Today's game will be delayed, more quotes from Showalter

First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. today, but the tarp remains on the field and rain continues to fall, along with my hopes of avoiding another delay. The Orioles just announced that the game won't start on time due to storm activity in the area. Not a good day for the Blue Angels, either. They've been grounded. Manager Buck Showalter chose Ubaldo Jimenez to start Tuesday night against the Blue Jays. Jimenez hasn't started since Aug. 16 against the Indians, when he allowed six runs and five hits and walked three batters in 4 1/3 innings. He served up two home runs. Jimenez has made two relief appearances, allowing one run in four innings at Wrigley Field on Aug. 23 and being charged with three runs in one-third of an inning at Camden Yards on Aug. 31. "We feel like it disrupts our bullpen the least," Showalter said of his decision to start Jimenez over left-handers T.J. McFarland and Joe Saunders. "We think that he's the most equipped length-wise. We feel like he's better equipped to pitch that part than say behind Mac or Joe. Also, we think he's our best option to win the game. Obviously, we knew we were going to need a pitcher there." Jimenez, who threw a simulated game yesterday, currently resides on the outside as the Orioles structure their playoff rotation and bullpen. "If he pitches a shutout," Showalter said, "who knows what happens?" Jimenez is 4-9 with a 4.96 ERA and 70 walks in 114 1/3 innings over 22 games this season, his first with the Orioles after signing a four-year, $50 million contract in spring training. He's maintained a positive attitude through the disappointment of pitching poorly and losing his spot in the rotation. Showalter said Jimenez's attitude has been "great." "He's not happy about it, make no mistake about it," Showalter added. "He wants to be contributing and he has this year. He has. We were at that time of the season when we had six guys and it was more beneficial for them to pitch every fifth day and more beneficial for our team. He's handled it as well (as possible). He's been a good teammate. "He actually threw the ball real well yesterday." Jimenez remains a puzzle of sorts to the Orioles. "Like I said before, when you figure it out, let me know," Showalter said. "Here, he's been a good second-half pitcher, so he's going to do this and it doesn't happen. Or he hasn't pitched well in the first half and he pitches well. It's why we go to the games. "He pitches seven innings, shutout and he's on the playoff roster pitching in Game 1? I don't know. This game's about pitching, hitting and going with the hot guys. Who gets hot at the right time of the year. I wouldn't preclude anything. "The thing is, he's healthy. He knows it's there and that's why it's frustrating for him. He knows it's there. And it's frustrating for us because we can't seem to get to it consistently. And the command's been the issue - the walks, the extra baserunners - which creates a bad tempo to the game, which creates a tough offense for us. "You're on the field, there's never an on or off. You look at our pitchers, who would you say works slow and lethargically? It's somewhat by design. It works for everybody. Whatever's best. It's not just working fast. You're just trying to work efficiently. He's tried to, but he's done a a better job holding runners. It gets away from him sometimes and he goes back to being slow again. "This guy was one of the best pitchers in the game at one time and hopefully will be again." I wrote earlier that the Orioles, at least for now, will stick with their current roster despite Chris Davis' suspension. They don't plan on bringing up a position player such as first baseman Christian Walker, who's in Sarasota. "Unless I'm going to play them and have a need for them, I'm not going to do it right now," Showalter said. "I know who we're talking about, probably same guy. But some guys are not on the (40-man) roster and some guys don't have to be protected this offseason, so unless I'm going to play them every day or mostly every day, or if I know they're going to be on our team next year, then you're really doing something that's not very smart. "We're probably another, I don't want to say injury or challenge, then we'd probably go there. We talked about it. Dan (Duquette) and I talked about whether we'd rather let the smoke clear a little bit and see where we are after this series and see if there is a need that someone can serve. "The roster isn't a problem as far as positions on the roster, but if you knew a guy was going to be on the roster, on the 40-man next year or was going to make your club... a guy like, for instance, Christian Walker, who's not eligible to be Rule 5 this offseason, so no reason to jump that unless you're going to play him every day and you know he's going to be on your team next year. I don't think we're there yet. Now, if something happens to Steve (Pearce) today, we have other options down there. "It's a good group. Brian Graham was asking about playing them in instructional league games. That's another great thing about having instructional league. It's hard to get teams to stay down there with you and play. We're down to one team that will play games with us at the end of it. Nobody does it anymore the way it used to be done. It used to be two months, you got a ring. There was an instructional league champion. That was a big deal."