Pete Laforest #4

Pierre Luc Laforest...attended Fort Scott (KS) Community College in 1996 where he played baseball while learning English...batted .292 (7-for-24) with three doubles, three home runs and five RBI at the Olympic Qualifiers in November, 2003 in Panama City, Panama...went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI in Canada's 11-1 win over Mexico as Team Canada advanced to Athens...also played hockey in his youth.

2007

Called up for two stints with the Padres in 2007 (4/12-5/3 and 8/11-31)...batted .360 (9-for-25) with one double, one homer, three RBI, seven runs scored and five walks in 10 games before being designated for assignment on 8/31...finished the season with the Phillies...went 3-for-3 with a homer, two RBI, three runs scored and a walk on 8/16 vs. COL, establishing a career high in hits...tallied 29 home runs, including a Pacific Coast League-record five grand slams for Triple-A Portland in 2007.

2006

Missed most of the season due to injury...played only five games with the Rookie-level Peoria Padres, batting .067 (1-for-15) with three walks.

2005

Appeared in 25 games (16 starts) for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, batting .172 (11-for-64) with three doubles, a home run and four RBI...Hit his first career big league home run August 27 vs. the Los Angeles Angels...the two-run shot came off Paul Byrd in the sixth inning...that blast was one of 12 balls to hit the Tropicana Field catwalk in 2005...it came in his 86th career at-bat...His 101 career minor league home runs with the Devil Rays are the third-highest total in organization history...Was batting .270 (73-for-270) with 21 home runs, 18 doubles and 52 RBI in 70 games prior to his call up...his 21 homers were tied for third in the International League and also tied with Delmon Young for most in the organization...boasted a .578 slugging percentage, good for fourth in the IL... had a three-homer game June 21 at Pawtucket, the first-ever by a Triple-A Bull.

2004

LaForest was with the Rays in Spring Training but spent the season with Triple-A Durham. The highlight of his season came when he led his native Canada to the medal round in the Olympics in Athens.

2003

25-year old Ottawa native recalled Sep 2 from AAA Durham...was the 15th Canadian-born player in the big leagues over the season's final month (208th alltime) ... was the only Canadian catcher in the bigs in September ... is the 7th different catcher in club history.

Has appeared in 18 games, 13 starts (10-DH, 3-C) ... hit .167 (8/48) with a pair of doubles and 6 RBI.

Went 2-for-6 in his ML debut Sep 2 in an 11-inning loss to the Mariners at home ... became the 2nd Ray to collect 2 hits in his major league debut, joining Jared Sandberg (2001) ... Jonny Gomes also did it later in the month.

Went 6-for-43 (.140) the rest of the month.

Had a 5-game hit streak, Sep 16-21.

Collected the first pinch-hit of his career, Sep 16 at Boston off Pedro Martinez.

Did not play his first game this season until May 15 ... was delayed with visa complications.

Appeared in a combined 82 games for AA Orlando and Durham, batting .264 (72/273) with 22 2B, 17 HR, 53 RBI, 52 BB, 73 SO.

Began the year at AA and hit .250 for the O-Rays with 8 2B, 3 HR and 15 RBI in 21 games.

Promoted to AAA on June 9 and batted .269 with 14 2B, 14 HR and 38 RBI in 61 games.

Hit 7 HR in his first 12 games for Durham.

Has 40 HR over his last 2 seasons, including a Southern League-best 20 in 2002 ... also led organization in b02 with 79 RBI.

Played in the Future's Game All-Star week at Chicago's U.S. Cellular Field and went 0-for-2 with a walk as the DH.

2002

Led the Southern League in home runs with 20 despite missing 17 games, July 25-August 11, when he was called up to AAA Durham when injuries struck the Bulls.

Led the organization with 79 RBI and was 2nd in the organization with 23 home runs.

Led the league in homers yet hit only one in the first 33 games thru May 18...Then hit 22 home runs in his next 78 games including 19 in 61 games at Orlando.

In 7 games (4 with Orlando and 3 with Durham) between July 21-27, he hit 6 home runs and drove in 15 while hitting .464 (13-28).

In his first game with Durham on July 25, he went 4-for-4 with a homer and 2 RBI to lead the Bulls to a 7-6 win over Pawtucket (Red Sox)...Doubled home a pair of runs in his 2nd game and hit a 3-run homer in his third game at Triple A...Finally, in his 6th game he hit a 3-run, pinchhit home run on July 30 to help Durham to a 8-5 win over Toledo (Tigers).

Was up with Durham for the first round of the International League playoffs and went 1-for-4 in two games against Toledo.

Batted .342 in June with 7 home runs and 19 RBI and was named the Rays Minor League Player of the Month.

Played for Grand Canyon of the Arizona Fall League following the season.

2001

Injured his knee playing winter ball in Australia and missed most of the 2000 season...Underwent two surgeries including one in April that ended his season.