Kim in the playoffs, no gloating, a loud crowd and more

TORONTO - If Orioles manager Buck Showalter is going to take in certain moments on Tuesday, his gaze also will be fixed on outfielder Hyun Soo Kim.

This is Kim's first playoff game in the major leagues, coming a few days after his first champagne celebration in North America. Teammates love him, a group seeking him out in a corner of the clubhouse at Yankee Stadium to pour the bubbly over his head. They never want him to feel excluded.

It remains a sweet storyline for a player who resisted the Orioles' suggestion that he accept an option to Triple-A Norfolk rather than break camp with them, a player who subsequently was booed on opening day and had to wait until Showalter began giving him steady at-bats.

"It's really happy and exciting that I get to go to the playoffs in my first year with a team that was so supportive of me from the very beginning," Kim said through interpreter Danny Lee.

"The fact that it was a long journey, I just realized there were a lot of struggles that I had to go through and finally I was able to overcome them and enjoy being with my teammates."

Kim said he signed with the Orioles knowing that they were playoff caliber and their season would continue past the final game on the schedule.

"I expected this team to be playing in October," he said. "I knew this was going to be a great team this year, so I was expecting something bigger than just the regular season."

Bigger includes plastic on the lockers and being soaked from head to toe.

"It feels like everybody is just playing for that moment in time so they can enjoy with the champagne and beer," Kim said with a big grin on his face.

Kim knows celebrations, but not the way they play out in the majors.

"The difference is they do it on the field and not in the locker room," Kim said, "but they're enjoying the moment, so it's the same thing."

The Orioles aren't gloating over their appearance in the wild card game. I keep trying and they won't take the bait.

No feeling of vindication after being buried in the basement of the American League East in most preseason publications?

"Not really," said closer Zach Britton. "I think the last time that we really heard anything about where we were predicted to finish was spring training. No one's ever brought it up in here. It wasn't something that we focused on. Whether people chose us to finish first or last, you're still got to go out there and play the games.

"Crazy things happen through the course of the season, but we knew that we had a good team and we've had a good team for a few years now. So to be in this situation right now isn't a surprise to anybody."

Breaking news: It's going to be loud tonight at Rogers Centre. Really, really loud.

"Everybody's going to want to come out here and support their team. It's going to be fun," said third baseman Manny Machado.

"We're in the playoffs. We're fighting for one dream, to make it to the next level. The next 27 outs are going to be huge for everyone in here, for everyone on the other side. We're excited and blessed to here. We're going to go out there and leave it on the field."

On enemy territory.

The Orioles are used to this atmosphere. They fully know what to expect, and it won't be a warm embrace.

"These guys play and you want the emotion and the fans to care and to be here, much like ours," Showalter said. "I would put ours against anybody. That's one of the advantages of playing at home, it can work both ways.

"Our guys, playing in our division, we play at Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium, and I think they're leading the American League in attendance. They're always very loud and into the game. And it will be a little different decibel. But there's a different level, and you hope it is.

"That's why we do all the things we do to be on that stage and to get a chance to perform. You take a little special pride in being able to perform in that environment. They've done it well at our park when we had that same very emotional crowd. We've got to work very hard down there to have another one of those games at home."

And maybe another champagne celebration.

"Our guys got in the clubhouse and as you saw, it was a real emotional release," Showalter said. "Because the way our guys wear it, you don't realize the emotion that they play with every night and how much it means to them to be one of 10 teams still standing. Now they're going to try to seize this opportunity and go forward."

And still have some fun while doing it.

"Are you kidding me?" Showalter said. "These guys are having a blast."