Roberts first game back at OPACY - Applaud or Boo?

[Dipper9]

You give him a huge ovation in his first at bat and then you cheer or boo according to the game dynamics each at-bat/play after that. He gave the majority of his career to the city and was one of if not the best player on some of the worst teams in club history.

You do not boo.

Agree 100%. I was a huge Roberts fan and injuries derailed what would have been a career long Oriole. I would cheer him his first at bat, and after that he gets the typical Yankee treatment.

Its not like he's Tex, who should continue to have the boos rain down on him like the dog that he is!

[Redskins Rick]

Very different circumstances re: Roberts vs. Mussina. Mussina was in his prime, a highly sought after TOR guy who snubbed us for our most hated rival. Roberts was an old broken-down has-been who was fortunate to get a decent amount of coin from a team that desperately needed a 2B. Just about any team would've loved to have had Mussina in 2000 - the Yankees may have been the only team willing to give Roberts much money above the vet minimum, I'd guess.

It's sad to see him in pinstripes, but there's no seething hatred where there was with MM. I'd probably give him a golf clap his first AB, but then the gloves are off. I'm with AJ.

Some fans would disagree with your summary. IMO

Mussina didn't snub the Orioles. He was promised by the owner to be rewarded after taking one year home town discount contract that he got caught out on by the player rep.

[Dipper9]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>But just for his first at bat then get back to booing the opponent</p>? 10 (@SimplyAJ10) <a href="

">July 11, 2014</a></blockquote>

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

AJ is just awesome in every way!!!!

[FlipTheBird]

If I were there I'd largely greet him with a glorified shrug. Dude had some good years on the O's, yeah. Dude also plays for the Yankees now. I'm not wasting my energy in either direction.

[Dipper9]

Don't think he should be booed or applauded.

He gave a couple good years but wasn't necessarily great. And the past four years he been hurt, all of a sudden goes to the yanks and nothing.

I felt he stole the money with the last contract the Os gave.

For that I say no ovation and I wouldn't be upset if he got booed. But I don't feel he deserves either.

Seriously?

Look up the All Time Orioles stats and Roberts' name will be found all over the place.

[weams]

I would be in a quiet indifference.

And with your knowledge, A wise choice.

[Dipper9]

Some fans would disagree with your summary. IMO

Mussina didn't snub the Orioles. He was promised by the owner to be rewarded after taking one year home town discount contract that he got caught out on by the player rep.

In any event, Moose was wanted back by the Orioles but instead became a Yankee. BRob had his last moment with the Orioles fans his final game of 2013, and was not wanted back by Duquette and company. Why boo the man for wanting to continue his career and signing with the only team willing to pay him?

[FlipTheBird]

If I'm betting, though I'm saying that Brian definitely gets an ovation from the crowd tonight during his first at bat, and, so long as the game is going the O's direction, a couple of smaller cheers in his later appearances.

The guy was essentially the face of the team for a fair while, and was well-liked by the entirety of the fanbase. Can't see the average Baltimore fan having the heart to do anything less.

[FlipTheBird]

In any event, Moose was wanted back by the Orioles but instead became a Yankee. BRob had his last moment with the Orioles fans his final game of 2013, and was not wanted back by Duquette and company. Why boo the man for wanting to continue his career and signing with the only team willing to pay him?

I don't think RR was encouraging anyone to boo Roberts, so much as he was noting that the Mussina departure isn't nearly as much of a snub as some might describe it to be.

[weams]

Seriously?

Look up the All Time Orioles stats and Roberts' name will be found all over the place.

When he came back from his brain injury, after playing 4 months out of four years I bought three tickets, and took my wife and Cindy. I cheered him madly when he went three for three or four for four or whatever ridiculous thing he did for us before sliding back into poor defense and offensive mediocrity.

He's not an Oriole any longer and I am not convinced that was not partially his choice. Would he have stayed if we offered two million? Ask yourself that. And for me? I'm with Tony Pente on this.

[SticksandStones]

I'll be there tonight and I will absolutely stand and applaud him his first AB. After that, he is just a Yankee.

[weams]

In any event, Moose was wanted back by the Orioles but instead became a Yankee. BRob had his last moment with the Orioles fans his final game of 2013, and was not wanted back by Duquette and company. Why boo the man for wanting to continue his career and signing with the only team willing to pay him?

Do you know that he did not ask for a multi year deal at more money than he took? Or did he have his second base family outing because he was convinced that the Orioles would need him, bu that he would leave for more money, because he already knew that he did not want to stay on the Orioles terms?

[nevadaO]

I think, and hope, the fans clap loud enough that he has to tip his helmet in the first AB.

It's funny though how I think I would feel about it if we were trailing the Yankees in the division and he were an All-Star candidate.

Again, there is zero reason to boo him. He did not spurn our offer and sign with another team, he simply wasn't good enough for us to re-sign.

[Redskins Rick]

I don't think RR was encouraging anyone to boo Roberts, so much as he was noting that the Mussina departure isn't nearly as much of a snub as some might describe it to be.

Thanks.

Yes, there are two diverse schools of thought on Mussina.

Back to Roberts.

AJ said it best, clap for the guy when introduced at his first bat, acknowledge his time here, and then the rest of the game, he is just another of those MFYs.

[Dipper9]

When he came back from his brain injury, after playing 4 months out of four years I bought three tickets, and took my wife and Cindy. I cheered him madly when he went three for three or four for four or whatever ridiculous thing he did for us before sliding back into poor defense and offensive mediocrity.

He's not an Oriole any longer and I am not convinced that was not partially his choice. Would he have stayed if we offered two million? Ask yourself that. And for me? I'm with Tony Pente on this.

I've been through this debate before, and I understand that Tony has WAY more info than I do. I respect his (and your) opinion immensly and am not about to start that debate again. I did not want Roberts back, and yeah, the last 4 years sucked, but that doesn't mean I can't cheer the man for his accomplishments as an Oriole. Whatever he has done behind the scenes, whether he was offered something and chose not to come, whether he is a grade A jerk, that all could very well be true, but I've rooted for worse than that when they had an Orioles jersey on, so no reason not to give BRob an ovation for his return.

I'm not saying I'm rooting for the guy to do anything positive from here on out, I would just be giving him a brief acknowledgement that he was once one of us.