Well, the Orioles don't get to the start the postseason at home after all. If they want to get a home game, they'll have to beat Yu Darvish and the Texas Rangers tomorrow night in Arlington. The Rangers have been horrible of late, so while they always seem to handle the Orioles easily, maybe that will continue and the Orioles won't be one and done in their first postseason appearance since 1997. Prediction: O's win
As for the other teams...the winner of tomorrow's game will host the New York Yankees for two games beginning on Sunday, October 7th. The Yankees are the higher seed, but that weird 2-3 schedule for this year only means they might only have one home game in the ALDS.
The surprise Oakland Athletics, who captured the AL West title on the very last day of the season, will travel to Detroit to play the Tigers beginning on Saturday.
In the national league, the wild card game will be on Friday at 5 p.m. in Atlanta, where the St. Louis Cardinals will try to beat the Braves. The winner of that series will play the Washington Nationals, whose 98 wins were the most in baseball. That series will begin Sunday. Prediction: Braves win
Finally, the San Francisco Giants will begin their postseason in Cincinnati at home against the Reds.
Even in years when the Orioles aren't in the playoffs, I normally love postseason baseball. But until the O's/Rangers game is over I will not be able to relax.