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 PDV below $4

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.

38.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Arthur Rhodes		3	9	5.12	1.73	34	21	46	38.2
OAK Athletics		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 34	P:L    B:L	3		3		4		4

Leaving Seattle for the first time since 1999 resulted in Rhodes' worst season of the decade as his skills collapsed and a back strain limited him to his fewest innings pitched since his 1991 debut. Departing Oakland for Cleveland also suggests he shouldn't rebound to any significant extent, so even though we expected him to flourish with the Athletics last year, nothing here indicates he'll merit more than endgame consideration this summer. Avoid Rhodes in any reasonably shallow league.

39.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
John Halama		7	0	4.70	1.36	59	27	134	118.2
TB Devil Rays		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 32	P:L    B:L	3		3		18.4		18.6

While good control at least limits his downside, hopefully his 6.03 ERA as a Rays' starter will prevent Boston from foolishly employing him in the rotation. Of course, I can't complain about the signing since Halama flourished in the bullpen, compiling a 2.46 ERA on a 29:12 K:BB in 44 IP with 34 H and 3 HR over 20 G. Remaining successful during extended outings suggests he could earn several bucks if kept in the bullpen, so consider spending an endgame pick here if you can reserve Halama whenever he appears set to start any games.

40.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Ramon Ortiz		5	0	4.43	1.38	82	38	139	128
ANA Angels		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 31	P:R    B:R	3		4		24.2		24.3

A crashing ground-fly ratio and worrisome platoon split finally forced Ortiz into the bullpen, where he unsurprisingly excelled to the tune of a 2.76 ERA on a 34:15 K:BB in 49 IP with 42 H and 5 HR over 20 G. Cincinnati ignored Ortiz's problems pitching deeper into games, and in one of the worst deals of the winter, foolishly dealt Dustin Moseley for Ortiz mere days before Anaheim appeared set to non-tender the veteran. Now Ortiz moves into a much better park for home runs, where he'll pitch in front of a worse defense, making him a top candidate for the Reds' Scapegoat of the Year award. Don't be surprised if the pending disaster of a season here unfairly costs Dave Miley his job despite a season-and-a-half record as one of the best managers in the game. Avoid Ortiz at all costs unless brilliant inspiration somewhere in the organization returns him to a relief role.

41.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Billy Koch		2	8	4.41	1.65	50	36	45	49
CHW/FLO		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 29	P:R    B:R	3		3		9.4		9.4

42.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Brendan Donnelly		5	0	3.00	1.17	56	15	34	42
ANA Angels		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 33	P:R    B:R	3		3		15.3		15.3

43.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Bob Howry		4	0	2.74	1.15	39	12	37	42.2
CLE Indians		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 31	P:R    B:L	3		3		16.9		16.9

44.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Frank Francisco		5	0	3.33	1.25	60	28	36	51.1
TEX Rangers		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 25	P:R    B:R	3		3		16.6		16.7

45.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Chad Bradford		5	1	4.42	1.27	34	24	51	59
OAK Athletics		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 30	P:R    B:R	2		2		11.2		11.2

46.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Brian Shouse		2	0	2.23	1.22	34	18	36	44.1
TEX Rangers		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 36	P:L    B:L	2		2		20.4		20.4

47.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Shawn Camp		2	2	3.92	1.35	51	16	74	66.2
KC Royals		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 28	P:R    B:R	2		2		16.8		16.8

48.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
John Parrish		6	1	3.46	1.58	71	55	68	78
BAL Orioles		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 26	P:L    B:L	2		3		24		24.1

49.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Scott Williamson		0	1	1.26	1.01	28	18	11	28.2
BOS Red Sox		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 28	P:R    B:R	2		2		16.6		16.6

50.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Trever Miller		1	1	3.12	1.29	43	15	48	49
TB Devil Rays		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 31	P:L    B:R	2		2		17.2		17.2

51.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Nate Field		2	3	4.26	1.33	30	19	40	44.1
KC Royals		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 28	P:R    B:R	2		1		9.3		9.3

52.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Jesse Crain		3	0	2.00	1.07	14	12	17	27
MIN Twins		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 23	P:R    B:R	2		1		13.2		13.2

Please refer to our Post-2004 Prospect Review: Minnesota for my comments on Crain.

53.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Rudy Seanez		3	0	3.33	1.26	46	19	39	46
KC/FLO		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 35	P:R    B:R	2		2		14.9		14.9

54.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Alan Embree		2	0	4.13	1.15	37	11	49	52.1
BOS Red Sox		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 34	P:L    B:L	2		1		11.8		11.8

55.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Erasmo Ramirez		5	0	4.29	1.15	21	7	34	35.2
TEX Rangers		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 28	P:L    B:L	1		1		7.3		7.3

56.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Paul Quantrill		7	1	4.72	1.51	37	20	124	95.1
NY Yankees		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 35	P:R    B:L	1		1		14.6		14.6

57.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Jon Rauch		4	0	2.81	1.28	22	11	30	32
CHW/MON		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 26	P:R    B:R	1		1		12.4		12.5

58.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Terry Adams		6	3	4.76	1.60	56	28	84	70
TOR/BOS		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 31	P:R    B:R	1		1		10.4		10.4

59.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Doug Brocail		4	1	4.13	1.41	43	20	54	52.1
TEX Rangers		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 37	P:R    B:L	1		1		11.8		11.8

60.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Jim Mecir		0	2	3.59	1.34	49	19	45	47.2
OAK Athletics		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 34	P:R    B:S	1		1		13.9		13.9

61.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Todd Williams		2	0	2.87	1.12	13	9	26	31.1
BAL Orioles		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 33	P:R    B:R	1		0		11.9		11.9

62.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Ramiro Mendoza		2	0	3.52	1.04	13	7	25	30.2
BOS Red Sox		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 32	P:R    B:R	1		0		9.2		9.3

63.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Jason Grimsley		5	0	3.86	1.52	39	35	61	63
KC/BAL		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 37	P:R    B:R	1		1		16.3		16.3

64.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Julio Mateo		1	1	4.68	1.25	43	16	56	57.2
SEA Mariners		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 27	P:R    B:R	1		1		9.1		9.2

65.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Jaime Cerda		1	2	3.15	1.55	33	30	41	45.2
KC Royals		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 25	P:L    B:L	1		0		15.8		15.8

66.		W	S	ERA	WHIP	K	BB	H	IP
Tanyon Sturtze		6	1	5.47	1.40	56	33	75	77.1
NY Yankees		4x4		5x5		RAR		Adj. RAR
Age: 33	P:R    B:R	1		1		4.7		4.8

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

Today's Fantasy Rx: Billy Koch and Bobby Howry qualifies as the true sleeper closers here, but the player with the most likely upside looks like Jon Rauch. Only a lack of projected innings keeps him from ranking as a top target in any NL league due to his developing skills and long-term potential dominance.