Today's Fantasy Rx

Welcome to our weekly LPR rankings, our primary method of identifying highly skilled and 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 2007 QA scores for each starter, along with the 10 most recent QA scores for each reliever, tabulating all data through June 20th. 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 from the minors or the DL.

1
23ABX - C.C. Sabathia(34445)
2ACX - John Lackey(44250)
3ACX - Josh Beckett(43523)
ABCXYZ - Kelvim Escobar(42444)
X - Joe Blanton(24334)
X - Daisuke Matsuzaka(23433)

2abcxyz - Akinori Otsuka(4334555434)
2abcxy - J.J. Putz(5535553435)
ax - Matt Guerrier(4324444355)
ax - Hideki Okajima(2433423443)

Another week of limited movement up here results in Dice-K and Otsuka replacing Bonderman and Nathan, who I suspect will return to the top spot as soon as next week. Of the returning pitchers, Sabathia appears set to dominate AL hitters for a few weeks while Escobar remains the most intriguing buy-low candidate of the bunch.

2
3BCYZ - Roger Clemens(54)
ABCXYZ - Johan Santana(43433)
ABCX - Jeremy Bonderman(55425)
C - Jose Contreras(32402)

3abcxyz - Mariano Rivera(5443445453)
3abcyz - Justin Duchscherer(2344443251)
abcxyz - Scot Shields(5545443343)
abcxyz - Chad Bradford(5433043303)
BYby - Francisco Liriano
CZby - Hector Carrasco(2213414344)
bcyz - Mike MacDougal(4544312334)
aby - Dennys Reyes(4535135244)
bxy - Alan Embree(3325454445)
Mike Myers(3544055450)

3
ACXYZ - Roy Halladay(50354)
BCZ - Felix Hernandez(33434)
Bcz - Julian Tavarez(42444)
CZ - Andy Pettitte(40243)
C - Matt Clement
Y - Kevin Millwood(03003)
Z - Bartolo Colon(01030)

abcxyz - Huston Street(5335344245)
abcz - Todd Jones(3225544345)
x - Aaron Fultz(0033335253)

A
BXby - Fausto Carmona(34555)
BCX - Erik Bedard(43334)
BCZ - A.J. Burnett(54540)
XY - Dan Haren(24444)
X - Jeremy Guthrie(34554)
X - Justin Verlander(32443)
X - Gil Meche(33440)
Jake Westbrook(40450)

After suffering through a brief slump, Jeremy Guthrie continues his dark horse Rookie of the Year bid by reemerging as the American League's most unexpectedly dominant starter. Consider him a solid $10-15 player in almost any format.

B
Y - Mike Mussina(51544)
Y - Curt Schilling(52340)
Cha Seung Baek(43330)
Joe Saunders(3423)

C
Z - Rich Harden(535)

abx - Scott Downs(4225533434)
Victor Zambrano(153323)

X
Y - James Shields(33432)
Chien-ming Wang(42435)

Y
Luke Hudson(0)

a
x - Lenny DiNardo(3350)
Shaun Marcum(34023)

bcxyz - Francisco Rodriguez(2444354535)
bcxyz - Joe Nathan(3434445325)
bcxyz - Bobby Jenks(3433535352)
bcxy - Scott Williamson(4523533353)
bxy - C.J. Wilson(4344504555)
bxy - Pat Neshek(4453545432)
bxy - Jon Papelbon(4432344433)
cxz - George Sherrill(3544533544)
cxz - Rafael Betancourt(5354342544)
cxz - Eric Gagne(5334445343)
cxz - Al Reyes(1345344140)
xyz - Justin Speier(5345335345)
by - Javier Lopez(4530403404)
cx - Octavio Dotel(3324554552)
xy - Joaquin Benoit(2445144332)
xz - Jason Frasor(3534543434)
b - Shawn Camp(4425525144)
x - Santiago Casilla(4422443445)
x - Jeremy Accardo(3535252034)
z - Chris Ray(4545102423)
Joakim Soria(5235454444)
Casey Fossum(5004454243)
Matt Thornton(5344024053)
Brandon Morrow(4244442322)

A couple of young relievers caught my attention this week as Oakland's Santiago Casilla and Kansas City's Joakim Soria both appear on fire right now. Consider both excellent targets in AL-only formats, particularly AL keeper leagues where you might be able to grab a future closer for minimal cost.

b
y - Joe Kennedy(03512)

cxyz - Juan Rincon(3443344332)
cyz - Kyle Farnsworth(0524512333)
cyz - Matt J. Miller(03)
cz - Kiko Calero(0503534531)
yz - Fernando Rodney(3432242232)
y - Wes Littleton(443432143)
y - Jon Huber(42425)
y - Scott Feldman(2402324323)
y - Joe Nelson
z - Mike Burns
Joel Pineiro(5352244444)
Rafael Perez(45523444)
Fernando Cabrera(1014144324)
Luis Vizcaino(1341443333)
Tom Mastny(4423332332)
Craig Breslow

c
xz - Tim Byrdak(2544333303)
yz - Mike Timlin(2453435424)
yz - Macay McBride(0354405335)
x - Bobby Seay(5353245333)
z - David Riske(4555411433)
z - Chris Reitsma(1333343035)
z - Ron Villone(43432013)
z - Jay Witasick(5122331422)

x
Joel Peralta(3544433345)
Casey Janssen(5344334435)
Brian Tallet(4433432445)
Dustin Moseley(4340232444)
Kyle Snyder(3333133454)
Jamie Walker(3523333404)
Chris Bootcheck(4532333431)
Colby Lewis(4333443321)
Sean Henn(3334133324)
Jay Marshall(3333004334)

y
Brian Burres(34413)

Sean Green(3335435342)
Joe Borowski(4332352434)
Zach Miner(4135)
Craig Hansen

z
Ron Flores(4423414233)
Manny Delcarmen(434)

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 2007.
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 2006.
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 2005.

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 the following skill qualifications: K>=IP-2, BB<=IP/3, H<=IP, HR<=1, and G-F>=1.00. Any starter who does not reach at least one 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 the following skill qualifications: K>=IP, BB=0, H<=IP, HR=0, and G-F>=1.00. Any reliever who does not reach at least one 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.

A - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2007 starts
B - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2006 starts
C - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2005 starts

X - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2007 starts
Y - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2006 starts
Z - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2005 starts

a - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2007 relief outings
b - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2006 relief outings
c - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2005 relief outings

x - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2007 relief outings
y - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2006 relief outings
z - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2005 relief outings

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

Internet Challenge

Despite the fact that the Cubs' foolishness costs us Josh Bard as a useful IC player, we're not prepared to purchase another catcher after buying Victor for Iannetta on Sunday. We also really like our offense right now even though our bench appears fairly ineffective, so we're simply going to go a little cheap on pitching for now until someone like Magglio Ordonez starts enjoying a better schedule.

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Sun:@FLO(D.Willis?)
Roy Oswalt: Sat:@TEX(Jam.Wright)
Ben Sheets: No start.
Jake Peavy: Sun:BOS(J.Beckett)
Brandon Webb: Fri:BAL(D.Cabrera)
Greg Maddux: Fri:BOS(D.Matsuzaka)
Josh Beckett: Sun:@SD(J.Peavy)
Daisuke Matsuzaka: Fri:@SD(G.Maddux)
Dan Haren: No start.
Rich Harden: 3 Road at NYM.
Felix Hernandez: No start.
Matt Cain: Fri:SF(K.Igawa)
Jon Papelbon: 3 Road at SD.

While we want to run Santana, Miami faces four days of rain, and after losing the services of Bard and Upton, we have very little cap room to spare. We'll deploy the obvious picks of Peavy, Webb, Maddux, and Cain. Papelbon seems a decent play, and then Dice-K looks like he has the better chance for a win against Maddux than Beckett against Peavy. We're not prepared to trust Harden at this point.

Offensively, we'll rectify our error from Sunday by reversing our Howard/Hafner swap as Pronk will join Bard, Upton, Baldelli, and Manny on our bench.

Rotohelp.com(8th lg; 203rd overall)
Week 12b: June 22-June 24

 
C	Victor Martinez		1310 
C	Brian McCann		880 
1B	Ryan Howard		1420
1B	Prince Fielder		910
2B	Ian Kinsler		630
2B	Kelly Johnson		400 
3B	David Wright		1550
3B	Mark Teahen		750
SS	Jose Reyes		1610 
SS	Hanley Ramirez		1100
OF	Matt Holliday		1410
OF	Alex Rios		1000 
OF	Willy Taveras		860
OF	Barry Bonds		830 
OF	Delmon Young		750
OF	Shane Victorino		560
DH	Albert Pujols		2050 
DH	Bill Hall		900

SP	Jake Peavy		1180
SP	Brandon Webb		1130
SP	Greg Maddux		1040 
SP	Daisuke Matsuzaka	950 
SP	Matt Cain		840
SP	Jon Papelbon		900  
RP	Francisco Cordero	1260
RP	Takashi Saito		1200
RP	Ryan Dempster		1130
RP	Joe Borowski		1110

Total Week 12b Salary:		29660

Today's Fantasy Rx: If looking for a bat to replace the demoted Elijah Dukes, try to acquire Billy Butler, who likely replaced Mike Sweeney for good at DH for the Royals this week. No one not currently in the majors possesses more BA/OBP/SLG upside than Butler, and like Travis Hafner, the need for him to appear in the lineup every day should outweigh his fielding deficiencies. Expect to see Butler emerge rather quickly as the needed bridge between Mark Teahen and Alex Gordon, making him an excellent addition to any AL-only team and many mixed league squads as well.