Earlier this month, Stu Sternberg talked about how the Rays were really an 80-something win team last year that encountered a horrific rash of injuries.

So Sternberg doesn’t see the Rays as a 68-win team trying to improve. He sees a .500 or better club looking to be in the thick of the playoff chase come Sept. 1.

Joe can’t go that far — not yet — but the Rays certainly should/could be a lot better.

Beat writer Marc Topkin noted on TampaBay.com that there’s a strong divide between baseball people/computers and the Vegas oddsmakers,

Though Baseball Prospectus’ computers project the Rays for 84 wins, the betting industry isn’t as optimistic, Reno’s Atlantis Casino setting the opening over/under at 75½

So 76 wins pays out? Joe would take that action.

The talented starting pitching has to come around, right?