MLB odds: Dodgers vs. Mets

One man overshadows Thursday night's Dodgers-Mets game at Shea Stadium: Joe Torre.

The Dodgers' skipper and former Yankees manager makes his return to New York, albeit it at Shea Stadium rather than Yankee Stadium.

"It's going to be crazy, there's no question," Torre said."It's not Yankee Stadium, so, it won't be as significant as if I were to go back there."

With the Mets struggling and manager Willie Randolph's future possibly in jeopardy, Torre knows the rumors about him going to the Mets would be fast and furious if he had sat out a year instead of taking the L.A. job.

"Oh, I know exactly what would be happening," said Torre, who has been to New York only one day since leaving for spring training. "That's why I'm glad I'm here."

Randolph coached under Torre in the Bronx for many years.

"I certainly feel for Willie," Torre said. "Anybody who has managed in New York has been exposed to what he is being exposed to now. The fans have been angry, and that seems to be a product of last year. We got a little taste of that in '04 after we lost to the Red Sox."

Torre asked for no special accommodations for Thursday night, no interview room or press conference to handle the media crush. That, of course, hasn't stopped all the newspapers from turning this into an event, although Torre thinks it won't be a big deal and doesn't expect a warm welcome."Mets fans are different than Yankees fans, that's for sure," Torre said. "I don't anticipate anything will be different than when I came there with the Yankees. I don't think that will change."

Torre's club certainly needs a win - having scored three runs total in a three-game sweep against the Cubs at Wrigley.

The Dodgers start who was supposed to be their ace in Brad Penny (5-5, 5.32 ERA). Penny has been anything but an ace lately, going 0-3 with a 9.13 ERA over his last four starts. And he is awful against the Mets, going 5-12 with a 6.21 ERA in 20 starts. He has lost his last four starts at Shea, where he is 1-9 with a 6.54 ERA in 11 outings.

The Mets start Claudio Vargas (1-2, 3.93 ERA), who earned his first win of the season in his last start, going seven strong innings and holding Colorado to two runs on four hits. Vargas is 2-2 with a 4.29 ERA in eight career appearances - six starts - against the Dodgers. He is facing Los Angeles for the first time since 2006 while with Arizona.

New York is a -130 money line favorite on WagerWeb.com, with an over/under of 8.5.

Betting trends: Dodgers are 8-1 in their last 9 vs. a team with a losing record. . Dodgers are 1-5 in their last 6 games vs. a right-handed starter. . Dodgers are 1-4 in Penny's last 5 starts as an underdog. . Mets are 0-6 in their last 6 games vs. a right-handed starter. . Under is 8-0 in Dodgers' last 8 games vs. a right-handed starter. . Over is 4-1-1 in Mets' last 6 overall. . Under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings in New York.