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 September 9th. 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(44555)
ABC - Matt Clement(53344)
AX - Felix Hernandez(55435)
AX - Bartolo Colon(34344)
A - C.C. Sabathia(44444)

23abcxyz - Mariano Rivera(33434443445)
3ax - Arthur Rhodes(4433443435)
abcxy - B.J. Ryan(5543355544)
ax - Justin Duchscherer(3434441443)

Only a single change, the return of Sabathia to the top ranking, leaves this week as the steadiest period for the top pitchers since early summer.

I hope to post the remainder of this ranking soon.

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

SP(6)
Randy Johnson: Sun:BOS(T.Wakefield)
Johan Santana: Fri:@CLE(J.Westbrook)
Pedro Martinez: Sun:@STL(M.Morris)
Roy Oswalt: Sun:@MIL(R.Helling)
Roger Clemens: Fri:@MIL(D.Davis)
Matt Clement: No start.
Jake Peavy: No start.
Chris Carpenter: No start.
Dontrelle Willis: No start.
A.J. Burnett: Fri:@PHI(C.Lidle)
Josh Beckett: No start.
Miguel Batista: 3 Road at TB.

Losing Peavy's start essentially forces us to run our most expensive pitchers. Given the options, Pedro will sit against an excellent offense since Burnett possesses similar downside at a far cheaper cap cost.

Stadiums dictate three offensive changes as the Braves' trip to Washington requires subbing Utley for Giles, and then Colorado's homestand against Arizona sees Glaus and Holliday return to the lineup for Mora and Edmonds. Morneau, Iguchi, Wright, and Podsednik all stay benched.

Rotohelp.com(7th lg; 210th overall)
Week 23b: September 9-September 11

 
C	Victor Martinez		860 
C	Joe Mauer		440
1B	Albert Pujols		1930 
1B	Mark Teixeira		1310 
2B	Brian Roberts		960 
2B	Chase Utley		480
3B	Troy Glaus		830
3B	Garrett Atkins		400
SS	Miguel Tejada		1800 
SS	Jose Reyes		850 
OF	Miguel Cabrera		1110
OF	Adam Dunn		1110
OF	Jason Bay		820 
OF	Kevin Mench		580 
OF	Matt Holliday		630 
UT	Carl Crawford		1560
UT	Travis Hafner		810  

SP	Randy Johnson		1980 
SP	Johan Santana		1710 
SP	Roy Oswalt		1320
SP	Roger Clemens		1280 
SP	A.J. Burnett		830
SP	Miguel Batista		840  
RP	Trevor Hoffman		1270 
RP	Francisco Rodriguez	1250
RP	B.J. Ryan		950 
RP	Todd Jones		510

Total Salary for Week 23b: 	29950

Today's Fantasy Rx: With the third best defense in the majors and a young, balanced lineup, the Indians may field the safest group of pitchers in baseball for roto owners to target. Once thee AAA playoffs conclude and Cleveland finishes their promotions, the top fifteen or sixteen Indians' hurlers all will merit some consideration in deeper fantasy leagues, especially for teams looking to improve their qualitative foundation.