The Orioles have had a lot of news on the injury front in recent days, and Sunday, a sneaking suspicion became a confirmed reality. All-Star second baseman Brian Roberts, who has missed two weeks with a strained groin, said he probably won't be ready by Monday, his activation date. The switch-hitter said he'd likely skip the entire Boston series and return Friday against the Nationals, giving him four extra days to heal. Roberts presented that as the smart plan, but he admitted it's testing his patience. "This is killing me. It's not fun, that's for sure," he said. "I'm trying to get through my head that it's one or two more days to save me from more of this down the road, so that's what I have to do. "Certainly, with Boston tomorrow, I'd love to play. But we want to be smart."