Fernando Tatis

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**Fernando Tatis**
Major League Baseball debut
Baltimore Orioles — No. 23
Third baseman
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
July 26, 1997 for the Texas Rangers (baseball)
Avg	.260
Home runs	92
RBI's	345
Teams
Texas Rangers (1997-1998) St. Louis Cardinals (1998-2000) Montreal Expos (2001-2003)

Fernando Tatis, Jr. (born January 1, 1975 in San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic) is a third baseman in Major League Baseball who plays for the Baltimore Orioles. He previously played for the Texas Rangers (1997-1998), St. Louis Cardinals (1998-2000) and Montreal Expos (2001-2003). He bats and throws right handed.

Mostly remembered as being a "one-year wonder," Tatis enjoyed a career year in 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, he became the only major league player to hit two grand slams in a single inning; he hit both against the same pitcher, Chan Ho Park. Tatis also set a record with eight RBI in the inning.

Since then, Tatis struggled with injuries and has never approached the form he displayed that season. He was invited to spring training with Tampa Bay in 2004, but did not make the team. He did not play professional baseball in 2004 or 2005.

Tatis was invited to 2006 spring training by the Baltimore Orioles as a nonroster invitee, and was assigned to their minor league camp on March 28. However, on July 21st, he was promoted to the Orioles, after playing the season with the team's Triple-A affiliate, the Ottawa Lynx.

On July 27, 2006, he started for the Orioles at third base against Kansas City. It was his first major league start since June 15, 2003. Tatis went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs in his return.