Tatis' Return To Baseball

Fernando Tatis was out of Major League baseball for all of 2004 and 2005. It seemed no one wanted him, and he wasn't sure he wanted to play.

Here is where the story gets interesting. While on hiatus from baseball in his home in the Dominican Republic, Tatis spent his time with family, not thinking about baseball. Finally, he decided he would play catch with his young sons, never picking up a bat. It was then he realized he missed baseball, but after checking around, the interest in him was luke warm at best.

In his home town, Tatis explains, they needed land to build a new church. He explained to his family that to buy land, he would have to return to playing baseball. That chance came in 2006 when the Baltimore Orioles expressed interest. He signed with the Orioles, which led to his opportunity this year with the Mets.

The Mets signed Tatis to their AAA New Orleans Zephyrs affiliate last season, where Tatis batted .276 with 21 home runs and 67 runs batted in.

With the injury to Angel Pagan early in the season, Tatis was recalled on May 13, and has never looked back. This was about one month after the church in his hometown was built. Tatis says the new church is beautiful. “You put something in your mind and when you see the reality, and when you see the church is so beautiful, so big,” Tatis said. “It’s amazing.”

According to Jerry Manuel, Tatis is the Mets starting LF.

It's stories like this that sets baseball apart from other sports. He has been a God send for the Mets this year, mostly playing out of position in LF. Tatis is primarily a 3B, but with David Wright there, LF became his position.

For more on this story, read Ben Shpigel article in today's NY Times.