Pondering a tough loss along with the ALDS roster

When Cal Ripken Jr. decided to end the streak, the Yankees cheered Ripken from their dugout at Camden Yards. Last night the Orioles cheered Derek Jeter from their dugout at Yankee Stadium. Did the baseball world go full circle on us there? The Orioles had five hits last night and four were homers. It was the first game they lost all year when hitting three or more homers and they're now 26-1. Until that loss last night, the Orioles were 35-1 since July 19 when scoring four runs or more. Since June 30, the Birds were 43-2 in their last 45 games when scoring at least four runs. Looking ahead to next week, we know that Chris Tillman will start Game 1 of the American League Division Series next Thursday at Camden Yards. We know that Buck Showalter is leaning toward carrying 11 pitchers and not 12 in the ALDS. After that, we still don't know the O's opponent (but Detroit it is likely) or the makeup of their roster for that series. But here is my guess on what the 25-man roster might look like for the ALDS: * Four starters: Tillman, Wei-Yin Chen, Miguel Gonzalez and Bud Norris. * Seven relievers: Kevin Gausman, Zach Britton, Darren O'Day, Andrew Miller, Brad Brach, Tommy Hunter and Brian Matusz. * Two catchers: Caleb Joseph, Nick Hundley. * Six infielders: Steve Pearce, Jonathan Schoop, J.J. Hardy, Ryan Flaherty, Jimmy Paredes and Kelly Johnson. * Six outfielders: Alejandro De Aza, Adam Jones, Nick Markakis, Nelson Cruz, Delmon Young and David Lough. Under that scenario, T.J. McFarland, Ryan Webb, Ubaldo Jimenez and Quintin Berry don't make it. I like the call to likely go with 11 pitchers. It could be an issue if one starter gets knocked out in the first or second inning, but the extra position player seems more valuable to me for that series. This roster allows the O's to carry all three third base candidates in Flaherty, Paredes and Johnson. I think Flaherty, based on his defense, is the best candidate to start, but it also possible we see two or even all three get playoff starts. Paredes is swinging a good bat and that makes it tempting to put him in the lineup but I err on the side of run prevention over run production in the postseason and he sure had a rough game at third last night. That bullpen is going to be a real weapon in the playoffs. You'd have to like your chances anytime you could hand the lead in the seventh or later to the big three of O'Day, Miller and Britton. That still gives the you the 95 mph plus gas of Brach, Hunter and Gausman at Buck Showalter's disposal and Matusz is there to matchup with a tough lefty. It would be a nice luxury to carry a speedster like Berry for late-game pinch-running, but Lough is playing too well now to exclude him. He could provide defense or a pinch runner. Young's bat could be big off the bench. We have finally reached the last series of the regular season and the last series that doesn't matter much. The Orioles have played spotty defense and spotty baseball lately, but I see no reason they should not be fine come next week. Next week can't get here fast enough.