Lind, Theriot make presence known immediately

	Ryan Theriot can steal bases and play a bunch of positions, making him a valuable fantasy asset. Warren Wimmer/WireImage.com
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The weather has put a damper on the start of the season, and the injury bug is hitting hard, meaning lots of opportunities for some previously unknown quantities. Here are this week's answers to the question: Who's he?

Adam Lind, OF, Blue Jays: Add another name to the list of super AL rookies this year. Impressive in an 18-game cup of coffee with the Jays last September when he hit .367 with a pair of home runs, Lind has been called up to help the Jays for real this season as the everyday left fielder. A candidate for the job in spring training, Lind will replace Reed Johnson, who is sidelined until July after electing to have surgery on a herniated disk in his back.

Despite being promoted to Triple-A Syracuse on July 25 last year, Lind was named MVP of the Double-A Eastern League, hitting .310 with 19 homers, 71 RBIs and a .900 OPS with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. He was even better for the SkyChiefs, hitting .394 with five big flies in 109 at-bats last season and .306 with two homers and seven RBIs this year before getting the call to Toronto. A pure left-handed line-drive hitter with good power, Lind is the real deal, evidenced by his 4-for-8 start in his first two starts this year for the Jays. He's in Toronto's long-term plans and should help form one of the AL's best outfields of the next five years, alongside Alex Rios and Vernon Wells. He's well worth a starting spot in your outfield.

Ryan Theriot, IF, Cubs: Although Theriot is in his third season (but first full year) in the big leagues and stole 13 bases in 54 games in 2006, he qualifies here because he's never really had a major league role until now. This spring Theriot caught the eye of Lou Piniella, who has a history of turning second basemen with good offensive skills into super utility players. Remember Mark McLemore in Seattle and Marlon Anderson in Tampa Bay? Now it's Theriot's turn. He's played his natural position, second base, this season as well as third base, and also made his pro debut at the two corner outfield spots. Following a 3-for-4 outing on Sunday, Theriot is atting .381 with three steals, which ties him for sixth in the NL. He's a quality backup and could have Ryan Freel-like value and flexibility in all leagues before the season is over.

Chris Sampson, P, Astros: In his first start of the year, the 28-year-old righty shut down the Cubs, surrendering just three hits, a walk and a hit batsman in five innings, lowering his career ERA to 1.71 and WHIP to 0.86. Drafted in the eighth round in 1999 as a speedy shortstop by the Astros, he played one minor league season before walking away. In 2002 while coaching at Collin College in Plano, Texas, he was forced into action as an emergency pitcher for the team, striking out five of the six batters he faced. Curious about his ability, he attended a tryout at Minute Maid Park, was re-signed and has made his way up the organization's ladder, reaching Houston last season.

He's a control pitcher, featuring a sinker and slider. He has walked just 78 batters in 524 minor league frames and just six in 42 innings in the majors. The Astros' rotation is in turmoil, so the opportunity for him to remain in the rotation is there, making him a great speculative choice to serve at the tail end of your staff.

Chase Wright, P, Yankees: As Mike Mussina and Carl Pavano look forward to 15 days on the DL, it's Wright who gets the call to New York's rotation. Wright will be making the jump from Double-A Trenton above the more heralded hurlers Phil Hughes and Tyler Clippard, both of who are toiling at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The 24-year-old lefty began the year blazing hot in his first two minor league starts, giving up just four hits, one walk and no earned runs while striking out 19 in 14 innings. That showing comes on the heels of an eye-opening 2006 when he threw 120 innings for Single-A Tampa, had a .218 opposing batting average and allowed only one home run all season.

Having Wright in the big leagues this soon is not a stretch, especially considering that he's been in the Yankees system since being drafted out of high school in the third round in 2001. With four starters (Mussina, Pavano, Chien-Ming Wang, Jeff Karstens) already on the DL, and the fifth man (Kei Igawa) struggling, the opportunity is there for Wright. He's thrown so well this year that he's worth taking a chance on for the next week or two, with the understanding that he'll probably return to the minors by the end of the month.

Alexi Casilla, MI, Twins: Not to be confused with his veteran teammate Luis Castillo, Casilla's modus operandi on the diamond is very similar to that of the ex-Marlin. The two are switch hitters, have excellent range, outstanding speed and basestealing skills, and neither has a lick of power. Last season, Casilla stole a Twins organization-high 50 bases splitting his time between the Florida State (Class A) and Eastern (Double A) Leagues but has hit a total of four home runs in four previous pro seasons. Recently he's been getting at-bats filling in for the slumping Jason Bartlett at shortstop. Along with Luis Rodriguez, he is a candidate to man the hot corner while Nick Punto is sidelined. He's going to be a good major league reserve one day, but unless you're completely speed-starved, there's little reason to consider him for fantasy purposes right now.