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 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
3ABCXYZ - Roy Oswalt(33445)
3ABCXZ - Randy Johnson(54433)
3ABCXZ - Odalis Perez(45553)
ACXYz - Carlos Zambrano(43234)
ABCY - Jason Schmidt(45453)
ACX - Ben Sheets(35343)
AX - Jerome Williams(33444)
AZ - Oliver Perez(45032)

Losing Penny again, as well as Livan Hernandez, keeps this ranking in flux, although at least Jerome Williams rightfully returns.

23abcxyz - LaTroy Hawkins(4542553434)
abcxy - Braden Looper(4352255353)
ax - Dan Miceli(3245414514)
ax - Orber Moreno(4453334423)

Miceli replaces Madson, who slips due to his move to the rotation, while Moreno squeezes onto this ranking despite hitting the DL this week.

2
3CXZ - Kevin Millwood(33040)
BCYZ - Mark Prior(40)
AX - Brad Penny(45423)

3abcxyz - John Smoltz(4544454554)
3abcxyz - Billy Wagner(4345544453)
3byz - Joe Borowski(2433341342)
abcxyz - Eric Gagne(4554454442)
abcxyz - Mike Koplove(4134324054)
abx - Guillermo Mota(5415325343)
byz - Rheal Cormier(5324532242)
bcz - Tim Spooneybarger
by - Javier Lopez(3542433433)

3
CZ - Matt Morris(23331)
C - Woody Williams(42153)

bcxyz - Jason Isringhausen(3335413553)
cxz - Steve Reed(2444343133)
by - Jay Witasick(3135543352)
cz - Robb Nen

A
BCXY - Roger Clemens(43454)
BCZ - Matt Clement(53024)
CXZ - Greg Maddux(54423)
BC - Wade Miller(33204)
BX - Livan Hernandez(54334)
CX - Jake Peavy(44344)
CZ - Jeff Weaver(25443)
Xc - Zach Day(53343)
B - Todd Van Poppel(44425)

X - Paul Wilson(34444)
X - Joe Kennedy(43403)
X - Jason Marquis(42044)
Dontrelle Willis(03544)
Russ Ortiz(04452)
Cory Lidle(24350)
Jeff Suppan(04442)
Doug Davis(24440)
Brett Myers(34204)
Kerry Wood(25550)

Wilson and Willis look increasingly strong, making them good targets, especially before the latter's value jump upward.

B
XY - Brandon Webb(33043)
C - Andy Pettitte(44430)
Y - Josh Beckett(34440)
x - Jeff Fassero(032)

Yax - Darren Dreifort(4352535532)
Y - Juan Cruz(1353342522)
x - Amaury Telemaco(3433334030)
y - Adam Bernero
Andrew Good(4255423252)
Jim Brower(1444513142)
Michael Tejera

C
Y - Kip Wells(35230)
Z - Brian Lawrence(42545)
Z - John Patterson(4044)
Z - A.J. Burnett
David Wells(45323)
Adam Eaton(24234)
Al Leiter(34023)
Casey Fossum(40230)

X
YZ - Randy Wolf(32353)
Z - Vicente Padilla(53233)
c - Carl Pavano(34244)
Tom Glavine(45433)
Chris Carpenter(43352)
Aaron Cook(35340)
Matt Ginter(33403)
Victor Santos(30433)

Glavine, Carpenter, and Santos settle here as Ginter and Cook replace Acevedo.

Y
Dustin Hermanson(53225)
Tony Armas, Jr.(43)

a
x - Tommy Phelps(300)

bcxyz - Octavio Dotel(3445345334)
bcxz - Chris Reitsma(3535533353)
bcxz - Luis Vizcaino(4124434344)
bxyz - Danny Kolb(3435544434)
cxyz - Antonio Alfonseca(4444324445)
bcx - Mike Lincoln(4245453341)
bxy - Kyle Farnsworth(5543353454)
bxy - Julian Tavarez(4433452424)
cxz - Trevor Hoffman(4453343455)

bx - Armando Benitez(3443345443)
bx - Brad Lidge(3254454343)
by - Jose Valverde(5243132442)
by - Tom Martin(3043554454)
cx - Danny Graves(5223452433)
cx - John Riedling(4551344540)
cy - Brian Fuentes(3515234442)
xy - John Franco(4334304433)
xz - Jose Mesa(3552434233)

c - Toby Borland(5543352225)
c - Randy Choate(4005545343)
c - Brian Boehringer(2433434431)
x - Kiko Calero(4245335445)
x - Salomon Torres(3434235445)
x - Chad Harville(4325345434)
x - T.J. Tucker(5435434255)
x - Akinori Otsuka(5214533444)
x - Ryan Madson(2434545414)
x - Scott Linebrink(0443242304)
x - Brian Bruney(3344442342)
y - Brian Meadows(4244340423)
y - Rocky Biddle(4044252341)
y - Oscar Villarreal(1544430332)
Phil Norton(4144534553)
Francis Beltran(4344303334)
John Grabow(4244433405)
Tim Harikkala(3344204443)
Tyler Walker(3243524114)
Felix Rodriguez(2355034041)

b
cxyz - Tim Worrell(2154553354)
cxz - Ray King(3355434553)
cy - Matt Herges(2343424335)
cz - Roberto Hernandez(4444332243)
cz - Mike Remlinger(43532450)
cz - Joey Eischen
cz - Paul Shuey
cz - Mike Crudale
xy - Luis Ayala(3433435444)
yz - Matt Mantei(4024421333)
c - Scott Strickland
y - Rod Beck(253244)
Kevin Gryboski(5353423232)
Dave Burba(3231332553)
Cal Eldred(4353324053)
Scott Service(33343)
Will Cunnane(341043333)
Jason Simontacchi(2122)
Troy Brohawn

c
Sun-Woo Kim(4300)

xz - Todd Jones(1332343425)
yz - Ricky Stone(3235422233)
x - Steve Kline(4403334355)
z - Ricky Bottalico(4353213242)
z - Armando Almanza(443334444)
z - Eddie Oropesa(3040332450)
z - Brian Bowles
z - Dave Coggin
z - Chad Paronto
z - Al Reyes
Travis Driskill
Blaine Neal

x
y - Mike Stanton(4034435434)
Duaner Sanchez(2452535343)
C.J. Nitkowski(3523443344)
Scott Eyre(4430134334)
Brian Reith(3414334531)
Mike Gallo(4235323441)
Chad Fox(4454433330)

y
Glendon Rusch(04312)

Brooks Kieschnick(3330433241)
Grant Roberts(1232)
John Foster
Scott Randall
Dave Veres

z
Brandon Puffer(0332332242)
Brandon Villafuerte(4351)
Vladimir Nunez(1413324320)
Dave Elder
Dan Reichert
Chad Zerbe

NL starters I recommend despite their failure to appear above include Mike Hampton(33303), Kirk Rueter(34330), Dennis Tankersley(54), John Thomson(53430), and Ismael Valdez(33033).

Other decent relievers include Mike Adams, Wilson Alvarez, Nate Bump, Elmer Dessens, Mike Gonzalez, and Matt Perisho.

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: If you can afford to add a quality starting pitcher, the best current options are Jason Schmidt, Odalis Perez, Roger Clemens, Roy Oswalt, Randy Johnson, Jerome Williams, Tom Glavine, Paul Wilson, Ben Sheets, Zach Day, and Livan Hernandez. No other NL starter save Colorado's Jason Jennings, who doesn't merit a roster spot in almost any league, has avoided a disastrous outing in his last five starts.