Just a few days into this season, some national media members were already suggesting that the Braves may have come up truly rich in October, when they sent shortstop Edgar Renteria to the Tigers.

In exchange for Renteria, the Braves received Gorkys Hernandez, who is a highly touted outfield prospect, and Jair Jurrjens, who has immediately given indication that he could play a large role in the success the Braves find this year.

Coming off a strong Grapefruit League season, Jurrjens will make his season debut on Wednesday night, when the Braves host the Pirates in the second game of a three-game set. The 22-year-old right-hander will be opposed by southpaw Tom Gorzelanny, who is coming off a career-best 14-win season.

"I'm trying not to think about [the start]," Jurrjens said. "I'm just waiting for the day to come and I can just do my job."

After taking Tuesday off, the Braves and Pirates will resume their three-game series. The day off will provide Jurrjens a chance to attempt to calm some of the nerves he felt during his last few Grapefruit League starts.

"Now that I know that I made the team, I can relax and have fun like I was having at the start of Spring Training," Jurrjens said.

While the Braves are looking forward to seeing Jurrjens make his season debut, they're also hoping Kelly Johnson's right knee doesn't prove to be a lingering problem. The second baseman was forced to leave Monday's home opener in the fourth inning, and he was replaced by Martin Prado.

Pitching matchup
ATL: RHP Jair Jurrjens (3-1, 4.70 ERA in 2007)
He went 3-1 with a 4.70 ERA in seven starts with the Tigers last year. Jurrjens, who has a fastball that has been clocked around 93 mph, has good control of his slider and changeup.

PIT: LHP Tom Gorzelanny (14-10, 3.88 ERA in 2007)
After leading the Pirates with 14 wins last season, Gorzelanny looks to begin just his second full season in Pittsburgh. The lefty pitched past the 200-inning mark last season for the first time, and he made a staff-high 32 starts. A year ago, Gorzelanny followed a shaky spring by jumping out to start the season 3-0 with a 2.05 ERA.

Tidbits
Pirates closer Matt Capps, who is from Douglasville, Ga., played with Jeff Francoeur and Brian McCann for Team Georgia in the 2001 Sun Belt Classic in Oklahoma. ... Monday marked just the second time that the Pirates have played a home opener in Atlanta. The only other instance came in 1966, when the Braves hosted them in the first game they played after moving from Milwaukee.

Tickets
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On the Internet
 MLB.TV
 Gameday Audio
•  Gameday
•  Official game notes

On television
• FSN

On radio
• WGST 640

Up next
• Thursday: Pirates (Zach Duke, 3-8, 5.53 in '07) at Braves (Mike Hampton, 5-3, 3.50 in '05), 7:10 p.m. ET
• Friday: Mets (John Maine, 15-10, 3.91 in '07) at Braves (Tim Hudson, 0-0, 2.57), 7:35 p.m. ET
• Saturday: Mets (Mike Pelfrey, 3-8, 5.57 in '07) at Braves (Tom Glavine, 0-0, 1.80), 3:55 p.m. ET