Yankees vs. Rays Betting Odds For April 6th, 2012

The Tampa Bay Rays are hoping a tough April schedule will leave them battle-tested and prepared for the rest of the regular season.

They’ll find out soon enough as the Rays host the New York Yankees in their season opener on Friday afternoon. Of their first 22 games, 16 come against legitimate playoffs contenders before things ease up in May.

The Yankees, relatively quiet this past off-season, know the feeling. They also front-loaded their schedule with 15 playoff contenders through April.

“You say you don’t make too much out of one game, that some months are going to be tougher than other months,” New York manager Joe Girardi said. “You don’t want to make too much out of the first month. But it is a great measuring stick for where we’re at, that’s for sure.”

The Yankees have plenty to figure out. Although the rotation is set for now, there is still plenty of time for things to change, and April’s staff is likely to look drastically different come September. Andy Pettitte is still preparing for a comeback and won’t be ready to join the rotation until May. Michael Pineda, the Yankees’ big splash this winter, will start the season on the DL.

The Rays are hoping, however, that not a whole lot has changed since last year.

After all, it was the Yankees who ushered Tampa Bay into the playoffs last year, surrendering a 7-0 lead in the eighth inning on the season’s final day to make way for extra innings. The Rays, finding out Boston had simultaneously lost, beat New York in extras on Evan Longoria’s walkoff homer.

“We wouldn’t have it any other way,” starter Jamie Shields said.

Bettors can cash in big time if Longoria homers again, with a +400 payout on Bovada in MLB player prop betting.

Shields gets the nod Friday against C.C. Sabathia, fresh off a five-year extension that will pay him $122 million over the remainder of his contract.

Sabathia went 19-8 last year with a 3.00 ERA.

“I think that’s what every pitcher wants is to be that guy that every time out the team has confidence that you have a good chance to win,” Sabathia said.

Pitchers typically start the season ahead of hitters, and both pitchers are projected to have good days. Bovada has set an over/under of 6 1/2 strikeouts for both Sabathia and Shields.

The Yankees are actually favored by 1 1/2 runs, according to Bovada with a 7-run total.

Yankees vs. Rays Betting Odds w/ Team Props

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