"A year ago, Bobby Cox announced Derek Lowe as the Braves' opening-day starter five weeks before the game. New Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez waited until 15 days before opening day to make a similar announcement.

On Wednesday, Gonzalez named Lowe his starter for the March 31 opener at Washington, making it three seasons in a row and six out of seven that Lowe will start on opening day. Tim Hudson starts the April 8 home opener vs. Philadelphia.

"He was solid the last month and half of the season, and has been this spring," Gonzalez said of Lowe, who was 5-0 with a 1.17 ERA in five September starts to win National League pitcher of the month honors and help the Braves win the wild-card playoff berth.

"I think this [rotation order] sets up well all the way down."

After Lowe starts the March 29 opener, Tommy Hanson will pitch Game 2 on April 2, Hudson gets the April 3 series finale against the Nationals, and Jair Jurrjens starts the April 4 opener of a four-game series at Milwaukee.

Lowe comes back to pitch the fifth game of the season April 5, and the winner of the fifth-starter competition makes his season debut April 6 against Milwaukee. Rookies Brandon Beachy and left-hander Mike Minor are competing for the fifth-starter job, along with veteran longshot Rodrigo Lopez.

Hanson will pitch the series finale against the Brewers, setting up Hudson to start the home opener.

Lowe, who's entering the third season of a four-year, $60 million contract, started and won opening day in each of his first two seasons with the Braves. He gave up five runs in six innings of a 16-5 rout against the Chicago Cubs to begin the 2010 season, and pitched eight scoreless innings (two hits) at Philadelphia in the 2009 opener."