Off Topic » because I think he really deserved

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Chris Tillman is all set to pitch Game 1 of the AL playoffs next week for the Baltimore Orioles. Manager Buck Showalter made the announcement before the AL East champions played the New York Yankees on Tuesday night. Tillman is 13-5 with a 3.26 ERA. He has given up three runs or fewer in his last 20 starts. The Orioles open the best-of-five AL division series a week from Thursday at Camden Yards. Its still not known which team theyll face — it will either be the AL Central champion or the wild-card winner. Tillman is 6-0 in 13 starts since July 12. Hell get a tuneup for the post-season on Friday night at Toronto. "Hes pitched 200 innings two years in a row. Thats quite an accomplishment, physically alone, and then you have to pitch well to do that well," Showalter said. "Hes a pro. Hes turned into a guy that Im real proud of the way he goes about his business. Its not always perfection, but you feel good about him giving you a chance to win." Showalter said the Orioles will wait to see which opponent they face before deciding on starters for the Games 2 and 3 in the playoffs. Tillman started on opening day this season. The 26-year-old righty was an All-Star last year. Tillman went 9-3 with a 2.93 ERA in 15 starts in 2012 but didnt pitch in the five-game loss in the division series to the Yankees. Showalter said Tillman has a different presence now. "You can tell he doesnt panic. He kind of knows who he is. He knows where to go. He has a lot of confidence in the endgame, so to speak. The skys not falling after 10 pitches in a game," Showalter said, "He saves his bullets a little bit. You can see he goes back and gets some. He knows the process," he said. ETwaun Moore Pelicans Jersey . The two were in the batting cage moments before game time. Bautista was taking final warm up cuts. Pillar was hitting soft toss. The one-time utility player turned All-Star pulled aside the clubs young, fourth outfielder and offered him some advice. Anthony Davis Jersey . -- Martin Kaymer never lost sight of opportunity even amid so much evidence of trouble in the closing stretch Sunday at The Players Championship. https://www.pelicanslockerroom.com/Josh-...Edition-Jersey/. -- D. J. Williams finally has his packing strategy down. Darius Miller Jersey . - Kyle Wood and Barclay Goodrow scored second period power-play goals to provide all of the scoring for the North Bay Battalion in a 2-0 victory over the Erie Otters in Ontario Hockey League action on Thursday. Anthony Davis Pelicans Jersey . -- Arizona pitcher Bronson Arroyo is expected to miss a week to 10 days because of a back injury.PINEHURST, N.C. -- Rickie Fowler turned in another strong finish in one of golfs biggest events and gained the experience of playing in the final group of a major. He will have to wait a little longer for his first major title or his second PGA Tour victory. The 25-year-old Fowler tied for second Sunday in the U.S. Open, finishing with a 2-over 72 for a 1-under 279 total at Pinehurst No. 2. Fowler and Erik Compton ended up eight strokes behind runaway winner Martin Kaymer, who dominated the tournament so completely the first two days that everyone else was playing for second. Ultimately, Fowler said, his second top-five major finish of the year is proof hes inching closer to some breakthrough moments -- the kind that could eliminate the questions about whether he is more hype than substance. "It doesnt matter what I do. Im always going to have critics," Fowler said. "... Obviously, theres been some great finishes, but I want to win and I want to win more." Fowlers only tour win came two years ago in the Wells Fargo Championship. He was two shots back at the Masters going into the final day before shooting 73 to tie for fifth. He has always attracted plenty of attention with his flamboyant style, from the knickers he wore Thursday in opening round in tribute to late U.S. Open champion Payne Stewart to the nearly head-to-toe orange of alma mater Oklahoma State he wore Sunday. His game has been a work in progress with swing coach Butch Harmon since the end of last year following the deathh of former coach Barry McDonnell in 2011.dddddddddddd While Fowler has shown improvement, he has also missed the cut in three of six events since the Masters. At Pinehurst No. 2, he shot even-par 70 on Thursday and Friday then followed with a 67 to put himself in the final group. But he never got much momentum Sunday, with his double bogey on the fourth hole -- he sank a long putt to avoid a triple -- stalling him early. He also hooked a tee shot on the 16th so badly that a man had to snatch up his child to avoid the ball skirting along the pine needles, though Fowler managed to save par on that hole before a bogey on 17 helped drop him into a tie for second. "He hit a couple of bad shots and that put him into some bad positions, but he saved it very well," Kaymer said. "... I was just hoping for him that he makes birdie on 18, because I think he really deserved to finish second here." Still, if Fowler felt disappointed with tying for second, he did not show it Sunday evening. As Compton talked with reporters, Fowler pulled out his cellphone and snapped a selfie with Compton in the background as he stood to the side waiting his turn. "Its kind of the same way handling rounds at the U.S. Open here," Fowler said about winning a major. "You cant get ahead of yourself, you have to stay patient, have to stay in the moment and keep going through the process. ... Were going to continue to do this and keep my game progressing the right way, and its just a matter of time." ' ' '