Gonzo 3 weeks at least

Mike Gonzalez’s MRI didn’t show any new injuries, but it will be at least three weeks before he is back with the team. He will go to Sarasota to begin a rehab regimen for a strained left shoulder that manager Dave Trembely said he first heard of Tuesday night when Gonzo couldn’t get warm out of the bullpen.

While Gonzalez has attested all spring that he would be ready come the Major League season, Trembley did say on Thursday that there were times pitching coach Rick Kranitz sensed Gonzalez wasn’t really letting the ball go.

Only Gonzalez knows when the shoulder injury started, but right now it’s not looking good on a timetable for the O’s closer. Without Gonzalez, the team will go with matchups to fill the 9th inning void, but will rely heavily on setup man Jim Johnson.

In other injury news, Koji Uehara threw a side session today and according to Trembley the next step  will be to get up on the hill to face some live batters.

Second baseman Brian Roberts was scheduled to see the doctor again Thursday, and the team hopes to have some more details about his progression following that.