The Braves were busy tinkering with their bench on Sunday afternoon, signing free agent utilityman Ryan Flaherty to a major league contract reportedly worth around $750,000, per ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick, and elite defensive outfielder Peter Bourjos to a $1,000,000 deal per MLBTR’s Steve Adams.
Meet Ryan Flaherty
Flaherty, age 31, had spent his entire six year career with the Baltimore Orioles, who selected Flaherty in the Rule V draft after the 2011 season from the Chicago Cubs, who had made Flaherty a first round pick in the 2008 draft out of Vanderbilt University. Flaherty hasn’t been much of a hitter in his major league career — he owns a career .215/.284/.355 slash line, and his 73 wRC+ since 2012 ranks 354th out of 377 among players with at least 1000 plate appearances during that time — but he brings considerable defensive flexibility to the table.
Over the past six seasons with the Orioles, Flaherty has played every position except catcher. His best and most played position is second base, and he has +8 Defensive Runs Saved in 192 games at the position.
Flaherty missed most of the 2017 season with shoulder tendinitis that first flared up in spring training and kept him out until August, limiting him to only 23 major league games with Baltimore. Flaherty couldn’t have picked a worst time to become a free agent, and he settled for a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies just a week before the start of training camp.
Flaherty has had a strong camp with the Phillies, and was hitting .351/.390/.514 with a home run. Nevertheless, the Phillies informed Flaherty that he would not make the team out of spring training, and Flaherty exercised his right to have the Phillies release him and make him a free agent.
How Flaherty Fits With the Braves
The Braves are clearly concerned about their infield depth. Other than second baseman Ozzie Albies, every other infielder on the 40-man roster has question marks.
Johan Camargo, presumed to be the Braves starting third baseman, has been slowed by a strained oblique; before the injury Camargo was only hitting .241/.303/.414 for the spring. His presumed replacement at third, Rio Ruiz, has not set the world on fire either, and hasn’t had major league success either.
Shortstop Dansby Swanson, coming off a tough sophomore 2017 season, has also failed to launch this spring, hitting .213/.327/.383. His presumed back-up, Charlie Culberson, is only hitting .185/.224/.296.
The Braves earlier acquired infielder Ryan Schimpf from Tampa Bay in attempt to address the depth issue, but he was quickly reassigned to AAA Gwinnett after having failed to register a hit this spring for either the Rays or Braves.
Flaherty also has a reputation as an intelligent player and a good clubhouse presence. It doesn’t take much imagination to presume that Flaherty may be expected to mentor the young Braves infielders, perhaps especially fellow Vandy alum Swanson.
Meet Peter Bourjos
Bourjos was a 10th-round pick of the Los Angeles Angels back in 2005 out of Notre Dame HS in Scottsdale, Arizona. He arrived in the majors as a superlative defensive centerfielder in 2010, and won the Angels centerfield job in 2011. That season would prove to be his strongest major league season to date as he produced a 4.2 fWAR season on the back of strong defense, baserunning, and a .271/.327/.438 slash line and a 114 wRC+.
Bourjos couldn’t hold the centerfield job in 2012 however, eventually giving way to some rookie named Mike Trout and losing more playing time after being hit in the wrist with a pitch. His 2013 season would be abbreviated for the same reason, as he was hit again in the same wrist. The Angels traded Bourjos to the Cardinals that offseason.
Bourjos has spent the last four seasons in a part-time role with the Cardinals (2014-15), the Phillies (2016), and the Rays (2017), each season providing good outfield defense and well below-average offense. This spring he was in the Chicago Cubs on a minor league deal, and was slashing .326/.362/.372 before the Cubs released him on Friday.
How Bourjos Fits With the Braves
While the Braves outfield options aren’t nearly as concerning as in the infield, especially once top prospect Ronald Acuña, Jr. completes his two-week extra development time, other than Acuña himself there isn’t a credible defender in centerfield in case Ender Inciarte can’t answer the bell for some reason.
Bourjos’s presence on the roster would seem to spell trouble for Lane Adams, who was a solid hitter off the bench in 2017 but has had a poor spring performance. Defensive metrics also don’t like Adams in centerfield.
Like Adams, Bourjos would also be useful as a pinch runner.
Leave a Reply