Roberts to miss FanFest to avoid stress, Duquette wants him to reconsider

[J.D.]

Well what does that have to do about my statement that roberts isn't going to give up tens of millions of dollars?

I'm probably reading more sarcasm and snark in your responses than you intend.

[scottbbfm]

Heres a plausible explanation:

DD: Brian, how you feeling, should we expect you to contribute this year?

BR: Feeling much better, I'm planning to play.

BR: Can't make it to fan fest, health concerns.

DD: We expect this guy to be ready to play 150 games in a month or two and he can't sign some autographs?? What the heck.

Obviously I have no idea if that's how it played out, but based on some of Brian's past injury dealings, it wouldn't shock me.

[Barnaby Graves]

"Pay the man!"

:rofl:

Well that annoys the piss out of me. Is there any chance of him taking a paycut or doing anything to actually help the team win?

I know, I know. He's a great guy, and it isn't his fault this happened. But the bottom line is, he's hurting our chances of winning. That's whats frustrating me.

I doubt he really gives half a flying fudge about the team's chances of winning. Without being intimately involved in his day-to-day, I'd hazard a guess his number 1 priority is hearing sounds and seeing things without feeling like a jackhammer is being shoved into his eye sockets.

[PrivateO]

These comments irritate me. This is a guy who has done a TON for the Baltimore community over the years. He gets the full benefit of the doubt on this. I am sure he is having symptoms that aren't good and his doctors don't want him pushing it. It is too bad, but I guarantee you Roberts isn't looking for an excuse not to come out and do something for the fans.

I think we can forget about BRob playing baseball this year. Concussions are mysterious, you never know when symptoms will recede. That's why I doubt he will just retire, because there's a chance he will at some point emerge and be able to play, even if it isn't in 2012.

Like I said, I am totally OK with him being "selfish" and caring about his own health issues. Honestly, I don't think any player, fan, or anyone would freely choose to do something that could/would inflict physical/mental harm on them. If his doctors said this was a bad idea, fine. But I was responding to the OP which doesn't mention any advisers or doctors. As a fna of the Orioles, I think the first thought for me is kind of upset because obviously we want to see the Brian Roberts of 2007/2008 and before when he was a leadoff All-Star 2B.

If I were Brian, as much as it would probably kill him/me, I would probably give up. I'm just not sure how less than a month of resting/rehab is going to help his serious condition. If he can't sit in front of large amouts of people in bright lights for several hours in January, how the hell is he going to expect to play baseball at a highly competitive level in February. Obviously, it's a very sad situation for such a well-respected guy but maybe it's time to give it up or reach a settlement with the team.

[Gurgi]

I just have a strong feeling we will see Roberts rehab diligently for the remainder of his contract despite having no realistic shot to play again, and then retire. That would disappoint me, considering he hit himself on the head with a bat. I think the moral thing to do would be work out a settlement with the team for part of his remaining contract and retire. I'm sure he won't, but it has happened. I'd like to think that I'd do it in his shoes.

Again: he hit himself on the head with a bat.

He just got married and needs to build up the nest. It isnt about right or wrong. These guys play their whole lives to hit the big payday. Rarely do they give it up.

[J.D.]

I can't say that I fault Brian for hanging around to pick up his last checks, but I can say that I will not lionize his memory as one of my favorite Orioles for such an act.

He's through, and I wish he'd just walk away for the good of the club. He doesn't have to, but it would be the honorable thing to do. I mean, geez, if he can't sign autographs and get his picture taken, I bet he'll never be able to handle the stress of playing in Yankee Stadium either.

I really just don't think he's going to do that until a doctor tells him that he shouldn't play again. Concussions are such individual, strange injuries that it wouldn't surprise me at all if he played at some point this year, or he never played again. Sidney Crosby's a prime example, and Eric Lindros was as well.

I think I'd be a lot more critical if he was sitting there with a shredded shoulder and was just picking up the checks. But just because it's taken a particularly long amount of time to recover, it doesn't mean he CAN'T or won't recover to the point that he can play baseball again.

And I do admit being overly sensitive on this issue. I've had six concussions. I still get migraines fairly frequently, and I have frontal lobe epilepsy that's been tied back to repeated trauma. I don't think athletes can be too cautious when it comes to recovery.

[ShaneDawg85]

A few things, to try and give Roberts the slack I think he deserves:

1. Brian Roberts has been to Fan Fest, I would gather, almost every single season of his major league career, and probably at some point as an Orioles prospect. It's not like he hasn't ever done it before.

2. To that end, Brian Roberts has likely signed thousands of autographs throughout his career, and will likely sign thousands more for the rest of his life. This isn't Manny Ramirez or some superstar that never puts their name down on paper. Much of the autographs he has signed in his career have likely come at Fan Fest.

3. The man has a legitimate ailment that has bothered him for some time, and will continue to bother him whether he plays the game or not. I've seen enough Fan Fest to know from my end it can be stressful, and being wheeled around and going through the mobs of people that still show up for the event has to be stressful for the players and personnel as well. Add to that having to sign your name hundreds of times for random strangers, the flash bulbs and flashes of the cameras going off, and the bright lights of the convention center make for a stressful environment for just about anybody, let alone somebody dealing with pcs and who should be avoiding such a thing.

4. Brian Roberts has done an incredible amount of good for this community and city in good health, poor health, and everything in between.

5. Plenty of guys have never been forced to do Fan Fest, even if it was in the best interest of the fans to do so. Did the team force Ripken to sit there for hours and sign because he was the face? No. Where were they telling Eddie Murray to lighten up and meet the fans? They didn't. As far as I know there is no policy or requirement that everybody be there, because not everybody, be it for family reasons, winter ball, or work visa's can be there. This is a medical condition that has been effecting him for months. This merits him not being there.

We're all frustrated with the status of Roberts, because no matter what, deep down, most of us want him to be out there. It sucks watching somebody that you know brings a lot to the team even with diminished skill sets not be out there because the team will be that much worse off. But, that doesn't mean the guy immediately deserves criticism because he won't or can't come out to do something he has done several times over. If this were an isolated incident and he never had done it before, I could understand that. But, Brian Roberts has done this event so many times over, no matter how bad the team has been, and as always, done it with a smile.

Be frustrated with his inability to play, think and feel that he should retire, tell the Orioles to make up their own minds about it. But, this is not something that merits such a strong reaction, and it shouldn't have from Duquette. There are more important things with this team right now that need solving, Roberts and 2nd base for one. If Duquette doesn't see it then there's a reason he's been out of the game so long. At the end of the day, put the emotions aside and let some common sense and perspective in, because this is simply not a big deal.

[Gurgi]

Sounds like he either has agoraphobia or he just doesn't feel like signing autographs

I dont think he wants to face answering hundreds of fans "How do you feel"? Obviously he feels like crap.

I think we need to just forget about him and get a full time 2nd. Or go with Andino. Roberts might not ever play for us again.

[Barnaby Graves]

Heres a plausible explanation:

DD: Brian, how you feeling, should we expect you to contribute this year?

BR: Feeling much better, I'm planning to play.

BR: Can't make it to fan fest, health concerns.

DD: We expect this guy to be ready to play 150 games in a month or two and he can't sign some autographs?? What the heck.

Obviously I have no idea if that's how it played out, but based on some of Brian's past injury dealings, it wouldn't shock me.

I think DD has been looking for a 2Bman even before this latest disaster and I don't think he's that surprised. The writing is on the wall with Roberts. He is toast. He was toast long before this.

I'm sure we're all disappointed but if anyone here is surprised they were deluding themselves. His recovery has been a longshot for a long time.

[Flacco Machado]

Question: IF, and I emphasize, "IF", the Orioles were to sign Prince Fielder, would Roberts be at FanFest?

In other words, does Fielder's signing give him "motivation" to come back and give it his all to this organization because he thinks the O's can be serious contenders? Look at it this way, if Fielder was an Oriole right now, the city would be electric and on fire for the Orioles. Would Roberts be at FanFest? I think my answer and your answer says a lot about Brian Roberts, the indivdual.

I think his outlook for this club is tepid at best and he just doesn't have that passion for this team anymore, after all the losing and broken promises. Can you blame him? Probably not. But this guy is still someone's hero and right now, Roberts is nothing more than a "me-first" prima donna, to me. Again, I say, to "ME." Don't go ballistic on me. This is my opinion and how I feel.

[Flacco Machado]

A few things, to try and give Roberts the slack I think he deserves:

1. Brian Roberts has been to Fan Fest, I would gather, almost every single season of his major league career, and probably at some point as an Orioles prospect. It's not like he hasn't ever done it before.

2. To that end, Brian Roberts has likely signed thousands of autographs throughout his career, and will likely sign thousands more for the rest of his life. This isn't Manny Ramirez or some superstar that never puts their name down on paper. Much of the autographs he has signed in his career have likely come at Fan Fest.

3. The man has a legitimate ailment that has bothered him for some time, and will continue to bother him whether he plays the game or not. I've seen enough Fan Fest to know from my end it can be stressful, and being wheeled around and going through the mobs of people that still show up for the event has to be stressful for the players and personnel as well. Add to that having to sign your name hundreds of times for random strangers, the flash bulbs and flashes of the cameras going off, and the bright lights of the convention center make for a stressful environment for just about anybody, let alone somebody dealing with pcs and who should be avoiding such a thing.

4. Brian Roberts has done an incredible amount of good for this community and city in good health, poor health, and everything in between.

5. Plenty of guys have never been forced to do Fan Fest, even if it was in the best interest of the fans to do so. Did the team force Ripken to sit there for hours and sign because he was the face? No. Where were they telling Eddie Murray to lighten up and meet the fans? They didn't. As far as I know there is no policy or requirement that everybody be there, because not everybody, be it for family reasons, winter ball, or work visa's can be there. This is a medical condition that has been effecting him for months. This merits him not being there.

We're all frustrated with the status of Roberts, because no matter what, deep down, most of us want him to be out there. It sucks watching somebody that you know brings a lot to the team even with diminished skill sets not be out there because the team will be that much worse off. But, that doesn't mean the guy immediately deserves criticism because he won't or can't come out to do something he has done several times over. If this were an isolated incident and he never had done it before, I could understand that. But, Brian Roberts has done this event so many times over, no matter how bad the team has been, and as always, done it with a smile.

Be frustrated with his inability to play, think and feel that he should retire, tell the Orioles to make up their own minds about it. But, this is not something that merits such a strong reaction, and it shouldn't have from Duquette. There are more important things with this team right now that need solving, Roberts and 2nd base for one. If Duquette doesn't see it then there's a reason he's been out of the game so long. At the end of the day, put the emotions aside and let some common sense and perspective in, because this is simply not a big deal.

I'm sorry. I don't agree. No one is saying he has to sign thousands of autographs. And, yes, his condition is a serious one. But, show up, shake some hands, kiss some babies, and leave. No one is asking him to be there all day. As I said, he along with Markakis, is the face of this franchise and one of the most recognizable names to even the fans that barely no anything or don't even care about the Orioles anymore. Again, he is someone's hero. Act like it.

[ShaneDawg85]

I'm sorry. I don't agree. No one is saying he has to sign thousands of autographs. And, yes, is condition is a serious one. But, show up, shake some hands, kiss some babies, and leave. No one is asking him to be there all day. As I said, he along with Markakis, is the face of this franchise and one of the most recognizable names to even the fans that barely no anything or don't even care about the Orioles anymore. Again, he is someone's hero. Act like it.

I get it. But, why should he HAVE to do something he has done repeatedly, in good health and bad? What does it change? It changes nothing, that's the answer. His relationship with the fans is not going to change, and he's acted like "somebody's hero" for practically his entire career. Missing one event is not going to change that, anyone that thinks so is either bitter or delusional.

[Barnaby Graves]

I'm sorry. I don't agree. No one is saying he has to sign thousands of autographs. And, yes, his condition is a serious one. But, show up, shake some hands, kiss some babies, and leave. No one is asking him to be there all day. As I said, he along with Markakis, is the face of this franchise and one of the most recognizable names to even the fans that barely no anything or don't even care about the Orioles anymore. Again, he is someone's hero. Act like it.

This is a post written by a man who has never had his brain slammed into his own skull.

[section18]

Brian! If you are on OH tonight and reading this in Florida where the weather is warm please evaluate closely the comments from many fans on here. You have been a huge fan favorite here for your entire career. The time is now for you to make a decision about your career. The doctors have told you what could happen if you had another concussion. You will never again do any head first slides, you won't dive for balls in the whole and you will always be worried about fastballs high and tight. You are a multi million dollar player who stashed a lot of cash away over your career. You have a beautiful wife who doesn't want to see you injured again and possibly suffer a permanent disability. Pick up the phone tomorrow and call PA. Tell him you would like to negotiate a settlement with the balance of your contract. You will retire and if able to fly will throw out the first ball on Opening Day in April and say goodbye to the fans. You cannot take the risk of suffering permanent injury in the future. Remember.....you caused your injury. YOU! Taking $20 million dollars because you injured yourself and keeping the team, the FO and the fans in suspense is not right. It's not right and if you owned the team you would be extremely upset with any player that did what you did and basically ended their career. To take $20 million on top of what you made the last two years is almost like robbing a bank. Call PA tomorrow and get on with the rest of your life and leave on good terms. If a year from now you change your mind and decide to go out to Chicago and play with the Cubs go ahead. Just end your ties now and allow the team to properly prepare for the 2012 season. I hope you read this a few times and think seriously about it.

[Flacco Machado]

Missing one event is not going to change that, anyone that thinks so is either bitter or delusional.

I'm neither. As I said, just stating my opinion.