Today's Fantasy Rx

National League Relief Pitchers with $-5 DV

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.
2003 Age = Player's Age as of October 1, 2003.
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 (The price a player earned under a 70/30 hitting/pitching split).
AV = Actual Value (The price a player earned under a 50/50 hitting/pitching split).
Rotohelp = 2003 Rotohelp Predicted Draft Value.
LABR/Tout = 2003 Expert League prices; LABR for 4x4. Tout Wars for 5x5.

Average league worst BA, ERA, and WHIP based on data compiled from TQ Stats.

Players are ranked in order from the highest draft value in a 4x4 league to the lowest. As the majority of fantasy leagues allow you to keep anyone traded to the other league, all players are listed in the league where they began the season.

185.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Jason Pearson		0	0	63.00	7.00	1	3	4	1
STL Cardinals		DV		AV		Rotohelp		LABR/Tout
P:L    B:L	4x4:	-5		-9
2003 Age: 27	5x5:	-5		-9

Please refer to our Post-2003 Prospect Review: St. Louis for my comments on Pearson.

186.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Jesse Orosco		2	2	7.68	1.82	29	21	41	34
SD/NYY/MIN		DV		AV		Rotohelp		LABR/Tout
P:L    B:R	4x4:	-5		-9		-3
2003 Age: 46	5x5:	-4		-8		-3

Old Man Pitcher finally hung up his spikes this winter after 24 big league seasons. Despite his poor qualitative marks, he remains a moderately dominant pitcher who could be effective on a team with a good defense. More importantly, if his managers actually limited this archetypal lefty specialist to facing just lefties, his .390/.473/.576 performance against right-handers wouldn't overshadow his solid .231/.326/.372 line against left-handers. Orosco retires after pitching in 1,252 major league games, over a full season more than the 2nd place Dennis Eckersley.

187.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Duaner Sanchez		1	0	16.50	2.67	3	1	15	6
PIT Pirates		DV		AV		Rotohelp		LABR/Tout
P:R    B:R	4x4:	-5		-9		0		R
2003 Age: 23	5x5:	-5		-9		0

Please refer to our Post-2003 Prospect Review: Pittsburgh for my comments on Sanchez.

188.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Tim Drew		0	0	12.46	2.31	3	8	12	8.2
MON Expos		DV		AV		Rotohelp		LABR/Tout
P:R    B:R	4x4:	-5		-9		0		1
2003 Age: 25	5x5:	-5		-10		-1		1

Atlanta signed him after acquiring his brother from the Cardinals, however I doubt Tim will break camp in the majors. He performed terribly at AAA Edmonton(PCL) last year, compiling a 7.23 ERA on a 54:35 K:BB in 93.1 IP over 15GS(27G) with 128 H and 10 HR. Until he reduces his hit rate or his weak .96 career G-F, Drew not only isn't a viable fantasy option, but he shouldn't see more than brief appearances in the majors. Avoid him indefinitely, though hopefully the Braves will shift him to relief in an attempt to minimize his downside.

189.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Dennys Reyes		0	0	10.66	1.97	16	10	15	12.2
PIT/ARI		DV		AV		Rotohelp		LABR/Tout
P:L    B:R	4x4:	-5		-10		-3
2003 Age: 26	5x5:	-5		-9		-3

Any 26-year-old lefty with an 8.5 K/9 and 1.52 G-F in 366 career innings pitched certainly possesses solid long-term upside. Unfortunately, until Reyes learns to limit his walks, he won't secure a steady roster spot in the majors. At AAA Tucson(PCL) last year, he compiled a 2.84 ERA on a 30:22 K:BB in 31.2 IP, a decent overall performance but not one indicating he belongs in the big leagues. While his normally solid work as a lefty specialist should keep him on the Royals' roster for part of this season, Reyes certainly isn't a roto option right now.

190.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Ryan Jensen		0	0	10.80	1.95	3	5	21	13.1
SF Giants		DV		AV		Rotohelp		LABR/Tout
P:R    B:R	4x4:	-5		-10		2		1
2003 Age: 28	5x5:	-5		-10		2		1

A combination of a strained back and the quick rise of stud prospects Kurt Ainsworth, Jesse Foppoert, and Jerome Williams pushed Jensen to the minors, where the equally fast-moving Kevin Correia and Noah Lowry kept San Francisco from needing to recall Jensen in September. At AAA Fresno(PCL), Jensen compiled a 1-10 record and a 5.30 ERA on a 50:36 K:BB in 103.2 IP over 18 GS(27G) with 114 H and 14 HR. While he remains on the Giants' 40-man roster, this poor performance, along with the weak skills he displayed in 2001 and 2002, should insure he sees relatively little additional time in SBC Park. Jensen is not someone to target in any fantasy league.

191.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Pat Strange		0	0	11.00	2.67	5	11	13	9
NY Mets		DV		AV		Rotohelp		LABR/Tout
P:R    B:R	4x4:	-5		-10		-3
2003 Age: 23	5x5:	-5		-10		-3

Please refer to our Post-2003 Prospect Review: New York(N) for my comments on Strange.

192.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Pedro Borbon		0	0	20.25	4.00	0	2	14	4
STL Cardinals		DV		AV		Rotohelp		LABR/Tout
P:L    B:L	4x4:	-5		-10
2003 Age: 35	5x5:	-5		-10

He spent most of the summer dominating for Long Island of the Atlantic League, yet while he still probably could pitch effectively as a lefty specialist, his lack of a spring training invite this year suggests Borbon won't appear on many more fantasy free agent lists. Barring a high unlikely skill rebound in a significant role in the majors, Borbon won't contribute to successful fantasy teams again.

193.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Edwin Almonte		0	0	11.12	2.29	7	5	21	11.1
NY Mets		DV		AV		Rotohelp		LABR/Tout
P:R    B:R	4x4:	-5		-10		-2
2003 Age: 26	5x5:	-5		-10		-3

Please refer to our Post-2003 Prospect Review: New York(N) for my comments on Almonte.

194.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Josias Manzanillo		0	0	12.66	2.34	12	4	21	10.2
CIN Reds		DV		AV		Rotohelp		LABR/Tout
P:R    B:R	4x4:	-5		-11		0
2003 Age: 35	5x5:	-5		-10		0

Manzanillo's career likely never will recover from his insane decision to refuse Pittsburgh's offer of arbitration following the 2002 season. In the last two years he hasn't totaled a third of the major league innings he accumulated for the Pirates that year. While be broke camp with the Reds in 2003, he lost his roster spot before the end of the month and then walked off the team in July after Cincinnati promoted Todd Van Poppel over him. I doubt many more teams will consider him due to that action, though even if he returns, fantasy owners shouldn't consider anyone with Manzanillo's diminishing skills and a cumulative 9.89 ERA over the past two seasons.

195.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Joey Dawley		0	0	18.00	2.57	8	3	15	7
ATL Braves		DV		AV		Rotohelp		LABR/Tout
P:R    B:R	4x4:	-5		-11		-2
2003 Age: 32	5x5:	-5		-10		-3

Please refer to our Post-2003 Prospect Review: Atlanta for my comments on Dawley.

50 Days to Choose Your Pitchers: '04 continues tomorrow with more National League relievers.

Today's Fantasy Rx: The only two pitchers listed above that merit any consideration this spring are Duaner Sanchez and Edwin Almonte. However, considering both suffered through relatively poor 2003 campaigns and appear unlikely to break camp in the majors, I see little reason to draft either reliever.