Fernando Tatís

Infobox MLB player

---

width = 300
name=Fernando Tatís
team=New York Mets
positionplain=Utility player
number=17
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1975|1|1
debutdate=July 26
debutyear=1997
debutteam=Texas Rangers
statyear=September 10, 2008
stat1label=Batting average
stat1value=.264
stat2label=Home runs
stat2value=103
stat3label=Runs batted in
stat3value=393
teams=
*Texas Rangers (by|1997–by|1998)
*St. Louis Cardinals (by|1998–by|2000)
*Montreal Expos (by|2001–by|2003)
*Baltimore Orioles (by|2006)
*New York Mets (by|2008–present)

Fernando Tatís, Jr. (born January 1, 1975 in San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic) is a Major League Baseball utility player for the New York Mets. He previously played for the Texas Rangers (1997–1998), St. Louis Cardinals (1998–2000), Montreal Expos (2001–2003), and Baltimore Orioles (2006). He bats and throws right-handed.

Playing career

At 17 years of age, Tatís was signed as an amateur free agent by the Texas Rangers on August 25, 1992. He made his Major League Baseball debut with the Rangers at third base almost five years later on July 26, 1997 and would go on to play 60 games with the Rangers in his rookie season. At the trade deadline on July 31, 1998, the Rangers traded Tatís along with Darren Oliver and Mark Little to the St. Louis Cardinals for Royce Clayton and Todd Stottlemyre.

Tatís enjoyed a career year in by|1999 with the St. Louis Cardinals, when he hit 34 home runs with 107 RBI and 21 stolen bases while posting a .298 batting average. On April 23, 1999, Tatís made history by hitting two grand slams in a single inning. He hit both against Chan Ho Park of the Los Angeles Dodgers. With this feat, Tatís also set a Major-League record with eight RBIs in a single inning. After only playing in 96 games in by|2000 due to injury, Tatís was traded to the Montreal Expos with Britt Reames for Dustin Hermanson and Steve Kline. Unfortunately for the Expos, Tatís would only play in 208 games over the span of three seasons for them due to various injuries and time on the disabled list.

The Tampa Bay Devil Rays signed Tatís and invited him to spring training in by|2004, but he did not make the Devil Rays squad and was subsequently released. Tatís would not play professionally for two seasons, instead spending time with his family in the Dominican Republic. The impetus for Tatís to return to baseball lay in his desire to build a church in his hometown of San Pedro de Macorís. Soon after he told his family of his plans, the Baltimore Orioles signed Tatís to a minor-league contract on November 25, 2005. [cite news| url=http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080728&content_id=3213361 | title=For want of a church, Tatis reborn | publisher=MLB.com | last=DiComo | first=Anthony | date=2008-07-28 | accessdate=2008-08-13] He played most of the season for their AAA affiliate, the Ottawa Lynx, eventually playing in 28 games for the Orioles after being recalled on July 21, 2006. [cite news| url=http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=oriolestatis&prov=st&type=lgns | title=Orioles purchase contract of 3B Tatis from minors | publisher= [http://www.pa-sportsticker.com/en/index.html SportsTicker] | date=2006-07-21 | accessdate=2008-08-13]

In by|2007, Tatís was invited to Los Angeles Dodgers spring training. Tatís was granted his request for a release on March 14 after being assigned to minor-league camp. Nine days later, he signed a minor-league contract with the New York Mets, and he spent the whole 2007 season with their AAA affiliate, the New Orleans Zephyrs. Before Tatís began his most recent stint in the majors with the Mets, the church he was saving for had been built. [cite news| url=http://christianpost.com/article/20080730/desire-to-build-a-church-led-to-player-s-major-league-comeback.htm | title=Desire to Build a Church Led to Player's Major League Comeback | publisher="The Christian Post" | last=Kimball | first=Josh | date=2008-07-30 | accessdate=2008-08-13]

On May 11, 2008, Tatís was called up from New Orleans to replace Angel Pagán because Tatís had started to play outfield in the minors to become a utility player. [cite news| url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/05142008/sports/mets/santana_gets_ok_to_start_vs__yankees_110722.htm | title=Santana gets OK to start vs. Yankees | publisher="New York Post" | last=Hubbuch | first=Bart | date=2008-05-11 | accessdate=2008-08-13] On May 28, he hit a walk-off double against Justin Miller to defeat the Florida Marlins in the bottom of the 12th inning. This was Tatís's first career walk-off hit. Tatís has played most of his time in the corner outfield positions for the Mets due to injuries to starters Moisés Alou and Ryan Church. [cite news| url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=280528121 | title=Marlins homer to take lead, but Tatis' double lifts Mets in 12th | publisher=Associated Press | date=2008-05-28 | accessdate=2008-08-13] On September 16th, Tatis separated his shoulder diving for a ball in a game against the Nationals. New York's team physician diagnosed the injury as a Grade III separation, but he is expected to resume baseball activities in two to three weeks. He will miss the rest of the 2008 regular season, but the Mets are hoping he will be available for the 2009 season.

ee also

* Batters with two grand slams in the same baseball game

References

External links

*Baseballstats |mlb=123107 |espn=3703 |br=t/tatisfe01 |fangraphs=798 |cube=t/fernando-tatis