Flash Era Coming to an End?

[Old#5fan]

I doubt he ends up being much more than he is but Flaherty's been hitting into some horrible luck too, his BABIP is around .240 but his LD% is in the mid 20's. His BB% and Contact rate are up, and his K% is down. I've always been a Flash fan cause of his defense but I don't think what he's doing with the bat right now is a true representation of what he can do.

I see this sentiment all the time on here from what seems like a lot of posters (that Flaherty is better at hitting than what he is showing) yet I have yet to see how anyone has a basis for believing it. I sure don't see it. I never saw anyone saying Brandon Fahey or Robert Andino were actually better hitters than they showed. What gives with Flaherty? He just continually shows he CAN'T hit, not the opposite!

[CA-ORIOLE]

I see this sentiment all the time on here from what seems like a lot of posters (that Flaherty is better at hitting than what he is showing) yet I have yet to see how anyone has a basis for believing it. I sure don't see it. I never saw anyone saying Brandon Fahey or Robert Andino were actually better hitters than they showed. What gives with Flaherty? He just continually shows he CAN'T hit, not the opposite!

The post you are responding to provides you facts and a basis for believing he is a better hitter than he has shown. It's more than a sentiment. Agree or disagree with it, but it's simply amazing that you would reply to that particular post and state that no one has given you anything. This is why you have the reputation that you do.

[weams]

The post you are responding to provides you facts and a basis for believing he is a better hitter than he has shown. It's more than a sentiment. Agree or disagree with it, but it's simply amazing that you would reply to that particular post and state that no one has given you anything. This is why you have the reputation that you do.

Jim Thome says he can hit. So I always took that into consideration when comparing him to Andino and Fahey.

[Can_of_corn]

Jim Thome says he can hit. So I always took that into consideration when comparing him to Andino and Fahey.

I agree with Jim's self assessment, he is a heck of a hitter.

Oh you meant Flaherty.

Jim doesn't strike me as the type to talk negatively about a teammate.

[MrOrange82]

Jim Thome says he can hit. So I always took that into consideration when comparing him to Andino and Fahey.

Jim Thome also said "I don't really like filling my brain with a lot of stuff."

Coincidence? I think not.

[LookinUp]

The fact is that if Machado and Schoop are in our infield, UTIF matters less. Both can back up SS in a pinch. Both can obviously play 3B in a pinch. Your backup infielder basically has to be able to fill in at 2B.

If Flaherty can't hit, he may be more valuable to another team in desperate need of a UTIF than he is to the O's.

Personally, if the O's think Machado, Hardy, Schoop and Davis is their infield, I want Lombardozzi as my backup and I want Flaherty getting all the ABs he can get in AAA with the hope that he can regain that fleeting hitting stroke in the minors.

[Riggodrill44]

I agree with Jim's self assessment, he is a heck of a hitter.

Oh you meant Flaherty.

Jim doesn't strike me as the type to talk negatively about a teammate.

I bet Thome meant he has some power. I imagine Flaherty hits his fair share of homers in BP

[El Gordo]

Thome was instrumental in helping CD make adjustments that led to his 53 HR season, and he also helped Flash put up some good numbers at the end of 2012. He just might know something about hitting. Certainly not as much as the resident geniuses here, of course/.

[Redskins Rick]

The fact is that if Machado and Schoop are in our infield, UTIF matters less. Both can back up SS in a pinch. Both can obviously play 3B in a pinch. Your backup infielder basically has to be able to fill in at 2B.

If Flaherty can't hit, he may be more valuable to another team in desperate need of a UTIF than he is to the O's.

Personally, if the O's think Machado, Hardy, Schoop and Davis is their infield, I want Lombardozzi as my backup and I want Flaherty getting all the ABs he can get in AAA with the hope that he can regain that fleeting hitting stroke in the minors.

How about the fact that Buck has said more than once, he wouldn't move/use Manny like that in mid-season.

[Aglets]

Flash is starting to approach Cesar Izturis status for me.

[eddie83]

I just am not worried about Flaherty's hitting when looking at him from a bench standpoint. We are an AL team, we don't pinch hit much anyway, if ever.

I think this was a big year for Ryan and the Manny injury impacted him. Maybe Lombardozzi would of taken some AB's away but Ryan didn't get off to a great start and we all see the promise of Schoop. Flaherty's leash would of been longer if Schoop doesn't make the team. It would be better for his career if a team said here is 500 at bats go play everyday and let's see what happens. It's not like Lombardozzi is going to pinch hit for anybody on the team so just keep Flaherty. If you want a bat off the bench I would keep Weeks over Lombardozzi.

[Roll Tide]

I just am not worried about Flaherty's hitting when looking at him from a bench standpoint. We are an AL team, we don't pinch hit much anyway, if ever.

I think this was a big year for Ryan and the Manny injury impacted him. Maybe Lombardozzi would of taken some AB's away but Ryan didn't get off to a great start and we all see the promise of Schoop. Flaherty's leash would of been longer if Schoop doesn't make the team. It would be better for his career if a team said here is 500 at bats go play everyday and let's see what happens. It's not like Lombardozzi is going to pinch hit for anybody on the team so just keep Flaherty. If you want a bat off the bench I would keep Weeks over Lombardozzi.

No but in the late innings Buck has no ability to pinch hit with a guy that almost an automatic out. So the result is that he leaves a hitter in for a bad matchup because he has no other choice ...they only have 3-4 bench players depending on how many relievers they are carrying. This has been a problem with the Orioles bench for years.

[Redskins Rick]

No but in the late innings Buck has no ability to pinch hit with a guy that almost an automatic out. So the result is that he leaves a hitter in for a bad matchup because he has no other choice ...they only have 3-4 bench players depending on how many relievers they are carrying. This has been a problem with the Orioles bench for years.[/QUOTE]

Every team in MLB has a 3-4 player bench, that's how they roll.

[weams]

No but in the late innings Buck has no ability to pinch hit with a guy that almost an automatic out. So the result is that he leaves a hitter in for a bad matchup because he has no other choice ...they only have 3-4 bench players depending on how many relievers they are carrying. This has been a problem with the Orioles bench for years.

Actually, against a right hander...The power that Flaherty has late in a game could be valuable.

[eddie83]

No but in the late innings Buck has no ability to pinch hit with a guy that almost an automatic out. So the result is that he leaves a hitter in for a bad matchup because he has no other choice ...they only have 3-4 bench players depending on how many relievers they are carrying. This has been a problem with the Orioles bench for years.

Who would you hit Lombardozzi for? The only scenario I would see is if Young isn't available you might hit him for Lough vs a lefty. I don't dislike Lombardozzi but I don't worry about a bat of the bench in the AL as much and he isn't a great bat anyway.