The Orioles look to extend their season past tonight as they head north of the border to square off against the Toronto Blue Jays. This season has been full of ups and downs, and has been at times very frustrating, but here we are again: the Orioles are in the playoffs.
They are also at full strength for a playoff run for the first time under the Buck Showalter and Dan Duquette regime. It remains to be seen if that will matter, but it’s a lot easier to accept the fate of the team when everyone is healthy.
Tillman Gets the Nod
I feel like I’m living in bizarro world with the outcry from fans that Chris Tillman, the guy people were debating being an ace in baseball earlier this year, is getting the ball over a pitcher who has been terrible for almost three straight seasons in Ubaldo Jimenez. I understand Tillman hasn’t been the same since his injury and in his last start, his fastball velocity was a season-worst at 89.9 MPH, but he has pitched – and pitched well – in big games before.
Jimenez has been consistent in his last seven starts, but we all know how quickly that can go away. I think it came down to Showalter deciding that when he goes to sleep tonight, he can accept Tillman struggling, but he couldn’t accept using Jimenez in the biggest game of the season and having him suddenly revert to the guy who can’t throw a strike.
I completely agree with Buck here.
O’s Catch a Break with Stroman Starting
I may think differently by nine o’clock tonight or so, but this was best-case scenario for the O’s. I’m not even talking about the success most of the hitters have had against Marcus Stroman – which is great – but just the fact that the Blue Jays decided to go with a right-hander.
Left-hander Francisco Liriano could have received the start and still could make an impact at some point, but the fact that Showalter can go with his best lineup instead of having to start Nolan Reimold is already a victory.
The only decision Showalter has to make right now is whether to go with Michael Bourn or Pedro Alvarez – I think it will be Bourn – and if it’s Bourn, does he bat him leadoff or at the bottom of the order with Hyun Soo Kim batting second?
Who will step up for the O’s?
In a perfect world, it will be Tillman as that means the O’s won’t have to score a bunch of runs and will have a great chance in defeating the Blue Jays. However, the more likely scenario is one of the hitters will have to find a way to carry the team into the divisional round. Chris Davis has the numbers in Toronto, Mark Trumbo has had the season of his life, Adam Jones is the leader, but my pick will be Manny Machado showing the world how great he is.
Machado struggled in September, so the hope is he is due to have that three-hit, three-RBI performance.
Take us to the ALDS, Manny.
