Today's Fantasy Rx

Welcome our weekly LPR rankings, our primary method to identify highly skilled and/or consistently effective pitchers. Please refer to the end of the article 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 August 4th. 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
23ABXYZ - Mark Mulder(34441)
AX - Freddy Garcia(44444)
A - Bronson Arroyo(55344)

Dave Borkowski missed due to allowing one hit over his IP total; he remains a solid option in all AL leagues. Although Schilling also dropped, I similarly see no reason not to recommend him.

23abcxyz - Mariano Rivera(5453143451)
abcxyz - Tom Gordon(5554452553)
abcxyz - Mike Timlin(3523425504)
x - Kevin Gregg(3345535445)
x - Trever Miller(3414434555)
Justin Duchscherer(3322433331)

Gregg and Miller slam up the list this week. Miller's jump doesn't surprise me at all given his generally all-around solid skills. Given the low likelihood that owners in most standard leagues care about Tampa's lefty relievers, feel free to roster him whenever you need injury filler or even just enhanced qualitative stability.

2
3ABCXYZ - Pedro Martinez(54444)
3ABCYZ - Roy Halladay(52530)
3bcyz - Byung-Hyun Kim(400)
ABCXYZ - Curt Schilling(44224)
BCXYZ - Tim Hudson(34522)
BCY - Kevin Brown(03304)
BY - Esteban Loaiza(24123)
CY - Sidney Ponson(41343)
B - Mike Mussina(03232)
c - Scott Schoeneweis(24040)

3bcyz - Alan Embree(3302454334)
3acz - Arthur Rhodes(4423542124)
Baxz - Scot Shields(4343323455)
bcz - Jeremy Affeldt(432412454)
Travis Harper(3141442334)

3
abcxyz - Keith Foulke(3423344353)
abcxyz - Francisco Cordero(4353552445)
abcyz - Chad Bradford(2535444243)
acxz - Ricardo Rincon(5232335554)
bcxy - Damaso Marte(4343341333)
cyz - Buddy Groom(1334313332)

A
ABXYz - Johan Santana(54354)
Nate Robertson(44232)

b - Dennys Reyes(4555514451)

B
C - Javier Vazquez(20322)
Y - Joel Pineiro(23404)
Jose Contreras(44033)
Cliff Lee(34000)
Eric DuBose(32300)

C
YZ - Tim Wakefield(53023)
Z - Mark Buehrle(32433)
Z - Derek Lowe(40232)
x - Rodrigo Lopez(33230)
Miguel Batista(34532)
Bartolo Colon(32443)

b - Mickey Callaway(5)

X
Dave Borkowski(32443)
Zach Greinke(34033)
David Bush(43330)

Justin Miller(0)

Only Greinke and Miller hold spots here as Westbrook, Drese, and Mike Wood fall while Borkowski and Bush join this ranking.

Y
cz - Jose Jimenez(3345134024)

Z
Orlando Hernandez(32503).

a
John Halama(04023)

bcxyz - Octavio Dotel(3544545432)
bcxyz - Eddie Guardado(3534443310)
bcxyz - Scott Williamson(2235545454)
bcxy - Brendan Donnelly(4445243545)
bcyz - Jason Grimsley(1224344535)
bcx - Jim Mecir(4145445344)
bcy - Brian Shouse(1353224023)
bxy - Danys Baez(144335443)
cxz - J.C. Romero(5034555504)
bx - B.J. Ryan(4353543423)
xy - Francisco Rodriguez(1435354552)
b - John Parrish(4345442223)
x - Joe Nathan(3454554354)
x - Carlos Almanzar(4445532335)
x - Bob Howry(2443434344)
x - Juan Rincon(3440324345)
x - Shingo Takatsu(2235533423)
x - Jason Kershner(5353434515)
Rafael Betancourt(1444445440)
Esteban Yan(4342334425)
Matt J. Miller(0433551353)
Frank Francisco(4132435455)

Howry and Francisco enjoy strong weeks while Betancourt slips slightly. Cleveland's resurgent bullpen makes Howry, Betancourt, Miller, and even Riske and White respectable roto options in some leagues.

b
c - Kelvim Escobar(33413)
y - Jake Westbrook(53423)
Kirk Saarloos(43030)

cxz - Ugueth Urbina(2534333543)
cyz - Paul Quantrill(3413343433)
cz - Troy Percival(2355144530)
c - Jeff Nelson(5443023422)
c - Scott Sauerbeck
y - David Riske(2323434352)
y - Curtis Leskanic(4455321330)
y - Danny Patterson(4235412320)
y - Derrick Turnbow(3334)
y - Rafael Soriano(424332)
y - Mike MacDougal(50522)
Mark Malaska(3332411433)
Bobby Seay(0330134)
Jack Cressend(4243121113)
Chris Mears

c
x - Ron Villone(02250)
z - Brian Anderson(03504)
z - Mark Hendrickson(04430)
Carlos Silva(24333)

xz - Rick White(4334552344)
yz - Terry Adams(5423434533)
z - Bob Wickman(424424543)
z - Chris Hammond(1435333353)
z - Cliff Politte(323344423)
z - Ben Weber(3244323211)
z - Scott Stewart(3425334510)
z - Steve Karsay
z - Omar Daal
z - Jayson Durocher
z - Jason Middlebrook
z - Britt Reames
z - Carl Sadler
Mike Myers(3340200443)
Justin Speier(3412432443)
Julio Mateo(4252443221)
Kelly Wunsch(532)
Kane Davis
Hansel Izquierdo
Jose Santiago
Mike Thurman

x
z -Jaime Cerda(3354342424)
Jamie Walker(3334553234)
Jesus Colome(3332253435)
C.J. Nitkowski(2344334432)
Jason Frasor(2153424333)
Chad Gaudin(3233331435)
Erasmo Ramirez(2333343413)

Howry moves up and Seanez switches leagues while Colome and Nitkowski earn berths here this week. Of course, I see no reason to treat anyone here save Frasor as more than roster filler.

z
Jorge Julio(2344553443)
Mike Jackson(4522425442)
Brandon Puffer(2332242224)

AL starters I recommend despite their failure to appear above include Ryan Drese(43430), Ryan Franklin(23433), Jon Garland(43325), Rich Harden(43352), Jason Johnson(35534), John Lackey(43351), Jon Lieber(43340), Ted Lilly(33423), Mike Maroth(35333), C.C. Sabathia(44524), and Josh Towers(34430).

Other decent relievers include Ryan Bukvich, Lance Carter, Jesse Crain, Shigetoshi Hasegawa, Ron Mahay, Ramiro Mendoza, and Scott Proctor.

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: Although Roberto Alomar shouldn't play every day for the White Sox, he should see significant time given that few position players on Chicago continue to avoid both injury and ineffectiveness. Yes, he hasn't stolen any bases this year, but he remains an extremely disciplined hitter who possesses the plate discipline and overall batting skill necessary to hold his average near .300. While moving to the Cell from the BOB likely will force his BA down slightly, adding Alomar is a viable alternative to teams with an abundance of FAAB that failed to roster Orlando Cabrera or Dave Roberts.