAA Edmonton(PCL).

If the team won't promote Sledge or Pascucci for financial reasons, I see no reason to discuss any older minor leaguer just in case of a late-season call-up. Hodges doesn't appear completely ready for the majors, however he remains the best internal options at third base since the team should non-tender Fernando Tatis and likely can't afford a veteran third baseman. He demonstrated decent doubles' power in 2002 even though he posted rather mediocre stats during both his AA years, and he carried over enough of that improvement to post his best overall averages since 2000. Hodges also only committed 18 errors in 122 games at third, a respectable if unimpressive total, so I believe he owns enough skill on both sides of the ball to win the starting job next spring. I don't expect him to approach double-digit value immediately, however he looks like a decent long-term prospect to FAAB.

Previously discussed 2003 Montreal hitting prospects: May: Terrmel Sledge; June: Pete Bergeron; July: Val Pascucci; August: Matt Cepicky.

New York Mets: Matt Watson, 25, OF-L
75/254 for .295/.366/.504 with 11 HR, 55 RBI, 40 R, 2/4 SB%,
and a 23:23 BB:K for AAA Norfolk(IL).
11/28 for .393/.452/.607 with 1 HR, 1 RBI, 6 R, 1/2 SB%,
and a 2:2 BB:K for AA Binghamton(EL).
2/7 for .286/.333/.571 with 0 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R, 1/1 SB%,
and a 1:2 BB:K for A St. Lucie(FSL).
2/14 for .143/.294/.214 with 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 R, 2/3 SB%,
and a 2:3 BB:K for A- Brooklyn(NYP).

Watson easily ranks as the most promising upper-level prospect still in the minors, so hopefully he'll see the majors next month. After posting a superb .330/.417/.455 on a 63:45 BB:K in 446 AB in the Florida State League in 2001, Watson slumped at AA Binghamton last season before strongly rebounding on his injury rehab tour of the Mets' minors this year. His numbers at Norfolk suggest he still needs to develop more plate discipline, however he merits a long look in New York if he can maintain a .91+ contact rate. All rebounding teams should attempt to FAAB Watson upon his eventual promotion since he looks prepared to start in the outfield as soon as he reaches the majors.

Previously discussed 2003 New York(N) hitting prospects: May: Marcos Scutaro; June: Jose Reyes; July: Danny Garcia; August: Prentice Redman.

Philadelphia: Damon Minor, 29, 1B-L
76/328 for .232/.305/.436 with 16 HR, 65 RBI, 45 R, 1/3 SB%,
and a 27:60 BB:K for AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre(IL).
33/141 for .234/.278/.433 with 8 HR, 21 RBI, 16 R, 0/0 SB%,
and a 6:29 BB:K for AAA Fresno(PCL).

The lack of more Phillies' position player promotions is rather shocking, particularly after the inane decision to release Tyler Houston, one of the best pinch-hitters in baseball. While Minor possesses questionable overall plate discipline, his considerable power potential, decent patience, and respectable.237/.333/.445 performance with San Francisco last season make him an excellent replacement for Houston. Keeping him off the roster isn't one of Philadelphia's worst moves of the year, however Minor at least deserves a call-up this month. Of course, fantasy owners still should ignore him, but Phillies' fans definitely should root for his promotion in the near future.

Previously discussed 2003 Philadelphia hitting prospects: May: Chase Utley; June: Travis Chapman; July: Jesse Levis; August: Eric Valent.

Pittsburgh: Bobby Hill, 25, 2B-S
1/4 for .250/.400/.250 with 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 R, 0/0 SB%,
and a 1:2 BB:K for Chicago(N).
115/427 for .269/.349/.400 with 7 HR, 58 R, 9/18 SB%,
and a 45:73 BB:K between AAA Iowa(PCL) and AAA Nashville(PCL).

I remain rather livid over Hill's inclusion in the Aramis Ramirez trade when Chicago likely could have avoided moving him by dealing both Francis Beltran and Steve Smyth, however the situation may work out for all parties if the Cubs can add Luis Castillo this winter. Although losing a switch-hitting future leadoff man with plus speed and the defensive capability to play shortstop is never a wise move, Hill should blossom with the Pirates, a team in desperate need of a long-term solution at second baseman and players to hit at the top of the order. Hill should combine with Tike Redman, Freddy Sanchez, and Jason Bay to give Pittsburgh a potent top-of-the-order for a few years. He won't score as many runs without Patterson and Sosa hitting behind him and his poor performance this season reduces his upside, however Hill still appears capable of posting a .350+ OBP with a couple dozen steals if given the unquestioned starting job next season. Definitely look to FAAB him as soon the minor league playoffs end and the Pirates recall Hill.

Previously discussed 2003 Pittsburgh hitting prospects: May: Tike Redman; June: Carlos Rivera; July: J.J. Davis; August: Tony Alvarez.

San Diego: Humberto Quintero, 24, C-R
2/5 for .400/.500/.400 with 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 R, 0/0 SB%,
and a 1:1 BB:K for San Diego.
115/386 for .298/.343/.389 with 3 HR, 52 RBI, 37 R, 0/0 SB%,
and a 19:41 BB:K for AA Mobile(SL).

Acquired from the White Sox in the D'Angelo Jimenez deal, Quintero blossomed after San Diego left him alone at one level for an entire minor league season. He played for seven different franchises over the last three seasons yet failed to demonstrate any overt batting upside until now. Unfortunately, although a .89 contact rate is promising, his .05 walk rate indicates he needs more seasoning. Ignore Quintero since he is not prepared to fill the Padres' immediate needs behind the plate.

Previously discussed 2003 San Diego hitting prospects: May: Jason Bay; June: Mario Valdez; July: Khalil Greene; August: Rich Gomez.

San Francisco: Lance Niekro, 24, 3B/1B-R
0/1 for .000/.000/.000 with 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 R, 0/0 SB%,
and a 0:0 BB:K for AAA Fresno(PCL).
115/381 for .302/.334/.383 with 4 HR, 41 RBI, 43 R, 3/6 SB%,
and a 19:39 BB:K for AAA Fresno(PCL).

Tony Torcato possesses as much as upside as Niekro thanks to his relative youth, however Niekro's batting average, superior fielding flexibility, and better plate patience make him a better prospect right now. Both players could break camp in the majors as back-ups and pinch-hitters, or they even could platoon at first base, but since neither player even managed a .725 OPS despite playing at a good hitters' park, neither will succeed at PacBell. Ignore Niekro as he simply needs more development time if he hopes to develop into a decent major league starter.

Previously discussed 2003 San Francisco hitting prospects: May: Jason Ellison; June: Brian Dallimore; July: Clay Bellinger; August: Cody Ransom.

St. Louis: Dee Haynes, 25, OF-R
111/441 for .252/.279/.442 with 18 HR, 70 RBI, 53 R, 3/4 SB%,
and a 15:50 BB:K for AAA Memphis(PCL).

Haynes' power totals may look decently pretty, however he required an unacceptably high number of at-bats to compile very poor averages. Weak plate discipline severely limits his overall upside, so I don't envision him even competing for a job in the majors next year. His place among St. Louis' better upper-level prospects is an indictment of a perennially shallow system, although I must admit that the Cardinals manage a fantastic job of keeping their best prospects while packaging their limited depth for immediate help. As Haynes' future lies with the latter strategy, ignore him indefinitely as we neither know when he'll develop better skills nor where he will play when that development eventually occurs.

Previously discussed 2003 St. Louis hitting prospects: May: Jon Nunnally; June: Bo Hart; July: John Gall; August: Scott Seabol.

Today's Fantasy Rx: Three intriguing pitching prospects make their season debuts this evening. Los Angeles' Edwin Jackson, who turns 20 today, will pitch his first major league game tonight in Arizona against Randy Johnson at 8:35 CDT. While Jackson possesses a higher ceiling than either Anaheim's Chris Bootcheck or Oakland's Justin Duchscherer, Bootcheck owns a solid track record while Duchscherer was the Pacific Coast League's pitcher of the year this season. Bootcheck faces Duchscherer at 9:05 CDT tonight, and while we don't know if either game will be available in most markets, we recommend you attempt to catch a first glimpse of these promising pitchers if you have the time. Unlike Bootcheck, Duchscherer pitched five games previously in the majors with Texas in 2001, however after significant injury problems and two years with the Athletics, he looks full prepared to depart the minors for good. Duchscherer possesses the talent to contribute to almost any roto team over the balance of the season, and if the A's keep him in the rotation in 2004, his numbers could approach those of Rich Harden.