Today's Fantasy Rx

Welcome 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 June 9th. 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
2ABCXYZ - Curt Schilling(34344)

axy - Francisco Rodriguez(4524445324)
x - Kevin Gregg(4335343555)
x - Jamie Walker(3533230344)

While losing Mulder and Almanzar mildly surprises me, Jamie Walker's ascendancy greatly pleases me. He appeared on the edge of earning this ranking several times last year, only missing due to flyball troubles. With those problems apparently fixed, he now ranks as perhaps the safest lefty reliever to own in the American League.

2
3ABCYZ - Pedro Martinez(55324)
3ABXYZ - Mark Mulder(53444)
3BCXYZ - Roy Halladay(23525)
3bcyz - Byung-Hyun Kim(400)
ABCXYZ - Tim Hudson(43034)
BCY - Kevin Brown(30330)
BY - Esteban Loaiza(42522)
CY - Sidney Ponson(43014)
Xc - Scott Schoeneweis(34333)
B - Mike Mussina(35225)

As only a slightly lowered strikeout rate cost Mulder his top overall ranking, feel free to continue considering him among the AL's top couple starters.

3abcxyz - Mariano Rivera(5431543455)
3bcxyz - Alan Embree(3332533404)
3acz - Arthur Rhodes(5454442354)
Baxz - Scot Shields(3553444354)
bcz - Jeremy Affeldt(234443241)
a - Travis Harper(5424322432)

3
abcxyz - Keith Foulke(4434302433)
abcxyz - Francisco Cordero(5355444434)
abcyz - Chad Bradford(5544224254)
acxz - Ricardo Rincon(4534534033)
acyz - Buddy Groom(0430355341)
bcxy - Damaso Marte(3144335344)

A
BCX - Javier Vazquez(54235)
BYz - Johan Santana(30534)
Xb - Dennys Reyes(03543)
by - Jake Westbrook(34224)
C - Miguel Batista(44045)
X - Gary Knotts(50443)
X - Freddy Garcia(24154)
X - Joaquin Benoit(44330)
Jon Lieber(54421)
Rich Harden(24442)
Nate Robertson(23344)
Mike Maroth(42235)

Garcia, Westbrook, and Knotts head here while Arroyo drops and Zambrano switches with Batista. Despite Batista's struggles, his skills are great right now, and he looks like a good trade target.

B
Y - Joel Pineiro(34352)
Cliff Lee(33321)
Eric DuBose(04323)
Jose Contreras(40420)

Consider selling high on Lee before his command problems lead to a significant ERA increase.

C
XYZ - Tim Wakefield(43422)
Z - Mark Buehrle(35453)
Z - Derek Lowe(30315)
x - Rodrigo Lopez(0242)
Victor Zambrano(00430)
Bartolo Colon(32200)

I don't know who scares me more between Zambrano and Colon, but if you can grab him at a discount, Colon owns the skills necessary to rebound into a $20 pitcher.

b - Mickey Callaway(5)

X
Ryan Drese(43043)
Justin Miller(53413)

While Drese flips with Garland again, he still isn't a great choice right now.

Y
acz - Jose Jimenez(4343504342)

Z
Orlando Hernandez.

a
bcxyz - Eddie Guardado(4434453433)
bcxyz - Tom Gordon(3223534345)
bcxyz - Paul Quantrill(3224403453)
bcxz - Ugueth Urbina(5343344454)
bcyz - Jason Grimsley(4244352344)
bcx - Jim Mecir(4543043554)
bxy - Danny Patterson(4354454340)
bxy - Danys Baez(3423533352)
cxz - Billy Koch(4454541422)
bx - B.J. Ryan(3434345435)
by - Curtis Leskanic(1553344141)
cz - Cliff Politte(2323412535)
b - John Parrish(4244244344)

x - Joe Nathan(5543553423)
x - Shingo Takatsu(3234454543)
x - Carlos Almanzar(4444334333)
x - Aaron Fultz(4545125443)
x - Jon Adkins(2233434433)
Juan Rincon(3054544345)
John Halama(4245433415)
Rafael Betancourt(5341252433)
Kerry Ligtenberg(4044442231)
Neal Cotts(3442424413)
Terry Mulholland(4224115325)
J.J. Putz(3320124404)
Mike Nakamura(4543422043)

b
c - Kelvim Escobar(24145)

cxyz - Mike Timlin(3354341333)
cxyz - Scott Williamson(3353354223)
cy - Brian Shouse(544543)
cy - Brendan Donnelly
cz - Troy Percival(2530343322)
c - Jeff Nelson(4405443023)
c - Scott Sauerbeck
y - David Riske(4433244444)
y - Rafael Soriano(424332)
y - Mike MacDougal(50522)
y - Derrick Turnbow
Mark Malaska(3042133324)
Jack Cressend(4243121113)
Chris Mears
Kirk Saarloos
Bobby Seay

c
z - Mark Hendrickson(23023)
Carlos Silva(00342)

xz - J.C. Romero(5354333430)
yz - Terry Adams(5322344333)
x - Ron Villone(3423434544)
z - Rick White(4333534323)
z - Chris Hammond(1243143533)
z - Ben Weber(3244323211)
z - Brian Anderson(413)
z - Scott Stewart(3425334510)
z - Steve Karsay
z - Omar Daal
z - Bob Wickman
z - Gary Glover
z - Jayson Durocher
z - Jason Middlebrook
z - Britt Reames
z - Carl Sadler
Julio Mateo(5353132443)
Mike Myers(0252344355)
Justin Speier(3321423425)
Kelly Wunsch(532)
Kane Davis
Hansel Izquierdo
Jose Santiago
Mike Thurman

x
Jason Frasor(3335433245)
Jason Kershner(4335353434)
Erasmo Ramirez(4432333343)
Trever Miller(3354353340)
Chad Gaudin(3233331435)

Losing de los Santos leaves three lefties useful as roster filler and a promising young closer.

y
Rick Helling

z
Jaime Cerda(3333314442)
Jorge Julio(2544313321)
Mike Jackson(2334225321)
Mike DeJean(5301224335)

Despite Julio's struggles, he remains a respectable option at closer. However, exploring alternatives might be a good idea.

AL starters I recommend despite their failure to appear above include R.A. Dickey(13344), Jon Garland(53340), Zach Greinke(4335), Pat Hentgen(43331), Jason Johnson(35035), Jamie Moyer(23433), Brad Radke(34324), and Barry Zito(34442).

Other decent relievers include Justin Duchscherer and Matt J. Miller.

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

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

Today's Fantasy Rx: If you can afford to add a quality starting pitcher, the best current options are Mark Mulder, Curt Schilling, Mark Buehrle, and Scott Schoeneweis. No other AL starter has avoided a disastrous outing in his last five starts.