Roberts gets another shot (and other injury notes)
The Brian Roberts’ injury saga continues.
Roberts, who has played just four games this season due to a herniated disk, had an epidural injection in his back today in St. Petersburg, Orioles interim manager Juan Samuel said.
It’s the third such shot he’s had since spring training began.
After the last two, Roberts rested for a couple weeks before beginning light exercises. Roberts didn’t return a phone call on Friday, but it’s likely that timetable will continue. Samuel said that Roberts will be re-evaluated Tuesday in Florida.
“They will do some follow-ups on Tuesday and I guess they are going to decide from there what the next move is going to be,” Samuel said.
Roberts, during his regular call-in with The Scott Garceau Show on 105.7, on Thursday, said he hoped to play in games toward the end of the season – not an encouraging statement for a team that desperately needs its leadoff hitter and sparkplug.
“That doesn’t sound good -- the end of the year,” Samuel said laughing. “But we just want him to get better. If the doctors feel that’s what needs to be done, we have our hands full up here. We have a job to do and try to get the best out of these guys that we have here. If that’s the decision that’s going to be made, that’s going to be up to the doctor.”
Roberts was eligible to come off the 60-day disabled list on Wednesday.
In other injury news, Samuel said closer Alfredo Simon (left hamstring strain) will throw in a simulated game Sunday in Sarasota and could join the Orioles next week on the West Coast.
Michael Gonzalez (left shoulder strain) threw seven pitches in one extended spring training inning and his velocity had improved to 87 mph from 85 mph earlier this month. Samuel said the team is considering summoning Gonzalez from Florida to watch him in person before deciding when to send him out on a minor-league rehab assignment.
A Baltimore native, 
Comments
IMPROVED to 87? I thought that was a changeup.
Stuff happens. No point in dragging out the inevitable in an impossible effort to save face.
Andy blew one. So be it. Just try to do better next time, Mac, and don't worry about it. Meanwhile, cut Gonzo now and avoid the Christmas rush. No way this guy will ever be of any use to the big league club.
Posted by: Fang | June 11, 2010 5:47 PM
I have a herniated disc and will be going back for a 3rd (AND FINAL) epidural next week. Current medical best practice standards only permit 3 epidurals a year....so BRob is about to get his last epidural. And from what I have been led to believe, if the first two don't give you enough time to heal without surgery, then the patient has to decide whether to live with the pain or have surgery to cut away/snip away at some bone and herniated disc.
The longer Brian takes to have the surgery, the shorter the time period between surgery and spring training.
Naturally, Brian doesn't want back surgery - who does? - but I don't see how he recuperates this season to play up to the level he would expect of himself.......and he could make it worse.
Good luck to Brian...but the O's should shut him down.
Posted by: VeryFrustratedFan | June 11, 2010 7:08 PM
How in the world does Terry Crowley still have the job of hitting coach? You replace the manager, which I think was the right choice. But this team is a horrible hitting team. That falls on the shoulders of the hitting coach as much if not more than the hitting coach. This is just so sad. It's really too bad the city of Baltimore can't enact some eminent domain clause to force Peter Angelos to sell. It is just so hard to watch this one proud franchise continue to spiral downward. This really stinks.
Posted by: bob moore | June 11, 2010 8:08 PM
Michael Gonzalez is a stiff, and I agree with bob moore...no way Terry Crowley should still have a job after 4 different managers have gone down the road.13 losing years, and he gets to stay?
Posted by: birdsteelers | June 11, 2010 9:58 PM
Terry Crowley is a parasite to the Orioles and needs to be replaced right away.
Posted by: Eric S | June 11, 2010 10:37 PM
Don't forget Atkins in the no-shows, along with Gonzalez. How can a GM go unscathed with those two failed gambles? AM knew that Gonzalez had a history of arm problems. And he knew that Atkins's power numbers were going in the wrong direction- even in the thin air of Colorado. But, he signed both of them. Those kinds of deals don't make a winning team.
Posted by: D A | June 12, 2010 8:14 AM