Phillies Opening Day: Five observations from a disappointing loss
By John Town
Maikel Franco showing discipline
For all the negative things from this game, one positive that came out of it was how Maikel Franco performed at the plate. Franco went 0-for-2 with two walks, “driving” in a run on one of those walks.
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Even though Franco didn’t get a hit, his performance at the plate was a positive sign for this season. The Braves were feeding him plenty of low-and-away breaking pitches, but he laid them all off. They have been a huge issue for him in the past, but he was able to lay them off and record two walks.
Small steps like this will be huge for Franco. He needs to show major improvement this year to remain on this team.
Being able to stave off those low-and-away breaking balls will certainly help do that.
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This game was not the way we wanted the season to start. Hopefully, the team can turn things around from here.