The new look Chicago Cubs will meet the Washington Nationals on Opening Day 2012, and Cubs fans may not like what they see. Today, Nationals manager Davey Johnson announced that phenom and ace Stephen Strasburg will open the season on the hill vs. the Cubs.
Davey Johnson announces Stephen Strasburg will start Opening Day vs. Cubs. "I like to put my best foot forward from the get-go."
— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) March 21, 2012
This may come as a bit of a surprise, as some teams like to reserve their top starter for their home opener, but Johnson— who openly called for Bryce Harper to open the season in the big leagues— has been a proponent of Washington's youth movement. Strasburg made five starts at the end of last season, striking out 24 batters in 24 innings while only allowing 15 hits and four earned runs. Spring has not been kind to him (he has posted a 5.52 ERA), but exhibitions and Opening Day are two very different animals.
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