Tillman removes drama over opening day starter

Spring training will provide its share of storylines, but I don't anticipate much drama when it comes to naming the opening day starter.

Is it really a mystery?

The past five seasons brought five different starters, but Chris Tillman will go back-to-back by taking the ball on April 6 at Tropicana Field. The only question is how long it takes for manager Buck Showalter to confirm it.

"I don't let that enter my mind," Tillman said earlier this week on the "Hot Stove Show" on 105.7 The Fan. "Spring training is so long and anything can happen. I'm a big superstition guy. I don't like to jinx anything or do anything like that. We've got six guys now that are all capable of going out and doing their job day in and day out, and that's what makes it fun.

"It helps our defense. We've got the best defense in the league and I think that boils down to the starting pitching. Put the ball in play and let the defense do its job."

Tillman will remain the opening day starter because he keeps doing his job. Thirty-eight wins and a 3.42 ERA since 2012. More than 200 innings in each of the last two seasons. Three earned runs or fewer allowed in 20 consecutive starts last season. He's the ace.

Showalter always makes sure to alert reporters when Tillman is approaching 200 innings. It's like a badge of honor.

"I take a lot of pride in it," Tillman said. "I take more pride in making every single one of my starts throughout the year. As a starting pitcher, you only get to go out there once every fifth day and it kind of stinks sitting on the bench for those four days watching your teammates go out there and play their butts off. But I do take a lot of pride in making every single one of my starts and getting as deep as possible in every game, and if it comes to 200, it comes to 200. And if it comes to 300, thank God."

The Orioles have six starters competing for five spots. Now that's a storyline.

"I think that's a good problem to have," Tillman said. "Going back to when I was first traded over here from the Mariners, it's come a long way. It's completely upside down from where we were. It's fun. It really is.

"You go to spring training and you've got people asking you, 'How does it feel to go to spring training knowing that you've got a job? How do you approach it?' I approach it the same way because that's why we're all here. We're competitors, we grew up playing the game and competing to the best of our ability. To me, that's the fun part of it and I'm going to go into it the same way and I expect everyone else to. And you know what? Wherever the ball lands, it lands."

I think we all know where it's going to land on April 6.

Here's the list of Orioles opening day starters since Mike Mussina drew the assignment in three consecutive seasons from 1998-2000:

2001 Pat Hentgen
2002 Scott Erickson
2003 Rodrigo Lopez
2004 Sidney Ponson
2005 Rodrigo Lopez
2006 Rodrigo Lopez
2007 Erik Bedard
2008 Jeremy Guthrie
2009 Jeremy Guthrie
2010 Kevin Millwood
2011 Jeremy Guthrie
2012 Jake Arrieta
2013 Jason Hammel
2014 Chris Tillman

Ponson in 2004? Lopez in three out of four seasons? Tillman is right. It's come a long way.

Tillman won't turn 27 until April, but he's one of the veterans on the staff and someone the younger pitchers seek out for advice in spring training.

"I enjoy the teaching part of it. I don't like being called the old guy, but I enjoy the teaching part of it," said Tillman, who's been in Sarasota for about a month and is house hunting with his wife.

"These guys go out there and have a tough game and they really don't know what they're capable of. It's guys like Bud (Norris) and Tommy (Hunter) and me. There's a lot of guys that it's their job to let them know, 'You know what? Bad games are going to happen,' and kind of teach them the tricks of the trade and kind of make the process a little easier for them. I had great guys do that for me and I feel like that's a big part of it, and I still remember conversations I had with guys who did that for me."

Add Tillman to the list of Orioles who aren't concerned about all the people picking them to finish in last place.

"I think it's kind of funny to tell you the truth," he said. "We've heard it every year, maybe with the exception of last year, but I think that's what makes it fun. That's the whole competition thing. You've got nowhere to go but up, I guess, and that's the kind of stuff that we enjoy as a team. I think we get a good kick out of it."