Best viewed in IE 4.0+
 
Rotohelp  
February
28th
2005
Your Daily Fantasy Rx
Rotohelp
'05 AL Relief Pitcher Week: Day One
by Tim Polko

Today's Fantasy Rx

Per popular request, I will provide all of the player information tables for these articles even if I still need to complete comments for some pitchers.


American League Relief Pitchers with Double-digit PDV

Quick Key to the tables:
W = Wins.  S = Saves.  ERA = Earned Run Average (ER*9/IP).
WHIP = (Walks + Hits)/IP aka Ratio.  K = Strikeouts.  BB = Bases on Balls aka Walks.
H = Hits.  IP = Innings Pitched.  P = Pitches.  B = Bats.
Age = Player's Age as of October 1, 2004.
4x4 = BA, HR, RBI, and SB in 12-team, $260 leagues with 23-man rosters.
5x5 = BA, HR, RBI, SB, and R in 12-team, $260 leagues with 23-man rosters.
RAR = Runs Above Replacement; Adjusted RAR = RAR modified to
consider whether a pitcher qualified as a starter in Scoresheet fantasy baseball .

Players are ranked in order from the highest draft value in a 4x4 league to the lowest. As the majority of fantasy leagues allow you to keep anyone traded to the other league, all players are listed in the league where they began the season.


1.WSERAWHIPKBBHIP
Mariano Rivera4531.941.0866206578.2
NY Yankees4x45x5RARAdj. RAR
Age: 34P:R    B:R43373939

Split Rivera's halves and both pitchers push $20. First Half Rivera registered 32 saves on a 36:15 K:BB in 45.1 IP with 34 H, 1 HR, and an unbelievable 0.99 ERA. Second Half Rivera saved another 21 games on a 30:5 K:BB in 33.1 IP with 31 H, 2 HR, and a solid 3.24 ERA. Perhaps the best reliever in history continues to dominate, managing a career-best 2.13 G-F and the fifth sub-2.00 ERA of his career. Rostering him for anything less than $30 qualifies as a superb bargain since the questionable pitching and defense of the 2005 Yankees will provide Rivera another 50 save opportunities.


2.WSERAWHIPKBBHIP
Francisco Cordero3492.131.2879326071.2
TEX Rangers4x45x5RARAdj. RAR
Age: 29P:R    B:R373233.833.8

The remarkably consistent Cordero managed an outstanding season in his first full year as a closer despite a worrisome ground-fly rebound from 1.82 down to 1.03 that somehow translated into improvement in his homer rate. Of course, his struggles in September and continued control problems leave me hesitant to recommend him at much more than $25. If his saves drop by at least a dozen as I expect, pushing $30 here almost certainly will guarantee you won't earn a profit on Cordero.


3.WSERAWHIPKBBHIP
Joe Nathan1441.620.9889234872.1
MIN Twins4x45x5RARAdj. RAR
Age: 29P:R    B:R373238.738.7

Developing dominance and improved control translated into an All-Star season for the first-year closer. Nathan cut his ERA by 1.34 despite moving to the AL and leaving SBC for the Metrodome, yet other than a brief stumble in August, he never posted an ERA over his 2.46 April mark. Only a .76 G-F mars an otherwise excellent skill set, so I see no reason why he won't remain one of the top relievers in the game. Feel free to approach $30 given the strong likelihood Nathan will push 40 saves while keeping his ERA near 3.00.


4.WSERAWHIPKBBHIP
Keith Foulke5322.170.9479156383
BOS Red Sox4x45x5RARAdj. RAR
Age: 31P:R    B:R322738.838.8


5.WSERAWHIPKBBHIP
Troy Percival2332.901.2533194349.2
ANA Angels4x45x5RARAdj. RAR
Age: 35P:R    B:R242018.818.8


6.WSERAWHIPKBBHIP
Danys Baez4303.571.3152296068
TB Devil Rays4x45x5RARAdj. RAR
Age: 27P:R    B:R22192020


7.WSERAWHIPKBBHIP
Shingo Takatsu6192.310.9850214062.1
CH White Sox4x45x5RARAdj. RAR
Age: 35P:R    B:R201728.128.1


8.WSERAWHIPKBBHIP
Francisco Rodriguez4121.821.00123335184
ANA Angels4x45x5RARAdj. RAR
Age: 22P:R    B:R181842.942.9


9.WSERAWHIPKBBHIP
Tom Gordon942.210.8896235689.2
NY Yankees4x45x5RARAdj. RAR
Age: 36P:R    B:R161541.541.5


10.WSERAWHIPKBBHIP
Eddie Guardado2182.780.9945143145.1
SEA Mariners4x45x5RARAdj. RAR
Age: 33P:L    B:R151317.817.8


11.WSERAWHIPKBBHIP
Ugueth Urbina4214.501.3056323854
DET Tigers4x45x5RARAdj. RAR
Age: 30P:R    B:R15139.79.7


12.WSERAWHIPKBBHIP
Jorge Julio2224.571.4270395969
BAL Orioles4x45x5RARAdj. RAR
Age: 25P:R    B:R141211.911.9


13.WSERAWHIPKBBHIP
Juan Rincon1122.631.02106325282
MIN Twins4x45x5RARAdj. RAR
Age: 25P:R    B:R121233.633.6


14.WSERAWHIPKBBHIP
Jason Frasor4174.081.4654366468.1
TOR Blue Jays4x45x5RARAdj. RAR
Age: 27P:R    B:R121015.815.9


15.WSERAWHIPKBBHIP
B.J. Ryan432.281.14122356487
BAL Orioles4x45x5RARAdj. RAR
Age: 28P:L    B:L101139.539.5


16.WSERAWHIPKBBHIP
Scot Shields843.331.301094097105.1
ANA Angels4x45x5RARAdj. RAR
Age: 29P:R    B:R101034.134.3


'05 AL Relief Pitcher Week continues tomorrow with more American League relievers.


Today's Fantasy Rx: Rivera, Foulke, and KRod jump out as the best targets here while B.J.Ryan qualifies as the most intriguing sleeper. If you don't want to push $30 for an established stud, instead opt for any closer costing no more than $20 from any AL team save Toronto and possibly Chicago, teams that simply lack anyone likely to save 20 games.


Click here to read the previous article.

Please e-mail your comments to tim@rotohelp.com.
Advertise on
Rotohelp
All content ©2001-18 Rotohelp, Inc. All rights reserved. PO Box 72054 Roselle, IL 60172.
Please send your comments, suggestions, and complaints to: admin@rotohelp.com.