Today's Fantasy Rx

Welcome to our weekly LPR rankings, our primary method to identify highly skilled and/or consistently effective pitchers. While we haven't changed this system since last season, feel free to refer here for a complete description of the codes. We've included the five most recent 2005 QA scores for each starter, along with the 10 most recent QA scores for each reliever, tabulating all data through May 18th. 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
3ACXZ - Roy Halladay(35344)
AX - Bartolo Colon(05433)
AX - Jeremy Bonderman(34355)
AX - Rich Harden(43440)
A - Erik Bedard(55452)

Halladay and Harden replace Cleveland's top two starters as the former regains his ace status while the latter sneaks into the top ranking prior to hitting the DL. Also, given the respective performances of this quintet this year, Bonderman may only rank behind Santana, Randy, and Halladay among AL starters I recommend.

2
3BCYZ - Curt Schilling(224)
ABCXY - Randy Johnson(45553)
BY - Freddy Garcia(43332)
Bronson Arroyo(34423)

3abcxyz - Mariano Rivera(3525545534)
3 - Travis Harper(3534023332)
abcyz - Tom Gordon(3515254443)
acxyz - Mike Timlin(4434532443)
aby - Kiko Calero(3445442230)
y - Trever Miller(4523532303)
Kevin Gregg(2424323)

3
CXZ - Kevin Brown(44333)
A - Kevin Millwood(34440)
C - Mike Mussina(23453)
Z - Sidney Ponson(42532)

Caxy - Scot Shields(3540534555)
bcy - Jeremy Affeldt(33434)
cyz - Alan Embree(0433253444)
a - Scott Schoeneweis(0544450354)
x - Arthur Rhodes(4553433433)

Rhodes finally looks like the pitcher we expected to close for Oakland last year while Shields remains among the most valuable pitchers in the game.

A
BCXYZ - Johan Santana(43433)
BC - Matt Clement(04542)
C - Cliff Lee(42143)
X - Mike Maroth(44344)
X - Jon Garland(44244)
X - Daniel Cabrera(33454)
X - Josh Towers(34443)
Chan Ho Park(44044)
Gustavo Chacin(54220)
Pedro Astacio(00043)

While I no longer trust Astacio after his string of disasters, Park now seems surprisingly viable, and Maroth, Garland, Cabrera, and Towers all appear on their way to double-digit value.

B
Ycz - Jake Westbrook(03005)
Y - Carl Pavano(43105)
Nate Robertson(03240)
Bobby Madritsch(0)

C
Z - Joel Pineiro(32430)
Wade Miller(53)
Jose Contreras(04432)

Zy - Juan Cruz(0535434352)
Andrew Good(42)
Eric DuBose

X
Ryan Franklin(30333)
Carlos Silva(53323)

Y
David Wells(24400)
Mark Buehrle(23342)

Z
Tim Wakefield(23412)

abxy - Dustin Hermanson(2444352353)

a
bcxyz - Brian Shouse(3455545344)
bcxyz - Francisco Cordero(4344553534)
bcxy - B.J. Ryan(4543534454)
bcyz - Octavio Dotel(4242432034)
bxyz - Francisco Rodriguez(5554435444)
bxy - Bob Wickman(4443333334)
bcz - Kyle Farnsworth(2334524455)
bcz - Mike MacDougal(4134522542)
bxy - Joe Nathan(4535434355)
bxy - Todd Williams(4432445254)
bxy - Juan Rincon(4522454355)
bxy - Rafael Betancourt(4544234133)
cxz - David Riske(4454444243)

With Cleveland largely floundering, expect the Indians to deal Wickman and Howry by July, leaving the late-inning duties to these two relative youngsters.

cxz - Matt Mantei(4355344342)
bx - J.J. Putz(2245433453)
by - Steve Kline(0454453135)
cx - Scott Sauerbeck(4305354343)
xy - Ron Villone(5323153334)
xy - Shingo Takatsu(3354433443)
b - Mike Myers(0350454505)
b - J.C. Romero(2425443223)
x - Jake Woods(5434452534)
x - Jamie Walker(4335304444)
x - Justin Duchscherer(5044244353)
x - Neal Cotts(5340434334)
x - Ambiorix Burgos(5245452333)
x - Andy Sisco(4533344322)
x - Huston Street(3505253433)
Cliff Politte(5522442444)
Justin Speier(4340325444)
Nick Regilio(5433142354)
Tanyon Sturtze(3242424443)
Keiichi Yabu(4413545123)

Street, apparently the new Oakland closer, no longer possesses the outstanding skill ratios he posted in April. However, he remains reasonably effective and should succeed rather nicely.

b
cxyz - Eddie Guardado(3343335335)
cxy - Luis Vizcaino(4332334544)
cyz - Keith Foulke(4324342354)
cyz - Brendan Donnelly(4334425342)
cz - Jason Grimsley
cz - Chad Bradford
xy - Bob Howry(0444032435)
y - John Halama(5554342202)
y - Matt J. Miller(4324)
y - Carlos Almanzar(113221)
y - Scott Atchison
Doug Brocail(4244423343)
Esteban Yan(2333323242)

c
Kelvim Escobar(4344)
Kirk Saarloos(33234)

yz - Danys Baez(4323542333)
x - Jeff Nelson(1333335343)
y - Ugueth Urbina(3432523344)
z - Damaso Marte(3444322035)
z - Paul Quantrill(4124321435)
z - Rafael Soriano
Troy Percival(2123243353)
John Parrish(4344434)

x
y - Jason Frasor(4533435214)
Julio Mateo(3342334533)
Jesse Crain(3323443544)
Shigetoshi Hasegawa(4333443424)
Franklyn German(4233343335)

A lack of dominance doesn't prevent any of this quintet from meriting roster spots in most standard leagues.

y
Rodrigo Lopez(40203)

Steve Reed(2122235443)
Jesus Colome(13540313)
Erasmo Ramirez

z
Buddy Groom(244453153)
Mike Stanton(4003543341)

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 2005.
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 2004.
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 2003.

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 2005 starts
B - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2004 starts
C - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2003 starts

X - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2005 starts
Y - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2004 starts
Z - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2003 starts

a - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2005 relief outings
b - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2004 relief outings
c - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2003 relief outings

x - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2005 relief outings
y - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2004 relief outings
z - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2003 relief outings

We'll continue tomorrow with this week's NL LPR article.

Internet Challenge

Losing three closers to injuries in the space of a couple days places us at a terrible disadvantage, although plenty of teams also now own a worthless Kolb. With KRod and Dotel avoiding the DL for now, we only need to replace Brandon Lyon, and we opted for Trevor Hoffman over Joe Nathan and Chad Cordero due to the safer park and slightly superior salary. Rich Harden will depart our team for now since his injury currently appears more significant than Sheets' problems.

However, with Dotel and KRod also out for the weekend, Hoffman will sub for Dotel, keeping Lyon active and giving us an extra 500 of cap room.

SP(6)
Randy Johnson: Sat:@NYM(K.Benson)
Johan Santana: Sun:MIL(W.Obermueller)
Pedro Martinez: Sun:NYY(C.Pavano)
Roy Oswalt: Sun:@TEX(C.Park)
Mark Mulder: Fri:@KC(Z.Greinke)
Jake Peavy: Fri:@SEA(R.Franklin)
A.J. Burnett: Sat:TB(M.Hendrickson)
Miguel Batista: 3 Home vs. WAS.

No starts: Clemens, Sheets, Harden, Willis, Beckett.

With Pedro hurting and Oswalt in a terrible pitching environment, Randy, Santana, Mulder, Peavy, Burnett, and Batista will comprise our starting staff.

Mench replaces Holliday, Giles and Reed remain benched, and as we don't see a good lineup slot for Reyes, flopping the red hot Buck for Victor Martinez looks like the best way to squeeze under the cap.

Rotohelp.com(2nd lg; 41st overall)
Week 7b: May 20-May 22

 
C	Joe Mauer		440 
C	John Buck		390
1B	Albert Pujols		1930 
1B	Justin Morneau	680
2B	Brian Roberts		960 
2B	Tadahito Iguchi		750
3B	Melvin Mora		1270
3B	Troy Glaus		830
SS	Miguel Tejada		1800
SS	Clint Barmes		400 
OF	Carl Crawford		1560
OF	Jim Edmonds		1250 
OF	Adam Dunn		1110
OF	Miguel Cabrera		1110 
OF	Scott Podsednik		1090 
OF	Kevin Mench		580
UT	Mark Teixeira		1310 
UT	Travis Hafner		810
 
SP	Randy Johnson		1980
SP	Johan Santana		1710 
SP	Mark Mulder		1060 
SP	Jake Peavy		1030
SP	A.J. Burnett		830
SP	Miguel Batista		840
RP	Trevor Hoffman	1270
RP	Francisco Rodriguez	1250 
RP	B.J. Ryan		950
RP	Brandon Lyon		750

Total Salary for Week 7b: 	29940

Today's Fantasy Rx: Challenge teams looking for closers should target B.J. Ryan, followed by Trevor Hoffman, Joe Nathan, and Chad Cordero, with Miguel Batista an intriguing alternative in leagues where he qualifies as a starter. Regular roto teams should plan on spending significant FAAB resources to secure Adam Bernero, who actually appears more likely to hold Atlanta's closer job than our previous favorite, Chris Reitsma, due to superior dominance. Reinvesting in Jose Valverde now obviously ranks as a good move for anyone suffering the hopefully temporary loss of Brandon Lyon.