Billings Mustangs Playoff Preview + Article on Chris Valaika

Pioneer league tale of the tape

Take a look at the matchup between the Mustangs and Missoula Osprey in the first round of Pioneer League North division playoffs.

Starting Pitching

Mustangs

Jordan Smith (6-3, 3.01) and Anthony Gressick (6-2, 4.50) are tabbed for the first two games.

Osprey

Castillo Osbek (6-0, 1.04) starts in Game 1, followed by Jordan Norberto (3-2, 3.09).

Middle Relief

Both teams have a solid relief corps. The Mustangs have Jeremy Burchett (3-2, 2.16), Marcus Mateo (5-1, 3.20) and Luis Moya (2-2, 3.58) leading the way. The Osprey can counter with the likes of Hector Ambriz (1-3, 1.91) and Clay Zavada (2-3, 3.10)

Closer

Mustangs

Terrell Young (9 saves) hasn't given up a run in 11 second-half appearances. Josh Roenicke (6 saves) has allowed just two runs in 12 second-half apperances.

Osprey

Daniel Stange leads the Pioneer League with 13 saves in 17 chances. He's also 5-2 with a 4.25 ERA.

Offense

Mustangs

Mustangs lead the league in hitting (.289) and runs scored (458). Daniel Dorn (.358), Justin Turner (.341), Logan Parker (.329) and Chris Valaika (.327) all rank in the top 10.

Osprey

Osprey are sixth in hitting (.258) and fifth in runs scored (402). Gerardo Parra (.332) is the only Osprey in the top 10.

Head-to-head

The Mustangs won the season series 11-5, outscoring the Osprey 91-77.

The Quote

"In a short series, anything can happen. You can't take anything for granted. We've been a better offensive team all year, but we've got to beat some good pitching to move to the next round."
- Mustangs manager Rick Burleson

Found this one in the Billings Gazette

The Billings Gazette also has a nice article on Chris Valaika, I have it below.

Ponies' Valaika always a step ahead

MVP shortstop leads Mustangs into Pioneer playoffs

By MIKE SCHERTING
Of The Gazette Staff

Chris Valaika has always been ahead of the curve. By the time he was 18 years old, two gold medals and a silver medal from international competition had been hung around his neck.

In college, after an ACL injury ruined his sophomore season and six inches of his hamstring had been attached to his damaged right knee, he returned to action in just 51/2 months, even though he'd been told it would be 18 months before he could play again.

And in his first season of professional baseball, the recently turned 21-year-old shortstop from California has become a Pioneer League MVP and the holder of a new league record, a 32-game hitting streak.

Valaika's spectacular season, one of the best full seasons seen from a Billings Mustangs player in recent seasons, is one of the reasons the Ponies open the North Division playoffs tonight against the Missoula Osprey in Missoula.

"For a first-year guy, coming in and doing what he's done, it's just pretty exciting to see," Mustangs manager Rick Burleson said. "He's become a pro real quick. He's very mature for his age."

Valaika's professionally-honed game shouldn't be a surprise. After all, he was just 15 years old when he made the cut for the Team USA 16-and-under squad that went to Mexico and defeated Venezuela for the world championship. He was 18 and a senior in high school when he stood on the same field as the Cubans in the Pan Am Games, a game Team USA lost. And a few months later, still 18 but as a college freshman, Valaika was a gold-medal winner again on the world stage as Team USA beat Japan in Taiwan for another world championship.

"I had to grow up quick," said Valaika, who counts players like Ryan Zimmerman (Washington Nationals), Lastings Milledge (New York Mets), Mark Pelfry (Mets) and current Mustang and Reds' No. 1 pick Drew Stubbs among his various Team USA teammates. "Really, from a young age, I've been playing at a high level of ball and I think that's helped me carry over into pro ball now."

Valaika wasn't a hit in his first night as a Mustang. In fact, the third-round pick from UC-Santa Barbara went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. But the next night he homered and doubled, driving in two runs in a 5-3 loss to Great Falls and he's been a tough out ever since.

His 32-game hitting streak broke the 2003 record of Ricardo Nanito and he batted .374 during that stretch, which ended Aug. 26. There were several anxious moments when he didn't get a hit until his last at-bat of a game to continue the streak. But in the most crucial times, like the record-tying and record-setting games, Valaika got the necessary hit in his first at-bat.

Valaika, though, wasn't fazed by any of it. Every day, every game, every at-bat, no matter how important they might have seemed to someone else, was the same to Valaika.

"Every day is Groundhog Day," he said, referencing the movie where actor Bill Murray would awaken each day to the same situation. "If you can stay in your routine every day, that really helps. Don't stray from what you've been doing that's been working because that's when things change. If I can go out every day and just try to get one hit a day, two hits a day, and just do things to help the team, good things are going to happen."

Good things have already happened to Valaika - in bunches. Going into Thursday's regular-season finale in Great Falls, Valaika was 10th in the league with a .327 batting average. He was tied for the league lead in hits (89) and second in RBIs (60) and runs scored (58). He credited his teammates for being on base in front of him to account for his high RBI total.

When Valaika set the league hit-streak record against Orem, Owlz manager Tom Kotchman said, "If he doesn't get MVP, something is wrong." A few days later, Valaika was named the MVP.

All that's left now is to make it through the playoffs and grab that Pioneer League championship ring.

"I've had a great time in Billings," Valaika said. "I live with a great host family (Paul and Sandra Hartman). Everybody around here, how they back the team, it's just been a great environment for myself and for everybody.

"I'll be sad to go. It's going to be tough leaving. But I'm ready to move on, hopefully end up in (Class A) Dayton, (Class A) Sarasota or somewhere next year and see what happens from there."

www.billingsgazette.com