Joe Girardi nipped that one in the bud when he told the beat writers that Phil Hughes will start Thursday's Game 4 regardless of whether the Yankees are on the verge of winning the series -- or being eliminated.

Buck Showalter, on the other hand, is keeping us -- and his pitchers -- in suspense.

The Orioles brought out two possible Game 4 pitchers, right-hander Chris Tillman and lefty Joe Saunders to the pregame interview session traditionally reserved for the next day's starter.

"We were kind of hoping you would tell us, because we don't know yet," Saunders said to the assembled media.

"I think our team trusts us, and either way we go, I feel like we can get the job done," said Tillman.

Tillman was 9-3 with a 2.93 ERA this season; Saunders, who came over in a trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks on Aug. 26, was 3-3 with a 3.63 ERA and 6-10 with a 4.22 ERA overall, and was the winning pitcher in Baltimore's 5-1 victory over the Texas Rangers in the wild-card play-in game.

Saunders was 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA in one start against the Yankees this year, and is 3-1 with a 5.82 ERA in six career starts against them. Tillman was also 1-0, but with a 6.75 ERA in two starts, and is 2-3 with an 8.16 ERA in seven career starts.