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 September 15th. 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
2ABCYZ - Curt Schilling(54245)
AX - Freddy Garcia(40343)
A - Bronson Arroyo(35015)

23abcxyz - Mariano Rivera(4454524455)
abcxyz - Tom Gordon(3243344454)
bcxyz - Mike Timlin(4442333433)
Kevin Gregg(4313223254)

2
3ABCXYZ - Pedro Martinez(34432)
3ABCYZ - Roy Halladay(52530)
3BXYZ - Mark Mulder(32423)
3bcyz - Byung-Hyun Kim(400)
BCYZ - Tim Hudson(34302)
BCY - Kevin Brown(13235)
CY - Sidney Ponson(22443)
B - Mike Mussina(44455)
c - Scott Schoeneweis(24040)

Mussina looks ready to lead the Yankees into the playoffs, finally fulfilling the expectations of owners that approached $30 for him in many leagues.

3bcyz - Alan Embree(3354343543)
3acz - Arthur Rhodes(1243324423)
BY - Esteban Loaiza(22)
Bxz - Scot Shields(2532520433)
abcz - Jeremy Affeldt(4332354545)
a - Travis Harper(4424534532)

3
abcxyz - Keith Foulke(5245452354)
abcxyz - Francisco Cordero(3433454453)
abcyz - Chad Bradford(3004444243)
bcy - Damaso Marte(5542503542)
cxz - Ricardo Rincon(3344313330)
cyz - Buddy Groom(3432334512)

A
BXYz - Johan Santana(54445)
Xby - Jake Westbrook(24545)
X - Bobby Madritsch(44434)
Nate Robertson(45540)
Terry Mulholland(40433)

Not only does Madritsch continue to roll, Westbrook appears on track to finish the year with very impressive numbers.

ab - Dennys Reyes(2552150134)

B
C - Javier Vazquez(30404)
Y - Joel Pineiro(23404)
Jose Contreras(25300)
Cliff Lee(04202)
Eric DuBose(32300)

Michael Tejera(522)

C
XZ - Mark Buehrle(33323)
YZ - Tim Wakefield(25202)
Z - Derek Lowe(25535)
b - Mickey Callaway(000)
x - Rodrigo Lopez(12351)
Bartolo Colon(43045)
Miguel Batista(02430)

X
Brad Radke(33444)
Ryan Drese(03353)

Radke remains an award candidate while Drese seems past his struggles and ready to boost teams down the final stretch of the year.

Y
Orlando Hernandez(32444)

a
bcxyz - Scott Williamson(3554545444)
bcxyz - Octavio Dotel(4342355344)
bcxyz - Eddie Guardado(3534443310)
bcxy - Brian Shouse(3434454415)
bcxy - Brendan Donnelly(5353435442)
bcyz - Jason Grimsley(2334455422)
bcx - Jim Mecir(5552533433)
cxz - Bob Wickman(5353333453)
cxz - J.C. Romero(4324354333)
bx - B.J. Ryan(1344344442)
xy - Francisco Rodriguez(3454455334)
xz - Jorge Julio(4442533133)
c - Mike Myers(5003444444)
x - Joe Nathan(3444554454)
x - Todd Williams(3433445444)
x - Rafael Betancourt(3554345435)
x - Juan Rincon(2534355545)
x - Ramiro Mendoza(2143444324)
x - Bob Howry(4512324533)
x - Carlos Almanzar(2123133435)
Esteban Yan(3225534452)
John Halama(3341544332)

b
c - Kelvim Escobar(35255)
Kirk Saarloos(43030)

cxz - Ugueth Urbina(3433454132)
cyz - Paul Quantrill(4124432331)
cz - Troy Percival(3244442445)
xy - Danys Baez(1333424452)
c - Jeff Nelson(2342233522)
y - Curtis Leskanic(3535225443)
y - David Riske(4344032432)
y - Mike MacDougal(5052254)
y - Rafael Soriano(424332)
y - Derrick Turnbow(3334)
John Parrish(3322242444)
Bobby Seay(3345314212)
Mark Malaska(3332411433)

c
z - Mark Hendrickson(00034)
z - Brian Anderson(12212)
Carlos Silva(44343)

xz - Chris Hammond(4333353323)
yz - Terry Adams(3453333325)
z - Cliff Politte(3523434343)
z - Rick White(3142032225)
z - Steve Karsay(3423)
z - Omar Daal
Justin Speier(4333433434)
Julio Mateo(4252443221)
Ron Villone(3233231235)

x
Trever Miller(0345434532)
Erasmo Ramirez(4133453524)
Jesus Colome(4334344330)
Matt J. Miller(4333534332)
Sean Douglass(4334330332)

z
Jaime Cerda(1215343151)

AL starters I recommend despite their failure to appear above include Jon Lieber(43443), Jeremy Bonderman(52453), Zach Greinke(41424), Jarrod Washburn(32443), Rich Harden(33504), Barry Zito(53324), Ted Lilly(43235), Scott Kazmir(4043), Mike Maroth(33513), Gil Meche(24333), and Kenny Rogers(14333).

Other decent relievers include Shawn Camp, J.J. Putz, Al Levine, Jamie Walker, Rick Bauer, Jesse Crain, Scott Atchison, Shingo Takatsu, and Jason Davis.

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: Only the following dozen AL starters appear safe to run if you're guarding a tiny ERA or WHIP advantage: Curt Schilling, Mike Mussina, Johan Santana, Jake Westbrook, Bobby Madritsch, Derek Lowe, Brad Radke, Orlando Hernandez, Kelvim Escobar, Carlos Silva, Jon Lieber, and Jeremy Bonderman. Replace your other starters with any relievers who own at least an ax ranking and a current QA log of either consistently solid scores or a positive trend with no less than five dominant outings.