This just in! Jack Flaherty isn’t an ace

Will he be eventually? Probably not in STL.

Let me start this out by saying this is pure opinion. Sophisticated speculation? No. There’s no reporting or sources involved here; just me, myself, and whatever I’m willing to write and publish. That’s how every post is designed around here. No staff. One mind. Honest yet potentially aggravating. Gear up, because I have a doozy ready for you!

This particular opinion may enrage, sadden, or completely obliterate a certain faction of Cardinal Nation: Jack Flaherty is not an ace. He’s never been an ace. Picture a guy trying new shoes on, and they don’t fit. The ankles are jammed in the back, and the toes are scrunched. He tries taking it off and putting it back on, but the fit doesn’t seem to be right.

I’ll continue to say that Flaherty isn’t a good fit here. There is a rift between player and team, one that has created an endless want from fans. Since the team and media have propped him up as an ace in the making, each bad start or injury setback pushes fans away from that idea. He never completely earned the title. Everything that’s special about Flaherty as a MLB pitcher took place four years ago. The remnants of a second half surge that built a foundation of expectation that the team can’t climb over.

Flaherty can’t either. He’s tried to fill those ace shoes, but he has a hard enough time producing a solid start. He either allows a few runs and a boat load of walks with 90-100 pitches inside 6 innings, or he doesn’t even make it that far. You didn’t have to think twice about vintage Adam Wainwright or Chris Carpenter putting up seven quality innings; it was a given. With Jack, it’s more of a hope.

He’s still young, right? Not in baseball years. He’s 27 going on 28, and aces aren’t often produced after 30. The team doesn’t seem in any kind of rush to extend his contract, because they don’t know what the heck he’ll produce on a mound. There’s no precedent for a guy who can’t keep first base open and can’t stay healthy.

Flaherty hasn’t made 30 starts in a season since 2019. He’s only accomplished the feat twice in his career. His ERA/WHIP through six-plus seasons sits at 3.60 and 1.15, respectively. Commendable, but very far from gaudy and impressive.

Question: What changes between now and 2-3 years from now that makes him better? League and schedule are getting harder, and the opposing hitters already have a book on him. Flaherty doesn’t even have a true out pitch. He’s riding high on reputation and once again, HOPE!

They hope he becomes an ace.

They hope he saves the rotation.

I hope he produces six clean innings. That’s not an ace.

Flaherty doesn’t have the endurance, efficiency, or out pitch that an ace needs to have. If you disagree, please inform me where the evidence lies. It’s missing.

(Not so) fun fact: He has zero career complete games. None. Zip. Nada.

Can he be a good starter? Yeah. Very good? Sure, maybe. But if you’re holding your breath while waiting for this guy to consistently give you those hard seven innings, come up for air. Flaherty has pitched past the seventh inning three times since the end of 2019. Speaking of that memorable second half, he pitched at least seven innings in ten of those 16 starts.

For a moment in time, Flaherty was an ace. It was spotted. Outside of that three month period, he’s tried to impersonate a #2 or #3 starter. Just be good, Jack.

One more thing: don’t whine to the media about your velocity being brought up when it’s clearly down. There’s a trend there, Mr. Flaherty. Nothing makes an athlete look worse than refuting a reporter’s question, saying that intelligence lacks if it has to be asked. He went back at Derrick Goold’s question after his start this week, even though the stats show his velocity dipping below 87 mph is a topical (and real) thing.

Flaherty said it was a game adjustment. Right… let’s ask other (real) aces about this. Hey Max Scherzer, do you throw 94 instead of 98-99 because of the situation, or do you just go to an off-speed pitch instead? Duh.

It’s 2023 and one thing is for sure: Jack Flaherty isn’t ace material, and Tyler O’Neill isn’t duplicating his one great season either. Look elsewhere, John Mozeliak.

Photo Credit: Jeff Curry/USA Today Sports