Brian Roberts, Retired


Date of Birth: 10/9/1977
Birthplace: Durham, North Carolina
College: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Brian Roberts was drafted in 1999 by the Baltimore Orioles. After two seasons in the minor leagues, he made his first appearance in the major leagues in 2001, playing in 75 games with the Orioles. The following year, he played in just 38 games with the Orioles. In 2003, Roberts played in 112 games with Baltimore.

In 2004, his first full season in the major leagues, Roberts batted .273 with 175 hits, 50 doubles, and 29 stolen bases in 159 games. The following season was perhaps his best one with career highs in home runs (18) and batting average (.314). He had 176 hits, 45 doubles, 73 RBIs, and 27 stolen bases in 143 games in 2005.

Roberts signed a four-year, $40 million contract extension with the Orioles in February, 2009. The 2009 season was another strong one for Roberts. That year, he batted .283 with career highs in doubles (56) and RBIs (79). He had 179 hits, 16 home runs, and 30 stolen bases in 159 games.

Since 2010, Roberts has been plagued with injuries, including concussions and back problems. He played in just 59 games in 2010, 39 games in 2011, 17 games in 2012, and 77 games in 2013. Roberts became a free agent after last season and he signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the New York Yankees. On July 31, 2014, the Yankees designated Roberts for assignment. He finished the 2014 season with 75 hits, 16 doubles, and a .237 batting average in 91 games.

On October 18, 2014, Roberts announced his retirement.

Statistics for Roberts in 14 seasons (2001-2014) in the major leagues include:

  • 6 seasons with over 150 hits, with a high of 181 in 2008
  • 6 seasons with over 30 doubles, with a high of 56 in 2009
  • 7 seasons with over 20 stolen bases, with a high of 50 in 2007

Career batting statistics for Roberts through 2014 include:

  • 1,418 games played
  • 1,527 hits
  • 367 doubles
  • 542 RBIs
  • 285 stolen bases
  • 844 strikeouts to 609 walks
  • .276 batting average

Career fielding statistics for Roberts at second base through 2014 include:

  • 1,304 games played
  • 3,719 assists
  • 2,183 putouts
  • 850 double plays
  • 81 errors
  • .986 fielding percentage

Sources for Information
Wikipedia - Brian Roberts
ESPN - Brian Roberts