Ryan Flaherty, Baltimore Orioles MVP?

Sep 13, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles second baseman Ryan Flaherty (3) makes a throw from his knees to get out New York Yankees designated hitter Jacoby Ellsbury (not shown) in the first inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports

I am just kidding. Plus I wanted to see if I could make my kindly editor, Randy Buchman, choke on his meal today. <Editor’s Note – It worked!>   But I really do have a point here.

Role players such as Flaherty, Brad Brach, Caleb Joseph, Kelly Johnson, Jimmy Paredes, Jonathan Schoop and even David Lough are the real reason this Orioles team has been so successful. Even Steve Pearce, a true team MVP candidate, is a role player. Given up by the Orioles previously, as well as by the Houston Astros, New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates, Pearce has given the team a steady defensive hand as well as being a true professional hitter.

Nelson Cruz, Adam Jones and Nick Markakis are the only players left that have true star power. Even the pitching staff is full of role players, albeit ones who may have star potential if they continue along this trend.

When Matt Wieters went down, Joseph and Nick Hundley step in to the catching role. When Manny Machado got hurt Flaherty and Schoop step up their game and so did the already-hot Pearce. Chris Davis gets suspended and Johnson and Paredes take care of business.

So, no, Ryan Flaherty will never be the MVP of anything baseball related. But he and every other role type player has been needed by this team. Each piece of the Orioles puzzle has fit into place for a reason. The Orioles are a more cohesive baseball team than is normally seen in today’s major leagues and it is because of all of players we would normally forget all about.