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Clubhouse Q&A: Blue Jays, Orioles talk AL East rivalry

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The Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles resumed their well-documented rivalry this week, as both clubs continued their push toward the playoffs.

The Orioles took two of three in Toronto to pull even with the Blue Jays atop the AL wild-card standings with just three games remaining. We caught up with players from both sides prior to Thursday's finale to get their pulse on the rivalry, and find out what it's like to play postseason baseball in September.

On what makes this such a good rivalry

Chris Davis, Orioles first baseman: I think it's the competitiveness of both teams. Since I've been here I've felt like we've both been pretty quality teams, obviously with the Blue Jays getting a lot better these last few years making trades and picking guys up. I think it's the fact we both expect to go out there and win. It's just kind of the mentality we carry and for whatever reason it has caused a lot of friction between both of us.

R.A. Dickey, Blue Jays pitcher: It just seems like lately we've been at the top of the division so much together. I don't think there's anything more than that - everything else has just inflamed what is already a pretty natural rivalry.

Kevin Gausman, Orioles pitcher: It's obviously two really good teams. I think both teams hit a lot of home runs so as a pitcher sometimes you get shown up by a guy so I think that creates some animosity, but I think more than anything it's just two really good ball clubs the last couple years that have just been fighting. It's one of those rivalries that for whatever reason we just don't like each other.

Mark Trumbo, Orioles outfielder: There's a lot of energy up here. I think it's a combination of stuff that's been building for a couple years now - two quality teams that are going head-to-head quite a few times.

Troy Tulowitzki, Blue Jays shortstop: I think any time you're playing division games you know they're important. I don't really see any difference between Baltimore, New York, Boston, Tampa. Any time you know the division, it's going to be more intense.

Dickey: These games feel like do-or-die kind of games. We know what's ahead of us and they know what's ahead of them. Their backs are against the wall, our backs are a little bit against the wall so any time you've got two entities with their backs against the wall there's usually some fireworks.

Advantages/disadvantages of playing just before the wild-card game

Davis: I think you kind of throw that out the window when you have the one-game playoff because you know they're going to have three or four starters available in the bullpen and it's an all-or-nothing game as far who's pitching and who's off the bench, and we've played these guys so many times throughout the year that there are no secrets. I think it's good for our division to have so many teams at the top scrapping to get in there.

Dickey: I'd rather be about 18 games ahead in first place but, as it is now, it's just kind of the way it is and our destiny is in our own hands. These guys, we kind of view them as somebody who is standing in our way so we've got to find a way to take care of business.

Gausman: We play each other so many times every year so the cat's out of the bag. They know what they're going to get when they face me, just like we know what we're going to get when we face Estrada or one of their guys. There's no trying to reinvent yourself this time of the season. I think it makes things a little bit different knowing that a guy you might face this series might be starting a wild-card game, so that definitely adds a little bit of a challenge.

Trumbo: No, not really. It's just part of the deal. There's no secrets at this point. We've seen all their guys, they've seen all of ours. Everyone has their game plan so it just comes down to executing.

Dickey: I think we are probably so familiar with each other. They are with us and we are with them that it makes for some pretty good games. You know the matchups, you know who pitches well against a given team and what hitters are hot. It makes the strategy of the game that much more important.

Competing in playoff-type atmosphere

Davis: It's big, especially here. Really the last couple years we're seen this place fill up and they're not just showing up and screaming. They're actually paying attention to what's going on and that makes it tough as an opponent whenever you go into someone's stadium, and you know they're going to pack the house, and you know that the fans are going to be paying attention to what's going on. It's a fun environment to play in - obviously we want to do everything we can to keep them from cheering, but I think it's good for baseball.

Trumbo: It was honestly a little bit strange running around the bases (after Wednesday's eighth-inning homer). For a second, to be honest, I was wondering if it was fair or not. It just went from so intense to quiet kind of quickly. That's why it's so fun to play here because the energy from the crowd still helps you out a little bit, even if it's not for you.

Tulowitzki: It's definitely an important series but I don't know about playoffs. Neither one of us are there yet. Especially with that wild-card game, you win or you go home. This isn't that, quite yet, but it is a big series.

Gausman: It's fun. I honestly think we play a lot better when we have big, intense crowds. Whether it's coming here or going to Boston - we've been pretty good in Boston this year - I think we just feed off it and it's fun. As a pitcher it's pretty intense, you just got to be able to tune out things.

Dickey: Home-field advantage is really important. We want to be here (for the wild-card game). It's not the end all but we definitely want to be here and we think that's very important.

Tulowitzki: At this point, honestly, for me I just want to get in. To be at home would be nice, but where we're at and how much we've grinded this season, just to get in is all I'm really focused on.

Trumbo: They've proven they're going to be as loud as any fans in the game. Playing here so often, we know kind of what to expect. If you've played a little while, you have ways to deal with stuff like that.

(Note: Interviews were condensed and edited for clarity.)

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