VERSATILE VALAIKA OPEN TO PLAYING FIRST BASE

Pat Valaika prides himself on being the Rockies’ ever-ready utility player. As spring training nears, he’s willing to expand that role to include first base if called upon.

“I would anticipate getting some time over there,” Valaika said Thursday. “I’m in the role where almost any position on the field is an option, so I need to be ready to play all of them, and first base is one of them.”

Last year, Valaika started 16 games at shortstop, five at third base, three at second base, two games in left field and one at first base.

First base remains a question mark for the Rockies and they need depth at the position, but Valaika, a natural infielder, is also preparing for more time in the outfield.

“I’ve been working to get stronger and get faster,” he said. “Instead of just doing a lot of infield stuff, I’m doing outfield stuff too. I want to add that to my repertoire and get more comfortable.”

Valaika, Colorado’s best pinch hitter, appeared in 110 games last season, hitting .328 with four home runs, including a pinch-hit grand slam against San Diego on Sept. 16. He led all big-league pinch hitters in RBIs (16), runs (12), doubles (eight) and extra-base hits (12).

Big-time bullpen.

Young starters Jon Gray and Kyle Freeland are thrilled with Colorado’s offseason, free-agent signings of right-handed closer Wade Davis, righthanded setup man Bryan Shaw and lateinning lefty Jake McGee. Over the next three seasons, the Rockies will spend $106 million on the trio.

“When I heard that news, I was ready to go,” Gray said. “I’ve been ready for spring training ever since. We are going to be even better out there (in the bullpen), and that’s scary.”

Added Freeland: “When we started making those moves, it was exciting. You know that no matter how your outing goes, if you are able to stretch it out to five or six innings, you know that bullpen is going to come in and hopefully do the job. It’s extremely exciting.”