Brian Roberts will leave for Baltimore later today, be checked out by back specialist Dr. Lee Riley tomorrow and return to training camp late Monday or early Tuesday. Though he is seeking further treatment to speed up his comeback from a lower back injury, he said he still is on course to play Opening Day.
"I'm not alarmed because I know what my body feels like,'' he said. "I'm ready to go out there and play. But obviously, we have 162 games in front of us and you have to start as softly as you can."
Roberts said he could play right now if the season were about to begin.
"Certainly, my goals haven't changed for April 6,'' he said. "I don't think that anybody, from the trainers room to anybody else, I don't think their goals have changed at this point."
So why the trip to Baltimore? Doesn't that mean the situation has worsened?
"No,'' he said. "It's gone a while and I'm at the same stage and we'd like to get over the hump a little bit more if we can. We'll see what the best method for that is."