It hasn’t exactly been a dream season for Bangor native and former Bangor American Legion baseball standout Josh Pressley.

After signing a minor league free agent contract with the Boston Red Sox Feb. 1, the 26-year-old Pressley was ready for what he hoped to be a breakout season after eight years in the minors.

But his ninth minor league season started slowly as he hit just .050 with one hit (a single) and five strikeouts in 20 at-bats over his first seven games with the Pawtucket Red Sox, Boston’s Triple-A affiliate.

Then the 6-foot-6, 239-pound infielder-designated hitter suffered a right calf strain that caused him to be put on the seven-day disabled list April 17.

Thursday, Pressley was activated from the disabled list only to find out shortly after that Boston was releasing him, making him a free agent again. Pressley became expendable with the signing of free agent and former Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Hee-Seop Choi and his subsequent assignment to Pawtucket after a 20-day injury rehabilitation stint.

As of Monday afternoon, Pressley, a Fort Lauderdale, Fla., resident, had not signed with another organization. Attempts to reach Pressley via his cell phone were unsuccessful.

Pressley was offered a full scholarship to play baseball for the University of Florida, but elected to sign a contract with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays after they made him their fourth- round pick of the 1998 First-Year Player Draft.

The 1996 Maine American Legion Zone 1 Player of the Year was suspended for 15 games last season after a banned substance was found in his system following a routine urinalysis test in May mandated by Major League Baseball’s steroid-substance abuse policy.

Pressley said it wasn’t a steroid, but something he took over the counter, either a supplement or an anti-inflammatory product, that produced the positive test. He was taking it for pain and inflammation in his right knee after offseason arthroscopic knee surgery.

After his suspension, he went on to bat .311 with a single-season best 22 home runs and 88 RBIs while earning Texas League All-Star honors in his best overall season.

He had another solid season in 2000 with the Single-A Charleston River Dogs. He hit .303 with a South Atlantic League-leading 44 doubles in addition to accumulating six home runs and 61 RBIs.

Kinney throws a pair

Bangor native Matt Kinney seems to have found his groove with the San Francisco Giants’ Triple-A club.

After starting off his season with a 1-2 record, 6.75 ERA, and 27 hits in 20 innings pitched, Kinney has won two straight starts. He has allowed 10 hits in 11 2/3 innings while lowering his ERA to 5.12.

The 29-year-old righthanded starting pitcher signed with the Giants as a free agent last winter. This is his 11th pro season – eighth in the minors.

Andrew Neff can be reached at 990-8205, 1-800-310-8600 or at aneff@bangordailynews.net