Brian Roberts Returns
After sustaining a concussion on May 16, 2011, Orioles prized second baseman Brian Roberts (34) began to wonder if he would ever play the game of baseball again. This wasn’t the first concussion that has kept Roberts from taking the field, but after 13 months without playing in a major league game, he was set to do so. The two-time All Star was activated from the 60-day DL last Tuesday and was instantly added to the lineup of an AL East contending team. Head coach Buck Showalter is well aware of Roberts’ abilities, and had mentioned that there had been a “void at the leadoff spot for a while.” Having had 14 straight losing seasons, the atmosphere in Baltimore is electric due to their surprising success in 2012.
Since joining the team, Roberts has gone 5 for 18 with 1 run and 1 RBI in 4 games. Not exactly eye popping numbers, but given his recent condition, this is a great sign. Though second base isn’t primarily known as an offensive position, Roberts appears to be capable of putting up decent numbers for the remainder of 2012. Hitting leadoff in front of the red hot Adam Jones certainly can’t be a bad thing and as long as the Orioles keep winning, Roberts has big time potential. I wouldn’t expect him to be 100 percent comfortable at the plate for at least a few weeks, but those fantasy baseball owners who are weak at the position should definitely give him a try. Remember, this was one of the premier second baseman in all of baseball.
