Complicated starter and lineup process for doubleheader (updated)

Orioles manager Buck Showalter made the decision to start Kevin Gausman in Game 1 of today's doubleheader and Chris Tillman in Game 2 after considering a variety of separators. Showalter also consulted with Tillman, the veteran right-hander, to get his preference.

Making out the lineups against two right-handed opponents, Matt Andriese and Jake Odorizzi, also was a complicated process.

"It starts like a week ago," Showalter said.

"I'm not going to tell things that reflect on one versus the other. I know from being around both of them who can handle sitting around that long, how waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting. Who pitches better in night games versus day games, how it fits for the rest next time out, who's going to get an extra day and who's not. Who caught last night, who's going to catch the first game. You knew (Curt) Casali would catch the first game, the switch-hitter would catch the second game, (Hank) Conger. I can keep going.

"It's the same way with the lineups. You know Andriese versus Odorizzi - say that 10 times. There's a bunch of them. Some things I'm not going to talk about. And, at the end of the day, Chris gets that option. He said he'll do whatever, but he'd rather have the night game. Most pitchers would."

Tillman wasn't required to be at the ballpark early this morning.

"Some guys get a lot more anxiety sitting around," Showalter said. "You know that dream you have where you're supposed to be somewhere and you're not and there's something going on. Everybody's different. Kind of let them be themselves and do what they want to do. Sometimes, it's tougher on them sitting at home. It's something that's way out of the routine.

"You pay the piper for a doubleheader. You pay the price. Or you travel to Texas or you travel to Minnesota or you double up here, there's a price to be paid and you try to minimize the damage for having to play these doubleheaders. It's hard."

Showalter also must determine which players will fly to San Diego following Sunday's game. There are potential roster moves coming "and you don't want to take somebody to the West Coast who's not going to be active," Showalter said.

"It's not fair to them and frankly, financially, flying guys back and forth, it's not fair to them. Also, we've got two or three guys who are close to leaving us for impending births. I'm trying to keep that in mind when I'm looking up there on the board. So from a human being standpoint, I don't want them to be on the West Coast when their wives need them back here. Trying to keep an eye on that. There are a lot of things going on, but you try to win each game and then see where you are when the smoke clears."

Rookie Ashur Tolliver is one of the players who will go on paternity leave.

Tillman has a legitimate chance to be included on the American League's All-Star team for the second time in his career. He also made it in 20013, but he didn't pitch.

If Tillman continues to start every fifth day, his last outing before the All-Star break will fall on Sunday, July 10 and prevent him from being available. Showalter, who voted for Tillman, won't put his club at a competitive disadvantage leading up to the Midsummer Classic.

"I will do what's best for the Baltimore Orioles and so will Chris," he said. "We'll see what that is.

"I hope he gets selected. He's deserving. And I hope we get to accomplish both. But I can tell you where the priority is going to be."

Showalter trashed his first ballot and submitted a new one after realizing last night that he omitted one of his players.

"I got in the dugout last night and in the second inning I went, 'Geez, I left him off.' I went back in, we grabbed it before it got mailed, tore it up and we re-did it today. I feel better now. I slept good."

As the Elias Sports Bureau points out, Manny Machado is 0-for-12 against the Rays at Tropicana Field this season and 7-for-12 with three home runs at Camden Yards. He's a career .212 hitter versus the Rays, his lowest average against any American League team.

The Rays brought up right-hander Danny Farquhar as their 26th man today.

Update: The Orioles took a 2-0 lead in the second inning on RBI singles by J.J. Hardy and Adam Jones. Jonathan Schoop led off with a double to continue his scorching June.