Showalter on the "good, tough" decision picking a starter

TORONTO - Orioles manager Buck Showalter said he's turning in his wild card roster at 10 a.m. on Tuesday. He offered only a few hints during his press conference.

Showalter considered Ubaldo Jimenez and Dylan Bundy for the starting assignment before handing it to Chris Tillman. Jimenez and Bundy will be in the bullpen, but Yovani Gallardo is excluded.

Gallardo would be working on short rest, and Showalter said he doesn't consider a relief role to be a good fit.

Showalter called the decision on a starter "a good, tough one, because we've got some people pitching well."

"You know, we had probably three options and Chris is one of those good options," he said. "There's not much separator there. We'd feel good about any of the three guys, including Dylan. And they all three may pitch in the game.

"I think we look at a certain finality with the starter, but these games usually have a lot of things going on with them, that everybody gets to play a big part in it, if it's a competitive game. Just because someone's not starting a game doesn't mean they can't be real impactful. And we looked at a lot of guys.

"We talked about even Gallardo, but he's just had three days off and just really doesn't fit that bullpen feeling. And as much as we're completely focused on these nine innings, you do have to make sure you've got your feet on the ground, if you're fortunate enough to win."

Tillman was the opening day starter again this season. He's been the stopper in the past. Now, he needs to be the guy who gives the Orioles a chance to reach the Division Series.

"There's a few things that go into it, but every pitcher faces a different challenge during the course of the year," Showalter said. "You go through ups and downs. All our guys do. You see how everybody feels about Kevin Gausman right now, but there were times he was kind of searching for it. And Chris came off a really good workday.

"You know, there's a lot of things that go into it. You know, proper rest, whereas this time of the year anytime that you can give a guy a little extra time, you usually get rewarded for it."

The Blue Jays announced that Marcus Stroman will start against the Orioles.

"They've got so many good candidates pitching for them," Showalter said. "You're going to be challenged regardless. You kind of go into it, just like talking with Chris and Ubaldo and Dylan, that the guy that's not starting might play a huge role in the game. I think both clubs realize that.

"We were anticipating them starting very good pitchers. One of the reasons why they're one of the 10 teams left. Very proud of our division again this year and the unique challenge that this division presents."

Blue Jays manager John Gibbons noted how games between these teams tend to be high-scoring affairs. Would a slugfest favor the Orioles, the major league leaders in home runs?

"I don't favor anything," Showalter said. "Baseball has a way of throwing you a curveball and you've got to be ready for it. What appears like something on paper, it's completely something away from the norm as we perceive it.

"We have nothing else to go on than what's happened for 162 games. But baseball has a way of having a whole different scenario show its head and you've got to be prepared for that and have a feel for the way a game's going.

"Let's face it, these guys are, I'm not saying beat up, but it's 162 games, especially the wild card teams. They've had to play every game with no sense of wiggle room or a safety net. It's been a constant. And that can be good, make you tested for it, but it does wear on you.

"Usually these games get decided by something that doesn't appear on paper."

Mark Trumbo is appearing in his first playoff game, another notch in his belt during his free-agent season. He leads the majors with 47 home runs. Now he gets to play deeper into October.

"Oh, I'll take that in," Showalter said. "You see a little glimmer in different guys' eyes. There are so many things during the course of the season that sort of show themselves in silence. They look at each other, a little nod, a little wink. You're around each other so much, and it's such a venue where you have to be so careful about wearing too much emotion on your sleeve and someone taking it the wrong way. I've kind of gotten past that.

"This means a lot to Mark. He may not be crowing about it, but that's not his nature. Whether Mark hits a home run or whatever, he acts like it's not the first one he's ever hit."

Here's more from Showalter:

On whether he manages differently in one-game series and if players' roles change: "There is a sense of finality. There are times during the season you may not put your best foot forward so you can be consistent over the long haul, because of health and putting people in harm's way. Not that we'll do that tomorrow, but there are some differences that you have to grasp. You don't worry about tomorrow or the next day. Everything is about that nine innings or 10 or 11, whatever it might be.

"There are some times during the course of the game that it may happen earlier than usual that you may attack it differently. You also have some things available to you from a bullpen standpoint and a bench that you don't during the season. As convoluted as September call-up baseball is, and really hopefully can be fixed, you still have some of those challenges in post-season play in the one-game playoff because you're carrying eight, nine, 10 relievers. You're carrying two or three extra bench players.

"A lot of times as manager, you're picking your poison. You know you won't get the match-up you might be able to get during the regular season and there's no penalty for using guys in different roles. Where during the season you get penalized for using Brad Brach for two or three innings or pitching Zach (Britton) for two innings or taking your starter out too early because now you have to use too many guys in the next game.

"That's the problem I have with September. One of the problems that everybody has with September baseball is you don't get penalized for bad pitching. You get your starter knocked out two times in a row in September and you don't have to make a move. There's no penalty for it like there is during the regular season."

On Donnie Hart's contributions and message it sends to players at Double-A Bowie: "Well, when he first got here it was about who are we and how are we going to do it? And didn't want to confuse it. Just let's be consistent. We're going to look within always. I'm sure Toronto does, everybody.

"Look, Donnie, if you think about the year he's had, he goes from being the guy trying to get on the radar screen, to being (the Orioles') Minor League Pitcher of the Year, to pitching big innings for us up here, to being in the playoffs and he's handled it so well. I promise, his mom and dad have done a good job. This guy's very grounded. He works. He never assumes anything. He knows how fleeting all of this can be. And he's going to take advantage of every opportunity he has to not only get here, stay here, but I don't think he's ever going to assume anything as we go forward.

"There is another moment you take in what must be going through him and his family's lives. Real proud of him, but you do step back and say, 'Boy, this has got to be pretty cool for him.'"

On how much he watched last year's Division Series between the Jays and Rangers: "Not hardly any. Watching somebody else do what we want to do is painful."

The umpires for the wild card game read as follows:

Gary Cederstrom - home plate
Ted Barrett - first base
Eric Cooper - second base
Bill Welke - third base
David Rackley - left field
Will Little - right field

Boston's Rick Porcello was named the American League's Pitcher of the Month for September. Britton and Jimenez also received votes.