Losin’ hurts …

Image via YES

Doesn’t Blog know it!

It’s been a down year in Schadenfroide department, so we’ll take what little we can find.

This …

Image via MASN

… is awesome.Welcome back, Stras.

There’s no reason now, nor has there been any reason ever, to accuse Brian Roberts of not wanting to play, which makes his recent comments in Baltimore Sun kind of heartbreaking:

The Orioles have tried to count on me for a lot and I haven’t been there, and that’s hard for me

Many bloggers, Blog of Team included, have of course heaped criticism upon B-Rob for what appear to have been self-inflicted wounds. Which we don’t need to recount for a 600th time again here today.

But nobody wants to sit home while business of their life goes on without them and people who criticize B-Rob along those lines (largely anonymous or semi-anonymous Internet natterers likely) are not being remotely fair.

So let’s put that to bed and figure out real problem: What to do going forward?

Team’s putative second baseman makes $10 million this year and $10 million each for next two years. Yankees and Red Sox would consider that just lost heat from transformer, but for Team that’s real money.

B-Rob continues to give no hint of retirement, saying in same Sun article that he expects to return to field next year:

they tell me that I’ll be ready to play again and I’ll be fine, I trust that opinion

But what are odds that B-Rob ever will play another full season at second base? Odds are low. So low, in fact, that Blog believes it should not be attempted.

Instead his talents should be used sparingly in order to preserve them.

Young Ryan Adams is finding his feet and it’s hardly a controversial statement to say he’s earned a shot at playing there next year.

Meanwhile Team, sadly in Blog’s opinion, has what’s looking more and more like an opening at DH next year.

See where Blog is going? Why not get B-Rob a bunch of games at DH next year to save his brains from constant bejangling that goes along with diving around at second base?

80 games at DH, 32 games at second base. 30 games resting his brain. 20 games  coming off bench as pinch hitter or pinch runner.

That plan, along with a big signing to bring in a slugging first baseman*, would set up a situation where Roberts and said first baseman could share time at DH along with perhaps another player or two, Adams could take majority of starts at second base and B-Rob’s potent switch-hitting, base swiping brand of offense wouldn’t be lost.

Eh. It’s all way to early for all this — but early comes early (or something) when you’re a fan of this Team.

* Or, you know, Nicky.