Mike Minor’s moment arrives

Months ago, I wrote a post on possible replacements for Michael Pineda, who had recently suffered a shoulder injury. I felt quite silly after suggesting Mike Minor as a viable candidate.

The past weekend provided vindication, as Minor put together his fourth straight quality start, leading the Braves to a 2-1 victory against the Phillies. Minor was the most-added player in Yahoo! fantasy leagues Wednesday, with 17,034 fantasy owners picking him up.

Minor has allowed only six runs in his last 27 1/3 innings, and his ERA has dropped from 6.20 to 5.18 in that time. That still doesn’t sound so good, but his ERA during those four starts is 1.99.

Minor’s only 24, and has shown promise even before this recent stretch, so I don’t think he’s a bad pickup at this point. He’s only owned in 36 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

With that said, I believe there are better options out there. Brewers pitcher Mike Fiers remains owned in only 61 percent of Yahoo! leagues, and he’s fresh off his fifth victory in 11 starts.

Fiers’ ERA is 1.88, his WHIP is 1.08, and he has 73 strikeouts in 72 innings pitched. And with the Brewers trading Zack Greinke over the weekend, there shouldn’t be any doubt Fiers will continue to get starts.

Paul Maholm has compiled a 1.23 ERA and 1.01 WHIP in the past 30 days, which encompasses five starts and one relief appearance, or 36 2/3 innings pitched. He is available in 62 percent of Yahoo! leagues, and after being traded from the Cubs to the Braves, Maholm (9-6) should earn even more victories.

Speaking of the Cubs, Jeff Samardzija may have become their de facto ace with Ryan Dempster being traded to the Rangers. Samardzija has an ERA of 1.91 and a WHIP of 1.03 in his past five starts, or 33 innings.

As a Cubs pitcher, those five outings have only translated to two wins for the first-year starter, but his strikeout ability will go a long way to assuage any concerns there. He has 36 Ks in those five starts.

Despite his name, the Reds’ Homer Bailey has much to offer. He has an ERA of 2.61, a WHIP of 1.23 and 36 strikeouts in his last 41 1/3 innings pitched. Plus, he plays for the Reds, who are a division-leading team with a fantastic bullpen.

Another sneaky option is the Orioles’ Wei-Yin Chen, who has a 3.44 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 41 strikeouts in his last 36 2/3 innings pitched. The fact that he plays for the Orioles should not deter you from riding his hot streak.

Options for replacing Michael Pineda on your fantasy team

Michael Pineda has suffered another setback with his right shoulder.

Yankees pitcher Michael Pineda on Saturday felt lingering pain in the back of his right shoulder, the Newark Star-Ledger reports.

The issue arose during an extended spring training game in Tampa, his first action since his final spring training start. Pineda lasted only 15 pitches Saturday.

This is sour news for Pineda fantasy owners. The 23-year-old began the season on the 15-day DL and has yet to see the mound for New York in 2012.

However, there are plenty of prospects available to replace Pineda.

Consider the Atlanta Braves’ Mike Minor, a 24-year-old former first-round pick who has allowed just one earned run in the past 15.1 innings.

Minor started 15 games in 2011, compiling a 4.14 ERA to go along with a 1.49 WHIP. While that may not be impressive, his 77 strikeouts in 82.2 innings are. He gave up only 30 walks.

That’s a ratio of 2.57, the 41st-best number among those pitching at least 80 innings in the National League. Two-time Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum was right behind him at 2.56.

But what’s most promising about Minor isn’t last year’s numbers. His performance through three starts in 2012 should have raised some eyebrows.

In 20.1 innings, Minor has compiled an ERA of 3.10; his WHIP is 0.89. His strikeout-to-walk ratio is 19-to-5, or 3.8.

While that ratio may not persist at such a high level, it could be a sign the lefty has reached a major stage in his development.

Minor showed moxie in spring training when asked about his role on the team. He entered the season competing with two other talented prospects for the Braves’ fifth starting spot.

“If they don’t have room for me here, then there’s no reason they shouldn’t trade me,” Minor said, according to a report from the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

You’ve got to respect the edge he’s bringing this year, and hopefully it translates to the mound.

Minor’s next start is scheduled for Tuesday against the Dodgers. If you find yourself in need of a replacement for Pineda, I would consider giving the Braves southpaw a shot.

Maybin I should have passed on Cameron in my fantasy baseball draft

The first full week of baseball has concluded, and I’m not bitter at all that Cameron Maybin’s stats added up to an .087 average.

My fantasy team, Buck in Charge, payed dearly for his ineptitude. But, on the bright side, his average matched his year of birth. Yes, he was born in 87 AD. (I lied, it was really 1987).

I still believe he can be a key contributor.

The former first-round pick is coming off his first full season in the majors, one in which he averaged .264 and stole 40 bases.

I drafted Maybin 138th overall in my fantasy league, with hopes that he could develop into more than just a speedster on the base paths. At that point in the draft he was more of a value pick than anything, but I had high hopes for him.

He entered this year with only 302 games played in his career — less than two full seasons. While his walk to strikeout ratio of 0.31 (91-to-297 entering 2012) leaves much to be desired, his inexperience leaves hope that he could become a stingier batter.

His work through 10 games in 2012 is less than encouraging, however. Maybin has averaged .175 with an OPS of .567, largely because he has just 3 walks to go along with 13 strikeouts.

I’m going to give it another week before I decide what to do with Maybin. He does have a homer and three steals on the young season. Hopefully those are harbingers of things to come.

Ozzie Guillen clarifies comments regarding Fidel Castro, Monitor lizards

Ozzie Guillen’s honeymoon in South Beach lasted less than a week.

The new Miami Marlins manager lauded former Cuban dictator Fidel Castro for his staying power in a recent interview with Time magazine, prompting an outcry in a community filled with Cuban immigrants.

Sadly, Guillen was not done instigating controversy on Easter weekend.

According to reports, Guillen brought his pet Monitor lizard to an Easter egg hunt Sunday in Cincinnati, and expressed disappointment when he found out the eggs were not real.

Local fans objected not only to the malicious intent, but also to the choice of a Monitor lizard over a bengal.

Guillen later clarified that he does not support Monitor lizards, and he plans a trip to PETA headquarters in Norfolk, Va., to apologize for his incendiary actions. While there, he will advocate for Michael Vick’s induction into PETA’s ring of honor, an advisory committee dedicated to ensuring the protection of animals across the globe.

CAA’s (alleged) shifting waters

CAA commissioner Tom Yeager on Monday adamantly denied reports that VCU and George Mason were considering a move to the Atlantic 10.

The next logical step, of course, would be for VCU and George Mason to announce their move to the Atlantic 10.

The Rams and Patriots are the Colonial’s standard bearers. Each has a Final Four run to its credit, and a departure to the Atlantic 10 would be devastating to the CAA.

That said, I think the move makes a lot of sense for both schools. Neither one has a football program; neither does a majority of Atlantic 10 schools.

The CAA, on the other hand, is the strongest conference in the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA).

The college sports landscape seems to have entered a stage of constant change. Maybe Yeager is being truthful; maybe VCU and George Mason are content to remain in the CAA. Maybe they will change their minds tomorrow. There’s no way to know.

Clash in the ACC: Virginia Tech hosts dynamic Clemson squad on Saturday

Virginia Tech's David Wilson (4) will look to counter the playmaking ability of Clemson's Tajh Boyd and Sammy Watkins on Saturday in Blacksburg.

After battling with the likes of Appalachian State and Arkansas State in a lenient early season schedule, a Virginia Tech squad with high hopes faces its first real test against Clemson on Saturday.

Virginia Tech is a program that seems to foster more hype that on-the-field success against elite competition, but the No. 11 Hokies (4-0, 0-0 ACC) have had the No. 13 Tigers’ number in recent years.

The last time Clemson (4-0, 1-0 ACC) came to Blacksburg with this much on the line was in 2006, when a then-No. 10 Tigers squad boasted the elite rushing tandem of James Davis and C.J. Spiller. Both now are on NFL rosters.

The Hokies proceeded to dominate the Tigers to the tune of a 24-7 rout.

If Virginia Tech is to accomplish its lofty goals this season, defense may again be the ticket to a marquee win.

First-year quarterback Logan Thomas has passed for only 460 yards and four touchdowns through four games, and while tailback David Wilson (519 rushing yards, five TDs) presents a dynamic threat, the Hokies have not shown an ability to be explosive offensively against FBS opponents.

Andy Dalton takes a step back

Bengals wideout A.J. Green tries to elude 49ers cornerback Carlos Rogers (22) in the second half Sunday in Cincinnati.

With controversy swirling around Bengals wideout Jerome Simpson and the 8.5 pounds of weed found at his home Wednesday, A.J. Green was sure for a breakout performance against the 49ers secondary, which came in giving up the most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers.

Somebody had to step up for the beleaguered Simpson, right?

Well, that somebody turned out to be fourth-year receiver Andre Caldwell, not Green.

Caldwell stepped up with six catches for 53 yards, and was quarterback Andy Dalton’s favorite target. Dalton threw to Caldwell 12 times.

Meanwhile, Green was targeted only five times, making four catches for 29 yards. He wasn’t even the second-most targeted receiver, as tight end Jermaine Gresham had eight passes thrown his way. He caught four of them for 51 yards.

Granted, no one on the Bengals had a standout performance, as Dalton was just 17 of 32 for 157 yards. Their offense was absolutely anemic after an opening field goal drive, and failed to produce a touchdown all day.

The Bengals’ struggle against a secondary rated as the worst in the NFL raises serious questions going forward. However, I still like A.J. Green as a lower-tier fantasy option, simply because of his athleticism and pedigree.

The Bengals took him at No. 4 overall for a reason, and perhaps Dalton will look back on Sunday’s debacle and decide he needs to look Green’s way more in order to be successful. In Week 2, Green had 14 targets and caught 10 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown, while Dalton went 27 of 41 for 332 yards and two touchdowns.

I look for Dalton, and Green, to bounce back against the upstart Bills in Week 4.

The Donovan McNabb quandary

Very rarely do you see a marquee player traded to a division rival, but the Eagles did just that when they dealt Donovan McNabb to the Redskins in 2010.

After struggling last year, McNabb has yet to deliver a win for his new team, the Vikings. Minnesota finds itself at 0-2.

While McNabb’s 228 passing yards against the Buccaneers are much improved from the meager 39 he threw in Week 1, he didn’t find the end zone against Tampa Bay, and fans have to be wondering what coach Leslie Frazier’s plans are at quarterback.

The Vikings are intent on winning in the near future. They just signed Adrian Peterson to a seven-year, $100 million contract. As a fifth-year running back, Peterson’s prime years likely won’t last much longer than a few more seasons.

The question becomes, at what point do you decide to commit to your 2011 first-round pick Christian Ponder at quarterback, hoping he can develop and lead the team to success? The Vikings drafted Ponder with the No. 12 overall pick, so obviously they see tremendous promise there.

A lot of people are talking about the quarterback controversy in Denver, with Tim Tebow fans clamoring for the ouster of Kyle Orton, but a more imminent coup may be developing in Minnesota.

The Vikings have their first divisional game Sunday against the up-and-coming Lions, and a poor performance against Detroit could land McNabb on the bench.

Report: Kobe Bryant wants trade to Grizzlies; sees a lot of Luc Longley in Marc Gasol

After the Mavericks denied Kobe Bryant and the Lakers a shot at another three-peat Sunday, in humiliating fashion, the 13-time all-star opined about a possible career move.

“You know, I saw what they did in Memphis with Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol this year, and honestly, I just wanna play with the better Gasol,” Bryant said in cold blood after a playoff performance by Pau Gasol many considered to be disappointing. “It’s not about forming another Big Three, really, I just like what Marc brings to the table.”

Bryant’s post-game walk to the Lakers locker room might have been his last.

After a season that saw the emergence of a new Big Three in Miami’s Lebron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, and with Lakers coach Phil Jackson retiring, Bryant is reportedly dreaming of a new Big Three in Memphis.

He went on to explain that he felt Marc Gasol displayed characteristics similar to Bill Cartwright and Luc Longley, players Bryant grew up admiring during the Bulls’ championship runs in the 1990s.

In addition to those factors, Bryant acknowledged the fact that losing to the Mavericks in the Western Conference semifinals ruled out any possibility he will be go down in history as the greatest Laker of all time. With that realization, it only made sense that Bryant would look to Memphis as the next destination in his career.

“We all saw what a boon that was to Allen Iverson’s career,” Bryant said. “I could see myself playing in Turkey someday.”

Fans reminded baseball was more fun with steroids, performance-enhancing drugs

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — While Matt Garza briefly basked in the glory of pitching the first no-hitter in Tampa Bay Rays history Monday night, he was quickly reminded of a grim truth.

“I just can’t believe I did it,” Garza said. “But when I remember that the batters I face now have to rely on sheer athleticism instead of performance-enhancing drugs, it brings me back down to Earth.”

Garza’s gem was Major League Baseball’s fifth no-hitter this season, and helped atone for the two perfect games that have been pitched against the Rays since July 2009.

“That was really the No. 1 thing on my mind the entire game, was wanting people to remember the Rays for something other than being an AL East division lightweight,” Garza said. “I mean, making it to the World Series that one year helped, but hey, we’ll take any help we can get.”

Later, when told that the Orioles were still in the American League East, Garza let out a celebratory yell and exchanged high fives with teammates.