Today's Fantasy Rx

Welcome to our weekly LPR rankings, our primary method of identifying highly skilled and/or consistently effective pitchers. While we have not changed this system since last season, feel free to refer to this key for a complete description of the codes. We have included the five most recent 2006 QA scores for each starter, along with the 10 most recent QA scores for each reliever, tabulating all data through June 21st. Pitchers with no QA scores have not pitched this year, so do not roster any of them unless you see someone ready to return to the majors.

1
2ABCXY - Chris Carpenter(53334)
3AC - Brad Penny(04441)
3AX - Bronson Arroyo(24434)
AX - Chris Capuano(33454)
Chan Ho Park(44343)
Enrique Gonzalez(4441)

3abcxyz - Tom Gordon(3445255425)
abxy - Dan Wheeler(4344542444)
acx - Pedro Feliciano(5443454433)
axz - Alan Embree(5352344433)
ax - Jeremy Accardo(4345444541)
ax - Ramon Ramirez(3543515344)
ax - Adam Wainwright(5444323145)
a - David Borkowski(5433452443)

Gonzalez, Wheeler, Feliciano, and Embree replace briefly shooting stars Jose Mesa, as well as a quartet of pitchers from the Braves and Diamondbacks (Smoltz, Hudson, Webb, and Lyon), who all dropped down the list this week. Carpenter, Capuano, and Park now head the breakdown of desirable pitchers in the Established Star, Proven Performer, and Super Sleeper categories.

2
3BCXYZ - Roy Oswalt(35433)
3AXcz - John Smoltz(22543)
3BCYZ - Jake Peavy(53033)
3Xbcz - Ryan Madson(14333)
BCYZ - Andy Pettitte(32354)
B - Dontrelle Willis(23423)
Zach Duke(23322)

3abcxyz - Billy Wagner(3453444453)
BCZabxy - Aaron Heilman(3343251434)
abcxyz - Chad Qualls(4532434314)
bcxyz - Trevor Hoffman(3433435433)
axy - Arthur Rhodes(4442343440)
ax - Aaron Fultz(4452433332)

3
BCYZ - Ben Sheets(3550)
C - Glendon Rusch(00400)
Livan Hernandez(22120)

abcxyz - Jason Isringhausen(3440543344)
bcxyz - Mike Gonzalez(1325335423)
bcyz - Eric Gagne(44)
cz - Salomon Torres(3244243333)
z - Trever Miller(5443433353)

A
BCXY - Pedro Martinez(44144)
BXY - Brandon Webb(54443)
BXY - Derek Lowe(44313)
B - Brett Myers(42004)
C - Jason Schmidt(44432)
X - Josh Johnson(55433)
z - Juan Cruz(20453)
Ricky Nolasco(05443)
Alay Soler(04442)
Aaron Harang(44323)
Aaron Cook(33244)
Tomo Ohka(04043)
Aaron Sele(51500)
Cole Hamels(42204)
Jamey Wright(04042)

B
CX - Cory Lidle(33351)
CZ - Carlos Zambrano(45242)
C - Doug Davis(05325)
Y - Paul Maholm(33322)
Jon Lieber(34210)

Y - Rick Helling(52)
b - Matt Belisle(3235222435)
Jae Weong Seo(44232533)

C
XYZ - Greg Maddux(32334)
by - Kerry Wood(4350)
Z - Oliver Perez(40033)
Matt Morris(53533)
Dave Williams(13130)

Odalis Perez(4313314)

X
Z - Tim Hudson(53343)
Elizardo Ramirez(34353)
Tom Glavine(53103)

Y
abcxyz - Ryan Dempster(2245442541)

Z
Jason Marquis(32342)
Mark Mulder(02020)

John Van Benschoten

a
bcxyz - Brad Lidge(5433444545)
bcxyz - Heath Bell(4431335544)
bcxyz - Scott Linebrink(4345442335)
bcxy - Chad Bradford(3344444443)
bcxy - Brian Fuentes(3342324544)
bcxz - Scott Williamson(3443533323)
cxyz - Bob Howry(3433445344)
bxy - Derrick Turnbow(3353534455)
bxy - Roberto Hernandez(2344424433)
bxy - Rheal Cormier(3053245432)
bc - Jose Mesa(4434545422)
bx - Randy Flores(3544433553)
bx - Russ Springer(3344224344)
by - Brad Thompson(4244423113)
cz - Brian Shouse(2444444344)
cz - Tyler Yates(5425444332)
cz - Steve Kline(5433344422)
cz - Armando Benitez(1144432345)
cz - Luis Vizcaino(3343433034)
xy - Chad Cordero(4434342155)
xy - Jonathan Broxton(5304342450)
xz - Gary Majewski(5433523444)
xz - Greg Aquino(3442334253)
x - Takashi Saito(4544544544)
x - Brandon Lyon(5454244414)
x - Jorge Julio(4535254535)
x - Joe Beimel(2454334434)
x - Damaso Marte(5124553535)
y - Jose Capellan(2441332345)
z - Danys Baez(0344243441)
Randy Messenger(5554345022)
Tim Hamulack(0344414414)
Matt Capps(4322404544)
Tyler Johnson(4235514451)
Logan Kensing(5245253224)
Scott Cassidy(0545320343)
Brian Sweeney(4413234342)
Josh Hancock(3342155304)
Matt Wise(3454322411)

b
y - Clay Hensley(43031)

cxy - Jose Valverde(2333432344)
cyz - Danny Kolb(3424553134)
cyz - Braden Looper(4222535353)
cyz - Chris Reitsma(3553343322)
cyz - Tim Worrell(3303214325)
cyz - Mike DeJean(23)
xy - Will Ohman(3334332534)
xy - Brian Shackelford(3334034430)
xz - Duaner Sanchez(3442233344)
c - John Grabow(0244533532)
x - Roberto Novoa(4333253342)
x - Scott Eyre(4333112453)
y - Brandon Medders(4533312541)
y - David Weathers(5323424041)
y - Macay McBride(2235344322)
y - Mike Gallo(0335223053)
y - Mike Wuertz(4403)
y - Jonah Bayliss
Franquelis Osoria(4353255020)
Mike Remlinger(3223543012)
Blaine Boyer(23)
Ryan Wagner

c
z - Ray King(4444134053)
Esteban Yan(3252542452)
Randy Choate(544303)
Oscar Villarreal(3342133400)
Mike Adams(21)
Doug Brocail

x
yz - Chris Hammond(3354415431)
Casey Daigle(3543024334)
Scott Dohmann(4330435324)
Saul Rivera(3343434333)
Carlos Martinez(4153323533)
David Cortes(4223323443)

y
Scott Munter(4254340341)
Mike Burns(3243224442)
Jay Bergmann(4432334121)

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 2006.
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 2005.
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 2004.

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.

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 2006 starts
B - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2005 starts
C - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2004 starts

X - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2006 starts
Y - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2005 starts
Z - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2004 starts

a - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2006 relief outings
b - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2005 relief outings
c - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2004 relief outings

x - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2006 relief outings
y - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2005 relief outings
z - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2004 relief outings

Today's Fantasy Rx: While the Giants only provided Jeremy Accardo with a single save opportunity to date, he currently ranks as the sole pitcher in their pen with relatively strong skills. Armando Benitez still will close when healthy, but given the problems encountered by both Benitez and Tim Worrell, Accardo's value soon could increase significantly if he completes his seemingly inevitable evolution from middle relief to set-up duty and then the closer's role.