Opening Day 08 - Zimmerman blasts Nats past Braves

“Every team knows they’re going to win 60 games and lose 60 games. They’re all fighting to decide the other 42.” –George Will

Opening Day for the Braves began with a trip to D.C. and the opening of the Nats new ballpark. Uber-prospect Ryan Zimmerman sent the home fans home happy with a walk off Homerun with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th inning. Of note on the homerun is the fact that the ball would have likely gone for a double in RFK stadium where the left center field wall was 10 feet deeper.

Unfortunately for the Braves last night’s game was likely one of the 42 that could go either way. We’re now 0-1 in that department.

Of interest from last night’s game

*AU alum Tim Hudson pitched a masterful game after getting out of a troublesome first inning. He allowed only 3 hits and struck out 3. Of the three hits only one was hit hard and the other two were balls clearly out of the strike zone. All in all a great start for opening day.

*Fantasy owners of Mark Teixeira were shorted a run scored when Martin Prado pinch ran for MT in the top of the 9th. He would score on a past ball. Good call by Bobby Cox because it is not clear that Tex would have scored on the play.

*Brian McCann getting thrown out at second base following a long single to right field was also likely an effect of the new ballpark. The laser hit by BM ricocheted off the top of the wall like it was shot out of a cannon. It is apparent that BM was unaware of how the ball would play off of the right field wall as he was thrown out by a solid 6 feet.