Tuffy Rhodes
599532
206694593
2008-04-19T14:29:26Z
Pakupaku
3652960
{{Orix Buffaloes}}
{{Infobox NPB player|
bgcolor1=#083c6b|
bgcolor2=#083c6b|
textcolor1=yellow|
textcolor2=yellow|
name=Tuffy Rhodes|
image=|
position=Outfielder|
team=Orix Buffaloes|
number=8|
bats=Left|
throws=Left|
debutyear=1996|
debutteam=Kintetsu Buffaloes|
statyear=2007|
stat1label=[[Batting Average]]|
stat1value=.285|
stat2label=[[Home Run]]s|
stat2value=402|
stat3label=[[Runs Batted In|RBI]]|
stat3value=1089|
teams=<nowiki></nowiki>
*[[Houston Astros]] ([[1990 in baseball|1990]]–[[1993 in baseball|1993]])
*[[Chicago Cubs]] ([[1993 in baseball|1993]]–[[1995 in baseball|1995]])
*[[Boston Red Sox]] ([[1995 in baseball|1995]])
*[[Kintetsu Buffaloes|Kintetsu Buffaloes → Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes]] ([[1996 in baseball|1996]]–[[2003 in baseball|2003]])
*[[Yomiuri Giants]] ([[2004 in baseball|2004]]–[[2005 in baseball|2005]])
*[[Orix Buffaloes]] ([[2007 in baseball|2007]]–present)
}}
'''Karl Derrick "Tuffy" Rhodes''' (born [[August 21]] [[1968]] in [[Cincinnati, Ohio]]) is a professional baseball player, currently playing his 11th season of [[Nippon Professional Baseball]] (NPB) in [[Japan]]. He played five years in [[Major League Baseball]] before beginning his career in Japan.
Rhodes is the all-time leader for foreign-born players with 400 [[home run]]s in Japan.
Prior to Japan, he was a [[center fielder]] who played for the [[Houston Astros]], [[Chicago Cubs]] and [[Boston Red Sox]] from 1990-1995.
In his major league career, Rhodes [[batting average|batted]] .224, with 13 home runs and 44 [[run batted in|runs batted in]], 74 [[run (baseball)|runs scored]] and 14 [[stolen base]]s in 225 games played.
In [[1993 in baseball|1993]], he hit an extra-inning home run to win the [[American Association (20th century)|American Association]] championship for the [[Iowa Cubs]]. His only season of more than 250 [[at bat]]s came with the [[1994 Chicago Cubs season|1994 Cubs]]. In that season, Rhodes became the first [[National League]] player to hit three home runs on opening day when he connected off [[Dwight Gooden]] at [[Wrigley Field]].
Granted free agency after the [[1995 in baseball|1995]] season, Rhodes signed with the [[Kintetsu Buffaloes]] in the [[Pacific League]] of NPB.
In the {{by|2001}} season, he hit his 55th homer to tie [[Sadaharu Oh]]'s Japanese League single season home run record, set in [[1964 in baseball|1964]]. The following year, [[Alex Cabrera]] tied the record.
After Kintetsu refused to sign him to a multi-year contract, Rhodes signed a two year deal with the [[Yomiuri Giants]] of the Japanese [[Central League]] in 2004. A successful first year was followed by a difficult second year. He left the team halfway through the 2005 season due to injury, and was released in the off-season.
In 2006, he tried to return to the major leagues with the [[Cincinnati Reds]] but was released by the team in spring training.
After spending the rest of 2006 at home with his family, he returned to Japan in 2007, signing a one year contract with the [[Orix Buffaloes]]. Rhodes began the season with a bang by hitting a home run in his first game [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G74ldOxawyY], and connecting for two more in the next game on two consecutive at bats. According to manager [[Terry Collins]], Rhodes still has an 'explosive' bat [http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200703240122.html].
==See also==
*[[Major League Baseball hitters with three home runs in one game]]
==External links==
{{Baseballstats |mlb= |espn= |br=r/rhodeka01 |fangraphs= |cube=}}
*[http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Karl_Rhodes BR Bullpen]
*[http://baseballguru.com/jalbright/stats.html Japanese Baseball Data Archive]
*[http://japanesebaseball.com/players/player.jsp?PlayerID=905 Statistics at Japanese Baseball]
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwKxx6B-W5w The Cheering Song for Tuffy Rhodes]
{{Orix Buffaloes}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rhodes, Tuffy}}
[[Category:1968 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Major league center fielders]]
[[Category:Boston Red Sox players]]
[[Category:Chicago Cubs players]]
[[Category:Houston Astros players]]
[[Category:Major league players from Ohio]]
[[Category:African American baseball players]]
[[Category:Expatriate baseball players in Japan]]
[[Category:Yomiuri Giants players]]
[[Category:Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes players]]
[[Category:Orix Buffaloes players]]
[[Category:People from Cincinnati, Ohio]]
[[ja:タフィ・ローズ]]