Today's Fantasy Rx

Welcome to our weekly LPR rankings, our primary method of identifying highly skilled and/or consistently effective pitchers. Please refer to the end of the article for a complete description of the codes. We have 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 26th. Pitchers with no QA scores have not pitched this year, so do not roster any of them unless you see someone ready to return to the majors.

1
23ABCXYZ - Pedro Martinez(04455)
2ABCXYZ - Curt Schilling(54343)
X - Freddy Garcia(35324)

axy - Francisco Rodriguez(5533545244)
x - Kevin Gregg(1354343353)
Justin Duchscherer(2254323345)

Bronson Arroyo and Rod Lopez both appear likely to return to relief work soon given their struggles, but I am glad to see Pedro return to where he belongs. The success of KRod and Duchscherer similarly makes them great pick-ups right now.

2
3ABXYZ - Mark Mulder(43353)
3BCXYZ - Roy Halladay(32352)
3bcyz - Byung-Hyun Kim(400)
ABCXYZ - Tim Hudson(34430)
BCXY - Kevin Brown(43130)
BY - Esteban Loaiza(13425)
CY - Sidney Ponson(03443)
Xc - Scott Schoeneweis(34343)
B - Mike Mussina(24352)

3abcxyz - Mariano Rivera(5333334425)
3bcxyz - Alan Embree(3533332533)
3acz - Arthur Rhodes(3432222545)
Baxz - Scot Shields(1514255344)
bcz - Jeremy Affeldt(234)
a - Travis Harper(1444542432)

Affeldt's shift to relief work is the only change worth noting here, although with two saves in his first three appearances, I expect this move will significantly increase his fantasy value.

3
abcxyz - Keith Foulke(5455544434)
abcxyz - Francisco Cordero(4425535544)
abcxyz - Chad Bradford(0354545544)
acxz - Ricardo Rincon(4345345340)
acyz - Buddy Groom(5340440430)
bcxy - Damaso Marte(2333331443)

A
CXYZ - Tim Wakefield(33434)
BCX - Javier Vazquez(32354)
BYz - Johan Santana(40430)
Xby - Jake Westbrook(44334)
C - Victor Zambrano(42004)
X - Jon Lieber(43544)
X - Justin Miller(55341)
X - Joaquin Benoit(44330)
Rich Harden(44424)
Bronson Arroyo(45551)
Mike Maroth(40422)
Nate Robertson(00423)

Arroyo slips down to this level while Wakefield and Westbrook move up and Bonderman departs the list. More importantly, the continued success of Lieber makes him as solid as any Yankee starter, and Benoit's consistency similarly earns him a long look in most leagues.

B
X - Cliff Lee(34333)
Y - Joel Pineiro(42434)
Eric DuBose(20304)
Jose Contreras(00404)

C
Z - Mark Buehrle(51435)
Z - Derek Lowe(23303)
x - Rodrigo Lopez(02)
Miguel Batista(45440)
Bartolo Colon(44322)

b - Mickey Callaway(5)

Lopez settles here, however he should again appear on fantasy sleeper lists as soon as Baltimore moves him back to the bullpen.

X
Brad Radke(33334)
Ryan Drese(33343)
Aaron Sele(42334)

While none of these starters seem a particularly good play, all three belong on active rosters in standard AL leagues due to their consistent effectiveness.

Y
acz - Jose Jimenez(4442325343)

Cleveland's supposed new closer should perform perfectly acceptably as long as the Indians do not place unreasonable expectations on him.

Z
Orlando Hernandez.

a
bcxyz - Mike Timlin(5424543354)
bcxyz - Eddie Guardado(4344443445)
bcxz - Ugueth Urbina(4542445343)
bcyz - Jason Grimsley(4424244352)

bcyz - Tom Gordon(4431454322)
bcyz - Paul Quantrill(4423322440)

Gordon's workload finally led to some skill deterioration, and Quantrill similarly remains vulnerable to both ineffectiveness and injury. Exercise caution if targeting either pitcher.

bcx - Jim Mecir(0144454454)
bxy - Danys Baez(4455443423)
bxy - Danny Patterson(4345204354)
cxz - Billy Koch(4555434454)
bx - B.J. Ryan(4314434343)
by - Curtis Leskanic(5452155334)
cz - Cliff Politte(4432323412)
cz - J.C. Romero(2235535535)
xz - Jorge Julio(5354525443)
x - Joe Nathan(4244554355)
x - Jamie Walker(4434334353)
x - Carlos Almanzar(4334444433)
x - John Halama(3244245433)
x - Jon Adkins(4444223343)
x - Rafael Betancourt(2545354153)
Juan Rincon(2424430545)
Neal Cotts(2343442424)
J.J. Putz(4524433201)
Esteban Yan(2125544451)
Kerry Ligtenberg(2553044044)
Lenny DiNardo(4312430245)
Terry Mulholland(5544224115)
Mike Nakamura(4543422043)

Putz slips slightly, Adkins replaces Fultz, and DiNardo also joins the list as this section of relievers remains relatively stable.

b
c - Kelvim Escobar(33024)
Dennys Reyes(4035)

cxyz - Scott Williamson(3353354223)
cy - Brian Shouse(5445)
cy - Brendan Donnelly
cz - Troy Percival(2253034332)
c - Jeff Nelson(4405443023)
c - Scott Sauerbeck
y - David Riske(4241443324)
y - Rafael Soriano(424332)
y - Mike MacDougal(50522)
y - Derrick Turnbow
John Parrish(3421424244)
Mark Malaska(2304213332)
Jack Cressend(4243121113)
Chris Mears
Kirk Saarloos
Bobby Seay

c
z - Mark Hendrickson(45323)
z - Brian Anderson(10230)
Carlos Silva(34200)

yz - Terry Adams(3225322344)
x - Ron Villone(3343342343)
z - Rick White(4232343335)
z - Ben Weber(2532443232)
z - Scott Stewart(3425334510)
z - Chris Hammond(3433312431)
z - Omar Daal
z - Jayson Durocher
z - Steve Karsay
z - Jason Middlebrook
z - Britt Reames
z - Al Reyes
z - Carl Sadler
z - Bob Wickman
Kelly Wunsch(532)
Julio Mateo(1343353531)
Mike Myers(4240252344)
Justin Speier(4332142342)
Kane Davis
Hansel Izquierdo
Jose Santiago
Mike Thurman

x
z - Jaime Cerda(334213333)
Jason Frasor(3553433354)
Erasmo Ramirez(3433444323)
Nate Field(3523433452)
Trever Miller(3234333543)
Jason Kershner(0443353534)
Shingo Takatsu(4432332344)
Valerio de los Santos(33305434323)
Chad Gaudin(3233331435)

Cerda moves up here while Kershner replaces Scott Sullivan and Takatsu returns after a week's absence.

y
Rick Helling

z
Mike DeJean(1323545301)
Mike Jackson(2342223342)

AL starters I recommend despite their failure to appear above include Jon Garland(42353), Kenny Rogers(44323), and Jarrod Washburn(32443).

Other decent relievers include Justin Huisman, Matt J. Miller, and Ramon Ortiz.

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 the following skill qualifications: K>=IP-2, BB<=IP/3, H<=IP, HR<=1, and G-F>=1.00. Any starter who does not reach at least one of the required statistical goals or fails to pitch 5 innings earns a QA score of 0. 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 the following skill qualifications: K>=IP, BB=0, H<=IP, HR=0, and G-F>=1.00. Any reliever who does not reach at least one of the required statistical goals or fails to retire a batter earns a QA score of 0. Scores of 5 and 4 qualify as DOMinant outings, a 3 is DULl, and anything below 3 ranks as a skill DISaster.

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

We will continue tomorrow with this week's NL LPR article.

Today's Fantasy Rx: Among non-closing AL relievers, Kevin Gregg, Justin Duchscherer, Jim Mecir, and B.J. Ryan look like remarkably safe selections to provide you with a welcome qualitative boost and even occasional wins and saves. The first two pitchers also belong in the active lineups of any standard fantasy baseball league, even those using both AL and NL players.