Yankees Will Lean Heavily on Brian Roberts at Second Base
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iStockphoto(TAMPA Fla.) — When healthy, second baseman Brian Roberts has been one of the more productive players at his position. The problem is that Roberts has rarely been healthy while he was with the Baltimore Orioles. Still, the New York Yankees expect him to be their everyday second baseman this season.
“That is the plan, for him to be our second baseman,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “I know he hasn’t played a full season in the last few years. He’s obviously a guy who has some age on him too, but my plan is to run him out there everyday.”
Roberts, who spent his previous 13 seasons with the Orioles, hasn’t played a near-full season since 2009 when he appeared in 159 games. Over the past four seasons, Roberts has appeared in only 192 games.
As far as depth goes, the Yankees could face some issues if Roberts lands on the shelf again. Kelly Johnson can play second base, but he’s expected to primarily play third base this season. Eduardo Nunez has limited experience at second base while Dean Anna has never played in a Major League game before.
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