Justin Duchscherer's Spot in the Rotation "In Peril"

Although the Baltimore Sun reported that the Oriole got "good news" on the injury front, it actually seemed to be neutral at best. Buck Showalter said that Justin Duchscherer's chances of making the Opening Day roster were "in peril" and although they found nothing new from Duchschere's MRA yesterday, I'm not sure that's necessarily good news.

...(Brian Roberts and) Duchscherer, still struggling with his surgically repaired left hip, have seemingly been alternating good weeks and bad weeks all spring, and they'll remain shut down from extensive baseball activities for the next couple of days.


"With [Duchscherer] and Robby, there wasn't anything new going on there, but that doesn't mean everything is fine," Showalter said. "There are still some persistent things that have been a challenge for both of them."

So we should probably count Duch out for now, especially since before the MRA he told reporters that his hip "felt like it did last year before (he) had to have it operated on."

But that's not an altogether bad thing. I liked the Duchscherer signing for depth but I am beginning to believe that the team will be better off with Chris Tillman in that 5th spot to start the season anyway.

It was looking more and more like Jake Arrieta was going to win the battle for the final spot in the rotation this spring and that Tillman would be returned to Norfolk. But looking at Tillman 's AAA numbers show that there is little need for him to go back.

Lev    W  L W-L%  ERA  G CG SHO    IP   H HR BB  SO  WHIP HR/9 BB/9 SO/9 SO/BB
AAA   19 13 .594 3.06 39  2   2 218.0 205 15 56 193 1.197  0.6  2.3  8.0  3.45

What else does the guy need to do down there? I keep hearing that Tillman should not be handed the job and he should heave to "earn" it. Putting together numbers like that in AAA at age 21 and 22 is more than enough to earn a spot in the rotation.

The Orioles need to put Tillman in the rotation and let him sink or swim. He needs MLB innings at this point, there is nothing left for him to prove in the minors.

And if his shot comes because of a Justin Duchscherer injury, so be it.

The New 2011 Brian Roberts Injury Timeline

Frustrating, isn't it?

I present the 2011 version of the Brian Roberts injury timeline. Remember last year when Roberts' injuries were downplayed over and over but got worse and worse and then he missed 2/3 of the season? Yeah, me too. That's why this 2011 pattern seems all too familiar.

This is just a tracker that I will continue to update...and freak out about, until the end of the season.


February 22nd, 2011 - Jeff Zrebiec reports on Brian Roberts arriving at Spring Training:

This year, (Brian Roberts) said, has a little different feel, and the best part about it is he is healthy again after struggling with a herniated disk in his back all last spring.

The very next day...


February 23rd, 2011 - Roch Kubatko reports that Roberts leaves camp.

I just arrived in the workroom to find out that Brian Roberts isn't working out today. He left camp with a sore neck.

Roberts might need X-rays. That's all we really know at the moment.

Later that day, Roberts returned to camp and Jeff Zreibiec had this:

Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts returned to Ed Smith Stadium after getting X-rays and downplayed his stiff neck.


"We probably all had a stiff neck at some point in our life, right? I'm not overly concerned," he said.


Of course, any ailment involving Roberts will raise panic after he played just 59 games last season because of a herniated disk in his back.


Asked whether he understood that, Roberts was dismissive, saying: "I understand there's about a two feet difference from where my back hurt and where my neck hurt. So I'm pretty sure they are not related."


Roberts returned to the stadium to get some treatment. He isn't sure whether he'll be able to participate in tomorrow's workout.



Feb 24th, 2011 - Roberts doesn't participate in the workout. Peter Schmuck:

Brian Roberts, who missed yesterday's workout and went for X-rays after waking up with neck stiffness, will not work out today, but said his neck feels better.


"I'm not going out today,'' he said, "but it's better. I'm going to get some treatment and just try to get it calmed down. Hopefully, I'll be out there tomorrow."



February 25th, 2011 - Roberts was not "out there tomorrow". From MLB.com:

Brian Roberts was held out of workouts again on Friday, as the Orioles' second baseman continues to deal with neck stiffness, but he said that if it was the regular season he would be able to play.


"You play during the season hurt at times, and this isn't anything that would cause me to miss any games if it was the season right now," said Roberts, who missed his third consecutive day of workouts.



Feb 26th, 2011 - Roberts Practices. USA Today:

Roberts received an ultrasound treatment on his neck Saturday morning after participating in the team's annual photo day. He then suited up and practiced for the first time since Tuesday.


Roberts had to get the approval of the athletic training staff before returning to the field....


Roberts probably won't play when Baltimore opens its exhibition schedule Monday against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton.



March 2nd, 2011 - Brian Roberts Makes His Spring Training Debut...and All Was Quiet

Until...


March 7th, 2011 - Yankees vs. Orioles

Leading off the game, Brian Roberts lays down a bunt between the pitcher and first base. He dives into first, narrowly missing being trampled by the pitcher and Mark Teixera. At the time I tweeted that Roberts was "a big dummy" for doing that in a Spring Training Game. Roberts played until the 5th inning.


March 8th, 2011 - Roch reports

Brian Roberts is dealing with back spasms and is tentative for tomorrow afternoon's game against the Minnesota Twins in Sarasota.


"We'll see if that will take care of itself overnight," Showalter said.


"He said he did it two, three days ago during the stretching. It kind of came back. He felt good last night. He had it from stretching and just tweaked it a little bit. It went way and he played the game. He came in today and it flared up again."



March 9th, 2011 - More from Roch

Brian Roberts said his back feels a little better, but he won't play in today's game against the Twins in Sarasota. And there's no way he's traveling to Fort Myers tonight for the other split-squad game.


"It's not too bad," he said.


Roberts said he woke up with back spasms a few days ago. He said they weren't caused by him diving into first base during Monday night's game against the Yankees.


"I never really said anything because I wanted to keep playing," he said. "When I get them, they usually come on and then they go away on their own after a couple days. I probably didn't help things by sliding when I already had back spasms, but that wasn't the cause of them."



Roberts could play today...but they're already saying he won't travel to Kissimmee tomorrow. So playing today seems unlikely.

March 10, 2011 - Brian Roberts has "trigger-point injections and schedules an MRI. The Sporting News:

Baltimore Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts had "trigger-point injections" in his ailing back Friday and will be sidelined until at least Tuesday, according to The Baltimore Sun...


Roberts told MacPhail that the pain isn’t as bad as it was last spring, and manager Buck Showalter expressed optimism that Roberts will be ready for opening day.


March 15, 2011 - Robert's MRI reveals nothing new. Because...

...he has been experiencing discomfort since January and it hasn't really gone away. Asked how this compared to last year he said it was 100 percent different,and this current issue isn't nearly as bad.


...he will progress toward "possibly" being ready on Opening Day on a day-by-day basis.

Stay tuned...