BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Mondesi Decides to Delay Surgery

The Dodgers feared the worst and braced themselves for losing all-star right fielder Raul Mondesi for at least a week.

Yet, despite suffering torn cartilage in his right knee, Mondesi has decided to delay arthroscopic surgery until after the season and was in the starting lineup Saturday night against the San Diego Padres.

“It’s sore, and it hurts,” Mondesi said, “but we need to win. The team needs me. I’ve got to play.”

Mondesi, who already has undergone arthroscopic surgery on each knee, won’t risk further damage by playing, said Dr. Frank Jobe, who examined Mondesi again Saturday and cleared him to play.

“What could he do more but tear it more, and that part has to be removed anyway,” Jobe said. “Really, everything worked in his favor. The fact that it didn’t swell up means it didn’t get to the blood vessels.

“His ligaments are so good, his knee is stable.”

Mondesi, who took early batting practice, pleaded with Manager Tom Lasorda and the coaching staff to let him play. He finally made a convincing argument by hitting a home run into the upper deck just before game time.

“I was scared, I was really scared,” Lasorda said. “For a player the caliber of Mondesi, you don’t want to lose him now.”

If surgery becomes necessary, Jobe said, Mondesi could probably return in four or five days.

“I thought he was seriously hurt,” said Fred Claire, Dodger executive vice president. “We were fortunate. You look at the recent series of events, and we were extremely fortunate with everyone from [Tim] Wallach to [Mike] Piazza to Mondesi.”

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While everyone debates whether the most valuable player of the team should be Mike Piazza or Eric Karros, second baseman Delino DeShields casts his nomination for shortstop Chad Fonville.

“When Chad started to play,” DeShields said, “that energy level went up for all of us. He’s a big ball of energy. He’s always in high gear, so we have to get up to bring ourselves to his level.

“The excitement is genuine too. He’s not jumping around just trying to get a reaction from the crowd. That’s just him.”