MILWAUKEE — When Freddy Peralta was shown on the big board at American Family Field on Friday night before the World Series opener, he received sturdy applause despite being in a Rays uniform.
Those enjoying the first World Series game in this city in 16,077 days — that is 44-plus years to save you the calculations — tabled the animus they were projecting toward all things Tampa Bay to acknowledge Peralta’s eight years of superb work as a Brewer.
Recognizing how good Peralta has been as a Ray — which includes an ALCS MVP award — Tampa Bay will hand the veteran righty the ball Monday for Game 3 of the World Series as the series shifts to Tropicana Field.
If he had just his performances in Milwaukee and Tampa Bay, Peralta would be the kind of top-of-the-rotation starter the Mets would be pursuing. Alas, he wore their uniform in between and produced like a deer in the headlights rather than a star in the spotlight. David Stearns cannot reconnect with a guy who had a 4.99 ERA in 22 Mets starts.