Today's Fantasy Rx

Welcome to the first week of our formal LPR rankings this season, our primary method to identify highly skilled and/or consistently effective pitchers. While we haven't changed this system since last season, feel free to refer here for a complete description of the codes. We've included the five most recent 2005 QA scores for each starter, along with the 10 most recent QA scores for each reliever, tabulating all data through May 4th. Pitchers with no QA scores have not pitched this year, so don't roster any of them unless you see someone ready to return to the majors.

1
AX - Rich Harden(35434)
AX - Jeremy Bonderman(35343)
A - Erik Bedard(20554)

Seeing Harden atop this list doesn't surprise me, but the presence of both Bonderman and Bedard, coupled with the lack of any veterans, demonstrates the upside possessed by the current group of young AL starters. While Bonderman's skill development suggested a pending breakout, Bedard only added improved control to his previously respectable strikeout rate. I see no reason not to consider these pitchers among the top dozen starters in any standard AL league.

2
3BCYZ - Curt Schilling(224)
ABCXY - Randy Johnson(33455)
ABXY - Freddy Garcia(42433)
X - Bronson Arroyo(52334)

3bcyz - Mariano Rivera(23535255)
3 - Travis Harper(2533534023)
acxyz - Mike Timlin(3445234434)
bcyz - Tom Gordon(1224552351)
axy - Trever Miller(4444452353)
by - Kiko Calero(34454422)
Kevin Gregg(2424)

Expect Calero to rebound once he returns to full health, however Gregg and Miller rank as the sleepers here. Gregg's poor starts obscure his otherwise intriguing skills, and Miller remains one of the most undervalued safe roster fillers in the game.

3
CXZ - Roy Halladay(53353)
AX - Kevin Millwood(42344)
CZ - Kevin Brown(2443)
C - Mike Mussina(22423)
Z - Sidney Ponson(30442)

Halladay appears fully recovered from last season, so consider attempting to add him now before everyone realizes that he appears ready to return to the top rank of AL starters Caxy - Scot Shields(5504335405)
bcy - Jeremy Affeldt(33434)
cyz - Alan Embree(3355204332)
ax - Arthur Rhodes(3324345534)
a - Scott Schoeneweis(4244205444)

A
BCXYZ - Johan Santana(53443)
BC - Matt Clement(45504)
XY - Mark Buehrle(34423)
C - Cliff Lee(04442)
X - Bartolo Colon(44405)
X - Jon Garland(34444)
X - Mike Maroth(44443)
X - Josh Towers(50344)
X - Jarrod Washburn(14433)
Gustavo Chacin(34542)
Pedro Astacio(54400)
Chan Ho Park(50440)
Dan Haren(34040)
Jamie Moyer(22440)

Buehrle and Santana only slipped from the top rank this week after four weeks of outstanding skills. Homer problems again waylaid Santana while Buehrle's strikeout rate unsurprisingly dipped below 6.0. Of course, even with these minor deficiencies, both pitchers still belong in any discussion of the best AL starters this season.

The shocking early dominance of Gustavo Chacin ranks as a much bigger surprise. Place him on the short list for Rookie of the Year, and with his skills, he appears a surprisingly safe best even in Toronto.

B
Ycz - Jake Westbrook(03403)
Y - Carl Pavano(00343)
Nate Robertson(43032)
Bobby Madritsch(0)

Take advantage of his slow start to steal Westbrook from any owner furious with the qualitative stats resulting from Westbrook's ridiculously high hit rate.

C
Z - Joel Pineiro(2324)
Wade Miller
Jose Contreras(52004)

Zy - Juan Cruz(21105354)
Andrew Good(42)
Eric DuBose

X
Z - Tim Wakefield(53234)
Orlando Hernandez(52334)
Denny Bautista(50335)
Joe Blanton(34340)
Ryan Franklin(33303)

Bautista and Blanton easily could spend the season dueling with Gustavo Chacin for top rookie honors. Both own strong skills and only the questionable offenses of their respective clubs could keep them under double-digit value for the year.

Y
David Wells(02440)

Z
abxy - Dustin Hermanson(3355432444)

a
bcxyz - Brian Shouse(5553455545)
bcxyz - Francisco Cordero(4234434344)
bcxy - B.J. Ryan(3444553545)
bcxz - Mike MacDougal(4345534134)
bxyz - Francisco Rodriguez(5455554435)
bxy - Bob Wickman(5454444333)
bxy - Joe Nathan(5353554535)
bxy - Juan Rincon(3544522454)
bxy - Todd Williams(3443554432)
bxy - Rafael Betancourt(4334454423)
bxy - Bob Howry(5353330444)
by - Steve Kline(4054404544)
cx - Scott Sauerbeck(4345430535)
xy - Ron Villone(4444455323)
xy - Shingo Takatsu(1550433544)
b - J.C. Romero(5424242544)
x - Cliff Politte(3343552244)
x - Andy Sisco(4245454533)
x - Jorge Julio(3323545454)
x - Jake Woods(3253543445)
x - Jamie Walker(3442534335)
x - Justin Duchscherer(3350442443)
x - Huston Street(4343435052)
Miguel Batista(4324332455)

Regular readers know we like guys like Todd Williams and Rafael Betancourt, but every pitcher listed here merits some consideration in standard AL leagues and Sisco, Julio, and Street shouldn't remain free agents anywhere.

b
y - John Halama(4)

One good start will interest many owners given his potential to register a few quick wins, but Halama's historically poor skills as a starter will drive him back to the bullpen very soon.

cxyz - Brendan Donnelly(4134334425)
cxyz - Eddie Guardado(3424334333)
cxy - Luis Vizcaino(3243343323)
cyz - Octavio Dotel(444242424)
cyz - Keith Foulke(4341314324)
cz - Jason Grimsley
cz - Chad Bradford
cz - Kyle Farnsworth(3153233452)
y - Matt J. Miller(4324)
y - Carlos Almanzar(113221)
y - Scott Atchison
Mike Myers(4030350)
J.J. Putz(542444224)
Doug Brocail(2323424442)
Esteban Yan(432233332)

c
Kelvim Escobar(43)
Kirk Saarloos(03332)

xz - Matt Mantei(4343343553)
yz - Danys Baez(2552432354)
y - Ugueth Urbina(1221534325)
z - Damaso Marte(5042343444)
z - Paul Quantrill(214124321)
z - David Riske(435344544)
z - Rafael Soriano
Troy Percival(3212324335)
Jeff Nelson(33413333)
John Parrish(434443)

Only injuries can Mantei from reemerging as a dominant late inning force.

x
y - Jason Frasor(3323545334)
z - Mike Stanton(5400354334)
Jesse Crain(4043533323)
Franklyn German(3333342333)

y
Rodrigo Lopez(53402)

Steve Reed(132122235)
Jesus Colome(13540)
Erasmo Ramirez

z
Buddy Groom(244453)

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 2005.
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 2004.
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 2003.

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.

Note: 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 2005 starts
B - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2004 starts
C - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2003 starts

X - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2005 starts
Y - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2004 starts
Z - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2003 starts

a - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2005 relief outings
b - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2004 relief outings
c - QA score of 4 or 5 in at least 50% of 2003 relief outings

x - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2005 relief outings
y - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2004 relief outings
z - QA score below 3 in no more than 20% of 2003 relief outings

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

Internet Challenge

SP(6)
Johan Santana: Fri:@TB(D.Brazelton)
Jason Schmidt: Sat:WAS(J.Patterson)
Pedro Martinez: Sat:@MIL(B.Sheets?)
Roy Oswalt: Fri:@ATL(J.Smoltz)
Ben Sheets: Sat:NYM(P.Martinez)?
Rich Harden: Sat:@NYY(K.Brown)
Josh Beckett: Sat:COL(S.Chacon)
Miguel Batista: 3 Home vs. CHW.

No starts: Randy, Clemens, Mulder, Peavy, and Burnett.

Santana, Pedro, Harden, and Beckett all look strong, and then we'll opt for Schmidt and Batista over the hurting Oswalt and Sheets.

Hafner bumps the dinged Mench, joining Jose Reyes, Matt Holliday, and the ice cold Marcus Giles on the bench.

Rotohelp.com(3rd lg; 65th overall)
Week 5b: May 6-May 8

C	Victor Martinez		860
C	John Buck		390 
1B	Albert Pujols		1930 
1B	Justin Morneau	680
2B	Brian Roberts		960 
2B	Tadahito Iguchi		750
3B	Melvin Mora		1270
3B	Troy Glaus		830
SS	Miguel Tejada		1800
SS	Clint Barmes		400 
OF	Carl Crawford		1560
OF	Jim Edmonds		1250 
OF	Adam Dunn		1110
OF	Miguel Cabrera		1110 
OF	Scott Podsednik		1090 
OF	Jeremy Reed		400
UT	Mark Teixeira		1310 
UT	Travis Hafner		810

SP	Johan Santana		1710 
SP	Jason Schmidt		1510 
SP	Pedro Martinez		1450 
SP	Rich Harden		900
SP	Miguel Batista		840
SP	Josh Beckett		820
RP	Francisco Rodriguez	1250 
RP	Octavio Dotel		1240
RP	B.J. Ryan		950
RP	Brandon Lyon		750

Total Salary for Week 5b: 	29930

Today's Fantasy Rx: Harden, Bonderman, and Bedard all possess both excellent current skills, extremely promising statistical track records, and sheaves of strong scouting reports. If you lucked into rostering any member of this trio in your spring draft, examine your options very carefully before dealing them for more established options since each could surpass $20 and finish among the most valuable AL pitchers barring any extended bad luck.