Orioles' Roberts could finally be close to return
The Baltimore Orioles lost the finale of their three-game series with the Red Sox Wednesday afternoon, but many with the Baltimore franchise were thinking about a certain player and not the 6-5 defeat.
Brian Roberts was scheduled to begin his rehab assignment about 40 minutes down the road with Double-A Bowie Wednesday night. Roberts has been out for just over a year due to problems from a concussion he suffered last May.
The Orioles and their fans have been waiting and wondering if Roberts ever would make it back. He last stepped on a field May 16, 2011, and the second baseman admitted in a Tuesday press conference at Oriole Park that there were times he wasn't so sure either.
Roberts was probably the most popular player with the franchise for a while. The lead-off hitter and former All-Star, he's a second baseman that plays the game hard and quickly became a fan favorite.
But the question now is how he can do in the rehab and what happens next. Roberts gets 20 days in rehab and he said Tuesday he'll probably use all of them.
Robert Andino has made himself a solid second baseman, but the return of Roberts will likely bump him over to being some kind of utility player in the lineup on a regular basis.
The big questions are if Roberts can make it all the way back and what kind of player he becomes. Answers to those questions will start happening during the rehab assignment.
