Mondesi Makes Sure He’s Early This Time

Three and a half hours before Friday’s game against the Cincinnati Reds, Raul Mondesi was already at Riverfront Stadium. In uniform.

End of controversy, as far as the Dodgers are concerned.

Manager Bill Russell, who benched Mondesi after the outfielder showed up half an hour late for Wednesday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, reinserted Mondesi back into the lineup Friday night.

Russell had informed batting coach Reggie Smith that he thought it would be a good idea for Mondesi to show up early Friday.

“It was no big deal,” Russell said. “He was late. I took him out of the game.”

Russell’s response to the first test of his leadership pleased Fred Claire, executive vice president.

“It was very well handled by Bill,” Claire said. “It was pretty basic. There was nothing to debate. Any time you state your rules to the players, as Bill did when he took over, and those rules are not followed, you’ve got to take appropriate action.”

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The Dodgers are “very close” to signing third baseman Tim Wallach to a big-league contract, according to Claire. Wallach, recovering from a broken rib, took batting practice before Friday’s game without experiencing pain, moving him closer to his prediction that he’ll be ready for game action by early next week.

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Third baseman Dave Hansen, who returned to Los Angeles just before Wednesday’s game for the birth of his second child, is expected back in Cincinnati tonight and will be available for the final two games of this series.