Today's Fantasy Rx

Minor League Free Agents and AAA/AA Starting Pitchers in the AL West

All minor leaguers are listed with their last MLB organization of the 2003 season. Pitchers who started 50% or more of their games are listed under starters; all other pitchers are listed as relievers.

Anaheim Angels
Minor League Free Agents:
John Snyder, 29, P:R, B:R.
3-2 on a 31:19 K:BB in 55.1 IP over 10 GS
with 60 H, 5 HR, and a 4.88 ERA for AAA Salt Lake(PCL).
Appropriate 2004 Role: AAAA starter.
Long-term Upside & ETA: #4 starter by 2007.
2004 Fantasy Potential: Roster filler.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: $10 by 2009.

Prospects:
Brandon Emanuel, 27, P:R, B:R.
6-10 on a 71:37 K:BB in 147 IP over 23 GS(29G)
with 186 H, 25 HR, and a 5.14 ERA for AAA Salt Lake(PCL).
Appropriate 2004 Role: AAAA swingman.
Long-term Upside & ETA: #4 starter by 2006.
2004 Fantasy Potential: Roster filler.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: $10 by 2008.

Steve Green, 25, P:R, B:R.
9-5 on a 70:47 K:BB in 110 IP over 21 GS
with 120 H, 6 HR, and a 4.66 ERA for AAA Salt Lake(PCL).
1-1 on a 7:2 K:BB in 7 IP over 2 GS
with 4 H, 0 HR, and a 1.29 ERA for R Angels(GCL).
Appropriate 2004 Role: AAAA starter.
Long-term Upside & ETA: #3 starter by 2008.
2004 Fantasy Potential: Roster filler.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: $15 by 2010.

Matt Hensley, 25, P:R, B:R.
8-12 on a 85:49 K:BB in 158.1 IP over 27 GS
with 194 H, 16 HR, and a 4.89 ERA for AAA Salt Lake(PCL).
Appropriate 2004 Role: AAAA starter.
Long-term Upside & ETA: #4 starter by 2007.
2004 Fantasy Potential: Roster filler.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: $15 by 2009.

Billy Stokley, 26, P:R, B:R.
0-5 on a 16:13 K:BB in 47.1 IP over 9 GS
with 69 H, 7 HR, and a 6.46 ERA for AAA Salt Lake(PCL).
2-9 on a 58:23 K:BB in 111 IP over 14 GS(26G)
with 115 H, 7 HR, and a 3.57 ERA for AA Arkansas(TL).
Appropriate 2004 Role: AAAA swingman.
Long-term Upside & ETA: Major league middle reliever by 2008.
2004 Fantasy Potential: None.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: $10 by 2010.

Mike Brunet, 26, P:R, B:R.
6-8 on an 87:43 K:BB in 126.2 IP over 19 GS(32G)
with 133 H, 16 HR, and a 4.69 ERA for AA Arkansas(TL).
Appropriate 2004 Role: AAA swingman.
Long-term Upside & ETA: Major league middle reliever by 2007.
2004 Fantasy Potential: None.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: $10 by 2009.

Eric Cyr, 24, P:L, B:R.
0-0 on a 0:0 K:BB in 2 IP over 1 G
with 6 H, 0 HR, and a 13.50 ERA for AA Chattanooga(SL).
6-6 on a 78:52 K:BB in 103.1 IP over 20 GS
with 91 H, 9 HR, and a 4.96 ERA for AA Arkansas(TL).
Appropriate 2004 Role: A+/AA starter.
Long-term Upside & ETA: #4 starter by 2009.
2004 Fantasy Potential: None.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: $10 by 2011.

Rich Fischer, 22, P:R, B:R.
5-11 on a 123:43 K:BB in 154.1 IP over 26 GS
with 159 H, 14 HR, and a 4.61 ERA for AA Arkansas(TL).
Appropriate 2004 Role: AAAA starter.
Long-term Upside & ETA: #3 starter by 2008.
2004 Fantasy Potential: Roster filler.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: $15 by 2009.

Jose Garcia, 25, P:R, B:R.
2-2 on a 25:15 K:BB in 33.2 IP over 6 GS
with 39 H, 4 HR, and a 4.54 ERA for AA Arkansas(TL).
Appropriate 2004 Role: A+/AA swingman.
Long-term Upside & ETA: AAAA reliever by 2007.
2004 Fantasy Potential: None.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: Roster filler by 2008.

Bobby Jenks, 22, P:R, B:R.
7-2 on a 103:51 K:BB in 83 IP over 16 GS
with 56 H, 2 HR, and a 2.17 ERA for AA Arkansas(TL).
0-0 on a 5:0 K:BB in 4 IP over 1 GS
with 2 H, 0 HR, and a 0.00 ERA for R Angels(AZL).
Appropriate 2004 Role: AAA starter.
Long-term Upside & ETA: #2 starter by 2009.
2004 Fantasy Potential: None.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: $25 by 2011.

Mike Nickoli, 23, P:R, B:R.
1-2 on an 11:10 K:BB in 16.2 IP over 4 GS
with 23 H, 1 HR, and a 7.56 ERA for AA Arkansas(TL).
1-0 on an 8:5 K:BB in 19 IP over 3 GS(4G)
with 19 H, 2 HR, and a 3.32 ERA for A+ Rancho Cucamonga(Cal).
Appropriate 2004 Role: A+/AA swingman.
Long-term Upside & ETA: AAA reliever by 2007.
2004 Fantasy Potential: None.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: None.

Ervin Santana, 19, P:R, B:R.
1-1 on a 23:12 K:BB in 29.2 IP over 6 GS
with 23 H, 4 HR, and a 3.94 ERA for AA Arkansas(SL).
10-2 on a 130:36 K:BB in 124.2 IP over 20 GS
with 98 H, 9 HR, and a 2.53 ERA for A+ Rancho Cucamonga(Cal).
Appropriate 2004 Role: AA/AAA starter.
Long-term Upside & ETA: #1 starter by 2008.
2004 Fantasy Potential: High-round draft pick.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: $30 by 2010.

I'll continue tomorrow by discussing NL East minor league starting pitchers.

Today's Fantasy Rx: Despite three teams overflowing with starters and a rather poor environment for nurturing young pitching in Texas, several AL West pitching prospects should receive long looks in the near future. Anaheim's Ervin Santana, Oakland's Joe Blanton, Seattle's Clint Nageotte, and Texas' Ryan Snare each top their respective teams' lists of young pitchers who spent all of 2003 in the minors. While you certainly should exercise caution since the first three could change teams as trade bait and Snare could struggle with the Rangers, the skills of each of these pitchers makes them virtually automatic picks in minor league drafts this year.