Fernando Tatís facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fernando Tatís |
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Tatís with the New York Mets in 2007
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| Third baseman | |||
| Born: January 1, 1975 San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic |
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| debut | |||
| July 26, 1997, for the Texas Rangers | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| July 4, 2010, for the New York Mets | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .265 | ||
| Home runs | 113 | ||
| Runs batted in | 448 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Fernando Gabriel Tatís Medina Sr. (born January 1, 1975) is a former professional baseball player from the Dominican Republic. He played as a third baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 11 years. Tatís played for teams like the Texas Rangers, St. Louis Cardinals, and New York Mets. He is famous for hitting two grand slams in one inning. This amazing feat happened on April 23, 1999. He is the only player in MLB history to do this. His son, Fernando Jr., is also a professional baseball player.
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Playing Career
Starting in Baseball
Fernando Tatís began his baseball journey at age 17. The Texas Rangers signed him as a young player in 1992. He played his first MLB game with the Rangers in 1997. He was a third baseman and played 60 games that year. In 1998, the Rangers traded Tatís to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Making History
The year 1999 was Tatís's best season. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals. He hit 34 home runs and had 107 RBI. His batting average was .298.
On April 23, 1999, Tatís made baseball history. He hit two grand slams in a single inning. This happened in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He hit both grand slams off pitcher Chan Ho Park. With these two hits, Tatís also set an MLB record. He had eight RBI in just one inning. No other player has ever done this.
Later Years and Return
After 1999, Tatís faced some injuries. He played fewer games for the Cardinals and then the Montreal Expos. He did not play professional baseball for two years. During this time, he lived in the Dominican Republic.
In 2005, the Baltimore Orioles signed Tatís. He returned to baseball to help raise money for a church. He played for their minor league team, the Ottawa Lynx. Later, he played 28 games for the Orioles in 2006.
In 2007, Tatís joined the New York Mets minor league team. He started playing outfield to be more useful to the team. In 2008, he was called up to the Mets. He played mostly in left and right field.
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In September 2008, Tatís hurt his shoulder. He missed the rest of the season. Even so, he won the Sporting News Comeback Player of the Year Award. This award is given to a player who performs well after a setback.
Tatís played for the Dominican Republic national baseball team in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. He played for the Mets in 2009 and 2010. His last MLB game was on July 4, 2010. He wore uniform number 17 for the Mets. This number was later retired to honor Keith Hernandez.
Tatís officially retired as a player on October 5, 2014. In his career, he had a .265 batting average. He hit 113 home runs and had 448 RBI.
Post-Playing Career
After retiring as a player, Tatís became a manager. In 2018, he joined the Boston Red Sox organization. He managed one of their minor league teams in the Dominican Summer League Red Sox. He continued this role in 2019.
Personal Life
Fernando Tatís comes from a baseball family. His father, Fernando Antonio Tatís, was also a professional baseball player. He played in the Houston Astros system. He later became a coach and scout.
Fernando Tatís Sr. did not see his father for many years. They were reunited in 1997. This happened when Tatís Sr. was a rookie with the Texas Rangers. A scout named Omar Minaya helped them find each other.
Tatís has two sons who also play baseball. His older son, Fernando Tatís Jr., is a shortstop and outfielder for the San Diego Padres. His younger son, Elijah, plays in the Chicago White Sox farm system.
See also
In Spanish: Fernando Tatís para niños
- List of Major League Baseball players from the Dominican Republic
- List of Major League Baseball single-game grand slam leaders
- List of Major League Baseball single-inning home run leaders
- List of Major League Baseball single-inning runs batted in leaders
- New York Mets award winners and league leaders
