Outfielder Ryan Langerhans was preparing to change a diaper on Sunday when his phone rang with word that the Mariners were calling him up from Class AAA Tacoma.
Only the cruel might say he went from one steaming pile to another. Langerhans was thrilled to be coming back to the Mariners, who he started the season with before being sent down on April 8.
“Daren Brown, the Triple-A manager, called me. I had just gotten back from the game, and I was home hanging out with my family,” Langerhans said. “I was actually about to be in the process of changing a diaper and couldn’t get the phone out of my pocket, but I was glad I was able to take that call.”
Langerhans, who batted .282 with five doubles for the Rainiers, will be used primarily for his defense, especially on days when center fielder Franklin Gutierrez needs a break.
“You look at Guti’s season, so far he’s playing every day and there’s times when he’ll get a little bit tired and we didn’t really have that option of putting anybody out in center field,” Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu said. “Langerhans gives us coverage in all three positions in a guy we’re comfortable with.”
Langerhans made the Mariners’ opening-day roster but was designated for assignment on April 8 when the team decided to bring up a 12th pitcher. He cleared waivers and gladly went to work with the Rainiers.
“I love the organization and all the people in it,” he said. “I just wanted to go down there, work hard and be a good teammate. If you go down there with a sour attitude, you aren’t going to endear yourself to your teammates very well. I just wanted to go down there and work on the things I needed to work on to get back here and just make solid contact and play good defense.”
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