Today's Fantasy Rx

Per popular request, I will provide all of the player information tables for these articles even if I still need to complete comments for some pitchers.

National League Starting Pitchers with DV below $-4

Quick Key to the tables:
W = Wins.  S = Saves.  ERA = Earned Run Average (ER*9/IP).
WHIP = (Walks + Hits)/IP aka Ratio.  K = Strikeouts.  BB = Bases on Balls aka Walks.
H = Hits.  IP = Innings Pitched.  P = Pitches.  B = Bats.
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 whether a pitcher qualified as a starter 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.

97.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Jared Fernandez		0	0	54.00	11.00	0	5	6	1
HOU Astros		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 32	P:R    B:R	-5		-5		-6		-6

Returning to Cincinnati after a couple seasons in Houston actually should lead to less big league innings for Fernandez considering the Reds possess more young pitchers that need experience in the majors. Of course, the journeyman knuckleballer still can help in a limited capacity as an innings eater after posting a 4.77 ERA on a 98:46 K:BB in 196.1 IP over 28 GS(35G), but he neither belongs on competitive MLB or fantasy rosters due to his extremely limited upside.

98.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Ben Hendrickson		1	0	6.22	1.68	29	20	58	46.1
MIL Brewers		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 23	P:R    B:R	-5		-4		-4.6		-4.6

Please refer to our Post-2004 Prospect Review: Milwaukee for my comments on Hendrickson.

99.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Jason Young		0	0	12.96	2.40	7	5	15	8.1
COL Rockies		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 25	P:R    B:R	-5		-5		-7.8		-7.8

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

100.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Logan Kensing		0	0	9.88	2.05	7	9	19	13.2
FLO Marlins		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 22	P:R    B:R	-5		-5		-7.5		-7.5

Please refer to our Post-2004 Prospect Review: Florida for my comments on Kensing.

101.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
James Baldwin		0	0	15.00	3.00	1	5	13	6
NY Mets		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 33	P:R    B:R	-5		-5		-7.1		-7.1

While signing with the Orioles might result in a few big league starts for Baldwin if the injuries again decimate Baltimore's rotation, even a decent AAA performance doesn't convince me that he deserves another extended shot in the majors. Yes, Baldwin compiled a 3.56 ERA on an 85:25 K:BB in 146.2 IP with 144 H and 15 HR over 21 GS(23G) between AAA Norfolk(IL) and AAA Toledo(IL), but his weak dominance gives him little chance to reemerge as anything more than staff filler. Don't risk rostering Baldwin anywhere.

102.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Jose Acevedo		5	0	5.94	1.48	117	45	188	157.2
CIN Reds		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 26	P:R    B:R	-5		-2		-10.2		-10.2

Hit and homer problems appear likely to keep Rotohelp favorite Acevedo from succeeding as a starter, but he simply dominated after moving to the bullpen. Acevedo didn't allow a run while compiling a 10:1 K:BB in 17 IP with 7 H over 12 appearances. Unfortunately, his .75 G-F even in that limited role suggests that he simply poses too much of a qualitative risk to merit a roster spot at this time. Perhaps a friendlier pitching environment might let Acevedo succeed thanks to his strong command, however I can't recommend him right now due to his obvious downside, not to mention the strong possibility that the Reds' sudden influx of relievers will force Acevedo to the minors this spring.

103.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Carlos Hernandez		1	0	6.43	1.74	26	23	50	42
HOU Astros		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 24	P:L    B:S	-5		-5		-5.3		-5.3

104.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Tim Redding		5	0	5.72	1.67	56	43	125	100.2
HOU Astros		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 26	P:R    B:R	-5		-4		-3.9		-3.9

105.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Shawn Estes		15	0	5.84	1.62	117	105	223	202
COL Rockies		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 31	P:L    B:R	-5		-3		-10.6		-10.6

106.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Jimmy Haynes		0	0	9.60	2.20	8	7	26	15
CIN Reds		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 32	P:R    B:R	-5		-5		-7.8		-7.8

107.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Scott Erickson		1	0	6.67	2.15	9	20	38	27
NYM/TEX		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 36	P:R    B:R	-5		-5		-4.2		-4.2

108.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Steve Sparks		3	0	6.04	1.52	57	45	139	120.2
ARI Diamondbacks		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 39	P:R    B:R	-5		-4		-9.4		-9.4

109.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Shawn Hill		1	0	16.00	2.67	10	7	17	9
MON Expos		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 23	P:R    B:R	-5		-5		-11.8		-11.8

Please refer to our Post-2004 Prospect Review: Montreal for my comments on Hill.

110.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Justin Germano		1	0	8.86	2.11	16	14	31	21.1
SD Padres		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 22	P:R    B:R	-5		-5		-9.1		-9.1

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

111.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Sergio Mitre		2	0	6.62	1.76	37	20	71	51.2
CH Cubs		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 23	P:R    B:R	-5		-5		-7.7		-7.7

112.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Brandon Claussen		2	0	6.14	1.74	45	35	80	66
CIN Reds		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 25	P:L    B:R	-6		-5		-5.9		-5.9

113.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Casey Daigle		2	0	7.16	1.84	17	27	63	49
ARI Diamondbacks		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 23	P:R    B:R	-6		-6		-10.6		-10.6

114.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Jason Jennings		11	0	5.51	1.70	133	101	241	201
COL Rockies		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 26	P:R    B:L	-7		-4		-2.4		-2.4

115.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Ryan Vogelsong		6	0	6.50	1.62	92	67	148	133
PIT Pirates		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 27	P:R    B:R	-7		-5		-17.8		-17.8

116.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Edgar Gonzalez		0	0	9.32	1.94	31	18	72	46.1
ARI Diamondbacks		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 21	P:R    B:R	-9		-8		-22.4		-22.4

117.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Casey Fossum		4	0	6.65	1.65	117	63	171	142
ARI Diamondbacks		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 26	P:L    B:L	-9		-6		-21.8		-21.8

118.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Hideo Nomo		4	0	8.25	1.75	54	42	105	84
LA Dodgers		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 36	P:R    B:R	-10		-8		-29.4		-29.4

119.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Denny Stark		0	0	11.42	2.73	10	18	53	26
COL Rockies		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 29	P:R    B:R	-10		-9		-19.3		-19.3

'05 AA/AAA Starting Pitcher Week begins tomorrow.

Today's Fantasy Rx: Few of today's pitchers merit more than a brief glance before you leave them to spend the year on your league's free agent lists. Ben Hendrickson, Justin Germano, and Sergio Mitre comprise the trio that requires a much longer look. All three effectively dominated in the upper minors, enter spring training as no worse than the #6 starter on their respective teams, and only need a rotation opening to emerge as solid options in any NL league.