No Surprise! Roberts likely done for season

[Gurgi]

I'm a little less sympathetic. He hit himself in the head with a bat while throwing one of his little temper tantrums after striking out. It definitely sucks for him - and us - but this belongs in the category of falling asleep in the tanning bed.

In my mind, this sequence of events is the perfect analogy for Orioles baseball.

IF this ends his career. His playing will be forgotten and he will go down in history as a whispered tale of what the heck not to do. "Dont hit yourself in the head your bat" Gus Ferotte on steroids.

[Frobby]

I recall seeing the incident when he hit himself in the head with his bat, and it didn't really seem all that violent. It's amazing to me that this is still affecting Roberts a year later. At this point, the team really has no choice but to plan for 2012 as if Roberts won't be here. Even if he does return, he can't be relied on and he isn't that likely to be anywhere near the player he was before 2010.

[Hank Scorpio]

I recall seeing the incident when he hit himself in the head with his bat, and it didn't really seem all that violent. It's amazing to me that this is still affecting Roberts a year later. At this point, the team really has no choice but to plan for 2012 as if Roberts won't be here. Even if he does return, he can't be relied on and he isn't that likely to be anywhere near the player he was before 2010.

I will be shocked if he makes it back at all.

[NewMarketSean]

Don't worry though, MacPhail has already said that he's not planning to do anything about 2B.

[Don Quixote]

I didn't have ideas of him coming back this season, but as several have alluded to, that's less the real issue than his long-term career longevity, overall health, and this "saga"'s impact on the team. His overall style of play portends this scenario repeatedly playing out. This is neither good for him (in any respect) nor the team. The longer uncertainty plays out, the more this organization will fumble and scab about. He should make a long-term decision soon, and I would be on the side of him retiring. Enough damage has been done all around, and it's time for it to stop.

That being said, the original incident could have been avoided with some self-control, but that bell can't be unrung.

[Gurgi]

I didn't have ideas of him coming back this season, but as several have alluded to, that's less the real issue than his long-term career longevity, overall health, and this "saga"'s impact on the team. His overall style of play portends this scenario repeatedly playing out. This is neither good for him (in any respect) nor the team. The longer uncertainty plays out, the more this organization will fumble and scab about. He should make a long-term decision soon, and I would be on the side of him retiring. Enough damage has been done all around, and it's time for it to stop.

That being said, the original incident could have been avoided with some self-control, but that bell can't be unrung.

If you think Roberts will retire and leave all that money on the table even though he is the total reason for the problem your mistaken. I just cant see it happening. He will do what he is doing now until the end. Keep going to doctors and waiting it out.

[Don Quixote]

If you think Roberts will retire and leave all that money on the table even though he is the total reason for the problem your mistaken. I just cant see it happening. He will do what he is doing now until the end. Keep going to doctors and waiting it out.

I'm not yet convinced he will, but he should. Anything else is bad for him and bad for the team.

[Can_of_corn]

If you think Roberts will retire and leave all that money on the table even though he is the total reason for the problem your mistaken. I just cant see it happening. He will do what he is doing now until the end. Keep going to doctors and waiting it out.

Except of course that there are examples of players doing exactly that. Not sure what insight you have into Roberts to lead you to believe that he is in the camp that won't.

For the record I have no idea if he would retire graciously or drag every nickel he can out of the team. If I had to guess I would go with the middle ground with some sort of buyout.

[Sports Guy]

Yea, a lot of us saw this one coming...Such a shame.

I think the bigger question becomes, does this make BRob retire?

[Frobby]

If you think Roberts will retire and leave all that money on the table even though he is the total reason for the problem your mistaken. I just cant see it happening. He will do what he is doing now until the end. Keep going to doctors and waiting it out.

I wonder if Roberts' contract is insured, in which case we could see an Albert Belle solution where he's kept on the 40-man roster but stays out on medical disabilty. I have the impression that those types of insurance policies are harder to come by than they were in the 1990's, so I'm not sure if this still works.

[Dipper9]

I recall seeing the incident when he hit himself in the head with his bat, and it didn't really seem all that violent. It's amazing to me that this is still affecting Roberts a year later. At this point, the team really has no choice but to plan for 2012 as if Roberts won't be here. Even if he does return, he can't be relied on and he isn't that likely to be anywhere near the player he was before 2010.

I agree with this. I am thinking he must have had some pre-existing condition that the "bat-hit" incident brought to the surface. I cannot imagine that one incident has caused nearly a year's worth of side effects.

[clapdiddy]

Don't worry though, MacPhail has already said that he's not planning to do anything about 2B.

Julio Lugo will probably be available.

[Dipper9]

Julio Lugo will probably be available.

Izzy will probably get most of the starts at 2nd for the rest of this year. Next year TBD.

[SrMeowMeow]

Yea, a lot of us saw this one coming...Such a shame.

I think the bigger question becomes, does this make BRob retire?

I agree that this an object lesson on the reality of injury risks with aging players, but I don't think anyone saw this one coming. I mean, this is as freak an injury as you can have. Possibly ending your playing career by hitting yourself on the head with a bat out of frustration? That's one for the ages, and we'd be laughing about it in six months on some late-night show if it wasn't an Oriole.

[NewMarketSean]

I agree that this an object lesson on the reality of injury risks with aging players, but I don't think anyone saw this one coming. I mean, this is as freak an injury as you can have. Possibly ending your playing career by hitting yourself on the head with a bat out of frustration? That's one for the ages, and we'd be laughing about it in six months on some late-night show if it wasn't an Oriole.

No, no one saw Roberts missing this much time because he bonked his head with a bat. But if someone had said he was going to miss most of this season back in March, would it really be that crazy? Roberts has had injury problems his whole career, freak variety or not. Hell, David Segui had some "freak" injuries when he was here, but the injuries were to be expected.

I doubt Roberts will retire. I bet every shred of him wants to come back and play and will continue until doctor's tell him he's risking his life. But it's time for the O's to start making some plans for 2B because it's looking more and more like Roberts won't be a starting 2B ever again.