Flash Era Coming to an End?

[Shabadoo25]

My thoughts are that when Manny returns Schoop goes down to work on his defense and hitting. He's still very raw. His approach at the plate is extremely aggressive and he needs to work on his fundamentals.

I think it's more likely that this our IF (barring injury) when Manny returns:

Machado - 3B

Hardy - SS

Flaherty - 2B

Davis - 1B

Lombardozzi - Utility...mostly at 2B if Flaherty spells Manny, Hardy, or Davis.

Buck may disagree, but I wouldn't send Schoop down. His hitting is very good and his defense doesn't have any problem that not playing 3rd won't solve.

[Shabadoo25]

You don't think Hardy should get a day off every once in a while?

Manny can cover that.

[mdbdotcom]

Manny can cover that.

They haven't used him that way, and they have gone so far as to say they won't.

[markdublya]

Flash is actually a very solid hitter...from Memorial Day til the end of the season!

[Redskins Rick]

They haven't used him that way, and they have gone so far as to say they won't.

Dang, somebody bringing up facts to win an argument!

Flash will be the last guy shipped to the minors or DFA IMO.

He is too valuable as a super sub on the bench that brings a strong defense to diamond.

Manny comes back and assumes the spot at third.

Lombo is moved out or Schoop is sent back to AAA for more seasoning, either of these will happen, before they let go of Flash. Again, just IMO.

[El Gordo]

As much as Buck focuses on defense I can't imagine him choosing to keep Lombo over Flaherty. Flaherty gives you 6 solid positions on defense and a LH bat with some power off the bench. Lobo gives you one position of mediocre defense and a SH bat with a good approach, but no power.

[El Gordo]

Flash is actually a very solid hitter...from Memorial Day til the end of the season!

2013 from Memorial Day on:.268 .327 .477 .804. 2012: .248 .296 .436 .732

[VeveJones007]

Agree. This thread is premature.

Flaherty is the best backup SS in the organization, period.

That statement is premature until we see how Manny's lateral movement looks post-injury.

[MrOrange82]

As much as Buck focuses on defense I can't imagine him choosing to keep Lombo over Flaherty. Flaherty gives you 6 solid positions on defense and a LH bat with some power off the bench. Lobo gives you one position of mediocre defense and a SH bat with a good approach, but no power.

You grossly overstate the virtues of the player you like, and downplay the strengths of the one you don't. Flaherty has been played at every infield position and the OF. In very limited innings, he has not been good defensively in the OF or at 1B. He's been somewhat bad in limited innings at 3B this season. He's been pretty good at SS.

Lombardozzi played 3B quite well for the Nationals before coming to Baltimore. He's played 2B pretty well for the O's this year. He played SS poorly for the Nationals in limited innings. And he played OF for the Nationals much better than Flaherty has for the Orioles in almost four times as many innings. The only position that Flash has played that Lombo hasn't is 1B.

And Flaherty's power? He actually has to use it for that to be considered a tool. Once again, he's batting below the Mendoza line. .179 after last night's game.

It's fine to prefer Flaherty to Lombo if you have good reasons for doing so, but I doubt you even checked Lombo's stats before claiming that he provides mediocre defense at just one position.

[El Gordo]

That statement is premature until we see how Manny's lateral movement looks post-injury.

Manny hasn't played SS in two seasons. No chance he plays there without a MiL refresher, or an extreme emergency.

[Don_Aase_Fan]

Doesn't Schoop only need to go back to the minors for a month or so to recoup a year of service time?

That's the only reason I could see him heading to Norfolk, but it's a big one.

[backwardsk]

Why do either need to be sent down? Drop the extra pitcher. The decision will come when the rule V guy is ready.

[El Gordo]

You grossly overstate the virtues of the player you like, and downplay the strengths of the one you don't. Flaherty has been played at every infield position and the OF. In very limited innings, he has not been good defensively in the OF or at 1B. He's been somewhat bad in limited innings at 3B this season. He's been pretty good at SS.

Lombardozzi played 3B quite well for the Nationals before coming to Baltimore. He's played 2B pretty well for the O's this year. He played SS poorly for the Nationals in limited innings. And he played OF for the Nationals much better than Flaherty has for the Orioles in almost four times as many innings. The only position that Flash has played that Lombo hasn't is 1B.

And Flaherty's power? He actually has to use it for that to be considered a tool. Once again, he's batting below the Mendoza line. .179 after last night's game.

It's fine to prefer Flaherty to Lombo if you have good reasons for doing so, but I doubt you even checked Lombo's stats before claiming that he provides mediocre defense at just one position.

I don't have to look at Lombo 's stats to see he has a weak arm that is barey adequate for 2B and won't play at SS or 3B. If you want a UTIF his main purpose is defensive versatility. In two seasons plus 3 weeks, Flaherty has played 7 positions averaging over a total of 5 RS each year, according to TZ. His only poor position was 1B -2 in 23 Inn and LF -1 in 50 Inn. The only value Lombo brings is a good approach at the plate. If you want to keep what is essentially a LH bat on the bench, we have better options in Norfolk. Question. If Lombo is such a superior bat and his D is fine at SS and 3B as you seem to think, why do you suppose Buck has never played him at 3B and SS, and now that Hardy is back we haven't seen him? Why not play him over Flaherty now?

[Shabadoo25]

Schoop has played his way to staying in the majors, IMO.

[MrOrange82]

I don't have to look at Lombo 's stats to see he has a weak arm that is barey adequate for 2B and won't play at SS or 3B. If you want a UTIF his main purpose is defensive versatility. In two seasons plus 3 weeks, Flaherty has played 7 positions averaging over a total of 5 RS each year, according to TZ. His only poor position was 1B -2 in 23 Inn and LF -1 in 50 Inn. The only value Lombo brings is a good approach at the plate. If you want to keep what is essentially a LH bat on the bench, we have better options in Norfolk. Question. If Lombo is such a superior bat and his D is fine at SS and 3B as you seem to think, why do you suppose Buck has never played him at 3B and SS, and now that Hardy is back we haven't seen him? Why not play him over Flaherty now?

Thought so.

As for your question, no idea. Buck and I don't talk. But he also hasn't shown himself to be someone whose decisions are all 100% sensible (e.g., batting Hardy in the #2 spot for the entire 2012 season, despite his .281 OBP). Maybe he just likes Flash. Or Flash is more of a known commodity in his estimation. None of that negates the fact that you've continued to sing Flaherty's praises without so much as bothering to compare his stats to Lombo's.

And the funny thing is...if you DID trouble yourself to make that comparison, your opinion might be proven to be something more than loud noises. I'm no wizard when it comes to defensive metrics. I just looked through fangraphs and saw that Lombo's career numbers seem to compare pretty well to Flaherty's. And Lombo has obviously played more than one position in the major leagues.