Jordan Patterson to get first MLB start

DENVER — This afternoon, the recently promoted Colorado Rockies outfielder/first baseman Jordan Patterson will make his first MLB.

“They gave me a flight itinerary but it wasn’t for Denver,” Patterson said about the day he was called up, “and then they paused for a second and said, ‘no, I’m just kidding,’ gave me a big ole bear hug, we shared some emotion and that was that.”

Patterson will start in left field, giving David Dahl a rest, and not at first base where the club still seems to be seeing what they can get out of Gerardo Parra at the position.

The 24-year-old who stands at 6’5 has had a career year in many ways, most especially in increasing his walk rate up to nearly 10 percent, hovering over .400 with his on-base percentage before falling off a bit late in the season.

“It’s just evolving my approach and plan. I swing at the pitches I want to swing at and don’t swing at the pitches I don’t want to. I’m being selective. At times I wasn’t but for the majority of the year I was and I think that’s a reason why my walk percentage went up.”

But as the walk rate did dip near the end of the year, the power surged. “Yeah, that happens to me,” he says,”Typically, if you look at my years, the power comes in streaks and stretches. The first two months, I didn’t hit for much power but I knew it was only a matter of time. I just stick to what I do best and I know it’ll come at some point.”

With his first chance at regular at-bats it will be interesting to see if Patterson can settle back into the rhythm he was in with Albuquerque. Patterson will join German Marquez who is also making the first start of his MLB career this afternoon.