The Eastern Stars - Mark Kurlansky [113]
Fernando Tatis
Fernando Tatis, Jr., was born on January 1, 1975, in Miramar. He has played third base, left field, right field, first base, outfield, shortstop, and second base, and has been a designated hitter. The Texas Rangers signed him on August 25, 1992, and he debuted in the major leagues for the Rangers on July 26, 1997. He was then traded to the St. Louis Cardinals on July 31, 1998. On December 14, 2000, he was traded to the Montreal Expos and played with them through 2003, when he was injured, retiring for one season. Then the Tampa Bay Devil Rays signed him as a free agent on January 6, 2004. The Baltimore Orioles signed him as a free agent on November 25, 2005. The Los Angeles Dodgers signed him as a free agent on February 9, 2007. The Mets signed him as a free agent on March 23, 2007, and again on January 7, 2008. Not only is Tatis one of the few players ever to hit two grand slams in the same game, he is the only player in baseball history to hit two grand slams in the same inning. As of the end of the 2008 season, he had hit 149 doubles and 103 home runs, and had 394 RBIs.
1998
Marino Santana
Marino Santana was born on May 10, 1972, in Consuelo. A right-handed pitcher, he was signed by the Seattle Mariners on April 28, 1990, and the Detroit Tigers signed him as a free agent on November 26, 1996. He debuted in the major leagues for the Tigers on September 4, 1998. He played a total of two seasons in the major leagues, playing for the Tigers for the 1998 season and for the Red Sox for the 1999 season. His final game was on July 23, 1999, for the Red Sox. His career ERA was 7.94.
Angel Peña
Angel Peña was born on February 16, 1975, in Miramar. He was a catcher. The Los Angeles Dodgers signed him in 1992. He debuted in the major leagues on September 8, 1998, for the Dodgers and played his final game on June 1, 2001, for a total of three seasons in the majors, all for the Dodgers.
José Jiménez
José Jiménez was born on July 7, 1973, in San Pedro de Macorís. A right-handed pitcher, he was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals on October 21, 1991. He debuted in the major leagues on September 9, 1998, for the Cardinals and was traded to the Colorado Rockies on November 16, 1999. The Cleveland Indians signed him as a free agent on January 8, 2004, and he played his final game on July 5, 2004, for the Indians. His career ERA was 4.92.
1999
Guillermo Mota
Guillermo Reynoso Mota was born on July 25, 1973, in Barrio México. A right-handed pitcher, the New York Mets signed him on September 7, 1990. He debuted in the major leagues on May 2, 1999, for the Montreal Expos, who had taken him from the Mets on December 9, 1996, in a minor-league draft. He was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers on March 23, 2002, traded to the Florida Marlins on July 30, 2004, traded to the Boston Red Sox on November 24, 2005, and traded to the Cleveland Indians on January 27, 2006. He was returned to the Mets on August 20, 2006, in a deal, then traded to the Milwaukee Brewers on November 20, 2007. As of the end of the 2008 season he had a career ERA of 3.93 and had hit 67 home runs.
Alfonso