It is very unusual, and I'm not sure if it has ever happened before. They talked about it on Baseball Tonight a few weeks ago and the reason for it was that it was a new ballpark and it was the organization in the nation's capitol. They wanted for the Nationals to open up in primetime to try and boost ratings and attendance in the new stadium in Washington.

Opening Day!

I'm thinking about betting the Braves over 84.5 for the season...should I do it?

I believe you should...if we stay healthy this year I believe we should surpass 85 wins.

less than 3 hours until the start of the season!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a tease of a game.

Just got back from the game and we played soooo much better tonight than we had in the first two. We made so many mistakes to lose the first two games, but tonight we were solid in every aspect of the game...finally!!!! It's nice to get that first W under your belt. Now let's go on a roll from here.

Also, just got tickets to Sunday's game with the Mets...SMOLTZ vs. SANTANA.......can't wait.....weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Wonder if we'll win an extra-inning or 1-run game this year. We went 6-9 and 18-25 last year. We're a handy 0-2 and 0-2 this year. So far, it looks like the bullpen is going to be the biggest question mark.

Not real worried about the bullpen...yet. They were great for four innings last night. But it has to be our biggest concern right now. And the 1-run games are huge. They killed us last year, and are on the way to doing it again. Chipper even made a comment after Opening Day about how we have to start learning how to pull those types of games out or it will be a disappointing season. They're the difference in a division title and sitting home in October.

Good to see Jurrgens have a decent outing yesterday. It's going to take me awhile to get over the Tigers giving him up.

4 games into the season and I am already extremely frustrated!!! 0-3 in 1-run games...we have to learn to win these games if we have any chance. We need to take 2 out of 3 from the Mets this weekend. Don't want to get down in the division this early.


Also, we have used at least 7 pitchers in 3 out of our 4 games already and 8 in 2 of the 4. Our bullpen threw the 2nd most innings in the league last year and wore down at the end of the year. We cannot have that happen again. Our starters HAVE to start going deeper in games.

And Hampton back on the DL...can't say that I'm surprised. At least Chucky will be ready to come back in a couple of days

I'm pretty sure I want to kick Blain Boyer in the junk right about now.

He has now given up twp game winning HR this year...pretty safe to say I hate him right now.


4 losses on the season...4 1-run losses...so so sick...we have to start winning these games.

Well we really need to get healthy right now. Hampton, Glavine and Soriano all injured is not good. I am really worried about Soriano and his elbow. He has now had problems with it twice since the beginning of Spring Training. I really think that it's a bigger deal than the Braves are making it out to be. The day off today should do Chipper and his quad a world of good. I'm assuming he'll be fine by Tuesday in Florida.

If we can just hold it close (within a couple of games of Philly and the Mets) for the next couple of weeks while we try and get healthy I think we'll be fine.

Things are not looking good. I have yet to be able to catch a game that we've won.

GLGL Braves fans...for some reason I don't envision Andruw being the type to excel on his return. He is already pressing as it is, and was just starting to settle in. I imagine he will be flailing away this weekend. Good break for the Dodgers missing Smoltz and Hudson.

On a side note, for some reason there is no sound for me on directv braves feed of the game. All my other channels are working fine, including other mlb games.

Yeah...the Braves game televising is all effed up this season due to a number of issues.

Also, Chipper is a monster.

Additionally, the Braves expected won-loss is 10-6.

Went to the game yesterday (2nd time 9 rows behind the dugout!).....thanks Pat, ya'll might have cured us!!!

At least we gave up Andruw's first bomb!

Seems like we might be getting things together....hopefully?!?


Let's try to get a meet up at Turner sometime Cobalt and all other Braves fans!

Oh, and yes we stole from ya'll winning with Bennett and Chucky......thought we were in trouble without Smoltzie and Huddy!

Sigh, if you guys sweep us today I'm def not wishing any other team luck this year. Larry sure is hot for you guys...

The Dodgers got 7/9 lead off men on yesterday, and only scored on the Andruw HR. Pretty pathetic. I thought Torre left Bills in way too long as well, but he was pitching so well prior to the 5th I guess I can forgive his lack of readiness.

Also, the Dodgers led the ML in pitches per AB last week...Now that Nomar is back, I'm sure that will drop quickly. I'm really, really starting to dislike the guy, and although his offense annoys me, I'm more worried about his defense. Dewitt had been very good defensively, and at least he took a ton of pitches. He used to be great, but he is like 5 years past his prime. I really hope the Dodgers don't keep him around for how popular he is with the casual fans in LA.

Oh and in game 1, was I the only one that was annoyed that Andruw Jones was too clueless to step out of the batter's box when the fans are trying to recognize his contributions? It seemed like a good majority of the fans were giving him a standing ovation (classy move ATL), but he didn't really acknowledge it, besides that creepy little smile that is always on his face. Step out, tip your helmet, etc etc.

I'd wish you guys luck today, but the way our team offense is going, you really don't need it.

Great post....I guess being around Andruw for 10 years, that's the way he is.....no matter what it seems like nothing bothers him, that's one of the reasons that I liked him for so long....


Pat, I have a question for you,

Chad was so sick for 5 innings and then he just lost it....is that normal for him because he has the stuff to be a frontline starter. He was absolutely nasty for a while yesterday!

Yeah, sadly EK (Karros, speaking of Dodgers I loved to hate late in their careers...) hit it on the head when he talked about Bills troubles. More often then not, he had control issues and throws way too many pitches early in the game, and ends up being only around until the 5th/6th. Similar to how Dreifort was with us, and how Penny used to be. Penny has learned to 'pitch' and not throw because of someone you are familiar with:

When Brad Penny and Maddux were teammates on the Dodgers, during the last two months of 2006, they had a conversation one day that led Penny to reach a stunning conclusion: This guy knows my stuff better than I do. It was eerie, really, how easily Maddux dissected Penny's repertoire and suggested ways to maximize it. Penny, figuring he'd take advantage of the situation, asked Maddux to call a game for him against the Cubs. And so, on the night of Sept. 13, Penny glanced into the dugout before every delivery and found Maddux, who signaled the next pitch by looking toward different parts of the ballpark. Penny threw seven scoreless innings with no walks and beat the Cubs 6-0. "Maddux probably won't tell you that story," Penny says. He's right.

Hopefully Bills doesn't wait until the downside of his career to learn to get the 1 pitch outs etc.

Great, I thought it was a late game today, not early. Now I have to play all the sundays AND watch an underachieving team...Blah. The Lakers better not play a stressful game today or I'll be a wreck by later this afternoon.

EDIT: Great I turn it on in time for the ^2. My neighbors have already gotten a nice speech on how big of losers they are lol.

And this is the reason he is the best manager in baseball.......do you not want to play for him???


James got through five innings on 69 pitches, a quantum leap from his first start this season. On April 9 at Colorado, the left-hander gave up five hits and six runs and hit three batters, piling up 69 pitches in three innings.

"His control was much better," manager Bobby Cox said. "Pitching in Colorado, your first start, it's freezing cold, all that ... it's awful tough."

Name one manger that will take up for a player like that.

And I go to every game with a Jurrjens jersey! Only one in Turner!

If anyone wants to argue, Chipper is the best player in the league right now AINEC!!!

Juan Pierre FTW.

I feel 100% better with Hu at 2b on that groundball then Kent. Hu is considered our SS of the future, unless Raffy messes that up and gets an extension like he wants . Even then, I'd move Raffy to 2b because Hu loses value playing anywhere but SS (he's going to be a verrrrry good defensive ss), or in the future once Jones is gone, Raffy could be a CF IMO.

Uh oh re: Chipper.

I absolutely totally disagree....Furcal's arm is wayyyyy too good t=o move to 2nd....if you don't re-sign him then I am in total agreement by the way

That's why I actually prefer a move to CF in the future, but without a doubt, Hu > Furcal defensively, and will be at like 1/20th the cost lol. Before CC started so bad, I liked the idea of letting Lowe and Furcal go elsewhere, and signing CC. Ha, if he continues how he has been though, we will prob be able to afford re-signing Raffy and him.

Ty Andre Ethier. I'd put the chance of the Dodgers scoring 1 run over the next few innings at <20%, no way in hell they have a chance if that balls gets down.

Who is the color guy on TBS? Former pitcher is all I've been able to pick up...

Pat, you wanna bet Braves vs. Dodgers this year???


You have to more about bb then me....

LOL, mbn to watch your team play and have pretty much no stress innings for your pitchers. Sigh...

On a side note, I was very impressed with that group of young 'talent' they showed in the stands on that Raffy 3-2 pitch.

I absolutely love your banter.....seriously, let's have a good bet........wins Braves vs. Dodgers...

And tell me you wouldn't love Jurrjens!!!

Ya, he's been impressive. I think the Dodgers would be a lot better off vs someone hard throwing right now then someone like him.

Hard to bet when they have dominated us this weekend minus Hudson and Smoltz...Plus the NLW looks so tough this year, it is going to be even more difficult for the Dodgers to recover from a slow start. Annnnnnnnd I'd much rather root for the Braves then the Mets in the East....

But, if you insist, we can do something wager-wise.

I'd much rather have had Pierre picked off with the hidden ball trick (at least that would have added to my Pierre hatred, instead he looked like the only competent player in the inning) then watch Loney K, and Jones roll over a 2-0 pitch with a runner on 3rd and 1 out. 0-4 with a hat trick and that dismal performance. GFY Andruw.

Pathetic.

How bad is Andruw right now??? I still love him......no matter how long it takes he's a good player........



PM Pat and we'll bet Dodgers vs. Braves!!!

GG, nice sweep, now I can watch the Lakers play no defense vs the Nuggets and prob blow game 1 at home.

Proctor = who we got for Betemit, sigh.

PM me because I'll forget (on purpose after watching today)

I look so much better now! Somebody has to give me props for having season ticks!!! Pat PM later if your near ATL or the Southeast!


And your Dodgers have nothing on us baby!!

Heh will do. I've only been through ATL once and that was only the airport. I did however enjoy the bar/restaurant or whatever they have in there where you can smoke.

Funny, I used to hate the Braves, but you have been out of the NL West for so long there are plenty of teams I dislike more. Plus, you have to respect what Cox has done there for so long, tomahawk chop or not.

I have been in Atl for so long.......but he does it with no Leo!! Pat, glad we could get a sweep today sir!!!

Headed to the game against Cinci on Friday. If any FCPers will be around, let me know.

Wasn't there this weekend finishing up with school and such. Will be there for about every game this summer....if any FCP'ers plan on going to Turner PM me and let me know.

Only took 33 games to win one by one run.

Now if we could only win one on the road.....

Finally won one on the road! Let's see if we can make it 2 in a row.......would be really nice to win this series vs. the Phils with both their aces going and neither of ours! Ship it please!

Turns out that 8-0 was necessary. Nice for Glavine to finally pick up a win.

The Mets and Fish went down tonight as well. Good night all around.

This is def true....he's pitched well enough to have 3 or 4 already if we ever gave him any run support.


Hopefully we'll have some good luck against Hamels tonight (God knows we'll need it with Chucky on the mound).

Finally got our 2nd 1-run win of the season (only took 41 games), and of course both have been at home. 15-4 at home and 6-16 on the road.....at some point we have to learn to win on the road if we are even going to be competitive this year. At least we're on an 11 game homestand right now. Too bad it's 3 against Oakland, 4 against the Mets and 4 against the D'Backs. We really need to come out of this a few games over .500 imo.

The best news that I received all day was that Chucky was sent down to Richmond. He is totally clueless as to how to pitch right now and needs to try to figure things out. I really hope that he can turn things around, but imo he needs to stay in AAA for the rest of the year.

Keep it going tonight Huddy!

Double whammy for Chuck- his head is screwy and his mechanics are whacked. Charlie Morton better be ready soon.