Today's Fantasy Rx

Anaheim: David Eckstein, SS
30/130 for .231/.301/.269 with 0 HR, 7 RBI, 15 R, 4/7 SB%,
and an 8:6 BB:K.

While the Angels' middle infielders at least remain healthy, a welcome relief for an Anaheim lineup plagued by injury, none of the four primary middle infielders own respectable stats at the moment. Eckstein probably possesses the most immediate upside thanks to his outstanding .95 contact rate and respectable speed skills. Both his 3.73 #P/PA and 1.49 G-F also appear closer to his 2002 marks than his weaker 2003 skill set. I suspect he won't reach the statistical heights of a couple years ago, however I see a lot here that suggests Eckstein's fantasy value should head upward quickly. Acquire him now before you miss the approaching BA spike.

Baltimore: Larry Bigbie, OF
26/113 for .230/.302/.407 with 5 HR, 14 RBI, 17 R, 3/3 SB%,
and a 12:25 BB:K.

The Orioles might rank with the Red Sox and Yankees if their outfield production matched their impressive infield corps. Unfortunately, Bigbie never owned great contact skills, and his 1.96 G-F doesn't give him promising power potential. Bigbie might possess five-category upside, but he'll struggle to reach double-digit value unless his skills improve. Wait until at least he demonstrates better plate discipline before looking to add Bigbie.

Boston: Bill Mueller, 3B
35/137 for .255/.331/.409 with 5 HR, 20 RBI, 22 R, 0/1 SB%,
and a 15:20 BB:K.

As Mueller tends to register an OPS around .750 in even-numbered years, nothing in his stats particularly surprises me. Most of his skills remain in line with the marks he posted last year while posting a league-leading .262 BA, and he appears on pace for similar quantitative marks. The 60 point BA drop accounts for the significant decrease in value, yet while I expect him to finish near his career norm of .293, Mueller isn't a great player to target since his overall contribution pales in comparison with most other third basemen.

Chicago White Sox: Carlos Lee, OF
33/128 for .258/.356/.414 with 4 HR, 11 RBI, 18 R, 3/5 SB%,
and a 17:18 BB:K.

With his .86 contact rate and .73 G-F comparing favorably with his previous stats, Lee's averages should increase dramatically over the next several weeks. A 3.63 #P/PA slightly worries me, but the 27-year-old Lee otherwise appears ready to improve towards his normally impressive marks. Look to acquire him before a rising BA and qualitative stats make his trade cost prohibitively expensive.

Cleveland: Coco Crisp, OF
15/73 for .205/.256/.288 with 0 HR, 6 RBI, 11 R, 3/6 SB%,
and a 3:6 BB:K.

With his career-best 3.70 #P/PA and a 2.27 G-F that suggests welcome attempts at infield hits, Crisp should possess better stats than he currently owns. However, I also didn't expect him to contribute more than about 20 steals and an average BA even if he started all season, so his slow start isn't a shock. The 24-year-old could develop into a top leadoff man, but nothing here indicates he merits more than occasional at-bats this season. Deal Crisp if you can find someone willing to offer a similarly underachieving player with more immediate upside.

Detroit: Eric Munson, 3B
17/85 for .200/.253/.365 with 3 HR, 14 RBI, 10 R, 0/0 SB%,
and a 6:21 BB:K.

I don't know why Munson isn't enjoying the offensive renaissance of most other Tigers. His .81 contact rate and 1.04 G-F suggest he should own an OPS nicely above the .753 he registered last season, rather than his currently poor .619 mark. Of course, a career-worst 3.51 #P/PA indicates a continued erosion of his patience, leaving Munson a risky option under the best circumstances. As a lineup slot near the end of Detroit's relatively impatient batting order isn't a great spot for significant quantitative achievement, only target Munson if you can grab him at a dramatic discount.

Kansas City: Desi Relaford, 2B/IF
11/52 for .212/.281/.250 with 0 HR, 1 RBI, 9 R, 0/1 SB%,
and a 5:9 BB:K.

Between spending April on the DL and this lengthy May slump, Relaford's value appears practically non-existent. However, he still qualifies at a couple infield positions, and his 3.86 #P/PA demonstrates his developing plate patience. Both Relaford's BA and his quantitative stats should improve noticeably over the next several weeks, making him a decent target if you need an infield boost.

Minnesota: Luis Rivas, 2B
24/104 for .231/.266/.356 with 2 HR, 11 RBI, 11 R, 4/4 SB%,
and a 5:16 BB:K.

Rivas owns sufficient speed skills to help any fantasy team, however a career-worst 3.40 #P/PA effectively negates a career-best 1.35 G-F, largely sabotaging his SB contribution. He also appears in danger of losing his job to Nick Punto, Mike Cuddyer, or AAA prospect Jason Bartlett. Unless you desperately need a potential source of stolen bases or see a great opportunity to improve at second base, wait to see if Rivas returns to his normal level of production before selling low.

New York Yankees: Derek Jeter, SS
31/159 for .195/.251/.277 with 2 HR, 13 RBI, 13 R, 3/4 SB%,
and a 10:30 BB:K.

The most widely discussed underachiever in the game, Jeter's woeful average and limited quantitative contribution make him one of the worst players in fantasy baseball right now. A career-worst 3.62 #P/PA indicates eroding patience, and after a decade as one of the most efficient basestealers in the game, he isn't even reaching first often enough to attempt many steals. Of course, Jeter remains a future Hall of Famer who soon should rebound even if he belongs at second base right now. Go acquire him now before his rising BA restores his trade cost near his $30 pre-season price.

Oakland: Mark Kotsay, OF
31/124 for .250/.314/.290 with 0 HR, 10 RBI, 12 R, 3/4 SB%,
and an 11:17 BB:K.

While Kotsay hasn't posted great skills in a few years, a 1.15 G-F at least indicates respectable power potential. A .86 contact rate also indicates a good chance that he'll finish the year with an above average BA. We should see a career year from the 28-year-old Kotsay sometime in the next few seasons, however I just don't see sufficient improvement here to support any hope of him exploding over the balance of 2004. Target Kotsay if you need the quantitative boost of adding another starter, but don't expect more than about a $15 roto value.

Seattle: Randy Winn, OF
31/127 for .244/.314/.315 with 0 HR, 9 RBI, 16 R, 2/5 SB%,
and a 10:20 BB:K.

After accumulating two nearly identical seasons around $30, Winn doesn't even own positive value right now. Of course, while a career-worst 3.50 #P/PA looks like the root of his difficulty at the plate and a 1.90 G-F limits his power potential, a .84 contact rate should lead to a higher BA. I also see no reason the 29-year-old Winn shouldn't reach two dozen steals, making now a great time to acquire the slow starter.

Tampa Bay: Aubrey Huff, 3B/DH/OF
28/133 for .211/.277/.331 with 4 HR, 18 RBI, 15 R, 0/0 SB%,
and a 12:18 BB:K.

After a season where Huff merited an All-Star appearance and eventually led all 1B in fantasy value, his terrible start likely leaves many owners with unexpected second-division teams. Fortunately, with career-best marks of a .86 contact rate and 1.18 G-F, Huff possesses prodigious power potential. I also see nothing here to suggest that he shouldn't own a .300 BA based on his previous performance. Make every attempt to acquire Tampa's new starting third baseman before his value shoots up, rendering Huff essentially untouchable.

Texas: Brad Fullmer, DH/1B
27/109 for .248/.331/.450 with 4 HR, 15 RBI, 17 R, 0/1 SB%,
and a 13:10 BB:K.

I expected Fullmer to enjoy a career year starting as part of a surprisingly strong lineup in a great hitters' park. Instead, he owns a career-worst batting average despite a career-best .91 contact rate. Similarly, his career-worst 1.37 G-F leaves him with reduced power potential, making Fullmer a troublesome statistical contradiction. Since I still see no reason he won't enjoy a particularly productive season, look to acquire Fullmer now as he should cost fairly little in most leagues.

Toronto: Vernon Wells, OF
43/155 for .277/.360/.413 with 3 HR, 15 RBI, 24 R, 2/2 SB%,
and an 18:25 BB:K.

Yes, the 25-year-old Wells started slowly, but a respectable 3.46 #P/PA suggests that his stats soon should improve. While a career-worst 1.33 G-F reduces his short-term upside, Wells remains a significant talent who should reach $30 every season for the next few years. Either acquire him now to anchor your offense or watch him accumulate MVP votes on his current owner's team.

We'll continue tomorrow with National League underachieving batters.

Today's Fantasy Rx: Both New York teams found new 5th starters over the weekend. The Mets promoted Matt Ginter while the Yankees acquired Tanyon Sturtze from LA, both of whom I reviewed last Thursday with NL roto pitching prospects. Yesterday Ginter compiled a 4:1 K:BB in 5.2 IP with 8 H, 0 HR, and a 6-9 G-F in Houston against Roger Clemens, a solid performance for his first big league starter. As his likely upcoming opponents include Colorado, Florida, Philadelphia, Minnesota, Kansas City, and Cleveland, try to add Ginter anywhere you see him available.

Unfortunately, Sturtze is a much riskier player to own, particularly since he makes his 2004 debut this Saturday in Texas. However, if New York exercises some patience, expect him to rebound with a few reasonably effective performances against Tampa, Texas, San Diego, Los Angeles, and two starts against the Mets. The Yankees somehow enjoy the next six straight Mondays off, so they can keep their top four starters on four days' rest while starting Sturtze every Saturday. Although this only creates obvious opportunities in leagues with daily transactions, if Torre follows the logical strategy, Sturtze appears positioned to face fairly unimpressive offenses until the All-Star break. He isn't a long-term solution, but after this weekend, Sturtze could help you for the next few weeks.