Brian Roberts still hasn't done his patented headfirst slide into second base, the one that proved to be his last act as an Oriole before going on the disabled list five days into the 2010 season.
However, he accomplished everything else he wanted to Monday night in his first rehabilitation game for Double-A Bowie, going 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI single in the Baysox's game against the Binghamton Mets in front of an announced 2,114 at Prince George's Stadium. That leaves him 10-for-20 in six rehab games, with the previous five coming in the Gulf Coast League.
Batting leadoff and playing second base, Roberts -- who hasn't played with the Orioles since April 9, when he aggravated the herniated disk in his back while stealing second base in the home opener -- doubled down the left-field line in his first at-bat, sliding feetfirst to beat the throw.
He hit an RBI single in the second inning, grounded to first in the third, flied out the right-field warning track in the sixth and struck out looking in the eighth. He also handled three balls at second base flawlessly.
"I feel way more comfortable than I thought I would at this point," Roberts said after the Baysox's 6-2 victory. "Results are always good. I don't care if you are in rehab games or you're in the big leagues. Results are always good because they help build your confidence, and confidence is a big part of this game."
Roberts will serve as the designated hitter for the Baysox tonight and play second base for nine innings on Wednesday. He's expected to remain with Bowie through Saturday.
"Things are good; things are way better than they were at the beginning of the year," said Roberts, who acknowledged that this has been one of the toughest stretches of his career. "I really never got to the point at the beginning of the year where I felt how I do now. It's a positive sign, and I'm excited to get back out and start playing."
Roberts, 32, hadn't played at Prince George's Stadium since May 2006, when he was on a two-game rehab assignment with a strained groin. Though he obviously would have much preferred to be playing at Camden Yards -- and he expressed that to interim manager Juan Samuel when he stopped by the stadium before driving to Bowie -- Roberts was just happy to be playing anywhere.
"There were definitely times where I didn't think I'd be here right now," Roberts said. "It did get to the point a couple of times where I didn't know if it was better off just not even pushing it anymore. But you just go through the process, and you see where it takes you. I was going to continue to go through that until it got to the point where there was no hope at the end. I'm thankful that I got here at this point and we're just going to continue to hope that things progress as they have been."
With the Orioles having the worst record in the major leagues and essentially playing out the string over the final two months, some have wondered why Roberts wouldn't just shut it down early and not risk an injury that could linger into the 2011 season.
Roberts, however, stressed the importance of getting on the field -- even if it's just for the final two months.
"That's what I get paid to do and what [Orioles owner Peter Angelos] has signed me to do. That's what this organization is expecting of me," he said. "I think, on the other hand, for me to be able to come out next year, I need to get this under my belt and play some games and get back to myself going into next year. I don't like the thought process of not playing at all, taking the winter off and then going in with the unknown next year. I feel like if I can go out there and get 21/2, two months under my belt and be ready to roll going into winter and do my offseason program and have no second thoughts with what is going on with my body, I think that's important."
There have been several stops and starts during Roberts' rehab, which has mostly played out at the team's spring training complex in Sarasota, Fla. He appeared to be getting closer in mid-May, but a bout of pneumonia left him hospitalized for a couple of days and set him back further. The two-time All-Star then started making progress, only to have unrelated back pain force him to shut it down again.
Roberts, who has had three epidural injections, saw a couple of different back specialists and talked to other athletes who have a history with back issues, including the Seattle Mariners' Mike Sweeney. He said back surgery was never presented to him as an option, and he's been assured that the injury won't hamper him for the rest of his career.
"They said really the most important thing is once you get calmed down [and] you do what you are supposed to, you shouldn't have any problems," he said. "Obviously, you are playing a professional sport. You are doing things that take a toll on your body. Tomorrow, you could come up with an injury, but when it comes to just specific issues that I had, I don't think it will be a problem."
Still, the Orioles will likely proceed cautiously with their longest-tenured player even when he is activated. The Orioles haven't decided whether they'll activate him for Sunday's homestand finale against the Minnesota Twins, wait until Monday in Toronto or even allow him to play a few more rehab games before joining the team late next week.
That the Blue Jays play on turf at the Rogers Centre could complicate the Orioles' decision. Orioles director of baseball operations Matt Klentak and director of scouting Joe Jordan were at Monday night's game to monitor Roberts.
"If he is ready ÃÂÃÂ that may not be the best scenario to have him play [in Toronto] with the kind of injury that he had," Samuel said. "The ideal thing is to get him going before we go, or after that Toronto trip, which is Kansas City. So we have to see what's best for him long-term."
Baltimore Sun reporter Dan Connolly contributed to this article.