Article: Flash Has Little Value

[atomic]

Considering he was below replacement last year, and is below replacement this year I am not sure how he will not hurt the team if he were to start everyday.

The plan isn't to start him every day. The plan is if you need some one to play second, third, or short stop if one of the main guys go down he is there to play decent defense. If he were a good hitter he wouldn't be a utility infielder he would be a starter. He can also play first, corner outfielder and is the emergency catcher. He just allows you to carry two outfielders as your other bench players. Besides back-up catcher and Flaherty. In that way he is valuable.

Complaining about your utility infielder being a sub-par hitter seems silly to me.

[calmunderfire]

Mostly. An average player peaks at 27, but is probably 90% of the way there by 25.

Yea which is why if you're AAAA player at 25 not too much is going to change in 2 years.

[Can_of_corn]

The plan isn't to start him every day. The plan is if you need some one to play second, third, or short stop if one of the main guys go down he is there to play decent defense. If he were a good hitter he wouldn't be a utility infielder he would be a starter. He can also play first, corner outfielder and is the emergency catcher. He just allows you to carry two outfielders as your other bench players. Besides back-up catcher and Flaherty. In that way he is valuable.

Complaining about your utility infielder being a sub-par hitter seems silly to me.

If you look at what I was quoting you will see:

Flaherty has great value. To the Orioles. He could start everyday at 3B,2B,SS and not hurt the team and has some pop from the left side. Who cares about his trade value?

He's not a fun name to put in a "made up" trade package to land a SP. Yeah, he's not that. #heanugget

I was questioning him not hurting the team if he was starting everyday.

[Tony-OH]

Flaherty is a great utility player who can play above average defense on almost every infield position (he's probably average to slightly below as a shortstop) and can play acceptable outfield defense. Anyone that doesn't see the value in that doesn't understand baseball. Utility players be nature are not supposed to play much, but when they do, you are not suppose to see much of a let down from the starter either defensively or offensively. Flaherty does just that defensively and he's a good guy to have in that role.

[atomic]

The Author suggests Paul Janish instead of Flaherty. Janish has more at bats in his career and Flaherty has twice as much WAR. Flaherty seems like he is better at second and third than Janish while Janish seems to be the better shortstop.

Which to me means Flaherty is the better choice. If Machado gets injured Flaherty can move to third. If Hardy gets injured Machado goes to Short and Flaherty goes to third. If Schoop gets injured Flaherty goes to second.

[atomic]

If you look at what I was quoting you will see:

I was questioning him not hurting the team if he was starting everyday.

Well I guess it is what you consider hurting the team. Will he produce like the guy he is replacing? No he won't. Will he be a decent fielding guy who can give you the occasional home run? Yes he will do that. You bat him 9th and pinch-hit for him when you are behind late.

[Can_of_corn]

Well I guess it is what you consider hurting the team. Will he produce like the guy he is replacing? No he won't. Will he be a decent fielding guy who can give you the occasional home run? Yes he will do that. You bat him 9th and pinch-hit for him when you are behind late.

I consider replacement level or below hurting the team.

I think that is a fair enough line to draw.

[DrungoHazewood]

The Author suggests Paul Janish instead of Flaherty.

That seems kind of ridiculous. Janish is older, appears to be far worse as a hitter, and may not be any better defensively anywhere but short. I might be intrigued by something innovative like a utility guy with options stashed in Norfolk and another more valuable player on the 25-man. But a one-for-one swap of Flaherty for Janish couldn't be even a 1-win swing in either direction, and he's probably worse.

[Redskins Rick]

That seems kind of ridiculous. Janish is older, appears to be far worse as a hitter, and may not be any better defensively anywhere but short. I might be intrigued by something innovative like a utility guy with options stashed in Norfolk and another more valuable player on the 25-man. But a one-for-one swap of Flaherty for Janish couldn't be even a 1-win swing in either direction, and he's probably worse.

Janish is strictly insurance for SS and if an INF goes on the DL.

[25 Nuggets]

Flaherty is a great utility player who can play above average defense on almost every infield position (he's probably average to slightly below as a shortstop) and can play acceptable outfield defense. Anyone that doesn't see the value in that doesn't understand baseball. Utility players be nature are not supposed to play much, but when they do, you are not suppose to see much of a let down from the starter either defensively or offensively. Flaherty does just that defensively and he's a good guy to have in that role.

He was a good guy to have in that role, but I fear he is on the decline. He was a 1-win player in 2013 and 2014, mostly due to his defense and occasional HR. If he loses his defensive edge he is entirely replaceable. It's early in the season though, I wouldn't give up on him just yet.

[atomic]

I consider replacement level or below hurting the team.

I think that is a fair enough line to draw.

Flaherty has been above replacement level during his career overall. Last year he wasn't. I bet if you look at most World Series winning teams their utility infielder most likely put up less than 1 WAR. How is a guy who rarely plays going to put up huge numbers anyway?

[Redskins Rick]

I consider replacement level or below hurting the team.

I think that is a fair enough line to draw.

Lenny Sakata says hey!

[Can_of_corn]

Flaherty has been above replacement level during his career overall. Last year he wasn't. I bet if you look at most World Series winning teams their utility infielder most likely put up less than 1 WAR. How is a guy who rarely plays going to put up huge numbers anyway?

Once again I was talking about him playing every day at 3B, 2B or SS.

I showed you the quote I was responding to.

Geez.

Obviously less than 200 at bats at replacement level isn't doing much one way or another.

[big_sparxx]

wow....

the most obvious question is this...

who would you replace him with?

Please name 1 player who we currently have in our system that could fill Flats boots.

If you want to root for someone, if there's a guy on THIS team that brings his damn lunchpail every day and can fill MULTIPLE roles at the drop of a dime, please PLEASE enlighten me.

Flats has always been my "root for" guy. Yeah he's not a superstar... but I'll bet you a dime to a dollar that no one else on the team would want to lose him.

Get over it. This isn't an argument we should be having. You want to Argue having Kim on the team, fine.... but leave Flats alone.

[Il BuonO]

wow....

the most obvious question is this...

who would you replace him with?

Please name 1 player who we currently have in our system that could fill Flats boots.

If you want to root for someone, if there's a guy on THIS team that brings his damn lunchpail every day and can fill MULTIPLE roles at the drop of a dime, please PLEASE enlighten me.

Flats has always been my "root for" guy. Yeah he's not a superstar... but I'll bet you a dime to a dollar that no one else on the team would want to lose him.

Get over it. This isn't an argument we should be having. You want to Argue having Kim on the team, fine.... but leave Flats alone.

Flats?