Welcome to 5 Quick Questions, a series here at Mile High Sports where we will ask as many Colorado Rockies ballplayers as we can, and maybe a few coaches, front office members and media too, the same set of questions.
We will be keeping track of trends and making note of particularly fun or interesting answers while also adding a bit of context wherever it may be needed.
Next Up: Antonio Senzatela and Evan Justice
Who were your favorite players growing up?
Evan Justice: “Growing up I was always watching Kershaw. Another left-handed pitcher and one of the best.”
Antonio Senzatela: “King Felix (Hernandez) and Miguel Cabrera.”
When you think of the Rockies, who is the first player who comes to mind?
Evan Justice: “The two guys that come to mind are Todd Helton and Ubaldo Jimenez.”
Antonio Senzatela: “Galarraga and CarGo.”
They say that the triple is the most exciting play in baseball. Do you agree and if not, what is?
Evan Justice: “For a pitcher, if you can categorize it as a play, I would say the immaculate inning.”
Antonio Senzatela: “For me? A strikeout ‘em out, throw ‘em out double play. I’m a pitcher, dawg.”
If you could have any job in the world other than your own, what would it be?
Evan Justice: “That’s a tough one to answer. I’ve never thought about it. I’ve always dreamed to be where I am right now. So something probably within the sports realm. Something within the game of baseball.”
Antonio Senzatela: “I think maybe engineer. If I go to college I would maybe go for petroleum engineering. I just like that. I like numbers.”
What is your favorite ballgame that you played in?
Evan Justice: “My MLB debut was one of the most special moments of my life. Just last week. I’ve had a number of incredible baseball moments. Some in college in the World Series. Some great games in the minors but I’d say the debut takes the crown.”
Antonio Senzatela: “The playoff game in Chicago. When Freeland was great…that was the best game of my career watching.
Playing? Maybe in Milwaukee. Five innings two runs. That was really good, especially because Milwaukee is a good city for me. I made my debut out there. Five scoreless. But that game in Chicago, watching, I was in the bullpen warming up when Tony got the base hit. I was maybe gonna come in. I was ready.”
NOTES:
Justice becomes the third Rockies pitcher to mention Clayton Kershaw as a personal favorite, joining Peter Lambert and Jake Bird while Senzatela is the first to mention either King Felix Hernandez or Miguel Cabrera, two modern greats in their own right.
Todd Helton now has 11 votes for all-time Rockie and remains comfortably in first place while CarGo picks up his fifth and Jimenez his second.
The immaculate inning was mentioned for the fourth time as Justin Lawrence, Daniel Bard, and Pierce Johnson all brought it up before Justice. Senzatela is the third pitcher to pick a double play but the first to specify the strike ‘em out, throw ‘em out variety.
Senzatela is our first engineer and Justice becomes the second player after Mike Moustakas who couldn’t come up with anything outside the game of baseball.
On August 26, 2023, Evan Justice made his MLB debut for the Colorado Rockies in Baltimore against the Orioles after moving very quickly through the minors.
He gave up a run on a walk and a double off the bat of Anthony Santander but also struck out a pair and got a weak groundout to finish his inning.
On October 4, 2018, Antonio Senzatela took the mound in the NLDS, the first time a pitcher had done that for the Rockies since 2009.
He pitched incredibly well at just 23 years old, holding one of the hottest offenses in baseball to just a pair of runs on three hits. Both runs came on a homer off the bat of Christian Yelich who scorched his way into the National League MVP honors that season.
Otherwise Senza went five innings without giving up anything, helping to send that game into extras where they ultimately lost on a walk-off single from future-Rockie Mike Moustakas.