One-time star coming off three injury-wrecked seasons is opening eyes with solid camp.
By MARC TOPKIN
Published March 18, 2004
ST. PETERSBURG - The Devil Rays didn't know exactly what they were getting when they signed Fernando Tatis to a minor-league contract. He didn't look much like the bulky slugger who starred for the Cardinals in 1999-2000, and his performance over the past three seasons made it look as if he might not even be a major-league player anymore.
But a month into their expedited spring training, Tatis has been one of the best success stories of camp, hitting, fielding and playing well enough overall to force the Rays to at least reconsider, if not refigure, their infield plans.
"All we had to go on was his ability in the past, and we tried to give him one last chance," general manager Chuck LaMar said. "He's a player that was an awfully good young player for the Cardinals, who was involved in a major trade to Montreal and just did not play as well in Montreal as his ability would dictate. No one knew he'd come in in such good shape, better shape than we've seen him over the last two (or) three years.
"He's had a solid spring, and I think he's opened some eyes, not only in this camp but in others as well. But with our competition at third base, we just don't know whether he can start out the year in the major leagues."
It wasn't so long ago Tatis was among the top sluggers in the major leagues. He had a spectacular 1999 for St. Louis, hitting 34 homers with 107 RBIs, a team-best .298 average and 21 steals and earning a four-year, $15-million contract. He could nearly have matched that production the next year had he not missed two months with a groin strain.
"He can hit," veteran Rays reliever Mike Williams said. "You'd look at a lineup when he's in it and it would be like a depth perception test; his name would jump out."
But Tatis got traded to Montreal in December 2000, got hurt some more and got a bit discouraged and distracted. By the end of last season, he was let go.
The three seasons in Montreal turned out to be a waste. He had trouble with the trade ("It blew my mind," he said), trouble with the artificial turf, trouble with his knees and trouble with trying to get back from his injury too soon.
He missed time with a shoulder strain and a left knee problem that required surgery in 2001, more time with knee problems in 2002, then more than half of last season with inflammation in his chest wall. In three seasons north of the border, he played in a total of 208 games, hitting .225 with 19 homers and 81 RBIs.
"I wanted to prove to those guys I could play, and I was not ready to play," Tatis said. "You try to do too much and you're not healthy and you're not going to be like the player you're supposed to be. And that's when all the problems started coming up."
The Montreal Gazette reported in August that Tatis was unable to play because he was having panic attacks. But Tatis said Wednesday that was not the case; he was just discouraged and frustrated by his performance and repeated injuries.
"You have to have your mind straight," he said. "That's for every player."
Tatis, 29, took the winter off to get his body and mind right. But he heard so many questions around his native Dominican Republic that he didn't get much rest.
"People, they ask me, "Are you okay? We hope to see you back. We'd love to see you back. Are you okay?' " Tatis said. "People are always going to ask questions. They're always going to talk. They're always going to say something. You've got to have a clear mind, and when they ask you take only the good things."
The Rays were among the teams willing to take a low-risk chance. Though they've wasted their share of locker space with lost-cause nonroster veterans before, they have had some success, too, none more so than last year's re-discovery of Jeremi Gonzalez.
Tatis welcomed the opportunity, realizing his career was at a key junction. He said he is willing to open the season at Triple A but is thinking only about getting back to the big leagues.
"I have to prove to these guys I can be the player I used to be in '99-2000," Tatis said. "It's a big opportunity for me. Not only to be on this team, but to show the other teams I can play. I really want to be here and really want to be part of this team."
