Today's Fantasy Rx

Quick Key to the tables:
AB = At-bats.  H = Hits.  BA = Batting Average.  HR= Home Runs.
RBI = Runs Batted In.  SB = Stolen Bases.  R = Runs.  B = Bats.  T = Throws.
Pos = Position qualification based on 20 appearances or max. # of games in 2004.
Age = Player's Age as of October 1, 2004.
4x4 = BA, HR, RBI, and SB in 12-team, $260 leagues with 23-man rosters.
5x5 = BA, HR, RBI, SB, and R in 12-team, $260 leagues with 23-man rosters.
RAR = Runs Above Replacement; Adjusted RAR = RAR modified to
consider a player's 2004 defensive rating in Scoresheet fantasy baseball.

Players are ranked in order from the highest draft value in a 4x4 league to the lowest. As the majority of fantasy leagues allow you to keep anyone traded to the other league, all players are listed in the league where they began the season.

67.		AB	H	BA	HR	RBI	SB	R	Pos
Victor Diaz		51	15	.294	3	8	0	8	O
NY Mets		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 22	B:R    T:R	0		0		1.7		1.7

Please refer to our Post-2004 Prospect Review: New York(N) for my comments on Diaz.

68.		AB	H	BA	HR	RBI	SB	R	Pos
Doug Glanville		162	34	.210	2	14	8	21	O
PHI Phillies		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 34	B:R    T:R	0		0		-11.9		-10.7

Career-worst marks nearly across-the-board, including an unacceptable .264 OBP, indicate that Glanville simply doesn't deserve additional big league at-bats. Yet he somehow signed with the Yankees, and since he still owns strong speed skills, expect Glanville to open the year in New York, possibly even sending the surprisingly inferior Bubba Crosby to the minors. Of course, since even fantasy owners only can risk rostering Glanville even as injury filler when buffeted by a strong BA base, his move to the Bronx makes no sense at all to me.

69.		AB	H	BA	HR	RBI	SB	R	Pos
Jason Ellison		4	2	.500	1	3	2	4	O
SF Giants		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 26	B:R    T:R	0		-1		2.7		2.7

Please refer to our Post-2004 Prospect Review: San Francisco for my comments on Ellison.

70.		AB	H	BA	HR	RBI	SB	R	Pos
Orlando Palmeiro		133	32	.241	3	12	2	19	O
HOU Astros		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 35	B:L    T:L	0		0		-3.6		-3.6

Although Orlando Palmeiro currently looks like an Opening Day starter after re-signing with Houston, I hope to see the Astros award any exceed outfield at-bats to Mike Lamb, providing playing time for both Lamb and Morgan Ensberg. Unfortunately for Houston fans, Palmeiro instead should start, and while he performed respectably against right-handed pitchers and appears set to return to positive value thanks to strong skill trends, the aging utilityman still possesses minimal overall upside. Employing him as anything more than roster filler is a mistake.

71.		AB	H	BA	HR	RBI	SB	R	Pos
Damon Hollins		22	8	.364	0	5	0	3	O
ATL Braves		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 30	B:R    T:L	-1		-1		1.1		1.1

Please refer to our Post-2004 Prospect Review: Atlanta for my comments on Hollins.

72.		AB	H	BA	HR	RBI	SB	R	Pos
Lou Collier		36	10	.278	1	4	1	7	O
PHI Phillies		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 31	B:R    T:R	-1		-1		0.5		0.5

Registering a .321/.378/.510 performance in 390 AB for AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre(IL) while demonstrating decent power, speed, and plate discipline indicates Collier deserves to spend most of this year in the majors. Continued excellent against southpaws similarly gives him value to most squads, yet Collier doesn't even appear set to head to camp anywhere this month. He won't merit much fantasy attention until he secures regular big league playing time.

73.		AB	H	BA	HR	RBI	SB	R	Pos
Tony Torcato		9	5	.556	0	2	0	1	O
SF Giants		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 24	B:L    T:R	-1		-1		2.3		2.3

Please refer to our Post-2004 Prospect Review: San Francisco for my comments on Torcato.

74.		AB	H	BA	HR	RBI	SB	R	Pos
Brad Hawpe		105	26	.248	3	9	1	12	O
COL Rockies		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 25	B:L    T:L	-1		-1		-1.6		-2.4

Please refer to our Post-2004 Prospect Review: Colorado for my comments on Hawpe.

75.		AB	H	BA	HR	RBI	SB	R	Pos
Freddy Guzman		76	16	.211	0	5	5	8	O
SD Padres		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 23	B:S    T:R	-1		-1		-6.8		-6.8

Please refer to our Post-2004 Prospect Review: San Diego for my comments on Guzman.

76.		AB	H	BA	HR	RBI	SB	R	Pos
Colin Porter		35	11	.314	1	2	0	3	O
STL Cardinals		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 28	B:L    T:L	-1		-1		0.3		0.3

The minor league free agent landed with the Yankees after only managing a .261/.316/.424 performance in 330 AB for AAA Memphis(PCL), an unwelcome downturn from his .320/.361/.511 line at AAA New Orleans(PCL) a year ago. While he owns decent speed and probably could outperform Doug Glanville or Bubba Crosby as the backup centerfielder in New York, nothing in Porter's stats suggest he should post positive value, rendering him useless to any fantasy team not desperate for speed.

77.		AB	H	BA	HR	RBI	SB	R	Pos
Gerald Williams		129	30	.233	4	11	2	17	O
NY Mets		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 38	B:R    T:R	-1		-1		-3.6		-3.6

Remaining with the Mets as a minor league free agent somehow might keep Williams in the majors despite his .233/.277/.419 line in New York and a fairly unimpressive .310/.341/.450 performance in 242 AB for AAA Norfolk(IL). Williams no longer possesses noticeable speed skills, and with awful plate discipline and an MLB batting average near .200 this decade, he offers no upside to any fantasy team. Do not roster the unproductive journeyman

78.		AB	H	BA	HR	RBI	SB	R	Pos
Brooks Kieschnick		63	17	.270	1	7	0	2	O
MIL Brewers		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 32	B:L    T:R	-1		-2		-1.1		-1.1

An abrupt jump from a 1.24 G-F to a 2.08 mark resulted in the nearly complete disappearance of Kieschnick's power, but he at least posted a .324/.390/.486 first-half performance before shoulder tendonitis led to a .414 second-half OPS that crippled his overall numbers. Kieschnick now appears far more useful as a reliever, yet since he only should accumulate no more than 75 at-bats, he remains viable roster filler if available in your league.

79.		AB	H	BA	HR	RBI	SB	R	Pos
Xavier Nady		77	19	.247	3	9	0	7	O
SD Padres		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 25	B:R    T:R	-1		-1		-1.3		-2.2

Hopefully the general fragility of Ryan Klesko and Phil Nevin will provide Nady with the opportunity he clearly deserves. Compiling a .333/.394/.632 performance in 291 at-bats for AAA Portland(PCL) certainly indicates Nady can hit in the majors, but inconsistent plate discipline and a surprisingly poor 2.69 G-F limit his immediate upside. Of course, targeting Nady during the endgame as probably mid-season trade bait remains a good idea, especially since the Padres could realize the upside of platooning Klesko with Nady, thereby providing the youngster with semi-regular playing time and a good opportunity to post a respectable batting average. Consider Nady a strong sleeper in an NL league.

80.		AB	H	BA	HR	RBI	SB	R	Pos
Raul Mondesi		133	32	.241	3	15	0	10	O
PIT/ANA		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 33	B:R    T:R	-1		-1		-4.8		-7

I see little reason to rehash Mondesi's off-field issues from last season. The important facts here are that he demonstrated perhaps the best batting skills of his career and moving to Atlanta easily could reinvigorate his career. Expect at least a mild five-category contribution from the veteran as Ryan Langerhans only should find playing time at the expense of Brian Jordan, as opposed to the recently-signed former All-Star who posted a respectable .283/.355/.424 line in 99 AB for the Pirates in 2004. Mondesi could cruise to $20 without significant problem, and I expect you can roster him for roughly half that cost, making him an obvious sleeper unless more distractions arise prior to draft day.

81.		AB	H	BA	HR	RBI	SB	R	Pos
Kit Pellow		121	29	.240	2	10	1	15	O
COL Rockies		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 31	B:R    T:R	-1		-1		-4.8		-6.2

Pellow completely failed to take advantage of the singular opportunity awarded him last year. While he demonstrated a little patience in Colorado, his .655 OPS and negligible power potential now should keep him in the minors indefinitely. As moving to Seattle places him in competition with several solid organization players essentially ready for the majors, Pellow looks unlikely to see many more big league at-bats any time soon.

82.		AB	H	BA	HR	RBI	SB	R	Pos
Doug DeVore		107	24	.224	3	13	1	5	O
ARI Diamondbacks		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 26	B:L    T:L	-1		-2		-4.8		-4.8

A mildly intriguing .265/.325/.500 performance in 230 AB for AAA Tucson(PCL) caught my eye during the season, but Devore's plate discipline and power skills disappeared upon his promotion. He foolishly re-signed with Arizona on a minor league deal, so I hope he likes Tucson since the Diamondbacks own a few extremely solid outfield prospects who all should spend most of the year starting for the Sidewinders. Don't even expect Devore to return to the majors in September given the alternatives available to Arizona.

83.		AB	H	BA	HR	RBI	SB	R	Pos
Willy Taveras		1	0	.000	0	0	1	2	O
HOU Astros		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 22	B:R    T:R	-1		-2		-0.2		-0.2

Please refer to our Post-2004 Prospect Review: Houston for my comments on Taveras.

'04 NL Outfielder Week continues tomorrow, featuring more National Leaguers without PDV.

Today's Fantasy Rx: Brad Hawpe and Raul Mondesi easily rank as the two players discussed here who look most likely to reach double-digit value. While Hawpe sometimes slips into the shadow of fellow Colorado rookies Closser, Atkins, and Barmes, he owns better power potential than any of his fellow prospects and could prosper in Coors. Monitor San Diego to find the best sleepers here. Xavier Nady should break camp as the top 1B/OF reserve while Freddy Guzman could approach $20 even in a limited role as long as he begins the year with the Padres.