By John Nemo
Enquirer contributor

We all know Alex Rodriguez can help you win a fantasy baseball championship, but what about Akinori Otsuka?

To quote Kenny Rogers (the singer, not the starter), "You got to know when to hold 'em."

For fantasy leagues counting statistics such as holds and appearances, not to mention wins, ERA and WHIP, it's those relatively obscure middle relievers like Otsuka who can end up pushing a fantasy pitching staff over the top.

Even better, chances are players like San Diego's Otsuka are still floating around on waivers in your league, unless another owner has an obsession with stockpiling middle relievers.

So who's the best of this bunch right now? Perhaps the player with the biggest name recognition: Tom Gordon. The former Red Sox closer has fit in perfectly with the Yankees, racking up 21 holds and two saves in his first 40 appearances. He's healthy - always an issue for Gordon - and playing on the best team in baseball, which means there are plenty of late-inning leads to protect. For good measure, Gordon's 1.54 ERA and 0.81 WHIP won't hurt your fantasy staff one bit.

The pack drops off a bit after Gordon, but there's still plenty of talent to be had. Houston's Brad Lidge put up 17 holds before recently becoming the Astros' closer when Octavio Dotel was traded to Oakland. And if Lidge is somehow still available in your league and you want a top-notch closing candidate, go get him. In the meantime, teammate Dan Miceli (13 holds) should get the bulk of the setup work now in Houston.

The Reds' Todd Jones and John Riedling are two reasons Reds closer Danny Graves has been able to rack up so many saves. Jones came into Saturday right behind Gordon with 19 holds, plus he has picked up five wins and a save. Riedling has been used a little less often but has still managed four wins and 12 holds in 38 appearances.

Another bullpen that is proving to be a breeding ground for talented middle relievers is in San Diego, where Otsuka and Scott Linebrink pretty much split setup duties. Going into Saturday, Otsuka has been the better of the two, going 5-2 with 17 holds, two saves, a 1.86 ERA and 1.03 WHIP. Linebrink is right behind him at 3-1 with 16 holds, a 2.38 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP.

Everybody knows about Anaheim's Francisco "K-Rod" Rodriguez, but there's another Rodriguez on the West Coast who should be catching your eye: San Francisco's Felix Rodriguez. No, he won't be replacing the improving Matt Herges anytime soon as the Giants' closer, but Rodriguez has been solid as a middle man, picking up 13 holds, a pair of wins and sporting a 1.23 WHIP.

In the second class of middle relievers are players like Mike Stanton, Luis Vizcaino and Tim Worrell. Going into Saturday, Vizcaino has 13 holds while Stanton and Worrell each have 12.

And if you're looking for a quick way to try to pick up a few more wins, Minnesota's Juan Rincon is your man. He has managed to worm his way to eight wins already, and teammates are calling him everything from "Juanny on the spot" to "The Vulture."

Rincon has only seven holds, but he is Minnesota's top middle reliever right now, and you can't argue with a pitcher who might have 10 wins as a reliever before the All-Star break.

Another pitcher who is benefiting from being in the right place at the right time is Texas' Carlos Almanzar, who is sporting a 6-1 record to go with nine holds.

Keep in mind that middle relievers are only one piece of the overall fantasy puzzle, but sometimes owners tend to forget just how valuable that piece can be.

HOT BOX

Pick him up: Danys Baez, relief pitcher, Devil Rays. Tampa Bay keeps winning, and Baez keeps dominating. He's up to 16 saves and has lowered his ERA to 2.97 and his WHIP to 1.29. He remains on a roll, and there's no reason to wait a moment longer if you have a chance to pick him up.

Sit him down: Preston Wilson, outfielder, Rockies. After knocking in four runs in his second game back from a knee injury that kept him out for almost half the season, Wilson has gone into the tank, struggling through a 3-for-27 slump. It's best to bench him until he can get himself right again.

Keep an eye on: Ryan Drese, starting pitcher, Rangers. He's only 4-5, but Drese's 3.44 ERA and 1.21 WHIP are better than a lot of starters out there right now. Not only that, but he's getting stronger, going at least eight innings in three of his past six starts, including a complete-game loss to Houston last week during which he gave up only one run.

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John Nemo can be reached at nemofreelance@yahoo.com