Long Off-Day Allows Thinking Time before Braves Home-Opener

     After the game last night, some twenty-four hours off may be a good thing for the Bravos. Even if it was just the third day of the season, yesterday’s game will be hard to walk away from, especially since this happened twice last year. Right now, that’s all in the past. Let’s look at tommorrow- or at least try too.

    Tomorrow is the home-opener against the Washington Nationals. Honestly, I have no idea how that’s going to go. The Braves seemed to beat the Nats just about as much as the Nats beat the Braves last year. Last year’s July 20th game (for my birthday), for instance, was just Braves massacre (I don’t remember the score, I’m pretty sure I tried hard to forget it as soon as possible. All I remember is the Nationals were in the ‘teens while the Braves were in the single numbers. It was the last time I saw Mark Teixeira in a Braves uniform in person. Sad, sad day). The Braves will send the Derek Lowe to the mound and the Nats will send Shairon Martis, who was 3-1 last season. It appears Martis will be making his first appearance of the 2009 season while Lowe will have his second start, after going eight innings and giving up no runs and two hits Sunday in Philly.

    There are two questions about Friday that we’ll have to wait to be answered. Number one: Will Chipper Jones and Garrett Anderson be back in the starting lineup?  There have been several reports that Chipper will be back tomorrow from his bruised thumb that sat him out yesterday. Although Garrett pinch-hit yesterday, there is no way to tell whether he’ll be back from his calf-strain. It kept him benched through a good portion of the spring, so we’ll just have to play that one by ear. Number two: Will the bullpen crack again? Honestly, I have no idea. Most of the relievers yesterday were making their debuts for the year (and for Moylan, his first game in a year) so they might have been over-throwing. Also the pressure might have caused them to crack, but I’m sure that was just a one time deal.

So now, all that need to be said is LET’S GO GET ‘EM BRAVES!

(And one final side-note: I wish to send my sincere condolences to the family of Nick Adenhart, may he rest in peace. I’ll be paying him tribute at the game tomorrow)

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