Brian Roberts will not be placed on 60-day DL to start the season

Yesterday, we were told that Buck Showalter would reveal the team's post-spring training plans for Brian Roberts today. The Orioles have not had a good track record this spring with doing things when they said they would, and in particular updates about Brian Roberts that are grounded in reality have seemed to be few and far between. I read the news about post-spring training plans for Roberts and found myself hoping it would be retirement.

So you can imagine my surprise - probably mirrored in you - when this tweet just came across from Brittany Ghiroli:

Brian Roberts will stay w. the team this year, heading north to Baltimore. Decision to not 60-day DL but just 15-day DL. #orioles

All I can ask is: why? Let's go back to Ziggy, this time from Dan Connolly:

Roberts doesnt want to be separated from team again. He wants to be at Camden Yards for experience. Will likely go on part of 1st road trip

This is also, we are told, the next step in his concussion recovery: "to be part of the atmosphere from the dugout", which if that goes well (if!) will be followed by a rehab assignment.

It seems that either the pessimism about Roberts' condition that has persisted through the offseason was wildly off base, or else the Orioles are presently engaging in wishful thinking, avoiding making a hard choice, in a way that will negatively impact their roster flexibility as the end of spring training approaches.

Remember, a player on the 60-day DL does not take up a 40-man roster spot, but a player on the 15-day DL does. The O's have at least two players who seem to be slated to make the team (Nick Johnson and Ronny Paulino) who are not currently on the 40-man. What do you think? Will Roberts appear in a major league game before June 1?