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09-20-2006, 10:57 PM
It was a year ago that Sparky had that horrible injury at Yankee Stadium. Much has transpired, and he's still a little sparkplug. :D
Just think what he accomplished this year - after thinking at spring training that it wasn't going well at all. And just think where he'll be next year!!! After an off-season of really being able to work out, he's gonna be dynamite!! :jump: :cheer:
Orioles notebook
Roberts grateful year after injury
On anniversary, he's glad to be playing, if still not 100 percent
By Jeff Zrebiec
Sun Reporter
Originally published September 20, 2006, 8:04 PM EDT
ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. // When Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts took the field Wednesday, what happened exactly one year earlier was nowhere near his mind. In fact, Roberts said before the game that he didn't even remember it was on Sept. 20 that he was hurt.
A serious elbow injury sustained while colliding with the New York Yankees' Bubba Crosby at first base last season cast his career in doubt.
"I can remember being on the back field in the middle of spring training, taking batting practice and my arm hurt so bad," said Roberts. "I just sat on the field with [hitting coach Terry Crowley], and I said, 'I just don't know that I can do it.' To actually have [over 500 at-bats] and to be able to contribute...I feel fortunate and blessed."
Roberts has had a solid statistical season--.290 average, nine homers, 52 RBIs and 35 steals--though his numbers are far more impressive when you consider that before spring training, he had to learn how to catch a baseball again with his surgically reconstructed left arm.
The switch-hitter admits the injury has affected his hitting from the right-side (he's a .242 hitter right-handed as compared to .312 left-handed), and his inability to do his normal offseason workout routine has contributed to his home run total being down from last year.
"It's just been a grind every day because you have weeks where it feels good and you have your weeks where it doesn't feel very good," said Roberts. "[Head trainer Richie Bancells] said, 'When you come to spring training next year, it will feel like a new arm compared to what it felt like when you came to spring training this year.' That's something to look forward to."
Change for the better
Erik Bedard cited an improved changeup earlier this season as one of the reasons for his breakthrough campaign. Now, Adam Loewen has become the latest Orioles starter to trumpet the pitch.
"Since I've been here, that's gone from my fourth-best pitch to my second-best pitch, especially lately with my fastball command ," said Loewen. "Whenever I get into a tough situation, I throw it."
[b]Around the horn
LaTroy Hawkins, who pitched Tuesday for the first time since Sept. 2, was unavailable Wednesday because of persistent soreness in his strained right groin. With his first-inning single, Chris Gomez extended his hitting streak to 13 games. Miguel Tejada was 1-for-3, extending his homerless stretch to 113 at-bats, a career high.
Copyright © 2006, The Baltimore Sun |
Just think what he accomplished this year - after thinking at spring training that it wasn't going well at all. And just think where he'll be next year!!! After an off-season of really being able to work out, he's gonna be dynamite!! :jump: :cheer:
Orioles notebook
Roberts grateful year after injury
On anniversary, he's glad to be playing, if still not 100 percent
By Jeff Zrebiec
Sun Reporter
Originally published September 20, 2006, 8:04 PM EDT
ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. // When Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts took the field Wednesday, what happened exactly one year earlier was nowhere near his mind. In fact, Roberts said before the game that he didn't even remember it was on Sept. 20 that he was hurt.
A serious elbow injury sustained while colliding with the New York Yankees' Bubba Crosby at first base last season cast his career in doubt.
"I can remember being on the back field in the middle of spring training, taking batting practice and my arm hurt so bad," said Roberts. "I just sat on the field with [hitting coach Terry Crowley], and I said, 'I just don't know that I can do it.' To actually have [over 500 at-bats] and to be able to contribute...I feel fortunate and blessed."
Roberts has had a solid statistical season--.290 average, nine homers, 52 RBIs and 35 steals--though his numbers are far more impressive when you consider that before spring training, he had to learn how to catch a baseball again with his surgically reconstructed left arm.
The switch-hitter admits the injury has affected his hitting from the right-side (he's a .242 hitter right-handed as compared to .312 left-handed), and his inability to do his normal offseason workout routine has contributed to his home run total being down from last year.
"It's just been a grind every day because you have weeks where it feels good and you have your weeks where it doesn't feel very good," said Roberts. "[Head trainer Richie Bancells] said, 'When you come to spring training next year, it will feel like a new arm compared to what it felt like when you came to spring training this year.' That's something to look forward to."
Change for the better
Erik Bedard cited an improved changeup earlier this season as one of the reasons for his breakthrough campaign. Now, Adam Loewen has become the latest Orioles starter to trumpet the pitch.
"Since I've been here, that's gone from my fourth-best pitch to my second-best pitch, especially lately with my fastball command ," said Loewen. "Whenever I get into a tough situation, I throw it."
[b]Around the horn
LaTroy Hawkins, who pitched Tuesday for the first time since Sept. 2, was unavailable Wednesday because of persistent soreness in his strained right groin. With his first-inning single, Chris Gomez extended his hitting streak to 13 games. Miguel Tejada was 1-for-3, extending his homerless stretch to 113 at-bats, a career high.
Copyright © 2006, The Baltimore Sun |