So how about Brian Roberts today?

[El Gordo]

So then who do you think hates Brian Roberts?

You've heard the expression haters gotta hate? You figure it out.

[Can_of_corn]

You've heard the expression haters gotta hate? You figure it out.

I am not "down" with the lingo these kids today use. Maybe someone as "hip" as you could explain the expression to me?

Because to me it seems like you are avoiding the question.

[Barnaby Graves]

You've heard the expression haters gotta hate? You figure it out.

So then who do you think hates Brian Roberts?

[El Gordo]

So then who do you think hates Brian Roberts?

Lets put it this way. I have my doubts about Roberts being able to come back, but I'm pulling for him. And when he has a good day in ST I want to celebrate that as a positive step, as do 3 or 4 others here . But a great many others don't choose to say anything. Why do you suppose that is? Would you have even bothered to post in this thread if I hadn't said anything you thought applied to you? I'm sure we'll hear from you the first time he makes an E or goes 0 for.

[CA-ORIOLE]

Lets put it this way. I have my doubts about Roberts being able to come back, but I'm pulling for him. And when he has a good day in ST I want to celebrate that as a positive step, as do 3 or 4 others here . But a great many others don't choose to say anything. Why do you suppose that is? Would you have even bothered to post in this thread if I hadn't said anything you thought applied to you? I'm sure we'll hear from you the first time he makes an E or goes 0 for.

Oh, just stop. There are no Brian Roberts haters. There are Brian Roberts doubters. Was the game on TV or even radio today? Was there a game thread today? I don't even know. I (and am sure everybody else) will be thrilled to see Brain Roberts playing good baseball again and proving a lot of us wrong.

[Barnaby Graves]

Lets put it this way. I have my doubts about Roberts being able to come back, but I'm pulling for him. And when he has a good day in ST I want to celebrate that as a positive step, as do 3 or 4 others here . But a great many others don't choose to say anything. Why do you suppose that is?

Because it's Spring Training. Jake Fox hit 10 home runs during ST 2011 and was DFA'd by June 1st.

Would you have even bothered to post in this thread if I hadn't said anything you thought applied to you?

No.

I'm sure we'll hear from you the first time he makes an E or goes 0 for.

No, I'm a much less reactionary fan than that. I've watched enough baseball to know it's a marathon and not a sprint.

But it depends what the number at the end of the 0 for is because if he goes 0 for 50 and looks like a little leaguer again and can't really get to any balls then yeah, you'll hear from me.

So again, and try to answer it directly this time without "putting it this way," who do you think hates Brian Roberts? Sometimes his core fan club sounds ridiculous. You people get all offended I would doubt a guy who put up a -1.0 WAR in 17 games, had hit himself on the head enough to be AWOL for months, lost tons of muscle, etc. If my predictions came true every time I made them I'd predict him a WS MVP and Krysten Ritter for myself. They're just predictions, I don't wish ill on the man. I was even defending him in a thread where people complained he wasn't showing up at FanFest.

[Barnaby Graves]

Well I ain't afraid to say it. You.

I guess it's good you're so adamant about not being afraid to be wrong.

[CA-ORIOLE]

Well I ain't afraid to say it. You.

I'm sure he's not the only one. Provide us a list and make it clear then.

[CA-ORIOLE]

Why am I tasked with providing a list of BRob haters? I just think it's pretty clear from what I've seen that BG is one because we certainly won't be hearing from him anytime BRob does well, regular season included.

I don't think that's true. If Roberts performs I think just about everybody will be making positive comments as they would any other player. BG included. Ill be thrilled to be wrong and you can count on positive comments from me for good play. That said, I'm still a doubter (but becoming more optimistic). Before El Gordo pre-empted it, it looked like a few posters had bumped this and stated as much.

[Barnaby Graves]

I'm never afraid to be wrong. It's called accountability. I know it's hard. I stand ready and willing to apologize if I ever see you praise BRob sincerely and admit he proved you wrong in the event that he does well. Same goes if I end up being dead wrong about him.

I just said it's nice to see him do something he clearly couldn't do last season. Why are some forumgoers so sensitive, is it just because it's Roberts? We need accountability for missed predictions now? I don't even want you to be dead wrong about him I just want Yankee fans to leave the park in the 4th inning. My money is on Casilla being more likely to make that happen (not by much) but I don't really like any 2013 2nd base options so as long as he's not a corpse like he was last year, I won't be upset if he goes 0 for 15. But we can't let him go 0 for 60 and I don't know what Showalter and Duquette would've done if he didn't get hurt last year. That is what worries me. He's such a fan favorite and so much money is sunk into him that a) if you doubt him apparently you wish he was dead and b) management wouldn't have the balls to sit him down until long after it should've happened. If he rebounds after years of age and injury to have a nearly miraculous season, I'm a happy Barnaby. Why are you so upset that I think the odds are really bad? Are you family of his? That's not a rhetorical question.

[El Gordo]

Oh, just stop. There are no Brian Roberts haters. There are Brian Roberts doubters. Was the game on TV or even radio today? Was there a game thread today? I don't even know. I (and am sure everybody else) will be thrilled to see Brain Roberts playing good baseball again and proving a lot of us wrong.

Hey, I am a Roberts doubter myself, but if I only posted when he scuffled so I could say, see I was right to have doubts, I'd be a hater. There are a lot of folks here that have their doubts and are afraid to be cought cheering for him, because being seen as right, is more important to them than him succeeding, IMO.

[UpstateNYfan]

I may be off base here, out of touch, or both, where's Cindy?

[Can_of_corn]

I just said it's nice to see him do something he clearly couldn't do last season. Why are some forumgoers so sensitive, is it just because it's Roberts? We need accountability for missed predictions now? I don't even want you to be dead wrong about him I just want Yankee fans to leave the park in the 4th inning. My money is on Casilla being more likely to make that happen (not by much) but I don't really like any 2013 2nd base options so as long as he's not a corpse like he was last year, I won't be upset if he goes 0 for 15. But we can't let him go 0 for 60 and I don't know what Showalter and Duquette would've done if he didn't get hurt last year. That is what worries me. He's such a fan favorite and so much money is sunk into him that a) if you doubt him apparently you wish he was dead and b) management wouldn't have the balls to sit him down until long after it should've happened. If he rebounds after years of age and injury to have a nearly miraculous season, I'm a happy Barnaby. Why are you so upset that I think the odds are really bad? Are you family of his? That's not a rhetorical question.

The font you were using just screamed insincerity. Now Book Antiqua, that is a sincere font.

[crawjo]

You'd have to be crazy NOT to be a Roberts doubter. The list of middle infielders who performed well at the age of 31, then were injured and ineffective for THREE YEARS, only to come back at age 35 and pick up where they left off, is vanishingly small. It just doesn't happen.

I wouldn't read much into Roberts spring training, though. He does have more to prove, and so he's not going to take these at-bats the way most regulars do, as a chance to work on some things or get loose or whatever. He's fighting for a job. Obviously, that hunger is a good thing, but I'm not confident it will translate in the regular season when the stakes are raised.

[sevastras]

I'm sure he's not the only one. Provide us a list and make it clear then.

I am not a BRob fan. I am afraid that his "one time" use of steroids has effected his ability to stay healthy and robbed the O's of additional money to upgrade this team. That said, I do not cheer against the guy and quite frankly could care less about his steroid use. I just want this team to be good, and an average BRob is better than what we had last year. And I dont think that we could have signed an upgrade, so I hope he works out this year so I dont feel so crappy about the guy. Heck my best friend live in the same neighborhood as the guy, I cant be too down on him unless he doesnt perform.