Today's Fantasy Rx

On the Eleventh Day of Outfielders, my true love gave to me:
NL Central "Prospects",
NL East "Prospects",
National Leaguers without PDV,
Single-digit NL PDV,
Double-digit NL PDV,
AL West "Prospects",
AL Central "Prospects";
AL East "Prospects",
American Leaguers without PDV,
Single-digit AL PDV,
and American Leaguers with Double-digit PDV.

Minor League Free Agents and AAA/AA Outfielders in the NL Central

Chicago Cubs
Minor League Free Agents:
Midre Cummings, 31, B:L, T:R.
98/385 for .255/.328/.470 with 19 HR, 54 RBI, 53 R, 1/4 SB%,
and a 40:86 BB:K for AAA Iowa(PCL).
Appropriate 2004 Role: AAAA starter.
Long-term Upside & ETA: Major league backup by 2005.
2004 Fantasy Potential: Roster filler.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: $5 by 2006.

Jackson Melian, 23, B:R, T:R.
23/129 for .178/.226/.279 with 3 HR, 9 RBI, 7 R, 4/4 SB%,
and an 8:27 BB:K for AAA Iowa(PCL).
65/252 for .258/.318/.397 with 7 HR, 28 RBI, 28 R, 8/15 SB%,
and a 20:47 BBK for AA West Tenn(SL).
Appropriate 2004 Role: A+/AA starter.
Long-term Upside & ETA: Major league backup7 by 2010.
2004 Fantasy Potential: None.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: $5 by 2011.

Prospects:
Chad Alexander, 29, B:R, T:R.
1/13 for .077/.200/.077 with 0 HR, 0 RBI, 2 R, 0/0 SB%,
and a 2:3 BB:K for AAA Iowa(PCL).
Appropriate 2004 Role: AA reserve.
Long-term Upside & ETA: AAAA backup by 2007.
2004 Fantasy Potential: None.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: Roster filler by 2008.

Nic Jackson, 24, B:L, T:R.
116/458 for .253/.315/.384 with 11 HR, 44 RBI, 56 R, 17/26 SB%,
and a 35:102 BB:K for AAA Iowa(PCL).
Appropriate 2004 Role: AAAA starter.
Long-term Upside & ETA: Major league starter by 2007.
2004 Fantasy Potential: Roster filler.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: $10 by 2009.

Dwaine Bacon, 24, B:S, T:R.
7/47 for .149/.200/.191 with 0 HR, 2 RBI, 7 R, 3/3 SB%,
and a 3:11 BB:K for AA West Tenn(SL).
94/350 for .269/.392/.371 with 4 HR, 22 RBI, 65 R, 71/83 SB%,
and a 63:100 BB:K for A+ Daytona(FSL).
Appropriate 2004 Role: AA starter.
Long-term Upside & ETA: Major league backup by 2007.
2004 Fantasy Potential: None.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: $10 by 2010.

Jason DuBois, 24, B:R, T:R.
119/443 for .269/.367/.458 with 15 HR, 73 RBI, 57 R, 2/6 SB%,
and a 57:118 BB:K for AA West Tenn(SL).
Appropriate 2004 Role: AAAA starter.
Long-term Upside & ETA: Major league backup by 2007.
2004 Fantasy Potential: Roster filer.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: $15 by 2009.

Aron Weston, 22, B:L, T:L.
39/194 for .201/.261/.299 with 3 HR, 14 RBI, 27 R, 12/16 SB%,
and a 13:54 BB:K for AA West Tenn(SL).
58/207 for .280/.351/.386 with 1 HR, 23 RBI, 32 R, 14/17 SB%,
and a 20:50 BB:K for A+ Daytona(FSL).
Appropriate 2004 Role: A+/AA starter.
Long-term Upside & ETA: AAA backup by 2007.
2004 Fantasy Potential: None.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: None.

I'll continue tomorrow by discussing NL West minor league outfielders.

Today's Fantasy Rx: While most of the NL Central teams possess young outfielders who should contribute to fantasy teams in the near future, most of the players either saw time in the majors this season or didn't even reach AA. Milwaukee's Dave Krynzel and Pittsburgh's Tony Alvarez are the closest upper-level outfield prospects to the majors in this division, however I don't expect to see either of them in the big leagues until September. Stick to debuted rookies like Jason Lane, J.J. Davis, and Jason Bay.