Roberts delays trip to Sarasota (updated)

By Roch Kubatko

Orioles

May 20, 2010, 11:20am

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Brian Roberts still intends to fly down to Sarasota and continue baseball activities, but it won't be this week. And I won't be here to greet him. Roberts is hospitalized after being diagnosed with pneumonia. He sent me a text message earlier today saying that he's feeling OK and will report to Ed Smith Stadium "hopefully sometime soon." When will this guy catch a break? I'm leaving tomorrow afternoon. I hope this wasn't part of some elaborate scheme to avoid me. Usually, it's women who go to that much trouble, not All-Star second basemen. Update: President of baseball operations Andy MacPhail said Roberts could be released from the hospital tonight. MacPhail isn't sure when Roberts will report to the minor league complex, but he doesn't believe the illness will impact Roberts' return from the 60-day disabled list. "I never got the sense from talking to (head athletic trainer) Richie Bancells that this was anything that would interrupt the time that (Roberts) comes back," MacPhail said. As for Roberts' report date to Ed Smith Stadium, MacPhail said it's "just a function of when he feels ready to do baseball activities."