What a first game in a new ballpark, a walk-off homerun, following a blown save to avoid extra innings. WOW. I’m going to give you my thoughts on tonight’s opener, the Atlanta Braves vs Washington Nationals. Being that I did play-by-play for the game tonight at work, I was able to keep a detailed list of FIRSTS for Nationals Park, so I’ll also post those for you.

First, the National Anthem - I didn’t even think about it first cause I put the chick on mute. But one of the guys at work said doesn’t this chick sound like Miss Piggy. I un-hit the Mute button and man he wasn’t joking. So actually it was a pretty entertaining anthem after thinking it was Miss Piggy singing it.

The first pitch - George Bush remember the advice Derek Jeter gave him a few years back. Go up on the mound, take the rubber and fire a fastball. None of that stand in front boring lets see if I reach toss. The pitch was a little high, but hey he risked embarrassment by taking the mound, well done.

Here’s the list of FIRSTS for the ballpark.
1st Win - Jon Rauch
1st Loss - Peter Moylan
1st Blown Save - Jon Rauch
1st Homerun - Chipper Jones
1st Hit - Cristian Guzman
1st Run - Cristian Guzman
1st RBI - Nick Johnson’
1st Double - Nick Johnson
1st Extra-Base Hit - Nick Johnson
1st Walk (Hitter) - Yunel Escobar
1st Walk (Pitcher) - Odalis Perez
1st Strikeout (Batter) - Kelly Johnson
1st Strikeout (Pitcher) - Odalis Perez
1st Error - Tim Hudson
1st Passed Ball - Paul LoDuca
1st Pick-Off / Caught Stealing - Kelly Johnson by Odalis Perez
1st Injury - Elijah Dukes

Now to thoughts on the game.
Tim Hudson - Amazing start after a horrible beginning. Hudson got knocked around in the first inning throwing 29 pitches, giving up 2 runs, 3 hits but struck out two. It truly looked like it was going to be a long night. Well Hudson went 7 innings and after that first inning no Nationals player reached base. In fact, no Nationals player touched a base again till the walk-off homerun in the 9th.

Odalis Perez - Solid start. I honestly expected for him to get hammered and thought he was one of the worst Opening Day pitchers EVER! What did he do, went 5 innings giving up 1 run, a Chipper Jones homer, 4 hits a walk and 2 strikeouts.

Chipper Jones - Homerun. What can you say Chipper Jones showing early season power has to be a good sign for you Braves fans.

Mark Teixeira - Double to start rally in the 9th inning. Boy was this ball absolutely crushed to right center off the 14-foot high wall. I don’t feel the ball was as close to going out as Joe Morgan thought. They were going absolutely crazy on ESPN that, that ball just missed going out of the park, but I don’t think it was high enough it was MAYBE half way up the ball. Regardless, that ball was still crushed.

Nick Johnson - Looked good coming back from his broken leg that cost him the entire 2007 season. I’ll tell you that was pretty impressive on how he ran in that first inning on Jeff Francoeur TWICE!. Johnson has never been a fast runner but he took Francoeur to town both times, and he’s got the best arm in the National League. Nobody ever tests this guy! Johnson turned a single into a double, then scored from second. Both times I thought he was dead in the water but he beat the throw. Great hustle from a guy not worried about his previous injury.

Jon Rauch - Came in to close out the game for an injured Chad Cordero and instantly blows a save. Granted, he did get some help from the amazing defensive skills of one Paul LoDuca. I must say LoDuca, is a BUM!!!

Ryan Zimmerman - 0-3 going into the ninth with a strikeout and two groundouts. Two outs, 2-2 tie and he hit a bomb to left-center field to win the Nats Opener. In RFK, that ball is most likely a double here in the new ballpark it’s a game winner.

Injuries - Elijah Dukes left the game in the 6th inning with a tight right hamstring. Dukes has experienced problems with that hammy the past 2 weeks in camp. He might get tomorrow off against the Phillies. Chad Cordero felt stiffness warming up for his save opportunity. Peter Gammons just reported stiffness not where thou, so one can only speculate.

The Ballpark - very nice from what we saw on TV. Nice views of the city which it seems every new stadium has now. From the looks of it, there will be a lot more homeruns this year, fairly deep power alleys and straight away center but nonetheless more homers. The ball had some carry to it at times, and once the heat and humidity hit the DC area in the summer that ball is going to be hopping out of there.


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