It's Flaherty!

BALTIMORE, Maryland August 3, 2013- Not many weeks ago Credible and Incisive reported that the Orioles were facing a very important decision about their young infielder, Ryan Flaherty.  Flaherty was the Orioles' regular second baseman during most of the first half of this season while perennial All Star, Brian Roberts, recovered again from injuries.  Roberts had been injured most of the last three seasons.  Before last season the Orioles took Flaherty in the Rule 5 draft.  This "draft" allows big league teams to select minor league players from other teams who are not on that team's 40-man roster and have been in the minor leagues for a certain number of seasons without seeing big league action.  T.J. McFarland, on this year's team, is another Rule 5 Player.  The tough thing about Rule 5 picks is the requirement that they remain on the selecting team's big league roster the entire season or else they have to be offered back to the team that lost them for the waiver price of $25,000.  Flaherty is the son of an NCAA Division III baseball coach and the Orioles had no intention of offering him back.  But for much of the first half of 2012 he remained on the bench.  Then, in the amazing second half, he began getting more and more starts at second base.  The reason was his tendency to hit the occasional home run.  His fielding was adequate but his batting average was not.  When the Birds failed to trade for a second baseman in the offseason, save for Alexi Casilla, a utility player, it was thought that the thinking was that Roberts was finally ready to retake his position.  But after just a game or two in the starting line-up, Roberts injured his groin muscle and it required surgery.  Once again, Flaherty was the choice.  This time around his fielding was sensational.  And he continued to hit the occasional home run.  But once again his average was anemic, until about one month before Roberts returned.  Then, suddenly, his average rapidly improved and his homers became more than occasional.  The Orioles suddenly looked like they had a budding star on their hands.  After three years of waiting and hoping Roberts would return, the Orioles suddenly had a decision on their hands.

Well, Roberts has returned and stayed healthy for the first time in three years.  His average is not what it used to be but his fielding and every other great attribute about him has been on display at Camden Yards.  Not on display has been Flaherty.  Until last week, he sat.  Then he got some four starts - including one at first base and one at shortstop - and coupled them with solid hitting.  Once again his name is on people's minds.  There are two reasons he has re-emerged.  First, Roberts was scuffling at the same time the Birds were.  Second, Roberts went on Paternity leave.  More and more it looks like Flaherty is in the Orioles plans again.  Roberts, who at age 35 is far and away the oldest Oriole, will need more than a few days off to keep him from running down.  And Flaherty seems to have the perfect attitude to ride out the wait.