DENVER – Monday’s news that 22-year-old German Marquez will get the start Tuesday night against the Washington Nationals also comes with bad news for somebody else on the Colorado Rockies roster. Room has to be made on the 25-man for the righty pitcher, and if it ends up being Pat Valaika who is sent back to Triple-A, it won’t be because he hasn’t earned a spot with his play.
Utility infielders Cristhian Adames and Alexi Amarista have the upper hand on roster spots because to move them means the Rockies risk losing them entirely, where Valaiaka can be optioned back and forth between Triple-A and MLB all they like.
But in even just a short time, Valaika has shown a lot more promise than either of those more experienced players. He has hit the ball hard in play both times he has been to the plate, last night smashing a double after working a fantastic at-bat in the seventh inning with the Rockies down a run.
On the ROOT press game report, Charlie Blackmon praised Valaika’s seventh-inning at-bat for sparking a five-run late outburst from the Rockies in Monday night’s win. Blackmon’s follow-up home run gave Colorado a lead they would not relinquish.
“I saw a fastball in,” Valaika said of the pitch he drove. “He likes to throw his fastball. I was just trying to get on any way [possible]. Get Charlie up.”
The Rockies again did damage again with two outs and both Blackmon and Valaika took some time to talk to BSN Denver exclusively about the importance of producing when the opposition is just one out away from escape.
“Two-out hits are a big momentum shift—to get those hits and score those extra runs—It can change a game,” Blackmon said. “It can be huge mentally.”
“There’s no giveaway at-bats in this game,” Valaika echoed. “A game can turn on a dime. Every at-bat is important. They give you three outs in an inning for a reason. Our lineup is dangerous. You get anyone on it can change the game.”
Valaika getting on changed the game last night in the Rockies biggest win of the season.
As Bud Black told us before the season, one way or another, Valaiaka was going to be joining the MLB team in 2017. He could easily stay on for now if the Rockies decide to part with either Adames or Amarista, but a fully healthy roster with Ian Desmond, David Dahl, and Tom Murphy will likely push him out eventually. But even if he is sent down today, though that is not guaranteed, Rockies fans will be seeing Valaiaka again. Hope he has frequent flyer miles.
The Rockies have shown the importance of timely, clutch hitting and quality pitching in 2017 and wherever Pat Valaika goes, his words will ring through the clubhouse at 20th and Blake; “Every at-bat is important.”
