ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Albuquerque Isotopes pitcher Michael Petersen has two wins and two losses this season. His Earned Run Average is 2.61 through 29 games. It’s not bad numbers for a guy who once thought he did not belong in professional baseball. Petersen missed multiple seasons due to Tommy John surgery and COVID-19.
An opportunity to represent Great Britain in the World Baseball Classic changed Petersen’s career in a way he never imagined. He was called to the mound against Team USA and words from his pitching coach completely changed his mindset, after he was able to shutdown some of the top players in Major League Baseball.
“He goes, ‘yeah, if the lineup turns over to the top we think you matchup really well’,” said Petersen. “I remember stopping and going, ‘what do you mean matchup?’ This is an all-star team, this is better than an all-star team because you get both sides, that’s absurd, nobody matches up to this lineup. The mindset switches to I don’t belong, to I can compete with anybody, and that’s kind of how this season has been going.”
While Petersen represents Great Britain, he is also cultured worldwide. His mother is Nigerian and his father is American. They taught him to take in experiences that he won’t find anywhere else in the world. “I think it’s fun to be wherever you’re at, to be a part of it,” said Petersen. “Like, this culture, when I first got here, the first thing I tried was green chile. I’m like, I’m here. I got to see what it’s like. I went up to Santa Fe. There’s not many jobs you get to do where you get to see so much of the world. It’s kind of a shame if you go to somewhere new and don’t try it.”
