Today at 3:35 p.m. ET, the Cleveland Indians (1-0) and Oakland Athetics (0-1) take the field at the O.co Coliseum in Oakland for the second game in their series and first game of a split double header after Tuesday's proceedings were rained out. The game can be live streamed here. Cleveland fans can hear all of the action on WTAM 1100 while Oakland fans can do the same on 95.7 The Game.
Scott Kazmir takes the ball for the Athletics after going 10-9 last season with the Indians along with a 4.04 ERA while Corey Kluber mans the mound for the Tribe after going 11-5 with a 3.85 ERA in 2013.
Kazmir faces Cleveland just one year after appearing in 29 games for them, and he knows to expect some ribbing from them.
"I know they're going to try to mess with me while I'm up on the mound, try to take away from my focus," Kazmir said per MLB.com. "But I'll just be locked in. I can't even stare at them because they're a bunch of jokesters over there."
The Indians confirmed Kazmir's suspicions.
"He'll get a smile from me in the box or something," Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis said per MLB.com. "And I'm sure there will be something going on when [Nick Swisher] gets in the box."
Kipnis put up career-highs in homers (17) and RBI (84) last season for the Indians and will look to expand on those numbers this season. Kipnis said that he was glad to see Kazmir, his former teammate, ink a two-year $22 million deal with the A's this offseason.
"It's awesome to see a guy go from his backyard and independent ball to signing a two-year, $22 million deal," Kipnis told MLB.com. "When you become friends with a guy, that kind of security, that kind of stuff for his family, you want nothing but the best for him. You're really happy about it. You wish it could've been with us, because you thought he had a good year."
The Athletics will be looking to bounce back from a 2-0 loss Monday after closer Jim Johnson struggled and gave up both runs in the ninth inning to give the A's their 10th straight Opening Day loss, the longest streak in the majors.
John Axford collected the save for the Indians after walking and striking out two. It was his first save since Oct. 2, 2012.
The Indians and Athletics take the field in the first game of a twin bill today at the O.co Coliseum in Oakland.
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