Mike Bordick, 1999 Upper Deck #45

You can't keep a good Bird away from the nest for long.

Eight years after he played his last game in an Orioles uniform, erstwhile shortstop Mike Bordick has returned to the organization. The 44-year-old was recently hired as minor league offensive coordinator, which may sound bizarre considering his .685 career OPS. However, his chief duty is being described as instructing on fundamentals - "small ball", as Bordick himself says. If you're a progressive-minded baseball fan like me, you may roll your eyes at the mention of that cliche phrase. However, if you watched even a handful of O's games last year, you know that Mike's expertise is sorely needed. If you're going to bunt and hit and run, you may as well ensure that your players have even the slightest bit of aptitude in those areas. He'll also be coaching 'em up on baserunning, which...I can't even talk about the way the Birds ran the bases (often directly into outs) in 2009, or I'll start getting the shakes. In short, I think that Mike Bordick is the right man for the right job, and I always liked him during his playing days. It'll be good to see him in orange and black again.