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ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Orioles and Rangers announced their rosters for tonight's one-game American League wild-card playoff at Rangers Ballpark. Not a lot of surprises. Orioles manager Buck Showalter will have 10 relievers to pick from tonight in relief of left-handed starter Joe Saunders. Because the Orioles can submit a new roster before Sunday's first ALDS game, if they win tonight and continue their season, Friday's roster was expected to be reliever heavy and starting pitcher short - and it is.  Here are the non-injured players who are here but didn't make this roster: Xavier Avery, Wei-Yin Chen, Miguel Gonzalez, Chris Tillman.  The Rangers have included lefty starters Matt Harrison and Derek Holland, in case they need them for a matchup or an inning.

Orioles fans really represented in Tampa Bay this week, so we'd like hear from any Orioles fans in Texas for the wild-card playoff game. Please send an email to sports@baltsun.com letting us know if you'll be there tonight. Give us a cell or way to contact you.

This isn't the way the Orioles wanted it - forced to go through Arlington for a one-game wild card playoff to get to the American League Division Series - but I like the O's chances in Texas on Friday night. Maybe it's delirium from a lack of sleep -- my flight leaves for Texas in about five hours -- but I've gotta think that Orioles manager Buck Showalter loves this kind of winner-take-all matchup. All signs point to Showalter turning to rookie right-hander Steve Johnson to start Friday's game.

Cable channel TBS Thursday announced that Cal Ripken will be in the booth Friday night as an analyst when the Baltimore Orioles take on the Texas Rangers in a one-game wild-card showdown in Texas. He will be joined by Ernie Johnson (play-by-play) and John Smoltz (analyst), with Craig Sager on the field. The telecast is scheduled to start at 8:30 p.m. Here's the release from TBS with the playoff lineups: TBS's coverage of the 2012 MLB Postseason will begin with the exclusive presentation of the first-ever, single-elimination Wild Card presented by Budweiser on Friday, Oct. 5, a doubleheader featuring the Atlanta Braves hosting the St. Louis Cardinals at 5 p.m. ET and the Baltimore Orioles visiting the Texas Rangers at 8:30 p.m.  Brian Anderson will provide play-by-play commentary for Cardinals/Braves with analysts Ron Darling and Joe Simpson and reporter Tom Verducci.  Ernie Johnson will call Orioles/Rangers with analysts John Smoltz and Cal Ripken, Jr., and reporter Craig Sager.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Orioles first baseman Mark Reynolds said it will take more than a painful foul ball off his left foot to keep him from playing in Friday's American League wild-card playoff game against the Texas Rangers. Reynolds fouled a ball off a bone in his left big toe in the fifth inning of the Orioles' 4-1 regular season finale loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, but he remained in the game. X-rays on Reynolds' foot were negative and he expects to play Friday. “No problem once you get under the lights and get a little adrenaline flowing,” Reynolds said.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Buck Showalter often mixes gut feelings with statistical data to make his managerial calls on a case-by-case basis. On Thursday, Showalter chose his instincts over statistical wisdom, selecting 31-year-old left-hander Joe Saunders to pitch Friday's one-game wild-card playoff against the Texas Rangers instead of rookie Steve Johnson, who hasn't pitched since overextending his left knee Sept. 29. “Joe is rested,” Showalter said. “He's ready to go. Obviously, [he has]

Wild-card round Friday, both on TBS NL - St. Louis Cardinals at Atlanta Braves, 5:07 p.m. AL - Baltimore Orioles at Texas Rangers, 8:37 p.m.   Division Series All games on TBS Saturday ALDS Game 1 - Oakland Athletics at Detroit Tigers, 6:07 p.m. NLDS Game 1 - Cincinnati Reds at San Francisco Giants, 9:37 p.m. Sunday ALDS Game 1 - New York Yankees at Baltimore/Texas NLDS Game 1 - Washington Nationals...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - When the Orioles left Baltimore for their final series of the regular season, manager Buck Showalter said that one of his team's main goals was to make sure it hadn't played its final game at Camden Yards of 2012. And the one thing the Orioles could control entering their regular-season finale against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Wednesday night was ensuring a home playoff game with a win. But at the end of a season in which they overcame obstacles and resuscitated baseball in Baltimore, the Orioles' bats fell silent against the best pitching staff in the game.

The Orioles have known since Sunday night that they were playoff-bound. On Wednesday night, they finally learned whom they'll play. The club will begin its first postseason in 15 years at 8:37 p.m. Friday in Arlington, Texas, where the Orioles will have to win a wild-card game against the Rangers to keep their season alive. If the Orioles win Friday night, they'll begin the American League Division Series at home Sunday against the New York Yankees. The Orioles cost themselves home-field advantage in the wild-card round with a 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday night, surrendering three home runs to third baseman Evan Longoria.

Not only did the Orioles' 5-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays drop them a game behind the Yankees for first place in the American League East, but the O's also lost a game on the Oakland Athletics in the AL wild-card race. The A's clinched their first playoff spot since 2006 with a 4-3 win over the Texas Rangers, tying the Orioles for the No. 1 wild-card spot with identical 92-68 records. Like the Orioles, the A's still have a shot at their respective division crown. Oakland enters the second-to-last game of the regular season one game behind the division-leading Rangers as the two teams play head to head in the final two games of the season.