ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Braves today have added four players to their 40-man roster. They purchased the contracts of infielder Diory Hernandez and right-handed pitchers Todd Redmond and Stephen Marek. They also claimed left-handed pitcher Eric O'Flaherty off waivers from the Seattle Mariners.
O'Flaherty was waived when the Mariners added Stephen Kahn, Greg Halman, Marwin Vega, and Gaby Hernandez to the 40-man*. You'll remember that it was just last April when O'Flaherty stood as the organization's primary lefty reliever, but injuries and getting his ass kicked contributed to a nightmare of a season in which he allowed 15 runs before Tax Day and never again saw a Major League infield. Needless to say, his stock has fallen about as far as is possible for any middle reliever.
O'Flaherty'll only turns 24 next February, and given his stuff and the way he kinda sorta righted himself in AAA, he could very easily still turn into a useful part of a competitive bullpen. But this isn't a guy with a high ceiling, and as such, he's not really much of a loss. I know I said that about Jorge Campillo, too, and he also went to the Braves, but in my defense, what the fuck
also gone: Tracy Thorpe and Luis Munoz. Oh no! The 40-man roster currently includes 37 players.