http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/rays/shane-peterson-makes-smashing-return-to-majors-with-rays/2320436
Shane Peterson makes smashing return to majors with Rays
Marc TopkinMarc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, April 15, 2017 12:17am
15
April
0
Shane Peterson had lots of time in traveling to Boston Friday after being called up from Triple-A Durham to think about his first at-bat in the big leagues since October 2015 would go.
"Just a hard hit ball,'' he said afterward. "Not a homer. It took me me 140 at-bats to get my first homer a couple years ago. And then my first at-bat of the year ... ''
And then his first at-bat of the year was indeed a homer.
A two-run shot, and off 2016 AL Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello at that, starting the Rays to a 10-5 victory over the Red Sox.
"That was a pretty cool moment for him to come up and hit a two-run homer in his first at-bat back in the big leagues,'' manager Kevin Cash said.
"The guys were all pumped for him. He's a pretty quiet guy. We got to know him enough in spring training. When he came to the dugout you couldn't knock the smile off his face. So that was pretty cool.''
Peterson played 93 games for the Brewers in 2015, but he had issues in his left arm in 2016 that eventually led to season ending surgery on a nerve in his elbow. He signed a minor-league deal with the Rays this winter based on the opportunity to play at Triple-A, and to have the benefit of their athletic-training staff's expertise, and then got called up when Mallex Smith went on the disabled list Friday due to hamstring tightness, and made a smashing return.
"It's awesome,'' said Logan Morrison, who added to the hit show with his first career grand slam. "It's a great story of perseverance and just grinding it out. He's a great player and we're happy to have him. I'm going to fine Cash for making him late to the season, but I'm glad he's here now.''
Peterson, 29, isn't the type to make a big deal of what he did, even as his teammates did, one walking by his locker and calling him "Shane Ruth,'' while he said the dramatic return may sink in more later.
He truly was just happy to be back in the majors, and doing well made it even better. He ended the night 2-for-4 with a career-high 3 RBIs. He was the ninth player to homer in his first plate appearance for the Rays.
"I had all day to pretty much think about it, that's part of my routine pretty much every day trying to visualize,'' Peterson said. "At the same time, you can't really expect things to go as you visualize it. I've had plenty of days when I thought I was going to do amazing, I had it mapped out in my head and the next thing you know it didn't turn out that way. But fortunately I was able to have a good day today, especially coming out first at-bat always makes rest of the day easier.''
Shane Peterson makes smashing return to majors with Rays
Marc TopkinMarc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, April 15, 2017 12:17am
15
April
0
Shane Peterson had lots of time in traveling to Boston Friday after being called up from Triple-A Durham to think about his first at-bat in the big leagues since October 2015 would go.
"Just a hard hit ball,'' he said afterward. "Not a homer. It took me me 140 at-bats to get my first homer a couple years ago. And then my first at-bat of the year ... ''
And then his first at-bat of the year was indeed a homer.
A two-run shot, and off 2016 AL Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello at that, starting the Rays to a 10-5 victory over the Red Sox.
"That was a pretty cool moment for him to come up and hit a two-run homer in his first at-bat back in the big leagues,'' manager Kevin Cash said.
"The guys were all pumped for him. He's a pretty quiet guy. We got to know him enough in spring training. When he came to the dugout you couldn't knock the smile off his face. So that was pretty cool.''
Peterson played 93 games for the Brewers in 2015, but he had issues in his left arm in 2016 that eventually led to season ending surgery on a nerve in his elbow. He signed a minor-league deal with the Rays this winter based on the opportunity to play at Triple-A, and to have the benefit of their athletic-training staff's expertise, and then got called up when Mallex Smith went on the disabled list Friday due to hamstring tightness, and made a smashing return.
"It's awesome,'' said Logan Morrison, who added to the hit show with his first career grand slam. "It's a great story of perseverance and just grinding it out. He's a great player and we're happy to have him. I'm going to fine Cash for making him late to the season, but I'm glad he's here now.''
Peterson, 29, isn't the type to make a big deal of what he did, even as his teammates did, one walking by his locker and calling him "Shane Ruth,'' while he said the dramatic return may sink in more later.
He truly was just happy to be back in the majors, and doing well made it even better. He ended the night 2-for-4 with a career-high 3 RBIs. He was the ninth player to homer in his first plate appearance for the Rays.
"I had all day to pretty much think about it, that's part of my routine pretty much every day trying to visualize,'' Peterson said. "At the same time, you can't really expect things to go as you visualize it. I've had plenty of days when I thought I was going to do amazing, I had it mapped out in my head and the next thing you know it didn't turn out that way. But fortunately I was able to have a good day today, especially coming out first at-bat always makes rest of the day easier.''
