Today's Fantasy Rx

Minor League Free Agents and AAA/AA Relief 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:
Gary Glover is listed with American League relievers with Draft Value of $-1.

Bart Miadich is listed with American League relievers with Draft Value of $-2.

Ryan Cummings, 27, P:R, B:R.
1-3 on a 6:7 K:BB in 14 IP over 12 G
with 22 H, 2 HR, and an 8.36 ERA for AAA Salt Lake(PCL).
1-5 on a 22:23 K:BB in 65 IP over 2 GS(37G)
with 86 H, 4 HR, and a 5.26 ERA for AA Arkansas(TL).
Appropriate 2004 Role: A+/AA reliever.
Long-term Upside & ETA: AAAA reliever by 2007.
2004 Fantasy Potential: None.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: Roster filler by 2008.

Courtney Duncan, 28, P:R, B:L.
2-6 and 18 Saves on a 54:39 K:BB in 63.2 IP over 56 G
with 68 H, 4 HR, and a 4.38 ERA between AAA Portland(PCL) and AAA Salt Lake(PCL).
Appropriate 2004 Role: AAAA reliever.
Long-term Upside & ETA: Major league middle reliever by 2006.
2004 Fantasy Potential: Roster filler.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: $10 by 2008.

Marc Kroon, 30, P:R, B:R.
2-1 and 2 Saves on a 10:3 K:BB in 14 IP over 9 G
with 10 H, 2 HR, and a 3.86 ERA for AAA Salt Lake(PCL).
3-3 and 4 Saves on a 60:31 K:BB in 45 IP over 1 GS(37G)
with 28 H, 1 HR, and a 3.00 ERA for AA Arkansas(SL).
Appropriate 2004 Role: AA/AAA reliever.
Long-term Upside & ETA: AAAA reliever by 2006.
2004 Fantasy Potential: None.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: Roster filler by 2007.

Mark Lukasiewicz, 30, P:L, B:L.
2-2 on a 52:18 K:BB in 62.1 IP over 4 GS(40G)
with 62.1 IP over 4 GS(40G)
with 74 H, 8 HR, and a 6.06 ERA for AAA Salt Lake(PCL).
Appropriate 2004 Role: AAAA reliever.
Long-term Upside & ETA: Major league middle reliever by 2005.
2004 Fantasy Potential: Roster filler.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: $10 by 2007.

Brian Rogers, 26, P:R, B:R.
0-0 and 1 Save on a 5:1 K:BB in 7.2 IP over 2 G
with 5 H, 0 HR, and a 0.00 ERA for AAA Columbus(IL).
1-3 on a 16:21 K:BB in 34.2 IP over 2 GS(13G)
with 40 H, 2 HR, and a 5.97 ERA for AA Trenton(EL).
2-1 on a 27:14 K:BB in 34 IP over 2 GS(25G)
with 38 H, 3 HR, and a 3.97 ERA for AA Arkansas(TL).
Appropriate 2004 Role: AA/AAA swingman.
Long-term Upside & ETA: Major league middle reliever by 2006.
2004 Fantasy Potential: None.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: $10 by 2008.

Elio Serrano, 24, P:R, B:R.
5-4 and 2 Saves on a 46:22 K:BB in 68.2 IP over 1 GS(46G)
with 84 H, 7 HR, and a 4.72 ERA for AAA Salt Lake(PCL).
Appropriate 2004 Role: AAAA reliever.
Long-term Upside & ETA: Major league middle reliever by 2006.
2004 Fantasy Potential: Roster filler.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: $10 by 2008.

Prospects:
Dusty Bergman, 25, P:L, B:L.
0-1 on a 0:1 K:BB in 1.1 IP over 1 G
with 5 H, 0 HR, and a 20.25 ERA for AAA Salt Lake(PCL).
6-5 on an 82:33 K:BB in 109.1 IP over 10 GS(50G)
with 116 H, 7 HR, and a 3.79 ERA for AA Arkansas(TL).
Appropriate 2004 Role: AAA reliever.
Long-term Upside & ETA: Major league middle reliever by 2007.
2004 Fantasy Potential: None.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: $10 by 2009.

Scott Dunn, 25, P:R, B:R.
0-0 on an 11:10 K:BB in 7.2 IP over 6 G
with 9 H, 1 HR, and an 11.74 ERA for AAA Salt Lake(PCL).
6-3 and 9 Saves on a 68:21 K:BB in 51 IP over 39 G
with 39 H, 3 HR, and a 3.35 ERA between AA Chattanooga(SL) and AA Birmingham(SL).
1-0 on a 7:0 K:BB in 5 IP over 3 G
with 2 H, 0 HR, and a 0.00 ERA for AA Arkansas(TL).
Appropriate 2004 Role: AAA reliever.
Long-term Upside & ETA: Major league middle reliever by 2006.
2004 Fantasy Potential: None.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: $10 by 2008.

Joel Peralta, 27, P:R, B:R.
0-0 on a 0:1 K:BB in 0 IP over 1 G
with 0 H, 0 HR, and a 0.00 ERA for AAA Salt Lake(PCL).
5-4 and 20 Saves on a 48:12 K:BB in 52.1 IP over 47 G
with 39 H, 3 HR, and a 2.24 ERA for AA Arkansas(TL).
Appropriate 2004 Role: AAAA reliever.
Long-term Upside & ETA: Major league short reliever by 2007.
2004 Fantasy Potential: Roster filler.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: $15 by 2009.

Stephen Andrade, 25, P:R, B:R.
5-1 and 7 Saves on a 74:16 K:BB in 51 IP over 36 G
with 26 H, 2 HR, and a 2.65 ERA for AA Arkansas(TL).
0-0 and 1 Save on a 7:3 K:BB in 3 IP over 3 G
with 0 H, 0 HR, and a 0.00 ERA for A+ Rancho Cucamonga(Cal).
Appropriate 2004 Role: AAAA reliever.
Long-term Upside & ETA: Major league short reliever by 2007.
2004 Fantasy Potential: Roster filler.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: $15 by 2009.

Dustin Griffith, 23, P:R, B:R.
1-0 on a 0:0 K:BB in 1 IP over 1 G
with 2 H, 0 HR, and a 9.00 ERA for AA Arkansas(TL).
3-2 and 2 Saves on a 53:19 K:BB in 71.2 IP over 2 GS(36G)
with 76 H, 12 HR, and a 3.89 ERA for A+ Rancho Cucamonga(Cal).
0-0 on a 3:2 K:BB in 6.1 IP over 4 G
with 10 H, 1 HR, and a 5.68 ERA for A Cedar Rapids(Mid).
Appropriate 2004 Role: AA reliever.
Long-term Upside & ETA: Major league middle reliever by 2007.
2004 Fantasy Potential: None.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: $5 by 2008.

Mario Mendoza, 24, P:R, B:R.
4-0 on a 17:25 K:BB in 32.1 IP over 4 GS(17G)
with 35 H, 4 HR, and a 5.57 ERA for I Saltillo(Mex).
0-1 on a 4:8 K:BB in 10.1 IP over 6 G
with 20 H, 2 HR, and an 11.32 ERA for AA Arkansas(TL).
1-0 on a 6:3 K:BB in 7 IP over 4 G
with 14 H, 1 HR, and an 11.57 ERA for A+ Rancho Cucamonga(Cal).
Appropriate 2004 Role: A+/AA reliever.
Long-term Upside & ETA: AAAA reliever by 2007.
2004 Fantasy Potential: None.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: None.

Chris Pine, 27, P:R, B:R.
2-0 on a 6:7 K:BB in 12.1 IP over 9 G
with 12 H, 3 HR, and a 5.11 ERA for AA Arkansas(TL).
Appropriate 2004 Role: A+/AA reliever.
Long-term Upside & ETA: AAA reliever by 2006.
2004 Fantasy Potential: None.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: None.

Scott Schneider, 25, P:R, B:R.
8-4 on a 51:25 K:BB in 71 IP over 2 GS(33G)
with 63 H, 7 HR, and a 4.06 ERA for AA Arkansas(TL).
3-2 on a 21:18 K:BB in 26 IP over 17 G
with 27 H, 0 HR, and a 5.19 ERA for A+ Rancho Cucamonga(Cal).
Appropriate 2004 Role: AA/AAA reliever.
Long-term Upside & ETA: Major league middle reliever by 2008.
2004 Fantasy Potential: None.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: $10 by 2010.

Cliff Smith, 23, P:R, B:R.
1-0 on a 10:15 K:BB in 27.2 IP over 1 GS(13G)
with 20 H, 2 HR, and a 2.60 ERA for AA Arkansas(TL).
2-2 and 2 Saves on a 25:9 K:BB in 32.2 IP over 5 GS(15G)
with 38 H, 3 HR, and a 5.79 ERA for A+ Rancho Cucamonga(Cal).
Appropriate 2004 Role: AA reliever.
Long-term Upside & ETA: AAAA reliever by 2007.
2004 Fantasy Potential: None.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: Roster filler by 2008.

Matt Wilhite, 22, P:R, B:R.
0-2 and 2 Saves on an 8:1 K:BB in 9.2 IP over 5 G
with 17 H, 3 HR, and an 8.38 ERA for AA Arkansas(TL).
2-0 and 4 Saves on a 17:5 K:BB in 27.1 IP over 12 G
with 23 H, 1 HR, and a 2.63 ERA for R+ Provo(Pio).
Appropriate 2004 Role: A+/AA reliever.
Long-term Upside & ETA: Major league middle reliever by 2007.
2004 Fantasy Potential: None.
Long-term Fantasy Upside & ETA: $10 by 2009.

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

Today's Fantasy Rx: The most likely AL Central minor league relievers to emerge as future closers are Anaheim's Joel Peralta and Seattle's Josue Matos, although the big league bullpens on each team currently contain the strongest long-term candidates to close in both organizations. Chris Mabeus, selected by Texas from Oakland in December's Rule 5 draft, may be the best relief prospect for either franchise. Of course, Francisco Cordero should remain the Rangers' closer indefinitely, and if Arthur Rhodes eventually falters in Oakland, the Athletics' impressive starting depth should allow someone like Mike Wood or even Rich Harden to assume closing duties.