Today's Fantasy Rx

Welcome to our weekly LPR rankings, our primary method to identify highly skilled and/or consistently effective pitchers. While we haven't changed this system since the second half of last season, feel free to refer here for a complete description of the codes. We've included the five most recent 2004 QA scores for each starter, along with the 10 most recent QA scores for each reliever, tabulating all data through May 20th. Pitchers with no QA scores have not pitched this year, so don't roster any of them unless you see someone ready to return to the majors.

1
2AX - Brad Penny(42444)
3ABCXZ - Randy Johnson(45545)
3BCXYZ - Roy Oswalt(43533)
3ABCZ - Odalis Perez(24244)
ACXYz - Carlos Zambrano(03443)
ABX - Livan Hernandez(42545)
ACX - Ben Sheets(45435)
AX - Joe Kennedy(54354)
AZ - Oliver Perez(54450)
Y - Josh Beckett(22353)

Odalis Perez, Kennedy, and Beckett join the ranking this week as Wilson Alvarez falls off. Randy's perfect game and Ben Sheets' 18K start probably make them slightly better bets than Penny, though all of these pitchers, even Kennedy, appear ready to anchor fantasy staffs.

axy - Brian Meadows(4455440334)
ax - Ryan Madson(3434434342)
ax - Dan Miceli(3340425543)

Despite recent slumps by all three pitchers, they rank as the safest bets among any NL middle reliever right now. With Meadows and Miceli likely available in most league, consider adding at least one of them to minimize your qualitative downside.

2
3ACXZ - Kevin Millwood(43433)
BCYZ - Mark Prior

3abcxyz - John Smoltz(5555444454)
3abcxyz - Billy Wagner(5434554445)
3abcxyz - LaTroy Hawkins(33442333453)
3byz - Joe Borowski(5332224333)
abcxyz - Mike Koplove(4454345433)
abcxyz - Eric Gagne(2433554554)
abx - Guillermo Mota(4343434541)
byz - Rheal Cormier(5444430330)
bcz - Tim Spooneybarger
by - Javier Lopez(3025323335)

Even without significant save totals, Smoltz's consistent dominance makes him the best closer to own in the game right now in standard leagues. Conversely, Cormier's increasing struggles render him nearly useless.

3
CZ - Matt Morris(24242)
C - Woody Williams(32144)

bcxyz - Jason Isringhausen(3345452333)
by - Jay Witasick(3334343531)
cz - Steve Reed(4433343324)
cz - Robb Nen

A
BCXY - Roger Clemens(24444)
BCXZ - Matt Clement(54345)
BCX - Andy Pettitte(23444)
BCX - Wade Miller(44433)
BXY - Brandon Webb(44333)
CXZ - Greg Maddux(34544)
CX - Jake Peavy(44344)
Xc - Zach Day(32453)
X - Chris Carpenter(54344)
X - Jerome Williams(44503)
Jeff Suppan(42404)
Brett Myers(04534)
Aaron Harang(40345)
Cory Lidle(25532)
Jose Acevedo(32045)
John Thomson(42305)
Kerry Wood(25550)

As Doug Davis slips down, Pettitte, Maddux, Acevedo, Harang, Thomson, and Suppan all join this ranking, presenting us with significantly more depth among high-upside pitchers that merit targeting for anyone needing a starter or two.

B
CY - Jason Schmidt(35424)
Todd Van Poppel(04)

Yax - Darren Dreifort(4555503435)
Yx - Juan Cruz(3234135334)
x - Jeff Fassero(3533333443)
x - Amaury Telemaco(3434443343)
y - Adam Bernero
Jim Brower(3244455401)
Andrew Good(024255)
Michael Tejera

C
Y - Kip Wells(35303)
Z - Brian Lawrence(03544)
Z - Jeff Weaver(44352)
Z - John Patterson(4044)
Z - A.J. Burnett
Adam Eaton(33302)
David Wells(44532)
Al Leiter(33340)
Casey Fossum(40)

In the last week Wells and Leiter hit the DL while Wells, Weaver, Eaton, and Fossum all struggled. Only Lawrence is a great bet at the moment, leaving us with a rather disappointing group of pitchers only one week after I declared the entire group undervalued.

X
c - Carl Pavano(33334)
Tom Glavine(35334)
Jason Marquis(34342)

Y
Z - Randy Wolf(44323)
Dustin Hermanson(30153)
Tony Armas, Jr.

Z
Vicente Padilla(32532)

Another mediocre appearance pushed Padilla down to his own ranking.

a
bcxyz - Octavio Dotel(2254554334)
bcxy - Braden Loopez(5444444434)
bcxz - Luis Vizcaino(3432554124)
bxyz - Danny Kolb(5444444434)
bcx - Mike Lincoln(4245453341)
bcz - Chris Reitsma(2245442243)
bxy - Jose Valverde(4444532524)
bxy - Julian Tavarez(5353504434)
cxy - Brian Fuentes(5253353351)
cxz - Trevor Hoffman(4534434453)
cxz - Todd Jones(3454534431)
cyz - Antonio Alfonseca(1444434544)
bx - Armando Benitez(5351454334)
bx - Kevin Gryboski(4432433535)
bx - Brad Lidge(2545353435)
cx - John Riedling(3445535345)
cx - Danny Graves(3532434545)
xy - John Franco(4251454543)
xz - Jose Mesa(3455535524)

The promotions of Tavarez and Mesa highlight a relatively slow yet productive week for some of the most stable pitchers in the league.

c - Brian Boehringer(5422433434)
x - Scott Linebrink(4445544044)
x - Shawn Chacon(3443344335)
x - Akinori Otsuka(4555354352)
x - Tommy Phelps(3343352455)
x - Felix Rodriguez(3444545342)
x - Orber Moreno(3524445333)
x - Mike Johnston(3452543442)
y - Rocky Biddle(2511240442)
y - Oscar Villarreal(1544430332)
Francis Beltran(2452154434)
Wayne Franklin(5204452344)
Scott Eyre(5402435334)
Ryan Wagner(4044132245)
Phil Norton(2344515414)
Mike Wuertz(5453210451)

Yes, seeing Phelps, Beltran, and Franklin here makes them mildly intriguing, but Chacon's elevation to this ranking is the big news as I now see little reason not to run him in the vast majority of national contests since his skills remain quite solid.

b
cxyz - Tim Worrell(3334434321)
cxz - Ray King(4332443304)
cy - Matt Herges(3434032423)
cz - Roberto Hernandez(5433324414)
cz - Joey Eischen
cz - Mike Remlinger
cz - Paul Shuey
xy - Kyle Farnsworth(0254343535)
xy - Luis Ayala(2333434343)
yz - Matt Mantei(4024421333)
c - Scott Strickland
y - Tom Martin(4355405423)
y - Rod Beck
Dave Burba(3335432313)
Cal Eldred(4032144353)
Will Cunnane(341043333)
Jason Simontacchi(2122)
Troy Brohawn
Scott Service

c
Sun-Woo Kim(4300)

Hopefully the Expos soon move him back to relief because his skills continue eroding as a starter.

yz - Ricky Stone(515413235)
x - Steve Kline(334433344)
z - Ricky Bottalico(3343532)
z - Armando Almanza(443)
z - Eddie Oropesa(3040332450)
z - Brian Bowles
z -Dave Coggin
z - Gary Glover
z - Joey Hamilton
z - Chad Paronto
Toby Borland(35555)
Randy Choate(5342035552)
Juan Acevedo
Travis Driskill
Blaine Neal

A week of four dominating performances suddenly makes Borland a viable fantasy pitcher. Add him anywhere you need qualitative certainty.

x
y - Brooks Kieschnick(343443330)
Salomon Torres(3424254543)
Mike Gallo(3355334423)
Duaner Sanchez(5323333232)br> Brandon Backe(4323452145)
Chad Fox(4454433330)
Chad Harville(4341432534)

With Chacon and Phelps ascending, only Kieschnick and Torres appears particularly usable right now.

y
Glendon Rusch(0)

I see some upside in Rusch's current performance, but see if his next start looks better before deploying him.

Mike Stanton(2243143333)
Grant Roberts(1232)
John Foster
Scott Randall
Dave Veres

z
Vladimir Nunez(3322521413)
Brandon Puffer(40332)
Dave Elder
Dan Reichert
Brandon Villafuerte
Chad Zerbe

NL starters I recommend despite their failure to appear above include Wilson Alvarez(552), Doug Davis(43542), Tomo Ohka(23545), Horacio Ramirez(40234), Victor Santos(4353), and Paul Wilson(32344).

Other decent relievers include Mike Adams, Jeff Bennett, Brian Bruney, Antonio Osuna, T.J. Tucker, and Tyler Walker.

1 - K/9 of 6.0+, BB/9 of 3.0-, H/9 of 9.0-, HR/9 of 1.0-,
     and G-F of 1.0+ in 25+ IP in 2004.
2 - K/9 of 6.0+, BB/9 of 3.0-, H/9 of 9.0-, HR/9 of 1.0-,
     and G-F of 1.0+ in 25+ IP in 2003.
3 - K/9 of 6.0+, BB/9 of 3.0-, H/9 of 9.0-, HR/9 of 1.0-,
     and G-F of 1.0+ in 25+ IP in 2002.

QA score for starts: up to 5 total points, one for each statistical goal, to any starter who pitches at least 5 innings and fulfills any of the following skill qualifications: K>=IP-2, BB<=IP/3, H<=IP, HR<=1, and G-F>=1.00. Any starter who doesn't reach any of the required statistical goals or fails to pitch 5 innings earns a 0 QA score. Scores of 5 and 4 qualify as DOMinant outings, a 3 is DULl, and anything below 3 ranks as a skill DISaster.

QA score for relief outings: up to 5 total points, one for each statistical goal, to any reliever who retires at least one batter and fulfills any of the following skill qualifications: K>=IP, BB=0, H<=IP, HR=0, and G-F>=1.00. Any reliever who doesn't reach any of the required statistical goals or fails to retire a batter earns a 0 QA score. Scores of 5 and 4 qualify as DOMinant outings, a 3 is DULl, and anything below 3 ranks as a skill DISaster.

Note: Starters must pitch in five games before earning any of the following DOM or DIS ratings; relievers must appear in no less than 10 games before earning DOM/DIS consideration. All pitchers are evaluated as relievers aside from those who reached both 5 starts in a given season and qualified for DOM or DIS ratings.

A - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2004 starts
B - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2003 starts
C - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2002 starts

X - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2004 starts
Y - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2003 starts
Z - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2002 starts

a - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2004 relief outings
b - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2003 relief outings
c - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2002 relief outings

x - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2004 relief outings
y - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2003 relief outings
z - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2002 relief outings

Tomorrow, like every Sunday during the season, we'll post our preview of the coming week's games and our CDM challenge lineups.

Today's Fantasy Rx: Several Brewers' pitchers continue to look like better bets every week. While Sheets and Kolb rank among the league's most valuable fantasy players, Doug Davis and Victor Santos continue impressing as starters. Most owners also know that Luis Vizcaino again ranks among the most promising NL middle relievers. However, Brooks Kieschnick, Rule 5 pick Jeff Bennett, Dave Burba, and the newly-promoted Mike Adams, who compiled a 2.61 ERA on a 37:4 K:BB in 31 IP for AAA Indianapolis(IL), all merit consideration in deeper NL leagues.