Brian Roberts diagnosed with herniated disc

by Stacey on Feb 22, 2010 4:23 PM EST in News & Rumors Comment 11 comments

Brian Roberts revealed today that he was diagnosed with a small herniated disc in his back about one month ago, but he doesn't foresee it being an issue in getting ready for Opening Day. Some quotes from Roberts, courtesy of Roch Kubatko:

"It set me back a couple weeks, but we're starting to progress," he said. "We're still going to have to take it slow with the hitting, just so we don't have any setbacks.

"I was working out and thought I had back spasms like I've gotten before, but it just kind of lingered. That's when we decided to dig a little deeper."

The good news is that doctors in both Arizona and Baltimore have determined that he will not need surgery. The bad news is that this could set Roberts back quite a bit, even if he does say he will be ready in time for Opening Day. It's also a reminder that the Orioles second baseman is no spring chicken. They can be as sunshine-y as they want to be about this injury but for some reason I feel a bit of doom regarding the entire thing.

If Roberts ends up missing time we're looking at the following scenarios at 2B: Robert Andino (ugh), Ty Wigginton (ew), or Justin Turner (hmmm...maybe).

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Time to find out who can play 2B.

Can Moore play second? He certainly has a better bat than Andino or Turner.

by fuddnelson on Feb 22, 2010 4:35 PM EST reply actions

I forgot about Scott Moore.

"It feels like home,’’ Pie said. "All my friends are here."

by Stacey on Feb 22, 2010 5:21 PM EST up reply actions

Screw Scott Moore

Actually, I can’t really say that. I’ll always have a soft spot in my heart for the man that took Jay Gibbons’ roster spot and got him released.

by daveh873 on Feb 22, 2010 5:25 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah

I was gonna mention him as probably the best alternative if we need somebody playing for a month or so. He can play second at least to some extent and he should have a decent bat.

by OsandRoyals on Feb 23, 2010 5:10 PM EST up reply actions

Blech...

Spring training is no time for bad news!

by daveh873 on Feb 22, 2010 5:20 PM EST reply actions

Roberts and timing

There is no doubt that Brian Roberts has turned in an excellent few seasons, but I do have some concerns about the position. Unfortunately, Father Time isn’t kind to second basemen and Roberts has gone through a series of injuries already. What can realistically be expected out of him over the length of his contract? Roberts is due $10M for the next 4 seasons, for his 32 to 35 seasons. His most comparable through age 31? Placido Polanco, whose OPS dropped from age 31 season of 121 to 101 and 88. I think he should be decent in 2010 and 2011 and then somewhat of a problem contract in the second half of his contract.

As for his replacements internally, Justin Turner is a guy who I should probably hold in higher regard. He has a career minor league OBP of 373, though has not shown a proclivity to steal bases or do it particularly well. It would’ve been nice if the team had tried to go for a Rule 5 guy instead of signing Garrett Atkins.

This team needs infield prospects in the worst way.

Librarians are hiding something

by dfa on Feb 22, 2010 6:50 PM EST reply actions

But

Stacey already told us that BRob leads us to a WS championship in 2015! So I think we’ll be ok 2010-2011.

by O'sFan21 on Feb 22, 2010 8:43 PM EST up reply actions

Eh

I’m not too worried about it. Being a few weeks behind at the start of spring training might be a concern for a rookie or a younger guy, but spring training is not that important for veteran position players. He’ll be fine.

by O'sFan21 on Feb 22, 2010 8:01 PM EST reply actions

Agreed

He shouldn’t even miss a lot of time anyways. I can’t wait for regular season.

by LoveForTheGame13 on Feb 23, 2010 12:31 AM EST up reply actions

FAHEY!

no but in all seriousness we need someone over 12 years old…this blows. get well soon B-Rob, please.

"On my tombstone just write, 'The sorest loser that ever lived.'"
Earl Weaver

by matman008 on Feb 22, 2010 8:13 PM EST reply actions

[rises ceremoniously] I've had a herniated disc, too. Same place. And I'm no spring chicken, either. Luckily, we don't need me at 2nd.

If B-Rob has not had a series of incidents resembling hih-voltage jolts of electric shock-like pain up and down one leg, then we can probably count on seeing him at 2nd on a regular basis, and not much the worse for wear.

I didn’t go for the surgery — there was no guarantee it would fix the problem — or for the month-long immobility thing (also no guarantee, although a better success rate, allegedly). The third option — rest, heat, specific exercises, don’t do anything stoopid to/with it (pretty much for the rest of your life) and hope that the disc “re-inflates” (which they do to some extent) was the cheapest and easiest option. And it pretty much worked.

B-Rob’s thing sounds mild — there’s no hiding the symptoms when it’s not — so I suspect there’s actually reason to believe the sunshiney press-release propaganda. But then, I’m in the propaganda business…

"Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning." Churchill,1942-- a rebuilding year.

by Titov on Feb 23, 2010 4:33 AM EST reply actions