Brian

Roberts

Roberts, who has been hot as of late, is hitting .406 (13-for-32) over his last eight games, and has hit safely in 24 of Baltimore’s last 27 games. He is a solid defensive infielder with excellent speed, and even if he does not return to the Orioles next season, Roberts will be a fantasy asset wherever he ends up.

Even if Jerry Hairston Jr. is kept, Roberts won’t have to compete for his job. It’s not surprising news at all, but Hairston has hit better than Roberts the last two years and is just as good defensively when healthy. Roberts won’t be dealt, but there’d be no better time for the Orioles to sell high.

Cruz has been awful, hitting .200 with a .207 on-base percentage and one stolen base. Roberts, on the other hand, has been fantastic at Ottawa, hitting .305 with a .401 on-base percentage and 17 stolen bases. Roberts had been moved to second base to protect his elbow, which is no longer a concern.

If the Orioles were to sign Matsui, any chance of Brian Roberts playing shortstop next season would disappear. The Orioles would still need a third baseman, but Roberts may not have the arm for the position, leaving him and Jerry Hairston Jr. to compete for playing time at second.

Sources say that one of Roberts or Jerry Hairston will be traded in the offseason. Lately, Hargrove has been using one at second base and the other at DH.

The Orioles will make a run at Kazuo Matsui and perhaps Miguel Tejada, but if they can’t land a top shortstop, they’ll probably keep and start both Roberts and Jerry Hairston Jr. It would be the same deal at third base. The Orioles will likely look into trading for Mike Lowell if the Marlins can sign him to a long-term deal, but most likely they’ll go with Mora. In both cases, it seems like the Orioles would be taking the right approach. Bringing in more Deivi Cruz-type players would be a terrible idea.

Roberts is a candidate to be traded. Since he’s no longer looked at a possible utility infielder, he’ll probably begin the season at Triple-A Ottawa if he’s not dealt.

Roberts, competing with Jerry Hairston Jr. for the starting job at second base, is a candidate to be traded this spring.

Roberts needs to prove himself healthy this spring or lose his chance for regular playing time.

Mazzili told reporters “Hairston has to play second. I don’t want to totally keep him out of it”. With Roberts slumping (3-for-39), the question as to who is Baltimore’s second baseman, is still not entirely decided.