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.

American League Relief Pitchers with $-2 DV

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.

93.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Jon Adkins		2	0	4.65	1.53	44	20	75	62
CH White Sox		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 27	P:R    B:L	-2		-1		10.1		10.1

Returning to the minors after spending a year in long relief might help Adkins' development, especially after his homer rate more than quadrupled in the second half. Fortunately his command also improved significantly, so I expect him to remain successful if he returns to the rotation at AAA Charlotte. While he lacks great long-term upside, Adkins' skills and relative effectiveness in the majors suggest he at least should develop into solid rotation filler in the near future, making him a potentially intriguing in-season pick-up.

94.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Brandon League		1	0	0.00	0.86	2	1	3	4.2
TOR Blue Jays		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 21	P:R    B:R	-2		-2		3.4		3.4

Please refer to our Post-2004 Prospect Review: Toronto for my comments on League.

95.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Mike Jackson		2	0	5.01	1.50	26	15	55	46.2
CH White Sox		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 39	P:R    B:R	-2		-2		5.4		5.4

An August release barely a week after appearing in his 1000th game effectively ended Jackson's career. Diminished skills after missing all of 2003 and a career-worst ERA give him little chance of returning in any significant capacity. While the veteran journeyman only truly flourished in a few seasons, a 3.42 career ERA indicates his consistent value as one of the more reliable middle relievers in baseball for most of the last two decades.

96.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Jeff Nelson		1	1	5.32	1.52	22	19	17	23.2
TEX Rangers		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 37	P:R    B:R	-2		-2		1.9		1.9

Pitching in Texas obviously disagreed with Nelson, however he remained surprisingly dominant, only allowing a .682 OOPS on the season. Returning to Seattle for the third time after signing a minor league deal nicely positions Nelson to reemerge as a viable relief option on a pitching staff increasingly full of inexperienced youngsters. While Nelson lacks obvious upside, he at least shouldn't hurt you if needed as roster filler.

97.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Ryan Bukvich		0	1	3.68	1.50	7	7	4	7.1
KC Royals		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 26	P:R    B:R	-2		-2		2.1		2.1

98.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Scott Sullivan		3	0	4.77	1.61	45	24	73	60.1
KC Royals		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 33	P:R    B:R	-2		-1		8.8		8.8

99.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Derrick Turnbow		0	0	0.00	1.42	3	7	2	6.1
ANA Angels		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 26	P:R    B:R	-2		-2		4.7		4.7

100.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Jorge Sosa		4	1	5.53	1.55	94	54	100	99.1
TB Devil Rays		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 27	P:R    B:S	-2		0		5.3		5.4

101.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Steve Karsay		0	0	2.70	1.05	4	2	5	6.2
NY Yankees		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 32	P:R    B:R	-2		-3		2.7		2.7

102.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Fernando Cabrera		0	0	3.38	0.75	6	1	3	5.1
CLE Indians		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 22	P:R    B:R	-2		-2		1.7		1.7

Please refer to our Post-2004 Prospect Review: Cleveland for my comments on Cabrera.

103.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
D.J. Carrasco		2	0	4.84	1.58	22	15	41	35.1
KC Royals		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 27	P:R    B:R	-2		-2		4.9		4.9

104.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Eddy Rodriguez		1	0	4.78	1.52	37	30	36	43.1
BAL Orioles		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 23	P:R    B:R	-2		-2		6.3		6.3

105.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Byung-Hyun Kim		2	0	6.23	1.38	6	7	17	17.1
BOS Red Sox		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 25	P:R    B:R	-2		-3		-0.6		-0.6

106.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Bret Prinz		1	0	5.08	1.48	22	14	28	28.1
NY Yankees		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 27	P:R    B:R	-2		-2		3.1		3.1

107.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Matt Hensley		0	0	4.88	1.41	30	7	32	27.2
ANA Angels		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 26	P:R    B:R	-2		-2		3.7		3.7

108.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Jeremy Guthrie		0	0	4.63	1.29	7	6	9	11.2
CLE Indians		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 25	P:R    B:R	-2		-3		1.9		1.9

Please refer to our Post-2004 Prospect Review: Cleveland for my comments on Guthrie.

109.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Joe Blanton		0	0	5.63	1.00	6	2	6	8
OAK Athletics		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 23	P:R    B:R	-2		-3		0.3		0.3

Please refer to our Post-2004 Prospect Review: Oakland for my comments on Blanton.

110.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Phil Seibel		0	0	0.00	1.36	1	5	0	3.2
BOS Red Sox		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 25	P:L    B:L	-2		-3		2.7		2.7

Please refer to our Post-2004 Prospect Review: Boston for my comments on Seibel.

111.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Terry Mulholland		5	0	5.18	1.59	60	33	163	123.1
MIN Twins		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 41	P:L    B:R	-2		-1		11.8		12

112.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Matt Thornton		1	0	4.13	1.68	30	25	30	32.2
SEA Mariners		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 28	P:L    B:L	-2		-2		7.4		7.4

113.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Justin Lehr		1	0	5.23	1.50	16	14	35	32.2
OAK Athletics		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 27	P:R    B:R	-2		-3		2.9		2.9

114.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Mark Malaska		1	0	4.50	1.65	12	12	21	20
BOS Red Sox		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 26	P:L    B:L	-2		-3		3.6		3.6

'05 AL Relief Pitcher Week continues tomorrow with more American League relievers.

Today's Fantasy Rx: Joe Blanton easily ranks as the pitcher to target here, however endgame pulls of Adkins, League, Turnbow, Karsay, Cabrera, Hensley, and Lehr all could produce respectable profit. Byung-Hyun Kim looks like the only pitcher with immediate upside higher than Blanton, though until he secures a defined role, likely with a new organization, we simply can't recommend investing any serious assets in obtaining his services.