PARK SLOPE, BK- With his right arm fully wrapped, Bryan Roberts has a focused look as he finishes up a training session at the Berkeley Carroll Athletic Center. The former Lions’ baseball star is rehabbing back from successful Tommy John surgery three weeks ago and already is getting a head start on the comeback trail.

“Rehab’s gone pretty well so far,” the 21 year-old former Northeastern second baseman expressed as he prepares for his second year at Binghamton this Fall. “I’ve rehabbed twice a week. Twelve weeks and then half the time in Manhattan. It’s going a slow process but I feel like it works out pretty well.”

“So far in the rehab, it’s basically focusing on being able to extend my elbow that’s locked up in a tight position for a while. So I’m working on extension and how to get more flexibility. Right now, 24 degree angles and once I get to 10, then I’ll start doing weight training and stuff like that.”

Due to injury history, Roberts knew that it was a possibility due to partial tears but never hurt the throwing arm bad enough until recently when the pain became much worse.

“Over the years, I had this little pain in my elbow and then one day, I started getting that tenderness much worse than tendinitis. So, one day after practice, they gave me a couple of shots straight down my elbow to my hand. That’s when I knew I had to do it,” he recalled. “Shock. Just shock. I never had anything like that ever before in my hand. I told my parents. They said pretty much, ‘Go to the doctors.’ So I came home and then went for an MRI and it came back and it turned out I needed Tommy John.”

Having been told plenty about the process, he was still a little apprehensive due to a couple of close buddies who had it done.

“I’ve heard a lot of stories about it. My friend had it. He said it took him a year to comeback from it and he’s unsure if he’s going to start his season coming up. That was a negative. I don’t know how I’m going to react. I also had a friend who got drafted after this. That was a plus for me. Positive thinking.”

Back home in a familiar setting over in Park Slope at the school gym which allows former student athletes to comeback and train for free, Roberts reflected back on an outstanding brilliant Berkeley Carroll baseball career which saw the four-year letter winner help lead the team to three league championships (2002, 2004, 2005) and garner league and team MVP honors his senior year.

“I started for Berkeley Carroll playing shortstop and second base, splitting time with Adam Ottavino. A good friend of mine. When he pitched, I played short. When he didn’t, I played second.”

Roberts enjoyed playing short but as he noted, there’s nothing like second when it comes to turning two.

“Shortstop, I liked a lot. At short, you got to have all the range, a strong arm but I think in terms of double plays, I love second base. There are so many ways you can turn double plays. Bare hand. Up the middle. I love it,” he pointed out.

As for his overall approach, the former two-year BC Lions captain indicated:

“I would say I’m a gap to gap hitter. Not going to hit for a lot of power. I’m a doubles and triples guy who gets on base. … Try to take middle fastballs up the middle. The Derek Jeter approach. Not inside out the ball like he does.”

While people say he’s like the Yankee shortstop, Roberts had another certain star middle infielder in mind when it came to who he patterns his game after.

“I would say Jimmy Rollins. I like his game,” hinting that he likes to stay aggressive on the base paths taking the steal when it’s there.”

Before deciding to leave Northeastern due to a philosophical difference with his coach, as a redshirt freshman in 2007, he got into eight games starting three batting .364 (4-for-11).

On the road back, he realizes it’s a tough hill to climb but has the comfort of knowing he can return to a friendly place and get back in the swing of things amongst close friends.

“I think really the opportunity that Berkeley Carroll allows you to comeback and workout for free is pretty good. It’s a chance to have an opportunity and get a chance to workout and catch up with people.”

As for how it helped prepare him for the next level, Roberts had plenty of good things to say about the private school.

” Definitely, Berkeley Carroll is one of the best high schools out there. Obviously, I still comeback. It really helped prepare me academically. At my first school, I got into the Health/Science Program which is one of the hardest programs. And athletically, Coach Walter Paller does a great job. He really is a good teacher of how to play fundamental baseball and how to really prepare yourself. So that’s the best part.”

With a couple of years of eligibility left to return to the field, Roberts hasn’t lost sight of his ultimate goal.

“With two years of eligibility left, obviously I want to go beyond college to the next level. That’s what every kid dreams. To go beyond college. But if that doesn’t work, I’m a baseball guy. I want to be around the game either as an umpire cause I know someone who umpires or as management. … I’ve been around baseball my whole life. Hopefully, I get the opportunity to be around it.”

Roberts nearly called the Home Run Derby winner picking Rangers’ slugger Josh Hamilton noting how storybook his turnaround has been.

“I’m going to go ahead and say Josh Hamilton. For him to comeback the way he has 90-91 RBI’s (95) right now. He’s on a high right now. Lefty. And Yankee Stadium. Short porch. It would be a great story.”

Little did we know how prophetic Roberts would be as Hamilton gave everyone in the Bronx a show they won’t soon forget slugging a first round record 28 home runs even though he fell short losing to Minnesota’s Justin Morneau.

Perhaps Roberts should work in TV. For now, he’ll continue to live out his childhood dream swinging for the fences.