Loving Mike Flanagan

Orioles fans have been having fun watching the young players getting their call ups and performing well. Its been some years since being an O's fan was this enjoyable. We have Nolan Reimold, Jason Berken, Brad Bergesen, and David Hernandez all making splashes. Andy MacPhail is rightfully getting credit for rebuilding the farm system. ESPN's Tim Kurkjian recently wrote a peice gushing about the job MacPhail has done.

While Kurkjian and others shower MacPhail with affection, I want to throw a little love to our Cy Young award winning Executive VP, Mike Flanagan. I was as ready as anyone for Flanny to give way to MacPhail, but its time to give credit where credit is due. Every one of the players I named in the above paragraph came to the Orioles under Flanagan's leadership. I'm working from memory here, but I think even Matt Wieters was drafted by the Flanagan administration, although MacPhail did the heavy work of signing the super-prospect.

Since we are all feeling good about the team, lets think nice thoughts about Mike Flanagan. He was a top flight pitcher, a great Oriole, and he found some good young players for us to watch. Thanks Flanny.