Tuffy Rhodes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tuffy Rhodes |
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: August 21, 1968 Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
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| Professional debut | |||
| MLB: August 7, 1990, for the Houston Astros | |||
| NPB: March 30, 1996, for the Kintetsu Buffaloes | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| MLB: June 8, 1995, for the Boston Red Sox | |||
| NPB: November 5, 2009, for the Orix Buffaloes | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .224 | ||
| Home runs | 13 | ||
| Runs batted in | 44 | ||
| NPB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .286 | ||
| Home runs | 464 | ||
| Runs batted in | 1,269 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Karl Derrick "Tuffy" Rhodes, born on August 21, 1968, is a retired American professional baseball player. He played for six years in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States. He also played for thirteen years in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) in Japan. Rhodes holds the record for the most home runs hit by a foreign-born player in NPB history. He is also 13th overall on the list of top NPB home run hitters, with 464 home runs in Japan. In 2001, he hit 55 home runs, which tied the NPB single-season record set by Sadaharu Oh in 1964.
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Early Life and Baseball Beginnings
Tuffy Rhodes was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. He got the nickname "Tuffy" when he was a kid because he was very serious about playing baseball. He went to Western Hills High School in Cincinnati.
Playing in Major League Baseball
Before playing in Japan, Tuffy Rhodes was a center fielder in the MLB. He played for the Houston Astros, Chicago Cubs, and Boston Red Sox. His time in the MLB was from 1990 to 1995.
During his MLB career, Rhodes had a batting average of .224. He hit 13 home runs and had 44 runs batted in (RBIs). He also scored 74 runs and stole 14 stolen bases in 225 games.
In 1993, while playing for the Iowa Cubs, he hit a home run in extra innings. This helped his team win the American Association championship. His busiest season was in 1994 with the Chicago Cubs. That year, he became the first player in the National League to hit three home runs on opening day. He hit them off pitcher Dwight Gooden at Wrigley Field. In that same game, Rhodes also became the first MLB player to hit home runs in his first three times at bat of a season.
After the 1995 season, Rhodes became a free agent. He then decided to sign with the Kintetsu Buffaloes team in Japan's Pacific League.
Success in Japanese Baseball
Tuffy Rhodes became a huge star in Japan. He played for the Kintetsu Buffaloes for eight seasons.
Tying the Home Run Record
In the 2001 season, Rhodes hit his 55th home run. This tied the Japanese League's single-season home run record. This record was first set by Sadaharu Oh in 1964. For the rest of that season, many opposing pitchers would intentionally walk Rhodes. This meant they would purposely throw four balls so he could go to first base without hitting. They did this to stop him from breaking Oh's record. The current record is 60 home runs, set by Wladimir Balentien in 2013. The next year, Alex Cabrera also tied the 55-homer record. Over his eight seasons with the Buffaloes, Rhodes hit 288 home runs for the team.
Moving to Other Teams
After his time with the Kintetsu Buffaloes, Rhodes wanted a contract that would last for several years. However, the team only offered him one-year contracts. He later learned that the team was being sold, which made it hard for them to offer a longer contract.
In 2004, Rhodes signed a two-year deal with the Yomiuri Giants in Japan's Central League. His first year with the Giants was very successful. However, his second year was more difficult. He left the team in the middle of the 2005 season because of an injury. He was then released by the team after that season.
In 2006, Rhodes tried to return to Major League Baseball with the Cincinnati Reds. But he was released by the team during spring training. He did not play baseball for the rest of that year.
Return to Japan and Retirement
After spending 2006 with his family, Tuffy Rhodes returned to Japan in 2007. He signed a one-year contract with the Orix Buffaloes. After playing for 10 seasons in NPB, Rhodes became only the second foreign player to play long enough to be considered a "local" player for team roster rules. This meant teams didn't have to count him as a foreign player anymore. Other players like Alex Ramírez and Alex Cabrera have also achieved this status.
Rhodes started the 2007 season very strongly. He hit a home run in his first game and two more in his next game. His manager, Terry Collins, said Rhodes still had an "explosive" bat. Even though the Buffaloes finished in last place that year, Rhodes had a great comeback season. He batted .291, hit 42 home runs, and had 96 RBIs.
In the 2008 season, Rhodes teamed up with another powerful foreign-born hitter, Alex Cabrera. Together, they were nicknamed "Caburo." Rhodes hit 40 home runs and had 118 RBIs, leading the league in RBIs. Cabrera and Rhodes combined for 76 home runs and 222 RBIs. The Buffaloes had an amazing season, finishing second in the Pacific League. They made it to the playoffs for the first time since their 1996 Japan Series victory. However, their playoff run was short. They were swept in the first round by Yu Darvish and the more experienced Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters.
Tuffy Rhodes played one more season with Orix. He then retired from baseball for good at the end of the 2009 season.
See also
- American expatriate baseball players in Japan
