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 Relief Pitchers with PDV 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.

37.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Todd Jones		11	2	4.15	1.42	59	33	84	82.1
CIN/PHI		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 36	P:R    B:S	3		3		15.5		15.5

The journeyman columnist headed to his fifth and sixth teams over the past four seasons yet remained surprisingly effective despite unimpressive skills. Moving to the Marlins this year should result in the best numbers for Jones since he stopped closing in Detroit. Of course, he looks like no more than the third best option for saves, so while Jones should earn a few bucks, he doesn't merit much consideration as more than roster filler due to his general inconsistency and apparently limited upside.

38.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Rheal Cormier		4	0	3.56	1.19	46	26	70	81
PHI Phillies		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 37	P:L    B:L	3		3		21.2		21.2

While his new two-year deal at least guarantees Cormier a spot in Philadelphia's pen, the continued erosion of his skills leaves his value to contending fantasy teams surprisingly questionable. He usually wins a few games and won't hurt you qualitatively, yet declining dominance and a poor pitchers' park also makes him vulnerable to an abrupt drop in effectiveness. Relying upon Cormier as more than roster filler is a bad move in most standard leagues.

39.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Luis Vizcaino		4	1	3.75	1.18	63	24	61	72
MIL Brewers		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 30	P:R    B:R	3		3		17.1		17.1

Continued homer run problems caused by a poor .72 G-F should cause severe problems for Vizcaino as he moves from Miller Park to the Cell. While Chicago's defense might keep his WHIP strong, Vizcaino's ERA should shoot over 4.00 unless he somehow manages to cut his homer rate. With a sliding strikeout rate and massively inconsistent effectiveness on a monthly basis, Vizcaino simply seems too risky to deploy right now in almost any league.

40.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Brian Meadows		2	1	3.58	1.22	46	19	76	78
PIT Pirates		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 28	P:R    B:R	2		2		20.2		17.6

41.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Dave Burba		4	2	4.21	1.25	50	26	70	77
MIL/SF		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 38	P:R    B:R	2		2		14		11.4

42.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Chris Reitsma		6	2	4.07	1.37	60	20	89	79.2
ATL Braves		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 26	P:R    B:R	2		2		15.9		15.9

43.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Jose Valverde		1	8	4.25	1.35	38	17	23	29.2
ARI Diamondbacks		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 25	P:R    B:R	2		2		5.2		5.2

44.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Felix Rodriguez		5	1	3.29	1.37	59	29	61	65.2
SF/PHI		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 32	P:R    B:R	2		2		19.4		19.4

45.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Kent Mercker		3	0	2.55	1.25	51	27	39	53
CH Cubs		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 36	P:L    B:L	2		2		20.5		20.5

46.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Yhency Brazoban		6	0	2.48	1.22	27	15	25	32.2
LA Dodgers		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 24	P:R    B:R	2		1		12.9		11.8

Please refer to our Post-2004 Prospect Review: Los Angeles for my comments on Brazoban.

47.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Ricky Bottalico		3	0	3.38	1.27	61	34	54	69.1
NY Mets		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 35	P:R    B:L	2		2		19.7		19.7

48.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Cal Eldred		4	1	3.76	1.31	54	17	71	67
STL Cardinals		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 36	P:R    B:R	2		2		15.9		15.9

49.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Duaner Sanchez		3	0	3.38	1.35	44	27	81	80
LA Dodgers		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 24	P:R    B:R	2		1		22.7		20.1

50.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Mike Stanton		2	0	3.16	1.34	58	33	70	77
NY Mets		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 37	P:L    B:L	1		2		24		24

51.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Mike Koplove		4	2	4.05	1.42	55	37	86	86.2
ARI Diamondbacks		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 28	P:R    B:R	1		1		17.4		17.4

52.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
T.J. Tucker		4	0	3.72	1.33	44	17	73	67.2
MON Expos		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 26	P:R    B:R	1		1		16.3		14.1

53.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Joe Horgan		4	2	3.15	1.43	30	22	35	40
MON Expos		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 27	P:L    B:L	1		1		12.5		11.2

54.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Tim Harikkala		6	0	4.74	1.24	30	23	55	62.2
COL Rockies		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 33	P:R    B:R	1		1		7.3		5.2

55.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Orber Moreno		3	1	3.38	1.15	29	11	29	34.2
NY Mets		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 27	P:R    B:R	1		1		9.9		9.9

56.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Mike Adams		2	0	3.40	1.21	39	14	50	53
MIL Brewers		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 26	P:R    B:R	1		1		14.9		14.9

57.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Kevin Gryboski		3	2	2.84	1.52	24	23	54	50.2
ATL Braves		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 30	P:R    B:R	1		0		17.7		17.7

58.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Antonio Osuna		2	0	2.45	1.17	36	11	32	36.2
SD Padres		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 31	P:R    B:R	1		1		14.6		14.6

59.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Chad Qualls		4	1	3.55	1.27	24	8	34	33
HOU Astros		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 26	P:R    B:R	1		0		8.7		7.6

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

60.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Steve Reed		3	0	3.68	1.35	38	17	72	66
COL Rockies		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 38	P:R    B:R	1		0		16.3		16.3

'05 NL Relief Pitcher Week continues tomorrow with more National League relievers.

Today's Fantasy Rx: Consider Mike Adams a giant bargain anywhere under $15 since we know the Brewers will trust an untested closer and the youngster owns excellent skills. Brazoban's high profile as Mota's successor with the Dodgers might raise his price uncomfortably high, so instead opt for targeting Chris Reitsma. If the surprising number of Kolb meltdown predictions prove correct, Reitsma alone should inherit one of the best slots in baseball for accumulating significant fantasy value.