What follows is a position-by-position compilation of the worst Opening Day starters ever, with two caveats. The cut-off is 1977, and injury substitutes (i.e. Easy Ed Miller over Jeff Burroughs in ’80) don’t count.
C: “Gainesville’s own” Jody Davis (’89). Like runner-ups Rick Cerone (’85) and Ernie Whitt (’90), Davis was once an above-average backstop. But they all turned into Fernando Lunar once they got to Atlanta. Davis, who batted 5th on Opening Day in ’89, slipped the most. The two-time All-Star batted .169 in 231 ABs that year with a ungodly .489 OPS.
1B: Rico Brogna (’01).