Lurking: Ryan Flaherty?

[sandman0838]

He showed something last year, he just can't catch up to off speed stuff...He ought to know he is going to off speed stuff, just go up there and SIT on that and hope you can see a fastball or two.

[duffaphonic]

I have never seen a player struggle as much as Flaherty. He looks completely lost. What happened?

[CA-ORIOLE]

I have never seen a player struggle as much as Flaherty. He looks completely lost. What happened?

Instead of 2 LF/DH types on the bench I think it would have been better to have a RH platoon for him at third to start the season. It definitely is in his head at this point. He seemed so confident in ST.

[tntoriole]

I have never seen a player struggle as much as Flaherty. He looks completely lost. What happened?

He is thinking about how he did exactly the same thing last year and is pressing. And he has limited offensive skills including very poor strike zone awareness.

[BradyBunch]

Instead of 2 LF/DH types on the bench I think it would have been better to have a RH platoon for him at third to start the season. It definitely is in his head at this point. He seemed so confident in ST.

Flaherty was hitting AA and AAA pitching in ST. That is all.

[Moshagge3]

In fairness, last year, even when Flaherty was hitting well, he was rarely exposed to lefties and certainly not the likes of Lester or Doubront. Between those two and Drew Smyly today, I'd bet that more than half of Flaherty's at-bats were against lefties, which, again, he would never be facing if Machado were healthy.

[CA-ORIOLE]

Nice game by RF today. Did a good job filling in at SS and got on base twice (including his first hit). Hopefully he can get it going offensively.

[JayThomas]

Nice game by RF today. Did a good job filling in at SS and got on base twice (including his first hit). Hopefully he can get it going offensively.

That would be a shot in the arm this lineup definitely needs. Having a baserunner or two on when we turnover the lineup would be a whole brave new world for us this season.

[scOtt]

Flaherty was hitting AA and AAA pitching in ST. That is all.

This is BS. Not exclusively. He faced plenty of ML starters.

[Flash- bd]

RyFla is a godly player and will have a nice season. Not worried about him at all, never was.

[OrangeJerseys]

Good to see Flash on the board.

[NJBirdfan]

He looked like he belonged today. Strong at SS and had much better ABs. When he's not flailing at the breaking ball, he looks perfectly fine. Whatever he did today worked, so hopefully it continues.

Schoop on the other hand...

I am hoping it was the cold weather, but I was gonna say the same thing about schoop. Buck had a big smile when flash got on base. So how do we get a tall skinny utility infielder with a nickname of flash... yet he does not steal...

[tntoriole]

I am hoping it was the cold weather, but I was gonna say the same thing about schoop. Buck had a big smile when flash got on base. So how do we get a tall skinny utility infielder with a nickname of flash... yet he does not steal...

We could call him "Stick in the Mud".

[CA-ORIOLE]

So how do we get a tall skinny utility infielder with a nickname of flash... yet he does not steal...

No idea, but it does seem odd that he walks around in a long rain coat all year round.

[AdamK]

Good to see Flash on the board.

Buck likes it.

Me too.