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 July 19th . 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
2A - C.C. Sabathia(04244)
ABCXYZ - Johan Santana(43344)
AXax - Francisco Liriano(45434)
ABX - Jeremy Bonderman(44424)
AB - John Lackey(44450)
B - Jose Contreras(12333)

23abcxyz - Mariano Rivera(5544545233)
abcxyz - Akinori Otsuka(3443454344)
abcxyz - Juan Rincon(4424533535)
abcyz - Francisco Cordero(4523344443)
abxyz - Scot Shields(4245415444)
abcx - J.J. Putz(4345443533)
abxy - Bobby Jenks(5533545432)
BYx - Hector Carrasco(4443443353)
axy - Manny Delcarmen(4543555434)

While Delcarmen's appearance here surprises me, his consistency suggests he offers at least as much immediate upside as Timlin, and for anyone in keeper leagues, adding Delcarmen now for a buck or two could return plenty of profit next year, especially if Papelbon returns to the rotation.

2
ABY - Felix Hernandez(34452)
BXY - Roy Halladay(34353)
AX - Kevin Millwood(33045)
BC - Matt Clement(40050)
B - Josh Beckett(43304)
Y - Bartolo Colon(22343)

3bcyz - Julian Tavarez(4231333423)
abcxyz - B.J. Ryan(3345534214)
abxy - Justin Duchscherer(4443545245)
abxy - Huston Street(2435525534)
aby - Todd Jones(4354343542)

3
ACXZ - Curt Schilling(44345)
BCY - A.J. Burnett(55034)
BCZ - Randy Johnson(42454)
CZ - Freddy Garcia(32232)

abcyz - Kiko Calero(2335335254)
abxyz - Mike Timlin(4443344344)
Kevin Gregg(4034434443)
Travis Harper(2343234452)

A
BY - Rich Harden(44400)
CZ - Jake Westbrook(45340)
B - Erik Bedard(55455)
X - Jered Weaver(43444)
X - Mike Mussina(42033)
Jon Garland(41444)
Zach Miner(43440)

Bedard's as hot as any pitcher in baseball, however Garland's reemergence remains just as unnoticed due to his awful early performance. Although I expect both starters to regress to some extent, you still might be able to snag one of them at a surprising discount over the next week or two.

B
XY - Kelvim Escobar(54031)
Barry Zito(33324)
Jae Weong Seo(01312)

Scott Downs(4452523434)

C
Nate Robertson(33323)

Za - Joe Kennedy(3043242450)
ax - Dennys Reyes(4554433355)
Z - Carl Pavano

X
Adam Loewen(33044)
Dan Haren(12534)
Javier Vazquez(31343)

Y
Esteban Loaiza(42233)

Z
Mark Buehrle(33230)
David Wells(00)

a
bcxyz - Joe Nathan(4455344444)
bcxyz - Francisco Rodriguez(5445352442)
bcxyz - Bob Wickman(1443315335)
xy - Chris Ray(4154232545)
xy - Fernando Rodney(3335033334)
b - Ambiorix Burgos(4443254243)
x - Craig Hansen(3545434345)
x - Kyle Lohse(2440445345)
x - Scott Feldman(5244433434)
x - Fausto Carmona(3453533543)
x - Jon Papelbon(3334333453)
y - Neal Cotts(3334544245)
z - Javier Lopez(4452405033)
z - Elmer Dessens(4322444212)
Rick Bauer(5331444534)
Matt Thornton(4535442403)
Bryan Corey(0455435521)
Fernando Cabrera(3225344254)
Joe Nelson(2435152543)
Matt Smith(5224234443)
Rafael Perez(3355143402)
Ron Mahay(4010304553)

Despite Delcarmen stealing most of thunder this week in Boston's bullpen, Hansen suddenly looks just as good as his fellow rookie relievers. As suggested above, he also merits a roster spot in AL leagues, particularly those that allow you to keep free agents, since Hansen certainly possesses the skills to emerge as a closer if Papelbon rejoins Jon Lester in the rotation.

b
cxy - Kyle Farnsworth(3443444134)
cyz - Rafael Betancourt(5203330444)
xyz - Ron Villone(5223332333)
cy - Mike MacDougal(53)
cz - Octavio Dotel
yz - Rudy Seanez(3425304242)
y - George Sherrill(3053523354)
y - David Riske(3214342334)
y - Scott Schoeneweis(0342423300)
y - Jay Witasick(23321)
Scott Sauerbeck(4434312324)
Tyler Walker(3334332432)

c
xz - Todd Williams(4343413453)
yz - Jeremy Affeldt(3433344341)
yz - Guillermo Mota(3334523333)
yz - Dustin Hermanson
x - J.C. Romero(5552443434)
z - LaTroy Hawkins(4522433355)
z - Brendan Donnelly(3533453350)
z - Keith Foulke(4133353313)
Brian Meadows(2134543442)
Mike Myers(0503523234)

x
Jimmy Gobble(0302)

y - Justin Speier(3333233344)
Kurt Birkins(5345423355)
Rafael Soriano(4433245245)
C.J. Wilson(4334453423)
Joaquin Benoit(3333414534)
Jamie Walker(4033323444)
Joel Zumaya(0343333543)
Jon Switzer(2535333253)
Sean Green(3351433333)
Emiliano Fruto(3332332443)

y
z - Jason Frasor(4325323333)
Ron Flores(3235523023)
Marco Carvajal

z
Rodrigo Lopez(53033)

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

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

Internet Challenge

Adding new Indians' closer Fausto Carmona is very tempting, but we're going to wait until he at least saves a game before making the move.

SP(6)
Johan Santana: No start.
Roy Oswalt: Sun:@NYM(M.Pelfrey)
Pedro Martinez: No start.
Chris Carpenter: No start.
Randy Johnson: No start.
Jake Peavy: Fri:@SF(M.Cain)
Roy Halladay: No start.
Mark Buehrle: Fri:TEX(J.Wasdin)
Curt Schilling: No start.
Felix Hernandez: Sat:@BOS(J.Johnson?)
John Lackey: No start.
Dan Haren: Fri:@DET(J.Verlander)
Francisco Liriano: Sun:@CLE(J.Westbrook)

Without Carmona, we'll deploy our six active starters this weekend. Street also replaces J.J. Putz with Papelbon facing Seattle this weekend.

Running less expensive pitchers allows us to sub Victor for Willingham and Burrell for Figgins, which still leaves Encarnacion and Holliday benched.

Rotohelp.com(12th lg; 299th overall)
Week 16b: July 21-July 23

 
C	Victor Martinez		1020
C	Joe Mauer		770 
1B	Mark Teixeira		1470
1B	Travis Hafner		1180
2B	Chase Utley		1190
2B	Rickie Weeks		620 
3B	David Wright		1210
3B	Garrett Atkins		610
SS	Felipe Lopez		1070
SS	Jose Reyes		1030 
OF	Jason Bay		1380 
OF	Pat Burrell		1040
OF	Chad Tracy		1020 
OF	Corey Patterson		910 
OF	Jermaine Dye		840
OF	Nick Swisher		620
DH	Albert Pujols		2060 
DH	Ryan Howard		880 

SP	Roy Oswalt		1830 
SP	Jake Peavy		1240 
SP	Mark Buehrle		1120 
SP	Felix Hernandez		960 
SP	Dan Haren		860
SP	Francisco Liriano		700 
RP	Huston Street		1300
RP	Ryan Dempster		1180
RP	Jon Papelbon		890
RP	Chris Ray		820

Total Salary for Week 16b:	29820

Today's Fantasy Rx: The entire Shea Hillenbrand just shocks me. Although we don't object to Toronto's decision to remove Hillenbrand from the clubhouse, John Gibbons also deserved his walking players. A willingness to engage a player in a physical confrontation is not the sign of a particularly confident manager, and given his frequently bizarre bullpen management and lineup construction, I don't see the Jays making the playoffs with him at the helm. His presence alone devalues Jeremy Accardo, who otherwise ranks as an excellent acquisition for Toronto. Hopefully he'll remain a top set-up man despite the league and park change, but with B.J. Ryan as settled in the closer's role as anyone in baseball, don't spend more than a couple bucks of FAAB on Accardo.