Ryan Flaherty - Losing his lock on 2B?

[El Gordo]

Not sure that I have ever seen that where your regular second baseman is also your utility guy for SS, 3B, 1B.

It's rare that your regular 2B plays 6 different positions well. The thing is Weeks is not very good defensively. 2B is his best position, but Flaherty is the better SS and 3B, as well as the better 2B. One reason why Weeks probably won't be the UTIF.

[tntoriole]

It's rare that your regular 2B plays 6 different positions well. The thing is Weeks is not very good defensively. 2B is his best position, but Flaherty is the better SS and 3B, as well as the better 2B. One reason why Weeks probably won't be the UTIF.

And I think this somewhat favors Schoop with Flaherty taking the Melvin Mora role, rather than Flaherty essentially having to be both second baseman and utility guy.

[CA-ORIOLE]

And I think this somewhat favors Schoop with Flaherty taking the Melvin Mora role, rather than Flaherty essentially having to be both second baseman and utility guy.

I think you're getting ahead of yourself. Flaherty is likely going get a pretty clear chance to establush himself as a starter this year. Lets see how it plays out. If he does well I don't think he'll be displaced as the starting second baseman because he's versatile enough to backup other positions. Maybe he'll move around a little more than a standard second baseman but I wouldn't term that a utility player. Schoop may very well end up at third base. He may be the starting second baseman in June. He may strughle for years.

[BillySmith]

I would completely surprised if Flaherty "broke out" and established himself as a regular. I get that his defense was way better last year and that he hit well in the second half in limited action. He'll hopefully be a suitable utility player for a few years IMO. But we'll see. This will be his next three four months to show what he's got. I suspect it will be what we've already seen.

[tntoriole]

I think you're getting ahead of yourself. Flaherty is likely going get a pretty clear chance to establush himself as a starter this year. Lets see how it plays out. If he does well I don't think he'll be displaced as the starting second baseman because he's versatile enough to backup other positions. Maybe he'll move around a little more than a standard second baseman but I wouldn't term that a utility player. Schoop may very well end up at third base. He may be the starting second baseman in June. He may strughle for years.

Just seems a little unusual...I don't remember BRob playing different positions in the spring even though he could... Manny can play short but he didn't play there last spring...Buck said Ryan would play 2b in the spring and it seems he has played everywhere but 2B. If it has been decided that Ryan is going to be our 2B, and not a utility guy, it is a little odd that he seems to be playing every place other than 2B.

[CA-ORIOLE]

Just seems a little unusual...I don't remember BRob playing different positions in the spring even though he could... Manny can play short but he didn't play there last spring...Buck said Ryan would play 2b in the spring and it seems he has played everywhere but 2B.

Unusual, sure. Take a look at Ben Zobrist. Probably loses some WAR by bouncing around but helps the team with his versatility. Played almost 40 games at other positions last year. I'd bet most people identify Zobrist as a second baseman (one of the better ones in the league for that matter) and definitely not as a utility guy.

Also, I don't really think Brob is capable/viable at playing other positions besides second base.

If it has been decided that Ryan is going to be our 2B, and not a utility guy, it is a little odd that he seems to be playing every place other than 2B.

Again, you're over thinking this imo. As it stands right now (assuming Machado is a go for OD), I'd assume that RF will be our primary starter at second base starting off this year. I see no reason to think otherwise. Buck knows what Flaherty can do at second base, it's the other guys he needs to look at right now. Flaherty will have a platoon partner at second. Not to mention we don't know for sure about Machado and need a contingency at third.

[Rene88]

Flaherty is first man up. If not, he may be one of the best utility guys ever.

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[DrungoHazewood]

If not, he may be one of the best utility guys ever.

That's something of an exaggeration. Tony Phillips and Gil McDougald have semi-legitimate HOF credentials, while Flaherty has yet to establish himself at 27.