What is the latest on Brian Roberts? Is there a timetable on his

[BamaOsFan]

return? Could be a huge addition to the lineup when healthy.

Hoping he can return to form.

[ofahn]

return? Could be a huge addition to the lineup when healthy.

Hoping he can return to form.

Roch Kubatko reported this the other day.

Brian Roberts, who told me in November that he was "probably ahead of where I'd normally be in the offseason for the first time in a long time."

http://www.masnsports.com/school_of_roc ... bench.html

[BamaOsFan]

Sounds promising. Would love to see him in the starting lineup and healthy on opening day.

[A_K]

Here's the thing: Brian Roberts isn't even good anymore, even if he's healthy.

He's not someone who figures into the team's outlook for next season. Chances are overwhelming that he won't play a full season, and even if he does he's no longer good enough to make the team better. The right decision is to stop wasting a roster spot on a guy whose productive MLB career is definitively over.

Loved the guy in his prime. But all careers come to an end, and the team needs to make a logical, dispassionate decision to end this relationship. Bring him on as an instructor, coach, MASN analyst, whatever, if you really want him to continue to be part of the organization. His time as a second basemen ended three years ago.

[ofahn]

Here's the thing: Brian Roberts isn't even good anymore, even if he's healthy.

He's not someone who figures into the team's outlook for next season. Chances are overwhelming that he won't play a full season, and even if he does he's no longer good enough to make the team better. The right decision is to stop wasting a roster spot on a guy whose productive MLB career is definitively over.

Loved the guy in his prime. But all careers come to an end, and the team needs to make a logical, dispassionate decision to end this relationship. Bring him on as an instructor, coach, MASN analyst, whatever, if you really want him to continue to be part of the organization. His time as a second basemen ended three years ago.

Let's hope that Brian will come to ST believing that he's healthy and ready to play. Then, if he isn't playing at a ML level by about March 20th, hopefully HE'LL make the decision that it's over and he won't burden Buck or the FO with that distasteful duty.

It's not like he should be leaving the game destitute. He'll get his 10M for 2013 and has made about 70M in his career. He's already shown that he is an influential mentor and appears to enjoy doing it. His life will not be over.

[OriolesRedskins28]

Here's the thing: Brian Roberts isn't even good anymore, even if he's healthy.

He's not someone who figures into the team's outlook for next season. Chances are overwhelming that he won't play a full season, and even if he does he's no longer good enough to make the team better. The right decision is to stop wasting a roster spot on a guy whose productive MLB career is definitively over.

Loved the guy in his prime. But all careers come to an end, and the team needs to make a logical, dispassionate decision to end this relationship. Bring him on as an instructor, coach, MASN analyst, whatever, if you really want him to continue to be part of the organization. His time as a second basemen ended three years ago.

You just hit the nail on the head. I agree 100%.

Let's hope that Brian will come to ST believing that he's healthy and ready to play. Then, if he isn't playing at a ML level by about March 20th, hopefully HE'LL make the decision that it's over and he won't burden Buck or the FO with that distasteful duty.

In the likely event that he won't be playing at a ML level by around 3/20 I sure hope he does make that decision. I can imagine it would be a difficult decision to make, but it would be incredibly selfish of him to force the organization to be the one to end the relationship. It would be distasteful indeed and I'm sure it wouldn't be pretty.

[Seafordeagles]

I sure hope he comes in and kicks butt and hits a ton of doubles.

[LA Detective]

I think the best case scenario: .260 with a lil pop, .450 slg..12 SBs..average at best on D...100 games..Not a lead off guy anymore..Maybe at best #2

Probable scenario: Hits around .225 and either gets hurt or will be removed from the line up by July 1. I think the only way he calls it quits is if he can barely run due to his hip. Or he would really have trouble hitting over .180...I think he will be given every chance to prove he isnt just rusty.

Too bad..could you imagine what having a healthy and strong BR would do for our lineup.

[Seafordeagles]

I think the best case scenario: .260 with a lil pop, .450 slg..12 SBs..average at best on D...100 games..Not a lead off guy anymore..Maybe at best #2

Probable scenario: Hits around .225 and either gets hurt or will be removed from the line up by July 1. I think the only way he calls it quits is if he can barely run due to his hip. Or he would really have trouble hitting over .180...I think he will be given every chance to prove he isnt just rusty.

Too bad..could you imagine what having a healthy and strong BR would do for our lineup.

Well he ain't dead yet. He said he feels good. I have no thoughts of him having a season like you just described.

[Matt P]

I think the best case scenario: .260 with a lil pop, .450 slg..12 SBs..average at best on D...100 games..Not a lead off guy anymore..Maybe at best #2

Probable scenario: Hits around .225 and either gets hurt or will be removed from the line up by July 1. I think the only way he calls it quits is if he can barely run due to his hip. Or he would really have trouble hitting over .180...I think he will be given every chance to prove he isnt just rusty.

Too bad..could you imagine what having a healthy and strong BR would do for our lineup.

He's had a SLG over .450 3 times in his career. I think that it is very unrealistic even in a best case scenario to think he may be close to .450 after essentially two years of not playing.

[Rising O's]

I think they are wasting a 40 man roster spot on him. Release, minor league deal, see how it goes. Its a cold business but he's warm on the 40 million he has "earned" recently.

[ofahn]

I think they are wasting a 40 man roster spot on him. Release, minor league deal, see how it goes. Its a cold business but he's warm on the 40 million he has "earned" recently.

Why would you release him now when he'll be reporting to ST in about forty days? Who would we use that spot for that would require a ML contract? We already have one spot open on the 40 Man Roster. It's not like we're going to save any money. His 2013 contract is guaranteed.

Why not allow him to show whether he can still actually play? Everyone will know by about March 20th. If he just doesn't have it anymore then, hopefully, he'll pull the pin and save the club from having to do it. He'll "retire" onto the 60 Day DL and we'll have the roster spot.

[Rising O's]

I would have released him after the season ended, which would have allowed for better roster planning on the 25 and 40 man. He showed enough to indicate last year that he was done. The new injuries just cemented it. It might sting him a little, but if he wants to play, he could earn his way through a minor league deal.

[thezeroes]

I would have released him after the season ended, which would have allowed for better roster planning on the 25 and 40 man. He showed enough to indicate last year that he was done.

I do not think that the Orioles needed to throw away $10 Million dollars on the basis of adding a MiLB player to the 40 Man Roster. As it stands today the Orioles still have one open spot on the 40 and the 25 does not need to be set until April. As Ofan stated previously, if Roberts is unable to go during ST the move to the 60 day DL opens up the 25/40 spot for a player that can be used during the year.

To think that Dan Duquette and Buck Showalter went through the off-season without some type of plan in regards to the 40 Man Roster after the movement that they had in 2012 does not give credit to their abilities to put forth the best team available to them for a winning 2013 season. IMO

[ofahn]

I would have released him after the season ended, which would have allowed for better roster planning on the 25 and 40 man. He showed enough to indicate last year that he was done. The new injuries just cemented it. It might sting him a little, but if he wants to play, he could earn his way through a minor league deal.

The way you phrased this you give the impression that you want to punish Brian Roberts. Why? What has he done to cause you to treat him so cavalierly?

Roberts has always been a high energy player that is prone to injury. That being said I'm not sure there is anyone on the current Orioles' roster that works harder to keep himself in playing shape and be game ready. Have you ever watched him before a game? He spends about 30 to 45 minutes stretching with a trainer to get his back ready. This is a guy who was sitting on a 40M contract and could have just phoned it in.

Did he get injured? Yes. No big surprise that a high energy middle IF was not going to be as productive at age 33 and beyond.

So why is he still on this team? He should have been traded during the 2007 and 2008 off seasons for a pile of prospects to fill a completely barren farm system, but Peter Angelos didn't want to give up one of the few attractions he thought would bring in the fans. His meddling prevented us from getting some talent that would have been part of a winning team now. You could also argue that the 28M in salary Roberts earned from 2009 to 2011 (less the 10M his replacement would have cost) could have been used in the draft and international signings when there wasn't any restrictions on the amount a team spent. Just imagine how we could match up with other teams for trades right now if we had just two more Schoops and two more Delmonicos or Bridwells.

Yes, I'm aware that the package that the Cubs were supposedly offering was a bunch of crap, but we'll never really know what a team that needed a 2B at that time would have offered if Roberts had ever REALLY been put on the market. Imagine one more Tillman or Adam Jones in our system at this point.

Brian Roberts was given an ill advised contract extension because Peter Angelos thought he knew better than competent baseball people. If you want to be angry at anyone I would suggest you focus on him.