Tillman to start 162

[centralpaosfan]

How many people would rather see Hammel pitch on short rest than Saunders? Count me in.

[baltfan]

How many people would rather see Hammel pitch on short rest than Saunders? Count me in.

Versus Texas agreed. Versus Oak, take a shot with Saunders. The big issue is that Britton lost his mojo.

[hoosiers]

I was just thinking this. I don't know who else could go. Buck would have to send out Arrieta/Britton/Hunter but I don't see that happening. I'm not thrilled about Saunders starting in a one and done playoff game at all but what else can you do? Buck wants a guaranteed home game and so do I.

It's really not guaranteed that we get a home game if Tillman starts tomorrow and it's not guaranteed we will play a WC game on the road if someone besides Tillman starts tomorrow.

I don't care if we give 3 IP to two from aong Bundy, Britton, Steve Johnson, Tommy Hunter and then see who to use.

The only way I would use Tillman tomorrow is if Hammel is available for the WC game.

[VeveJones007]

I would have started Tillman if the Yankees had lost tonight.

[RVAbird]

How many people would rather see Hammel pitch on short rest than Saunders? Count me in.

You're being irrational re: Saunders. Hammel has an industrial knee brace on, hasn't pitched in a real game in 3 weeks, and would be on short rest from a 73-pitch simulated game.

Saunders has a 3.63 ERA in his 7 Orioles starts, a 4.07 ERA (4.09 FIP) on the season, a career 4.15 ERA, and is 6-2 with a 2.70 ERA in Oakland. I'm not a huge Saunders fan and he's no ace, but he's a very solid, reliable pitcher on a team with a 3-man staff at this point, and starting Tillman tomorrow gives the Orioles the best shot of bringing that one-off game home. It's not a slam dunk, but don't act as if Saunders is chopped liver.

[jofalfa]

It's really not guaranteed that we get a home game if Tillman starts tomorrow and it's not guaranteed we will play a WC game on the road if someone besides Tillman starts tomorrow.

I don't care if we give 3 IP to two from aong Bundy, Britton, Steve Johnson, Tommy Hunter and then see who to use.

The only way I would use Tillman tomorrow is if Hammel is available for the WC game.

I shouldn't have said guaranteed but he certainly gives you the best chance to win. Maybe Hammel could go Friday. Maybe Steve Johnson is feeling better. I don't know. I just want to avoid going to Oakland.

[VeveJones007]

You're being irrational re: Saunders. Hammel has an industrial knee brace on, hasn't pitched in a real game in 3 weeks, and would be on short rest from a 73-pitch simulated game.

Saunders has a 3.63 ERA in his 7 Orioles starts, a 4.07 ERA (4.09 FIP) on the season, a career 4.15 ERA, and is 6-2 with a 2.70 ERA in Oakland. I'm not a huge Saunders fan and he's no ace, but he's a very solid, reliable pitcher on a team with a 3-man staff at this point, and starting Tillman tomorrow gives the Orioles the best shot of bringing that one-off game home. It's not a slam dunk, but don't act as if Saunders is chop liver.

What if it's Texas and their .287 avg against LHPs?

[Malike]

What if it's Texas and their .287 avg against LHPs?

Wonder what they're hitting off the lefty in OAK tonight? I bet its not .287.

[Crazysilver03]

Wonder what they're hitting off the lefty in OAK tonight? I bet its not .287.

Texas got 3 hits off the combo of Blackley/Doolittle in 7 innings.

[ShoelesJoe]

If we go all this way to get in to the postseason only to see Saunders get smoked in a one and done playoff game it'll be a bitter pill to swallow. The bottom line is I'd rather have Tillman pitching for us on the road than Saunders at home.

[RVAbird]

What if it's Texas and their .287 avg against LHPs?

I'd still rather be facing the Rangers in Baltimore (.538 away winning percentage) than in Texas (.617 home winning percentage). And it's .343 vs. .332 wOBA. It's not ideal. I already acknowledged the downside. It's not as if this is a clear-cut issue. But I believe that, all possible scenarios considered, it's a better idea to start Tillman tomorrow.

[VeveJones007]

I'd still rather be facing the Rangers in Baltimore (.538 away winning percentage) than in Texas (.617 home winning percentage). And it's .343 vs. .332 wOBA. It's not ideal. I already acknowledged the downside. It's not as if this is a clear-cut issue. But I believe that, all possible scenarios considered, it's a better idea to start Tillman tomorrow.

I can understand the logic. I just want the guy with a .9 ERA and 13 hits in his last 30 innings starting an elimination game if I can help it.

[centralpaosfan]

I will go on record and say Saunders doeant get out of the 4th inning and gives up 5 ER.

[Frobby]

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.

Both Texas and Oakland are better at home than on the road. The Oakland park in particular plays against our strength, which is HR power. Why would we want to travel 3,000 miles to play on Oakland's turf? I'd much rather have an off day at home and play in front of 46,000 Orioles fans who have waited 15 years for this day.

If it's Texas, the contrast between home and away isn't quite as striking. We don't have to travel as far, and their ballpark is similar to ours. That's a tougher call because Saunders hasn't done well against Texas in his career, so Tillman in Arlington might be a better matchup than Saunders in Baltimore. But I'd still rather have home field advantage.

[Orioles0615]

Saunders is 13-6 versus A's lifetime.

And the rangers?