Braves 5 Phillies 3 (Thomson For Mayor)

Now that's a Braves game. Skip and Joe on the mike, a strong starting performance, and a couple of timely HRs and everyone goes home happy from the home opener at Turner Field. Thomson went five innings, allowing one unearned run, and drove in two with a double (one of his two hits which, strangely, Skip prophesized).

HRs were from Giles and Andruw, and everyone in the lineup got at least one hit, except (go on, try to guess) Francouer. According to Joe, hitting coach Terry Pendleton was asked about Francouer's approach, specifically about pulling off the ball too early, which he's obviously doing. TP's response was that he's not going to change anything, because this was the style that brought him success in the minors. Aside from congratulating TP on his brilliant rationalization to do nothing (well played, sir), I have two points to make:

1. It's possible that major league pitchers are better at exploiting a hitter's weakness than are minor league pitchers.

2. Nobody can hit who can't see the ball.

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! Oy Oy Oy!

In other news, Joey Devine has been sent back to Richmond after his latest scary Rick Ankiel-looking performance, and his replacement is Peter Moylan, an Australian reliever who pitched in the WBC. He throws hard, and more or less plateward.