We’re excited to welcome Cleveland Indians utility player Ryan Flaherty to the podcast. A special thanks to this show’s sponsor, Lumberlend. Head to www.Lumberlend.com and enter the coupon code CSP to get free shipping on your order of two or more bat mugs.

Show Outline

• How being a multi-sport athlete from Maine had a profound impact on Ryan’s early athletic development.
• How Ryan’s recruiting process led him to Vanderbilt to play for Tim Corbin
• How he transformed from a gangly, undrafted high school senior into a SEC standout as a freshman.
• How Ryan’s early struggles in college led him to became a utility player
• Why the versatility a utility player adds to a MLB lineup is so crucial – and how Ryan prepares for these demands
• Why third base was the most challenging position for Ryan to learn as a utility man.
• What Ryan’s routine is when he does not start, but needs to be ready to strategically enter in later innings.
• Why Ryan could be a managerial candidate after his playing days due to his appreciation for the behind the scenes influence of coaching in the game of baseball.

You can follow Ryan on Twitter at @RFlaherty3, and on Instagram at @RFlaherty27.

Sponsor Reminder

This episode is brought to you by Lumberlend Co. If you’re looking for a unique gift for a baseball fan in your life, you’ll definitely want to check this out: they’ve hollowed out the bat barrel and created a cool drinking mug. You can customize these with colors, names, logos, and photographs. They’re also an officially licensed MLBPA product, so you can get your favorite teams and players incorporated into the designs. I’ve used these as gifts with great feedback, so I’m confident you’d experience the same. The crew at Lumberlend is offering free shipping on two or more bat mugs with the coupon code CSP at checkout. Just head to Lumberlend.com to design yours today.

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