masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgInterim manager Juan Samuel spoke to Brian Roberts earlier today and told reporters that the second baseman thinks he only needs about 15 additional at-bats before he’s ready to come off the disabled list.

He’ll have to convince the Orioles.

Roberts will report to Double-A Bowie on Monday, as I’ve written, and he’s scheduled to stay there all week. He could be activated next weekend, putting him ahead of schedule.

“He’s missed a lot of time and we’ve got a little over two months…Interim manager Juan Samuel spoke to Brian Roberts earlier today and told reporters that the second baseman thinks he only needs about 15 additional at-bats before he’s ready to come off the disabled list.

He’ll have to convince the Orioles.

Roberts will report to Double-A Bowie on Monday, as I’ve written, and he’s scheduled to stay there all week. He could be activated next weekend, putting him ahead of schedule.

“He’s missed a lot of time and we’ve got a little over two months left,” Samuel said. “You’d hate to see him come in and try to force everything just because he wants to be here and end up having a major, major setback. This is kind of his spring training.

“He said he’s going to try to talk to me about putting him in the lineup here on Monday, but it’s just not going to happen. He feels that 15 at-bats should be good for him, but we have to make a smart decision with the medical staff and our baseball people down there. And then we could go from there.

“He feels like he’s anxious. He wants to be around, he wants to play. He sounded very positive. He sounded good over the phone. He sounded like he wants to be here. He feels like he’s ready. That’s encouraging.”

Luke Scott will report to Camden Yards on Monday, and he’s expected join Roberts at Bowie before the Orioles activate him. He’ll play one more game tomorrow in the Gulf Coast League.

Kevin Millwood threw a bullpen session yesterday. The Orioles will decide what to do with him next week.

Michael Gonzalez’s injury rehab assignment ends Wednesday. He’ll return to Camden Yards, and the Orioles will decide whether to activate him or keep him on the DL.

Samuel said Gonzalez’s velocity is good, according to reports, but that’s not the deciding factor in activating him.

“We’ll have all these guys around and there are some decisions to make next week,” Samuel said.