http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/01/sports/baseball/orioles-set-off-on-road-to-playoffs-with-plenty-of-detours-expected.html 2016-10-01 02:58:25 Orioles Set Off on Road to Playoffs, With Plenty of Detours Expected Baltimore remains very much in the thick of the complicated wild-card race as they strive for another shot at their first championship since 1983. === The “What a mess that was,” said their manager, Buck Showalter, in his office as rain pelted the Yankee Stadium field on Friday afternoon. “Probably two hours late leaving. They held our equipment people at the gate forever.” From here, the Orioles’ itinerary is unknown. They arrived in the Bronx tied with the Toronto Blue Jays, at 87-72, for the wild-card lead in the American League. Their victory on Thursday had eliminated the Yankees and the Houston Astros. But the Detroit Tigers and the Seattle Mariners were still alive. If Baltimore and Toronto finish with the same record, the Blue Jays will host the wild-card game on Tuesday because they won the teams’ season series. But if Detroit is just a half-game ahead or behind after Sunday, the Tigers would have to make up a rained-out game against Cleveland on Monday and possibly set up a three-way tie for two spots. Other possible outcomes are in play, too. It is a lot to process. “We could be playing Monday, we could be playing Tuesday, we could be playing Wednesday — and we could not be playing at all,” Showalter said. “The focus is trying to win these nine innings tonight, believe me. There’s a lot of different things that will cloud your mind if you let them.” The Orioles are striving for another shot at their first championship since 1983. They have led the A.L. in victories and home runs — while committing the fewest errors — since the start of the 2012 season. But they have not advanced past the A.L. Championship Series. The Kansas City Royals swept them in that round two years ago. “If you get in the tournament, who knows, right?” said Dan Duquette, the Orioles’ executive vice president for baseball operations. “Some of the teams that get into the tournament as a wild card, they do pretty well. Just got to win a couple more games and get into the tournament and take our chances.” The Orioles have gotten this far with extremes: They lead the majors in home runs, and have stolen the fewest bases. Before Friday, they had clubbed 247 homers, 27 more than the St. Louis Cardinals, who were second. They also had just 19 steals, 16 fewer than the next closest team, also the Cardinals. Michael Bourn, who joined the Orioles on Aug. 31, has two steals. With two more, Showalter was told, Bourn could match the injured Joey Rickard for the team lead. “You notice I’m not laughing,” Showalter said. “What’s dumber, pushing something that’s not there? Believe me, if you look back, we’ve had people who could do it, and we did it.” Besides Bourn and Drew Stubbs, who was also acquired on Aug. 31, the Orioles do not have people with speed. They have just six triples this year, and will almost certainly break the major league record for fewest triples by a team in a season. (The 1998 Orioles hold that mark, with 11.) Yet the Orioles’ power and bullpen strength have been enough to overcome a rotation with a 4.77 E.R.A. Every team with a higher starters’ E.R.A. has a losing record. The Orioles find a way, but this was not part of some master plan. “We just try to get the best players we can get,” Duquette said. “Sometimes the value’s in the relief pitchers. Sometimes it’s in the power hitters. We’ve tried to develop some good starters, which we’re making progress on. So we’re just trying to get the best players we can for the value, that’s all.” The Orioles do not spend big for premium free-agent starters. Their four-year, $50 million investment in Ubaldo Jimenez has produced a 26-31 record and a 4.72 E.R.A. over three seasons. Yovani Gallardo, in the first year of a two-year, $22 million deal, was 5-8 with a 5.63 E.R.A. before his start against the Yankees on Friday. All that matters now, though, is whether the starters can help push the Orioles into the playoffs. Jimenez did his part on Thursday, holding the Blue Jays to one hit across six and two thirds shutout innings. He has a 2.45 E.R.A. since rejoining the rotation in late August. A famously streaky pitcher is on a good run. “Ubaldo is Ubaldo; he’s been that way his whole career,” said the pitching coach Dave Wallace. “But he’s handled whatever’s been thrown at him — all the criticism, all that stuff.” Wallace’s best work in Baltimore has been in helping Zach Britton refine his devastating sinker to become the best reliever in the majors. His project lately has been grooming the homegrown Dylan Bundy and Kevin Gausman into the aces the Orioles need them to be. Their development will play a critical role as the Orioles try to keep their window of success propped open past this season. For now, it is all about the moment. “Our guys, they’re going to be able to have a real peace about the endgame here, because they’ve given themselves every chance,” Showalter said. “I can’t say this about every team I’ve had, but this team will be as good as it’s capable of being — I feel like, anyway. They’re a real trustworthy bunch. They don’t get bogged down in ‘the sky is falling.’” Sometimes just getting into that sky can be a challenge. And the Orioles’ destination after Sunday is still up in the air.