Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Antonio Senzatela made his Major League debut in Thursday’s 2-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. The 22-year-old navigated his way through five scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while striking out six.
While the stat line is impressive for the rookie, Senzatela faced some complex situations en route to his scoreless debut.
Off the bat, nerves were certainly running high for Senzatela, who found himself in trouble throughout his first two Major League innings. In the first, he loaded the bases with just one out. His control was noticeably off; however, he managed to keep cool to deliver a bending pitch that resulted in a double play, escaping the inning unscathed.
With one out in the second inning, a heater slipped out of Senzatela’s hand, beaning the Brewers Keon Broxton in the face, thankfully Broxton was okay. That said, Senzatela remained calm and was able to work his way out of yet another jam. From there on, he settled into a groove despite lack of command in his pitches. Senzatela threw 93 pitches with just 56 called strikes.
The poise Senzatela showed throughout his first professional start is a good sign for the Rockies. Pitching at the Major League level is tough enough, making pitching in the bigs under duress is that much more difficult. With the youthful rotation the Rockies have, poise and composure will be critical to the level of success Colorado experiences this season.
Senzatela earned a spot in the Rockies rotation late in Spring Training, along with fellow rookie Kyle Freeland, who will start Colorado’s home opener tomorrow, with his electric fastball mixed and deceiving slider. Overshadowed by other top pitching prospects within Colorado’s farm system, Senzatela has the stuff to be a successful pitcher at the professional level. Most importantly, it looks likes Senzatela has the poise to grind through tough scenario’s while on the bump, something that could ultimately make or break his career.
Sure it’s one start, but Senzatela’s pitching was the deciding point in Thursday’s matinee. If Senzatela caves and allows just one or two runs in the early innings the outcome of the ballgame could have very well ended in the Brewers’ favor.
