Second Baseman

What happens when a player asks to be traded by a team that hasn't been able to trade him? That's Mariano Duncan's situation. He lost his second base job with the New York Yankees and has been in principal owner George Steinbrenner's doghouse since spring training.Nothing happens, unless the Yankees find a taker for Duncan, a major part of the Yankees' World Series champion team in 1996. The best thing Duncan, 34, did as a second baseman last year was hit .340. Never a Gold Glove candidate, he has fielded adequately, but his hitting made up for his defense.

Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts knew the significance of Wednesday's date. It marked the one-year anniversary of Roberts' last game, when his headfirst slide at Fenway Park triggered a second wave of concussion symptoms May 16, 2011. Roberts said Wednesday that he has thought about the date - and about being out of the game for a full year - but that it helps that he feels closer than ever to a return. Roberts, who averaged 152 games a year from 2004 through 2009, has played in just 98 games since the beginning of the 2010 season.

Roberto Alomar batted leadoff again in both games of yesterday's day-night doubleheader with Cleveland and also continued his torrid stretch of offense, collecting four hits and driving in four runs. The Orioles' second baseman has hit in eight straight games and is batting .615 (16-for-26) since returning to the lineup from a groin injury."I never thought I was going to be hitting the ball the way I am, especially being out for a month and a half," he said. "It's kind of tough to come back and get your swing back.

Orioles beat writer Eduardo A. Encina sat down with Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts before Wednesday's game against the Royals to talk about his recovery from multiple concussions and the one-year anniversary of his last game. His head-first slide into first base on May 16, 2011 triggered a second onset of concussion symptoms.  The details are in today's Orioles notebook , but here's a more complete transcript of the Q&A with Roberts, where he reflects on being away from baseball for a year, how close he feels to getting back in a game and what he's learned about himself since his last game.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The wait for Roberto Alomar finally ends today when the All-Star second baseman returns from a five-game suspension levied for last September's spitting incident involving AL umpire John Hirschbeck.Alomar was to join the club last night in Kansas City and, according to manager Davey Johnson, should be in this afternoon's lineup against the Royals, probably as the No. 2 hitter. Since spending Opening Day with the Orioles, Alomar has been in Sarasota, Fla., shedding rust caused by a off-season ankle injury.

Offense -- He has below- average power and was a below-average hitter, which he isn't now. He's not a fast guy, but he has usable speed. He is an eighth- or ninth-place hitter but could bat second if a club has a need there. Defense -- He is adequate at second base. His hands are fine, but he doesn't have the arm for shortstop. He doesn't have the arm strength to make that throw from the hole. Role -- If he keeps hitting, he'll have a spot. I think he is a [Cubs manager Lou] Piniella- type guy. He is the type of manager that wants the gamers with good attitude and good makeup over raw talent guys.

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Brian Roberts and Erik Bedard share the same agent, so the Orioles' second baseman is well aware of the nightmarish season his former teammate has experienced after he was traded to the Seattle Mariners. Roberts also remains close friends with his old double-play partner Miguel Tejada, who was traded in December to the Houston Astros, a team with a record similar to the Orioles'. Neither Tejada nor Bedard wanted to be part of the Orioles' rebuilding process, so club president Andy MacPhail traded both.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- The Orioles and Chicago Cubs have not had any recent discussions about All-Star second baseman Brian Roberts, pushing the potential deal toward Opening Day or beyond. Despite engaging in trade talks for more than three months, the teams still have not agreed to a package that both find suitable. According to two baseball sources, the Cubs have offered infielder Ronny Cedeno, pitching prospects Sean Gallagher and Donald Veal, and one other player for Roberts, but the Orioles are holding out for a better offer.

Baltimore Orioles second baseman Bill Ripken accepted a slight pay cut yesterday and averted a salary arbitration hearing scheduled for Wednesday.Ripken signed a one-year contract worth $685,000 -- $15,000 less than he made last year -- but the deal includes incentives that could take him above last year's $700,000 salary if he remains healthy and plays regularly.He becomes the third arbitration-eligible Oriole to come to terms short of a hearing, joining outfielder Brady Anderson ($345,000)

With Roberto Alomar apparently unable to play for at least another week but dodging the disabled list, the Orioles added some infield insurance yesterday by purchasing the contract of P. J. Forbes from Triple-A Rochester. To make room for Forbes, pitcher Joel Bennett was designated for assignment.Alomar sprained a joint in his right pinkie while diving into second base Saturday in Anaheim. Unable to bend the finger the next day, he has regained some flexibility. But trainer Richie Bancells said in the best-case scenario, Alomar will need another week before he can grip a bat."

One of the added benefits of Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts being with the team while he continues to recover from multiple concussions is his ability to impart wisdom onto his younger teammates. Roberts has begun to take outfielder Adam Jones and infielder Robert Andino under his wing in teaching them his mentality of stealing bases. "They both seem very interested in that aspect and it's something I feel like I have quite a bit of experience at," said Roberts, who is second on the Orioles' career stolen-base list with 274 and had four seasons of 30-or-more steals.

Orioles second baseman Robert Andino said his war of words with New York Yankees catcher Russell Martin as Monday's game ended was simply miscommunication between two competitive people. "Just heat of the moment, boys being boys," Andino said. "We had a few words, but nothing big. " In the bottom of the ninth, Martin apparently accused Andino of tipping pitch locations from second base after he doubled against Yankees closer Mariano Rivera . "I guess so, but it was just a misunderstanding, I guess.

The Orioles are hosting the Rays this afternoon at Ed Smith Stadium, and right-hander Jason Hammel will be making his second spring start against the team he first played with in the majors. Some pre-game notes: - Catcher Taylor Teagarden is seeing a specialist today to read Monday's MRI on his back. It's not expected to be serious. - Nolan Reimold is returning to the lineup today after being hit in the jaw by a pitch from the Rays' Alex Cobb on Friday. He went to the dentist Monday to repair a chipped tooth.

Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts' work this spring has been confined to the back fields of the Ed Smith Stadium complex, but on Tuesday he took a considerable step forward in his recovery from multiple concussions by participating in pre-game batting practice and fielding drills before the Orioles' Grapefruit League game against the Rays.   “I think my doctor would probably agree that getting in an environment where there's a lot going on, that's a big step because that's a part of the progression ... trying to re-acclimate into those environments,” Roberts said.

Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts said Wednesday morning that he has more good days than bad in his recovery from multiple concussions. Roberts is gradually doing more baseball work. He has begun taking live batting practice from coaches and for the past week has been working with former Orioles shortstop Mike Bordick , fielding ground balls. He has also been doing running and stretching activities with special assistant Brady Anderson . The next step in Roberts' progression — which would seemingly be hitting live batting practice against Orioles pitchers — isn't as clear.

As Orioles position players continue to trickle in ahead of the club's first full workout Friday, one player has been noticeably absent from the team's clubhouse. And given the concussion symptoms that have limited second baseman Brian Roberts to 98 games the past two seasons, he is one of the biggest question marks in camp. On Tuesday, the switch-hitting Roberts was spotted hitting balls from a tee for about 15 minutes in the team's indoor batting cages at the Ed Smith Stadium complex.

Whatever was said between Jeff Reboulet and Oakland catcher Brent Mayne during the eighth inning of Tuesday night's game that twice led to both benches and dugouts emptying apparently will remain between the two players.All that Reboulet would say about the exchanges, which came after a pitch from Dane Johnson whistled behind the Orioles second baseman, was that he "probably" initiated the first one.Would he try to talk to Mayne before last night's game?"I would doubt it," he said. "I don't think there's much to be said."

Because of lingering symptoms of a concussion suffered 16 months ago, Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts most likely will be skipping next weekend's FanFest at the Baltimore Convention Center. A club source said it was “highly doubtful” Roberts, who played in just 39 games in 2011 because of the concussion, would be at the Jan. 21 event but it “is not completely out of the realm of possibility.” Roberts was originally slated to be there, and vouchers for one of his two joint autograph sessions had sold out. But he recently informed the club that, because he has been advised by doctors the event could cause further stress, he would not be attending.