(My Sportsbook) - The Philadelphia Phillies begin defense of their World Series championship this evening, as they lift the lid off the 2009 season with the opener of a three-game set against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park.

After capturing its second straight National League East title, Philadelphia steamrolled its way through the postseason to capture its second World Series title in team history and its first since 1983 with a Game 5 victory over the surprising Tampa Bay Rays.

Behind a strong rotation, consistent hitting and one of the top bullpens in baseball, the Phils went 92-70 in the regular season before posting an impressive 11-3 mark in the playoffs.

The Phillies return basically the same squad that won it all a year ago, as they begin their quest to become the first NL team since the Cincinnati Reds (1975-76) to win back-to-back championships. The New York Yankees were the last team to win consecutive titles, capturing three straight from 1998-2000

Seven of the eight position players who saw significant playing time return for 2009, including Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins, and some will argue that swapping in Raul Ibanez for 2008 everyday left fielder Pat Burrell (now in Tampa Bay) will make the lineup more consistent.

Utley is back after offseason hip surgery, which initially was believed to keep him off the field for at least the first month of the season.

On the rubber, the rotation will be again anchored by ace left-hander and 2008 World Series MVP Cole Hamels, with closer Brad Lidge ready to lock things down in the ninth inning after a perfect season a year ago.

The Philly faithful, though, got a bit of a scare early on this spring when Hamels was sent back to Philadelphia for tests on his elbow. Luckily, everything was fine, but he is not expected to pitch in this series.

So, getting the call tonight will be right-hander Brett Myers, who will be making his third straight Opening Day start for the Phils. Myers, returning to the rotation last year after serving as the closer for the latter part of '07, was just 3-9 with a 5.84 ERA through his first 17 starts before he and the club worked out an agreement for him to go to the minors to work out of his funk.

Putting his ego in check, the 28-year-old returned with a vengeance in late July and went 7-4 with a 3.06 ERA and one shutout in 13 second-half starts.

Myers is just 4-8 lifetime against the Braves with four saves and a 4.60 ERA in 26 games, 19 of which have been starts. Last year he lost both of his starts against them, surrendering 14 runs (10 earned) in 8 2/3 innings.

Atlanta, meanwhile, enters a season without John Smoltz for the first time since 1987, as the former Cy Young Award winning right-hander signed a one- year, $5.5 million deal with the Boston Red Sox.

Armed with a new-look starting rotation, the Braves hope to bounce back from a fourth-place finish a year ago - their worst divisional finish since ending the 1990 season sixth in the West. The once-dominating franchise has now missed the playoffs in three straight years following 14 straight division titles.

Striking out on deals to land free agents A.J. Burnett and Rafael Furcal, as well as a decision not to pursue a trade for San Diego's Jake Peavy, the Braves looked as if they were going to get shut out this offseason.

But then the pieces started to fall into place. Though Smoltz left after spending 20 seasons with the Braves, the franchise slowly began to rebuild its pitching staff by adding Derek Lowe, Javier Vazquez and Japanese import Kenshin Kawakami.

The Braves did land a new left fielder, signing Garret Anderson, but he was the only significant addition to the offense from outside the organization.

Of course, the one constant in the Atlanta lineup continues to be third baseman Chipper Jones, who posted a career-high .364 batting average in 2008 to go with 22 homers and 75 runs batted in during 128 games.

Atlanta will turn to one of its new arms tonight, as Lowe makes his Braves debut. Lowe went 14-11 with a 3.24 earned run average last year for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Lowe, who will be making the fourth Opening Day Start of his career, went 0-1 in two postseason starts against the Phils last year, but is 4-1 lifetime against them with a pair of saves and a 3.02 ERA in 11 games (seven starts).

One player who has struggled in his career against Lowe is Howard, who has recorded just two singles in 16 career at-bats against him. However, Howard has owned the Braves over the course of his short career, hitting .342 with 24 homers and 71 RBI against them.

Philadelphia dominated the Braves a year ago, winning 14 of the 18 matchups, but was just 5-4 against them at Citizens Bank Park. Atlanta has actually split its last 18 matchups in the City of Brotherly Love.