Paul Valtierra electric in MLB Debut
With the Royals off to a rough start this year they were looking for anything that will give them a spark. Hopefully today's performance is what is needed to get the Royals on a roll.
Twenty-one year old starting pitcher
Paul Valtierra was called up from AAA on May 7th and is currently listed as the 26th best prospect in baseball by Baseball America. Management has been gushing about this guy for a long time tonight and boy did he deliver on that promise tonight.
The product of Madawaska, Maine started off the game with two straight strikeouts and didn't look back. He pitched eight scoreless innings and only gave up three hits against the Texas Rangers. His third hit surrendered was in the top of the ninth so he basically gave up two hits over eight innings. And to make the performance even better, it was on the road in Texas.
Valtierra had this to say while icing his shoulder down, "I wasn't too nervous today, no I lie, I was shaking early on but the first two strikeouts calmed me down a lot. It clicked after that, that this is the same game as AAA, just on a bigger stage. I hope to pitch well this year and end up in the starting rotation by the end of the year." Paul is currently the sixth starter for now and mainly penciled in for mop up work.
And to top off this great pitching performance the Royals bats also showed up today. The Royals destroyed the Athletics 8-0 and had 15 hits. They were lead today by rookie catcher phenom Gene "Boom Boom" Marquez who went 4-5 with 4 RBI's. By far Boom Boom's best ever game in his ever so short career. The Royals have two more games in Texas before returning home to face off against the Seattle Mariners.
Notes: First baseman
Melvin Colmenares has finally started hitting the ball and went 3-5 2 RBI's and 3 runs scored tonight which raised his average to .255 for the year. Veteran catcher
Ramon Hernandez who has lost his starting job to Marquez has found a home at the DH spot and he went 3-5 with an RBI and run scored tonight.
