Wild hair, unshaven face and a ragged T-shirt collar peeking out underneath his jersey. With all the trade talk in the past week, Brian Roberts? appearance Thursday didn?t come as a surprise.
But Roberts, the Baltimore Orioles? second baseman, was sporting his relaxed, offseason look ? not a stressed-out appearance one would expect after reports this week had him destined for Atlanta in a trade.
“Its just part of it,” Roberts said from the ESPNZone. “I think that everybody?s name gets thrown out there at some point. If a team wants you, that?s nothing to be ashamed of or feel like your organization is throwing you under the bus or anything like that.”
Roberts, who batted .286 with 36 stolen bases last season, was in Baltimore for the team?s annual Christmas party with 80 students from The Barclay School. His work in the community is likely one of the traits that led Orioles owner Peter Angelos to reportedly nix the trade for the popular lead-off man.
“I?ve always said I?d want to play my whole career here,” said Roberts, who has played each of his six seasons in an Orioles uniform. “I?ve always wanted to see this team win again.”
He found out about the trade rumors via a text message from Orioles vice president Jim Duquette, whom Roberts said reassured him he wouldn?t be traded.
Roberts, who is under Baltimore?s control until after the 2008 season, said the club has not yet approached him about a contract extension.
O?S SIGN BAKO, TRADE HART FOR BYNUM: The Orioles made two moves Wednesday that could bolster their bench for the upcoming season. The team finalized a contract with veteran catcher Paul Bako and acquired utilityman Freddie Bynum in a trade with the Chicago Cubs.
Bynum, 26, played in 71 games with the Cubs in 2006, batting .257 while playing second base and the outfield. The Orioles sent right-handed pitcher Kevin Hart (University of Maryland) to the Cubs in return.
Bako, 34, will head into spring training as a potential backup to starter Ramon Hernandez. He?ll face a challenge from J.R. House, who was signed recently as a minor league free agent, and Adam Donachie, whom the Orioles acquired during the Rule 5 Draft Thursday.
First baseman Josh Phelps, who signed a minor league contract with the Orioles Nov. 10, was selected bythe Yankees. The Orioles lost minor league outfielder Lorenzo Scott and pitcher Kendy Batista in the Triple-A phase of the draft.
