Brian Roberts
Encyclopedia
Brian Michael Roberts (born October 9, 1977) is an American Major League Baseball
All Star
second baseman
, nicknamed B-Rob.
He made his Major League debut in and has spent his entire professional career with the Baltimore Orioles
organization, located in Baltimore
, Maryland
.
, North Carolina
, Roberts lived in Chapel Hill
,, North Carolina, as his father was the baseball coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
(UNC). He graduated from Chapel Hill High School.
, Roberts hit .427, with 102 hits, 24 doubles, 47 SB and was named to the NCBWA Second Team and the Collegiate Baseball
Third Team. His sophomore year, he hit .353, 13 HR, 49 RBI, 21 doubles, 63 SB and was named to the NCBWA 1st Team, The Sporting News
2nd Team and the Collegiate Baseball 2nd Team.
His 63 stolen bases were more than any player in college baseball
that year. He became the first Tar Heel to be named ACC
player of the year, and was a first team All-America.
Mike Roberts, Brian's father and coach at UNC, was fired by athletic director Dick Baddour after the 1998 season. After the firing, Brian opted to transfer to play for coach Ray Tanner
at the University of South Carolina
. Roberts started at shortstop for the South Carolina Gamecocks
and was named the best defensive college player by Baseball America
. Playing in the Southeastern Conference
(SEC), he batted .353, hit 12 home runs, and collected 36 RBI. He still owns the school and SEC record for stolen bases in a season with 67. He again was named an All-America and was a member of the All-SEC team.
. He played Single A baseball with Delmarva
in where he appeared in 47 games and hit .240.
In he started with the Gulf Coast League Orioles
, hitting .310 in nine games. He also played 48 games with Single A Club Frederick
hitting .301.
Roberts also spent time with the Rochester Red Wings
and Ottawa Lynx
.
, batting .253. He also played for AAA Rochester
and AA Bowie
that year.
In 2002
, he played 38 games with the Orioles
and batted .227. He stole 22 bases on 26 attempts. He also played 78 games with the Orioles AAA affiliate in Rochester.
, he started for AAA Ottawa
, playing 44 games and hitting .315. In late May he was called up for injured second baseman Jerry Hairston, Jr.
He hit his first Major League grand slam
in his second game (and his first in any sort of professional play) in the 9th inning against the Anaheim Angels
to win that game. He finished with a .270 average in 112 games and stole 23 bases on 29 attempts (tied for eighth in American League
).
started spring training
in with both Hairston and Roberts on the roster. Hairston fractured his finger in spring training, however, and Roberts became the opening day starter. After Hairston returned from the disabled list, he was moved to right field, leaving Roberts at second base. In August Roberts batted .347 with ten doubles in 107 at-bats. During the second week of August, Roberts was named the American League Player of the Week for hitting .531 over a span of six games. He finished 2004 with a .273 average, collecting 175 hits in 159 games. He also hit 50 doubles, which led the American League and was third-best in the majors. His 50 doubles also broke the Orioles single-season record for doubles (originally set by Cal Ripken, Jr.
) and the single-season AL record for doubles by switch hitters.
, Hairston was traded to the Chicago Cubs
(along with Oriole prospects Mike Fontenot
and David Crouthers) for Sammy Sosa
, thereby cementing Roberts's position as the Orioles' starting second baseman.
In 2005, Roberts rewarded Orioles management for their faith in him by beginning the season red-hot, leading the AL in batting average for the first several months of the season. In addition, he showed an incredible increase in power; prior to the 2005 season, he had only 12 career home runs, but by late June, he had already outmatched that total. Fans awarded Roberts explosive offensive first half by voting him the starting second baseman in the 2005 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
. It was Roberts' first appearance in the All-Star game. As the season wore on Roberts slumped heavily as the Orioles
slipped in the standings.
On September 20, 2005, Roberts dislocated his elbow in a game against the New York Yankees
. The injury occurred in a collision with New York's Bubba Crosby
at first base in the bottom of the second inning. The injury prevented Roberts from playing the rest of the season.
. He played in 138 games scoring 85 runs with 55 RBI. He stole 36 bases in 43 attempts and finished the season with a .286 average, hitting seven home runs in the last two months of the season. He spent the early part of May on the 15-day DL.
, he finished in the AL top 10 for at-bats, batting .290 with a .377 OBP on the way to his second All-Star berth. His 50 stolen bases, a career high, was tied with Carl Crawford
for the AL lead; Roberts also set career marks in hits and walks. He was rumored in trade talks in the offseason to the Chicago Cubs
, but nothing occurred.
in a 7-5 victory. His third hit of the game was his 1,000 career base hit. He collected the 250th double of his career on July 28 against the New York Yankees
. On September 21, 2008, Roberts grounded into the final out in the history of Old Yankee Stadium.
Following an injury to Boston Red Sox
second baseman
Dustin Pedroia
, Roberts was added to Team USA's
roster for the World Baseball Classic
. Roberts batted .438 with one home run, two runs batted in and one stolen base in four games as the United States lost in the semifinals to Japan
.
On August 4, in a game against the Detroit Tigers
, Roberts hit his 300th career double in the first inning off of Jarrod Washburn
. On September 15, he broke his own Orioles franchise record by hitting his 52nd double of the season. According to Spencer Fordin, "the two-time All-Star became one of four players all-time – along with Hall of Famers Tris Speaker
, Paul Waner
, and Stan Musial
– to amass three 50-double seasons in his career."
On September 29, hit his 56th double of the season against the Tampa Bay Rays
, setting the all-time single season mark for doubles in a season by a switch-hitter. His 56 doubles led the majors in 2009.
On October 3, Roberts was named "Most Valuable Oriole" for 2009 and awarded an engraved lead trophy for his accomplishments.
reported that during a June 6, 2006, federal raid, former relief pitcher Jason Grimsley
named Roberts as a user of anabolic steroids. The Times reported that Roberts was one of five names blacked out in an affidavit filed in federal court. However, on October 3, 2006, The Washington Post
reported that San Francisco United States attorney Kevin Ryan said that the Los Angeles Times report contained "significant inaccuracies." On December 20, 2007, the actual names in the Grimsley search warrant affidavit were revealed to the public. Roberts, Jay Gibbons, Andy Petitte and Roger Clemens were not actually named in the report and Miguel Tejada was named only for having a conversation about amphetamines. Roberts, along with the other four players named, denounced the story. Roberts was subsequently named in George Mitchell's report on performance enhancing drugs. According to page 158 of the Mitchell Report, Roberts lived with then-teammate Larry Bigbie
in David Segui
's house near the end of the 2001 season. Bigbie and Segui were regular steroid users; while they were using the performance enhancing drugs and Roberts was present, he asserted that he did not participate. According to Bigbie's testimony, Roberts told him in 2004 that he had injected himself with steroids "once or twice" in 2003.
On December 17, 2007, Roberts released a statement in which he admits to using steroids on a single occasion.
Roberts further stated that he had no ill-will against former Oriole Larry Bigbie
whose testimony to the Mitchell Committee was responsible for his inclusion in the report.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
All Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
, nicknamed B-Rob.
He made his Major League debut in and has spent his entire professional career with the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
organization, located in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
.
Early life, education and college-baseball career
Born in DurhamDurham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, Roberts lived in Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Chapel Hill is a town in Orange County, North Carolina, United States and the home of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and UNC Health Care...
,, North Carolina, as his father was the baseball coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
(UNC). He graduated from Chapel Hill High School.
College-baseball career
During his freshman year in 1997 at UNCNorth Carolina Tar Heels baseball
The North Carolina Tar Heels baseball team represents the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in NCAA Division I college baseball. They participate in the Atlantic Coast Conference Coastal Division....
, Roberts hit .427, with 102 hits, 24 doubles, 47 SB and was named to the NCBWA Second Team and the Collegiate Baseball
Collegiate Baseball Newspaper
Collegiate Baseball Newspaper is a publication based in Arizona that considers itself the "voice of amateur baseball" It is most noted for handing out the following awards: Collegiate Baseball Player of the Year, Collegiate Baseball Coach of the Year, and Collegiate Baseball...
Third Team. His sophomore year, he hit .353, 13 HR, 49 RBI, 21 doubles, 63 SB and was named to the NCBWA 1st Team, The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
2nd Team and the Collegiate Baseball 2nd Team.
His 63 stolen bases were more than any player in college baseball
College baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. Compared to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a less significant contribution to cultivating professional players, as the minor leagues primarily...
that year. He became the first Tar Heel to be named ACC
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
player of the year, and was a first team All-America.
Mike Roberts, Brian's father and coach at UNC, was fired by athletic director Dick Baddour after the 1998 season. After the firing, Brian opted to transfer to play for coach Ray Tanner
Ray Tanner
Ray Tanner is in his 15th season as the head baseball coach at the University of South Carolina in Columbia. His record since arriving at Carolina in 1997 is 689-296...
at the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
. Roberts started at shortstop for the South Carolina Gamecocks
South Carolina Gamecocks baseball
The South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team represents the University of South Carolina in NCAA Division I college baseball. South Carolina has perennially been one of the best teams in college baseball since 1970, posting 27 NCAA Tournament appearances, 10 College World Series berths, and two...
and was named the best defensive college player by Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
. Playing in the Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
(SEC), he batted .353, hit 12 home runs, and collected 36 RBI. He still owns the school and SEC record for stolen bases in a season with 67. He again was named an All-America and was a member of the All-SEC team.
Minor League baseball career
Roberts was drafted by the Orioles in the first round of the 1999 MLB draft1999 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1999 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 2 and 3, 1999...
. He played Single A baseball with Delmarva
Delmarva Shorebirds
The Delmarva Shorebirds are a minor league baseball team based in Salisbury, Maryland. They are one of three Single-A affiliates of the Baltimore Orioles and a member of the South Atlantic League. The Shorebirds play at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.The "Shorebirds" name refers to the marine waterfowl...
in where he appeared in 47 games and hit .240.
In he started with the Gulf Coast League Orioles
Gulf Coast League Orioles
The Gulf Coast League Orioles are a minor league baseball team that plays in the Gulf Coast League. The Orioles were originally a team from 1991-2003, but were reactivated in 2007...
, hitting .310 in nine games. He also played 48 games with Single A Club Frederick
Frederick Keys
The Frederick Keys minor league baseball team is the "High-A" class A baseball affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. The Keys are based in Frederick, Maryland. The franchise is named for Star Spangled Banner poet Francis Scott Key, a native of Frederick County. The team mascot is a coyote known as...
hitting .301.
Roberts also spent time with the Rochester Red Wings
Rochester Red Wings
The Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins major-league club. The Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester.The Red Wings were an...
and Ottawa Lynx
Ottawa Lynx
The Ottawa Lynx were a minor league baseball team that formerly competed in the Triple-A International League from 1993 to 2007. The team's home field was Lynx Stadium in Ottawa, Ontario. Over the team's 15 seasons, it was the Triple-A Minor League affiliate of the Montreal Expos , Baltimore...
.
Breaking into the Majors (2001-02)
He made his Major League debut in and played 75 games for Baltimore2001 Baltimore Orioles season
The 2001 Baltimore Orioles season involved the Orioles finishing 4th in the American League East with a record of 63 wins and 98 losses.-Offseason:*October 5, 2000: Trenidad Hubbard was released by the Baltimore Orioles....
, batting .253. He also played for AAA Rochester
Rochester Red Wings
The Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins major-league club. The Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester.The Red Wings were an...
and AA Bowie
Bowie Baysox
The Bowie Baysox are a minor league baseball team located in Bowie, Maryland. They are the class-AA affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, and play in the Eastern League...
that year.
In 2002
2002 Major League Baseball season
The Major League Baseball season finished with the Anaheim Angels defeating the San Francisco Giants in Game 7 of the 2002 World Series.-Major league baseball final standings:...
, he played 38 games with the Orioles
2002 Baltimore Orioles season
The 2002 Baltimore Orioles season involved the Orioles finishing 4th in the American League East with a record of 67 wins and 95 losses.-Offseason:...
and batted .227. He stole 22 bases on 26 attempts. He also played 78 games with the Orioles AAA affiliate in Rochester.
2003
In 20032003 Major League Baseball season
*World Series MVP: Josh Beckett**American League Championship Series MVP: Mariano Rivera**National League Championship Series MVP: Iván Rodríguez*All-Star Game, July 15 at U.S...
, he started for AAA Ottawa
Ottawa Lynx
The Ottawa Lynx were a minor league baseball team that formerly competed in the Triple-A International League from 1993 to 2007. The team's home field was Lynx Stadium in Ottawa, Ontario. Over the team's 15 seasons, it was the Triple-A Minor League affiliate of the Montreal Expos , Baltimore...
, playing 44 games and hitting .315. In late May he was called up for injured second baseman Jerry Hairston, Jr.
Jerry Hairston, Jr.
Jerry Wayne Hairston, Jr. is a Mexican-American professional baseball utility player.-Professional career:...
He hit his first Major League grand slam
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
in his second game (and his first in any sort of professional play) in the 9th inning against the Anaheim Angels
2003 Anaheim Angels season
The Anaheim Angels 2003 season involved the Angels finishing 3rd in the American League West Division with a record of 77 wins and 85 losses.-Regular season:...
to win that game. He finished with a .270 average in 112 games and stole 23 bases on 29 attempts (tied for eighth in American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
).
2004
The Orioles season2004 Baltimore Orioles season
The 2004 Baltimore Orioles season involved the Orioles finishing 3rd in the American League East with a record of 78 wins and 84 losses.-Offseason:*December 3, 2003: Bill Haselman was signed as a free agent with the Baltimore Orioles....
started spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
in with both Hairston and Roberts on the roster. Hairston fractured his finger in spring training, however, and Roberts became the opening day starter. After Hairston returned from the disabled list, he was moved to right field, leaving Roberts at second base. In August Roberts batted .347 with ten doubles in 107 at-bats. During the second week of August, Roberts was named the American League Player of the Week for hitting .531 over a span of six games. He finished 2004 with a .273 average, collecting 175 hits in 159 games. He also hit 50 doubles, which led the American League and was third-best in the majors. His 50 doubles also broke the Orioles single-season record for doubles (originally set by Cal Ripken, Jr.
Cal Ripken, Jr.
Calvin Edwin "Cal" Ripken, Jr. , nicknamed "Iron Man", is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and third baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Baltimore Orioles ....
) and the single-season AL record for doubles by switch hitters.
2005
Prior to the 2005 season2005 Major League Baseball season
Click on any series score to link to that series' page.Higher seed had home field advantage during Division Series and League Championship Series.The American League champion had home field advantage during the World Series as a result of the AL victory in the 2005 All-Star...
, Hairston was traded to the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
(along with Oriole prospects Mike Fontenot
Mike Fontenot
Michael Eugene "Mike" Fontenot is a Major League Baseball infielder for the San Francisco Giants.-High school career:Mike Fontenot was a standout for Salmen High School in Slidell, Louisiana...
and David Crouthers) for Sammy Sosa
Sammy Sosa
Samuel Peralta "Sammy" Sosa is a Dominican former professional baseball right fielder. Sosa played with four Major League Baseball teams over his career which spanned from 1989-2007....
, thereby cementing Roberts's position as the Orioles' starting second baseman.
In 2005, Roberts rewarded Orioles management for their faith in him by beginning the season red-hot, leading the AL in batting average for the first several months of the season. In addition, he showed an incredible increase in power; prior to the 2005 season, he had only 12 career home runs, but by late June, he had already outmatched that total. Fans awarded Roberts explosive offensive first half by voting him the starting second baseman in the 2005 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
2005 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2005 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 76th playing of the midseason exhibition baseball game between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 12, 2005 at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan,...
. It was Roberts' first appearance in the All-Star game. As the season wore on Roberts slumped heavily as the Orioles
2005 Baltimore Orioles season
The 2005 Baltimore Orioles season involved the Orioles finishing 4th in the American League East with a record of 74 wins and 88 losses. The team started off hot, compiling a record of 42 wins and 30 losses while spending 62 days in first place in AL East...
slipped in the standings.
On September 20, 2005, Roberts dislocated his elbow in a game against the New York Yankees
2005 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees' 2005 season was the 103rd season for the Yankees. The team finished with a record of 95-67 finishing with the same record as the Boston Red Sox but winning the division due to a head-to-head advantage over Boston. New York was managed by Joe Torre. The Yankees played at Yankee...
. The injury occurred in a collision with New York's Bubba Crosby
Bubba Crosby
Richard Stephen "Bubba" Crosby is a former Major League Baseball outfielder who played with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees...
at first base in the bottom of the second inning. The injury prevented Roberts from playing the rest of the season.
2006
Roberts rebounded from his 2005 injury with a strong 2006 campaign2006 Major League Baseball season
In , the Major League Baseball season ended with the National League's St. Louis Cardinals winning the World Series with the lowest regular season victory total in history. The American League continued its domination at the All-Star Game by winning its fourth straight game; the A.L. has won nine...
. He played in 138 games scoring 85 runs with 55 RBI. He stole 36 bases in 43 attempts and finished the season with a .286 average, hitting seven home runs in the last two months of the season. He spent the early part of May on the 15-day DL.
2007
Roberts played in over 150 games for the Orioles. Along with teammate Nick MarkakisNick Markakis
Nicholas William Markakis is a Major League Baseball right fielder for the Baltimore Orioles. Of Greek and German descent , Markakis is known for his arm strength, stellar right field defense and smooth hitting....
, he finished in the AL top 10 for at-bats, batting .290 with a .377 OBP on the way to his second All-Star berth. His 50 stolen bases, a career high, was tied with Carl Crawford
Carl Crawford
Carl Demonte Crawford is an American professional baseball outfielder who plays for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. He bats and throws left-handed...
for the AL lead; Roberts also set career marks in hits and walks. He was rumored in trade talks in the offseason to the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
, but nothing occurred.
2008
On June 24, Roberts went 3 for 5 against the Cubs2008 Chicago Cubs season
The Chicago Cubs' 2008 season was the 136th season for the Chicago Cubs. It is considered one of their most impressive regular seasons in the entire history of the franchise. Despite 97 regular season wins—the most since 1945—they failed to make it past the first round of the playoffs, losing 3-0...
in a 7-5 victory. His third hit of the game was his 1,000 career base hit. He collected the 250th double of his career on July 28 against the New York Yankees
2008 New York Yankees season
The 2008 New York Yankees season was the 106th season for the New York Yankees franchise. The Yankees hosted the 2008 All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday July 15, 2008. It was the 83rd and last season at Yankee Stadium prior to the team's move to a new ballpark just north of the current...
. On September 21, 2008, Roberts grounded into the final out in the history of Old Yankee Stadium.
2009
The Orioles and Roberts agreed to a contract extension on February 20, 2009. The contract secures Roberts through the 2014 season.Following an injury to Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
Dustin Pedroia
Dustin Pedroia
Dustin Luis Pedroia is an American professional baseball second baseman with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. Pedroia has won several awards in Major League Baseball, including the 2007 American League Rookie of the Year and the 2008 AL MVP award...
, Roberts was added to Team USA's
United States national baseball team
The United States National Baseball team represents the United States in international baseball competition. The United States has won the previous two Baseball World Cups, having lost this title to the Netherlands in 2011, and is currently second in the IBAF World Rankings, behind Cuba.The team...
roster for the World Baseball Classic
2009 World Baseball Classic
The 2009 World Baseball Classic was an international baseball competition. It is the only international baseball tournament to feature a large number of players from the major leagues of North America and Asia. It began on March 5, 2009, and finished March 23, 2009.Japan emerged victorious for the...
. Roberts batted .438 with one home run, two runs batted in and one stolen base in four games as the United States lost in the semifinals to Japan
Japan national baseball team
The Japan national baseball team is the national baseball team representing Japan in international competitions. They are one of the more successful baseball teams in the world, having won the World Baseball Classic in 2006 and 2009...
.
On August 4, in a game against the Detroit Tigers
2009 Detroit Tigers season
The 2009 Detroit Tigers season was the team's 109th season. The Tigers' new slogan for 2009 is "Always a Tiger." It replaces the 2006–2008 slogan "Who's Your Tiger?"...
, Roberts hit his 300th career double in the first inning off of Jarrod Washburn
Jarrod Washburn
Jarrod Michael Washburn is a former Major League Baseball pitcher and currently resides in his hometown of Webster, Wisconsin.-High school / college:...
. On September 15, he broke his own Orioles franchise record by hitting his 52nd double of the season. According to Spencer Fordin, "the two-time All-Star became one of four players all-time – along with Hall of Famers Tris Speaker
Tris Speaker
Tristram E. Speaker , nicknamed "Spoke" and "The Grey Eagle", was an American baseball player. Considered one of the best offensive and defensive center fielders in the history of Major League Baseball, he compiled a career batting average of .345 , and still holds the record of 792 career doubles...
, Paul Waner
Paul Waner
Paul Glee Waner , nicknamed "Big Poison", was a German-American Major League Baseball right fielder.-Pittsburgh Pirates:...
, and Stan Musial
Stan Musial
Stanley Frank "Stan" Musial is a retired professional baseball player who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals . Nicknamed "Stan the Man", Musial was a record 24-time All-Star selection , and is widely considered to be one of the greatest hitters in baseball...
– to amass three 50-double seasons in his career."
On September 29, hit his 56th double of the season against the Tampa Bay Rays
2009 Tampa Bay Rays season
The Tampa Bay Rays' 2009 season was their 12th season of baseball on the Gulf Coast of Florida. The team attempted to defend their American League Championship they won in the previous season. Although they missed the playoffs, they still finished with a winning record – only the second in...
, setting the all-time single season mark for doubles in a season by a switch-hitter. His 56 doubles led the majors in 2009.
On October 3, Roberts was named "Most Valuable Oriole" for 2009 and awarded an engraved lead trophy for his accomplishments.
2010
Roberts missed much of training camp with a herniated disc in his lower back. He recovered in time for Opening Day, but started the season 2-14 before suffering an abdominal strain stealing second base and being forced onto the 15-day disabled list, effective as of April 10. On July 12, Roberts starting to play in rehab games without having a setback. It is the first time he has been on the field since April 10. On July 23, Roberts returned to the Orioles' lead off spot for the first time since April 9.2011
Roberts started the 2011 Season with a hot bat and good speed, although he only stole six bases in 39 games in 2011, he still was great on defense at 2nd Base. His bat declined after awhile. After 39 games. Roberts was posting a .221 AVG with 3 HR and 19 RBI. Roberts was injured on May 16 at Fenway Park when he slid into first base headfirst and hit the back of his head. Roberts has not played since and is not expected to return until after the All-Star Break and was told by Dr. Michael Collins to rest until feeling better. The Orioles are still unsure when Roberts will return. On July 19, the Orioles transferred Roberts from the 15-Day disabled list to the 60-Day disabled list.Steroid allegations
On September 30, 2006, the Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
reported that during a June 6, 2006, federal raid, former relief pitcher Jason Grimsley
Jason Grimsley
Jason Alan Grimsley is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He made his debut on September 8, , and pitched for the Philadelphia Phillies, Cleveland Indians, Anaheim Angels, New York Yankees, Kansas City Royals, Baltimore Orioles, and most recently, the Arizona Diamondbacks.-Major league...
named Roberts as a user of anabolic steroids. The Times reported that Roberts was one of five names blacked out in an affidavit filed in federal court. However, on October 3, 2006, The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
reported that San Francisco United States attorney Kevin Ryan said that the Los Angeles Times report contained "significant inaccuracies." On December 20, 2007, the actual names in the Grimsley search warrant affidavit were revealed to the public. Roberts, Jay Gibbons, Andy Petitte and Roger Clemens were not actually named in the report and Miguel Tejada was named only for having a conversation about amphetamines. Roberts, along with the other four players named, denounced the story. Roberts was subsequently named in George Mitchell's report on performance enhancing drugs. According to page 158 of the Mitchell Report, Roberts lived with then-teammate Larry Bigbie
Larry Bigbie
Larry Robert Bigbie is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and outfielder. Bigbie last played for a MLB-affiliated team in 2007 for the Richmond Braves, the Triple-A affiliate for the Atlanta Braves organization...
in David Segui
David Segui
David Vincent Segui, is a Cuban-American former Major League Baseball first baseman. Segui played collegiate baseball for Louisiana Tech University and Kansas City Kansas Community College. During a 15-year baseball career, he played with the Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets, Montreal Expos,...
's house near the end of the 2001 season. Bigbie and Segui were regular steroid users; while they were using the performance enhancing drugs and Roberts was present, he asserted that he did not participate. According to Bigbie's testimony, Roberts told him in 2004 that he had injected himself with steroids "once or twice" in 2003.
On December 17, 2007, Roberts released a statement in which he admits to using steroids on a single occasion.
“In 2003, when I took one shot of steroids,” he said. “I immediately realized that this was not what I stood for or anything that I wanted to continue doing. I never used steroids, human growth hormone or any other performance-enhancing drugs prior to or since that single incident.
“I can honestly say before God, myself, my family and all of my fans, that steroids or any performance-enhancing drugs have never had any effect on what I have worked so hard to accomplish in the game of baseball.”
Roberts further stated that he had no ill-will against former Oriole Larry Bigbie
Larry Bigbie
Larry Robert Bigbie is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and outfielder. Bigbie last played for a MLB-affiliated team in 2007 for the Richmond Braves, the Triple-A affiliate for the Atlanta Braves organization...
whose testimony to the Mitchell Committee was responsible for his inclusion in the report.
Personal life
In January 2009, he married his long-time girlfriend Diana Chiafair.See also
- List of Baltimore Orioles Opening Day Starting Lineups
- List of Major League Baseball doubles champions
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases
- List of Major League Baseball players named in the Mitchell Report
- List of Major League Baseball stolen base champions
External links
- brianroberts1.com (requires Adobe Flash PlayerAdobe Flash PlayerThe Adobe Flash Player is software for viewing multimedia, Rich Internet Applications and streaming video and audio, on a computer web browser or on supported mobile devices. Flash Player runs SWF files that can be created by the Adobe Flash authoring tool, by Adobe Flex or by a number of other...
), Brian Roberts website