2013 MLB Wild Card Game Picks: Tampa Bay Rays @ Cleveland Indians Odds and Predictions – Free MLB Playoff Picks

2013 MLB Wild Card Game Picks: Tampa Bay Rays @ Cleveland Indians Odds and Predictions – Free MLB Playoff Picks: It took an extra game, but the Tampa Bay Rays (92-71) won a tiebreaker against the Texas Rangers and will meet the Cleveland Indians (92-70) in the AL Wild Card Game Wednesday night. Both teams are scorching hot heading into the matchup with the Rays winning nine of their last 11 games and the Indians winning 10 straight. Tampa Bay won the regular season series between the two teams 4-2, but the Indians will host Wednesday’s winner-take-all matchup.

Tampa Bay’s victory against Texas Monday night was a microcosm of their season. The Rays got an excellent effort from starter David Price while a big game at the plate from star third baseman Evan Longoria and a timely pinch hit propelled them into the wild card game against Cleveland. Pitching and timely hitting has been Tampa Bay’s recipe for success all year, and it isn’t going to change Wednesday night when the Rays send Alex Cobb (11-3, 2.76 ERA) to the mound.

The Indians entered the season with low expectations and nothing to lose, and they have played like it. A lineup featuring the likes of Jason Kipnis, Drew Stubbs, Carlos Santana and has power from top to bottom, and while the group can strike out in bunches, it can also score in bunches. In fact, Cleveland finished the year ranked in the top five in runs scored. On the mound, the Indians have used a collection of former cast-offs and other unknowns to form a solid rotation. Wednesday night’s starter Danny Salazar (2-3, 3.12 ERA) is a perfect example, considering most people don’t even know who the hard-throwing rookie is.

The Rays Win If:

If Cobb continues to pitch like he has the last couple of months and delivers a strong start, everything could fall in place of the Rays. Offensively, Tampa Bay needs to try to get to Salazar early for a couple of reasons. For one, there is a chance that a few early runs could rattle the rookie and open the flood goods. Not to mention the fact that the Rays like to win with pitching and timely hitting, and it is going to be easier for Cobb to attack the Cleveland lineup if he is staked to an early lead. Smacking Salazar around would be icing on the cake, but as long as Cobb keeps the Indians’ lineup relatively quiet, the Tampa Bay lineup can push enough runs across the plate to win a tight, low-scoring game.

The Indians Win If:

If the Indians are going to keep their season alive, Salazar has to hold his own on the mound. He doesn’t have to throw a shutout, but he can’t give up four or five runs and get chased in the early innings either. At the plate, the Indians just need one or two big hits from their streaky hitters. Similarly to Salazar, Cleveland doesn’t needs its offense to score 10 runs to win Wednesday, but it can’t afford to have a collective off night and not score anything. With a rookie pitcher and a suspect bullpen, the Indians don’t really want a close, low-scoring game. If they can have a few big innings at the plate in support of quality start from Salazar, the Indians can get by a Tampa Bay team that can have trouble scoring at times.

Bottom Line:

On one hand, the Indians have the type of explosive lineup that can put a ton of runs on the board and overwhelm just about any opponent. On the flips side, the same bunch of free-swinging sluggers can also go ice cold at any given moment. While it is tough to know what to expect from Cleveland’s lineup given the pressure of the situation, the fact that the Rays have Cobb on the mound could mean the latter. After all, Cobb has been the best pitcher for a staff that is already one of the best in baseball, and in an early-season meeting with Cleveland, he fired 7.1 shutout innings. Salazar has the stuff to twirl a gem of his own, but the Rays ability to manufacture runs rather than simply waiting for the long ball will come in handy. In the end, look for Cobb to take advantage of the aggressive Indians hitter to lead Tampa Bay into the ALDS.

Prediction: Tampa Bay Rays Win the Game

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