masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgHe’s been in the major leagues since 2001, but Brian Roberts is still waiting for his first winning season and first crack to play in really important games late in the year.

Just like the fans, he wonders if this good Orioles start will turn into an ever better one and if this is the year the O’s move up in the standings.

“I think we believe we can (keep winning), but only time will tell for sure. It’s one of those things where you honestly really only want to take this one game at a…He’s been in the major leagues since 2001, but Brian Roberts is still waiting for his first winning season and first crack to play in really important games late in the year.

Just like the fans, he wonders if this good Orioles start will turn into an ever better one and if this is the year the O’s move up in the standings.

“I think we believe we can (keep winning), but only time will tell for sure. It’s one of those things where you honestly really only want to take this one game at a time. You don’t want to look 40 games from now. But you want to build on each four or five games that are good. Confidence and momentum are a big part of this game,” he said.

“We’ve had good stretches here before, certainly you don’t play nine years without good stretches. But building off last year and then getting off to a good start. It’s the combination, as well as the moves that we made. There was already some excitement. To be able to come out and play well and kind of uphold some of that excitement early on is important I think,” he added.

Roberts is batting .250 with two homers and 8 RBI. He is third in the American League in runs batted in, trailing only Mark Teixeira and Carlos Quentin, who have 10.

Roberts said, after the O’s finished 2010 with a 34-23 record under Buck Showalter, he could feel a different vibe around Baltimore about the Orioles.

“I don’t think there was ever as much excitement in the offseason as there was this year, just based on that (finish) as well as Buck coming in and the way we played at the end.

“I felt it (the excitement in Baltimore) this winter. Everyone was very excited even before a lot of our moves. FanFest, you could really tell the interest level was rising. There is a little different feel in the city right now.”