Orioles’ scenarios and game times

This is just some simple housekeeping with regard to potential scheduling for the Baltimore Orioles. If the Orioles beat Tampa tonight and New York wins, the Orioles will presumably host the Texas Rangers (who are currently losing by four to Oakland) just after 8:30 PM in the Wild Card game at Camden Yards. If the Orioles lose tonight, they would still play Texas at 8:30 on Friday night, however the game would be at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, TX. If the O’s win and Boston miraculously finds a way to beat New York, the Orioles would play New York in “regular season game 163” tomorrow night at Camden Yards. Game time would be set for just after 7 PM, and the game would be televised by TBS nationally. The winner of that game would win the AL East, and would open up play in Detroit on Saturday evening in ALDS game one (6 PM). The loser would host the Wild Card game on Friday night.

Courtesy of Joy R. Absalon-US PRESSWIRE

Major League Baseball is incredibly lucky that there are no three-way ties or anything along those lines. Next year they’ll refine the two-team Wild Card system so that there aren’t so many potential scheduling conflicts, however they left themselves no margin for error with regard to the weather in terms of potential rain outs. Honestly, I think that they probably made the schedule knowing that they might have to fly by the seat of their pants and in effect were hoping for the best. Luckily for them the worst they’re going to have to deal with will be a potential game 163 in Baltimore tomorrow. For the record, we’ll be providing the same quality coverage here at Birds Watcher that we have during the regular season throughout the duration of the Orioles’ playoff run. As for what comes after that…we cover the Orioles 365 days a year at Birds Watcher! I will also be continuing my guest columns on MASN for the duration of the Orioles’ playoff run this autumn. All of that said, thanks for hanging with us throughout the regular season. It’s been a truly magical run, and even though the O’s will go on to bigger and better things, it’s always a little sad to see the regular season go by the wayside. But as I said…on to bigger and better things!