masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgPITTSBURGH – Brian Graham, the Orioles director of player development, is coaching third base tonight. Bobby Dickerson left the team to attend his daughter Ashley’s high school graduation.

Graham tried to deflect any attention given to him tonight, just as he did Saturday while serving as bench coach in Kansas City for acting manager John Russell.

Graham actually prepped for tonight’s assignment by coaching for Single-A Delmarva last night in its game in Charleston, W.Va.

“I love the…PITTSBURGH – Brian Graham, the Orioles director of player development, is coaching third base tonight. Bobby Dickerson left the team to attend his daughter Ashley’s high school graduation.

Graham tried to deflect any attention given to him tonight, just as he did Saturday while serving as bench coach in Kansas City for acting manager John Russell.

Graham actually prepped for tonight’s assignment by coaching for Single-A Delmarva last night in its game in Charleston, W.Va.

“I love the competitive spirit here and I love being here,” said Graham, who coached under manager Mike Hargrove in Cleveland in 1998-99 and Baltimore in 2000, and served as an extra coach for the Orioles in September 2010.

“It’s great when I get an opportunity to come here, but I also love my job where I am. I love player development. I love what I do there, but this is always fun. I enjoy this.

“It’s flattering. It always makes you feel good. In the minor leagues, you get your pats on the back in different ways. When you come up here, it’s exciting.”

This a homecoming of sorts for Graham, who spent six seasons as the Pirates senior director of player development. He lives in Cranberry Township, Pa., about 20 minutes outside of Pittsburgh.

“When you see (Andrew) McCutchen, and (Neil) Walker and (Starling) Marte, who came in under our watch, as well, and there are some really good players here who came through our development system, so that’s fun,” Graham said. “And four of their major league coaches, I hired, so that’s always fun for me, too.”