Hardy & Flaherty: The Return

I tweeted last night that, since J.J. Hardy and Ryan Flaherty have been batting in a AA lineup this week, a return to the Orioles would be an easy transition.

It wasn’t that funny. I was frustrated. The Mets series was tough to watch. This is what happens when a team wins for three years, then goes through a stretch where it appears they have forgotten how to do so.

J.J. Hardy is expected to make his return to the lineup tonight in the Bronx, and Ryan Flaherty is expected in tomorrow night’s game. The first roster move is simple: Rey Navarro will head back to Norfolk, having fulfilled his role as a AAA injury substitute. The other move, though less cut-and-dry, will most likely be to use Everth Cabrera’s option, sending the struggling infielder to the minors.

Let’s not pretend that, with The Return, Hardy and Flaherty will solve all the Orioles’ woes. Their presence certainly won’t stop starters from making early exits (say… 85 pitches in 4.0 innings pitched, while giving up three earned runs? I’m looking at you, Ubaldo Jimenez). They won’t stop Chris Davis from piling on the strikeouts.

What The Return will do, is it will help with margin for error. The Orioles are stretched thin defensively. Don’t believe me? Explain the presence of Jimmy Paredes and Steve Pearce at second base. Sure, their play didn’t end up biting the Orioles, but that is more “variance” (I’ll avoid saying luck) than it is skill.

The Return will mean fewer games in which the lineup is a series of automatic outs starting with David Lough in the six-hole. Hardy, whose offensive capabilities are in decline from his seasons providing 20+ HRs, is still a credible bat in the lineup. Flaherty, who is… less credible, is an improvement over the fringe players who had been pressed into service during his absence.

The Return means that Buck Showlater has the flexibility to rest a guy like Manny Machado, if he goes on another error binge and needs a day to clear his head. He will also have the flexibility to use Steve Pearce as a part of the 1B/OF rotation. Color me optimistic, but I’ll take a bubble-guts Pearce over a fully healthy Lough or Alejandro De Aza.

No, Hardy and Flaherty won’t solve the Orioles problems. This team’s success does not fully rest on their shoulders.

But The Return certainly helps.

Here’s to less frustrating baseball.