Even before Jose Tabata wound up getting hurt, it looked like the Pirates were going to call up Alex Presley from the minors to DH during this week's round of interleague play. With Tabata going to the DL, not only will Presley play this week, but he might also have a couple of weeks of regular duty...and he could stick Post All-Star if he plays well.
If you hadn't heard of Presley before, don't feel bad. Even with his solid performance last year, he still wasn't regarded as a solid Major League prospect. Most analysts saw him as a Major League fourth outfielder, not a future starter. While his numbers at AAA are solid, he's 26 years old, not 22. Still, a 336/389/500 slash line definitely is worthy of attention.
As we all know in Rotisserie, sometimes opportunity means more than talent in the short-term. Lyle Overbay hasn't delivered this year and Xavier Paul looks like even more of a reserve than Presley does. This means that Presley doesn't have to be an All-Star outfielder to earn playing time, but just a guy who puts up a 700-750 OPS. Is that possible? It certainly is.
The upside for Presley is probably 10 HR and 15 SB over the course of a full season. This assumes 600 plate appearances, something Presley might never get. However, don't be surprised if he does. Melky Cabrera is putting together one of those years in Kansas City where everything is coming together, and Cabrera isn't necessarily a lot more talented than Presley. I wouldn't go crazy with a bid for Presley this coming weekend, but I would definitely go double digits if you're playing for 2011 and need an outfielder badly enough.
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