Tillman to start 162

[ChuckS]

Joe Saunders is essentially our fifth starter and he is lining up to pitch in a one and done playoff game. I don't like it. I don't like it all.

I think right now the most likely scenario is playing Oakland at home on Friday and the next likeliest is playing Oakland away. Texas at home on Friday with Saunders on the mound is a death wish. As I speak Oakland goes up 2-1 against Texas....

I would pitch Britton or Arietta tomorrow and hold off on Tillman for the Wild Card Game. Our chances of winning the division has to be under 20 percent when you consider the factors that need to go in to make it happen. We need to prioritize and while trying to win the division is important continuing on past Friday is more so.

[25 Nuggets]

Saunders is 13-6 versus A's lifetime.

Yeah, but he's 3-7 against the Rangers.

[backwardsk]

I want to make the point about how cool it is to think of different scenarios where we want to give Chris freakin' Tillman the ball in the most important game of the season. Wow, he's turned the trajectory of his career around starting on the July 4th.

[centralpaosfan]

Let's say the A's sweep the Rangers. Now you have Texas rolling into town. You guys are telling me you're fine with putting Saunders on the mound against the Texas Rangers? That has disaster written all over it.

[RVAbird]

Let's say the A's sweep the Rangers. Now you have Texas rolling into town. You guys are telling me you're fine with putting Saunders on the mound against the Texas Rangers? That has disaster written all over it.

I want the game played at home, no matter what. Win tomorrow and you bring it home. I want Tillman on the mound for 162.

[bluedog]

I think we're lining up to get Darvish if its the Rangers or Straily if its the A's. I'm not sure which I'd rather see.

[tennOsfan]

I don't know what the right answer is, but I'm not going to criticize Buck for throwing the dice to win the division. I'm not criticizing that at all. I hate the Yankees so bad that I am totally blinded by it.

[centralpaosfan]

No offense, but I think some of you are being very short sighted. You don't care how tough of a situation the team is being put in just as long as you get to see one playoff game in Camden Yards. We have waited 14 years for this, don't you want it to last a bit longer than 1 game? One game is all it will last if you put Saunders on the mound against Darvish and the Rangers.

[backwardsk]

I think we're lining up to get Darvish if its the Rangers or Straily if its the A's. I'm not sure which I'd rather see.

Maybe they end up playing 20 innings tonight and 20 innings tomorrow.

[bluedog]

Let's say the A's sweep the Rangers. Now you have Texas rolling into town. You guys are telling me you're fine with putting Saunders on the mound against the Texas Rangers? That has disaster written all over it.

I think the O's will do everything they can to get a home game. They certainly don't want to go to Texas and despite Saunder's success against the A's, they don't want to fly cross country for the WC game.

We're stuck with Tillman then Saunders. We need to hope the Rangers beat the A's in one of the next two, so that we get a home game against the A's with Saunders on the mound.

[LarryHarlow]

I think the O's will do everything they can to get a home game. They certainly don't want to go to Texas and despite Saunder's success against the A's, they don't want to fly cross country for the WC game.

We're stuck with Tillman then Saunders. We need to hope the Rangers beat the A's in one of the next two, so that we get a home game against the A's with Saunders on the mound.

If we win and the Yankees lose tomorrow (as if there's any chance the Yankees will lose..), there will be a 1-game division playoff on Thursday, right?

[Winter]

Anderson will pitch for the A's friday, I am pretty sure they said this already. But with Matsuzaka pitching for the Sox I think thats a no doubt yankee win, but we will see.

[backwardsk]

If we win and the Yankees lose tomorrow (as if there's any chance the Yankees will lose..), there will be a 1-game division playoff on Thursday, right?

Yes, in Baltimore.

[hoosiers]

I think this is completely the wrong decision. I don't think Saunders should be pitching the WC. Saunders made it through a very, very weak BoSox lineup giving up 2 no-doubt-about-it HRs, multiple other xbhs and generous baserunning outs.

I want Tillman on the mound for the first playoff game. He has earned that privilege and he is a significantly better pitcher than Saunders.

[bluedog]

No offense, but I think some of you are being very short sighted. You don't care how tough of a situation the team is being put in just as long as you get to see one playoff game in Camden Yards. We have waited 14 years for this, don't you want it to last a bit longer than 1 game? One game is all it will last if you put Saunders on the mound against Darvish and the Rangers.

It's not short sighted. What happens if the O's don't pitch Tillman tomorrow and lose? Then they are guaranteed to travel to Texas or to Oakland. I don't think a road game against Texas is preferable regardless of who's pitching. And if the O's travel to Oakland they want Saunders on the mound because he owns them, not Tillman.

Winning tomorrow makes the most sense because it guarantees both a home game and a shot at the division title. It sucks that we're in this position, but I've been convinced that pitching Tillman tomorrow is the right call, even though it's not what I originally thought.