Brian Roberts Makes Huge Return To O's
MLB.com Orioles beat writer Brittany Ghiroli joined the Norris & Davis Show to talk Brian Roberts, injuries and trade stock just over a third of the way through the season.
For more than a year, Brian Roberts had been sidelined due to recurring concussion symptoms. During that stretch, there wasn't a person in Baltimore that could say for certain that the Orioles' two-time All-Star would ever play baseball again. Brittany Ghiroli says Roberts was no different.
"Yesterday Brian Roberts said there were months upon months where he thought that he wasn't going to have a normal life, let alone be out there playing professional baseball. So, it was really a special moment last night. You just heard the emotion in his voice and speaking to the media, you could tell he was just trying to hold back tears." Click here to listen to entire interview:
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Roberts had good reason to be verklempt after going 3-for-4 with 1 RBI in his first game back; a game the Orioles won 8-6 over the Pirates. Ghiroli says Roberts told the media through the tears that it was one of those games that he'd remember for the rest of his life.
"You just saw last night how much Brian Roberts, at the top of that lineup, really changes the whole complexion of the offense. He gets on base three times last night, and you see the top 4 spots, and they just generated 5 or 6 runs just in those top 4 spots. Obviously, Adam Jones benefits, everyone benefits."
Roberts hasn't been the only Oriole out of uniform, but Ghiroli says the Orioles are only getting healthier. Pitcher Brian Matusz is probable to start Wednesday, but is going to be checked out when he gets to the stadium today and might be pushed back to return Friday. Matusz fouled a ball of his nose during a bunting drill in batting practice on Tuesday. His delayed return might prove beneficial for the Orioles because it would also give Jason Hammel an extra day of rest on his knee until Saturday.
The O's beat writer also said Markakis is itching to play again after getting his stitches removed from his right hand and is confident that he'll be ready for the potentially crucial nine-game home stretch at the end of June against the Nationals, Angels, and Indians.
Even as their staff gets healthy, the Orioles' outlook for trades is still bleak. Ghiroli says the Orioles need a starter to augment their struggling rotation if they want to continue their impressive run, but that few teams are looking to give away a starting pitcher at this time. Even if teams were, the Orioles would be paying for him in tender the price of the likes of Manny Muchado or Dylan Bundy; a price Ghiroli says the Orioles are not going to do.
Realistically, Giroli says, the Orioles will end up with the "Jamie Moyer-type deals," or acquisitions that are more lackluster than blockbuster.
Written by Intern Dave Andrews.
