Eric O’Flaherty
| IP | 416 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 3.7 |
| WHIP | 1.346 |
| BB/9 | 3.31 |
| SO/9 | 6.88 |
- Full name Eric George O'Flaherty
- Born 02/05/1985 in Walla Walla, WA
- Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: L / Throws: L
- School Walla Walla
- Debut 08/16/2006
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Drafted in the 6th round (176th overall) by the Seattle Mariners in 2003 (signed for $155,000).
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O'Flaherty put himself on the map last fall at the Arizona Fall Classic in Peoria, Ariz., where his fastball touched 93 mph. Scouts haven't seen the same velocity this spring. It was down to 86 at one point, but he's since returned to 89-91, touched 92 and held it for seven innings. His arm action may need tinkering but he has a feel for a breaking ball. O'Flaherty was talked up in March as a possible second- or third-rounder, but he's now likely to go a round or two lower. A commitment to Oregon State is not likely to alter that projection. The 6-foot-2, 185-pounder has a lanky, athletic frame that projects well.
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If O'Flaherty had followed through on his commitment to Oregon State, he could have been part of a College World Series championship in 2006. He has no regrets, however, as he jumped from high Class A to the majors during the year. When he's fresh, O'Flaherty throws a 90-94 mph fastball that darts all over the place and an 85-86 mph slider. He also can mix in an 87-89 mph cutter and a changeup to combat righthanders. His deceptive delivery makes it tough to pick up his pitches, and he has the moxie to pitch in late-inning situations. O'Flaherty needs to get stronger after wearing down by the time he joined the Mariners in August. He had less arm speed in the majors, dropping his fastball velocity to 87-90 mph and costing his slider some bite. While he has enough pitches to start, he struggled physically in that role and missed much of 2004 with back problems. He still needs to fine-tune his control and command. If Jake Woods moves into the rotation, O'Flaherty could stick as the second lefty in Seattle's bullpen. Getting some more Triple-A seasoning wouldn't be bad for him either.
