Listen to the Tampa Bay Rays vs. Cleveland Indians A.L. Wild Card Game online for free as only one team will advance to the ALDS where they will face baseball's best, the Boston Red Sox. ESPN Radio will bring the free stream online as a pitchers duel will surely brew Wednesday night at Progressive Field.
The Indians finished the season red hot, winning 10 straight games. However, they picked on three of baseball's worst teams; Houston Astros, Chicago White Sox and the Minnesota Twins. It would have been more impressive if any of these teams had won at least a game. What we learned as fans was that the Indians were the real deal and they were serious about this playoff run. Dropping a game in each series would have endangered their Wild Card run.
The Indians know how to close out the season, but now the question is, can the Tribe make their way beyond the A.L. Wild Card Game? They will have their hands full as Alex Cobb will try to answer that question from the Rays' behalf. Quietly dominating baseball in 2013, Cobb's season was smeared by an extended stay in the disabled list, missing two full months of baseball from June 15- Aug. 15. When on the mound and healthy, Cobb made the Rays forget who and what James Shields meant to this team. He pitched 22 games, pitching into the seventh inning 13 times in 2013. Furthermore, Cobb allowed two earned runs or less in 14 of his 22 starts, cementing himself as a durable and consistent starter.
The Indians might not have as much faith on their starter as they will have youngster, Danny Salazar on the mound. He's only made 10 starts in the season, yet giving Terry Francona enough reason to trust the 23-year-old out of the Dominican Republic.
Need an out? Salazar will try to get the strikeout. Cobb's ERA was under 3.00 in 2013, making him the favorite for this matchup. However, Salazar's ERA was not far above 3.00 as the righty posted a 2-3 record with a 3.12 ERA. Like Cobb, he was fairly consistent, allowing two or fewer runs in seven of his 10 starts. His ERA could have been lower had Francona allowed him to pitch beyond the sixth inning more frequently. Salazar averaged 5.2 innings per start.
Both lineups are deep. Both teams are talented. In the end, it could come down to a pitching mistake or a manager trusting a player a little too much. First pitch will be a little after 8 p.m. ET.