Today's Fantasy Rx

Welcome to our weekly LPR rankings, 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 June 8th. 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
3ACXZ - Roy Halladay(44555)
AX - Bartolo Colon(33433)
AX - Rich Harden(43440)
BY - Freddy Garcia(24524)
A - Erik Bedard(55452)
C.C. Sabathia(34344)

cxz - David Riske(3442234444)
ax - Arthur Rhodes(3345033444)

A reliever shakeup swaps Timlin and B.J. Ryan for the Indians' set-up duo, both of whom again rank as excellent options in any standard league. The only starter switch involved Garcia replacing Jeremy Bonderman, who spends his first week out of this top spot since I began the weekly rankings two months back. While still an excellent player to own, his long-term value remains much brighter than his immediate utility.

I hope to post the remainder of this ranking later today.

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

While we expect to replace Barmes soon, only Counsell looks like a better overall value than Tejada or Reyes right now, so we're not adding anyone today.

SP(6)
Randy Johnson: Sat:@STL(M.Mulder)
Pedro Martinez: Sun:LAA(J.Lackey)
Roy Oswalt: Sun:TOR(T.Towers)
Roger Clemens: Sat:TOR(G.Chacin)
Ben Sheets: Sat:@PHI(C.Lidle)
Mark Mulder: Sat:NYY(R.Johnson)
A.J. Burnett: Sat:TEX(K.Rogers)
Miguel Batista: 3 Road at HOU.

No starts: Santana, Peavy, Willis, Beckett.

The home start for Mulder seems safer than Randy, and with Batista on a role, Sheets will sit.

With Cleveland in San Francisco, Morneau in LA, and Roberts still hurting, our only lineup move looks like subbing Edmonds for Victor Martinez.

Rotohelp.com(3rd lg; 79th overall)
Week 10b: June 10-June 12

 
C	Joe Mauer		440
C	John Buck		390
1B	Albert Pujols		1930 
1B	Mark Teixeira		1310
2B	Marcus Giles		950
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	Adam Dunn		1110
OF	Miguel Cabrera		1110 
OF	Scott Podsednik		1090 
OF	Kevin Mench		580 
OF	Jeremy Reed		400 
UT	Jim Edmonds		1250
UT	Matt Holliday		630 

SP	Pedro Martinez		1450 
SP	Roy Oswalt		1320 
SP	Roger Clemens		1280 
SP	Mark Mulder		1060 
SP	A.J. Burnett		830
SP	Miguel Batista		840  
RP	Brad Lidge		1280
RP	Trevor Hoffman		1270 
RP	Francisco Rodriguez	1250
RP	B.J. Ryan		950 

Total Salary for Week 10b: 	29780

Today's Fantasy Rx: Cleveland may lack a respectable offense right now, but with the third best defense in the league and a ridiculously deep bullpen corps, all their starters look like excellent trade targets right now. Okay, I still don't trust Elarton even though he enjoyed a solid May, but Sabathia, Lee, Westbrook, and even the currently disabled Millwood own solid across-the-board skills and plenty of upside. With strong support from the defense and bullpen, as well as an offense bound to improve over the summer, don't be surprised if at least one of these starters wins ten games over the balance of the season.