Mondesi Is Tardy, Russell Lays Down Law

Outfielder Raul Mondesi was hardly repentant and Manager Bill Russell was certainly resolute after the two clashed over Mondesi’s tardy arrival at Three Rivers Stadium for Wednesday night’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Russell removed Mondesi from the lineup after he missed the team’s 5 p.m. bus and was 30 minutes late.

When Russell informed Mondesi of his punishment, the Dodger outfielder replied: “I was 15 minutes late. Take me out. Do whatever you want.”

Mondesi, the National League rookie of the year in 1994, is batting .280 with 17 home runs and 54 runs batted in.

“I wasn’t angry,” he said when asked about Russell’s action.

Said Russell: “I scratched him because he broke a rule.”

While it was a low moment for Mondesi, it was a key moment in the new managerial career of Russell, who officially took over for the retired Tom Lasorda on July 29. This was the first test of his discipline and Russell made it clear, he wanted to set a stern tone.

“I told [the players] it’s different here now,” Russell said. “These are my rules. This is the way it is now.”

Then, backing off from any inference that things were looser under Lasorda, Russell added, “The rules were always here.”

Asked if it was just a one-game punishment, Russell told reporters to check with him Friday before the Dodgers’ game against Cincinnati.

Todd Hollandsworth was moved from left to right field to take Mondesi’s place, with Wayne Kirby inserted into the lineup in left.

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Another name removed from Wednesday’s lineup was third baseman Dave Hansen.

But his absence was voluntary.

Hansen has been carrying around a beeper because his wife, Julie, is expecting the couple’s second child.

Early Wednesday afternoon, a clubhouse attendant found Hansen and told him his beeper was going off at his locker stall.

By a little after 5, Hansen was aboard a flight to Los Angeles and Mike Busch was in the Dodger lineup at third.

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Pitcher Tom Candiotti made his first appearance for the Dodgers’ San Bernardino farm club Tuesday. Candiotti is on a rehabilitation assignment to the Dodgers’ California League franchise, trying to recover from an arm injury suffered when he was hit by a pitch.

Candiotti, who last appeared in a Dodger game on July 19, pitched three innings for San Bernardino against the San Jose Giants, giving up two earned run on three hits with four strikeouts and two walks.

Candiotti is scheduled to pitch again for San Bernardino on Friday. . . . Lasorda was in Albuquerque Wednesday to scout talent at the triple-A club.