HE’S THE MON : As the Dodgers Open Season Against Phillies Today, Mondesi Is Considered Key to Their Success

He has never been to a World Series and the first major league game he watched was the first one he played in.

He couldn’t tell you the difference between Pee Wee Reese and Pee Wee Herman.

But when the Dodgers open their season today at 1 p.m. against the Philadelphia Phillies before a sellout crowd at Dodger Stadium, he, more than any other player, figures to be responsible for their fate.

He’s Raul Mondesi.

“How he goes, we go,” first baseman Eric Karros said. “You can talk all you want about the pitching . . . about [Mike] Piazza. But the bottom line is Mondesi. We’re going to be as good a team as he is.

“Whether he wants to bear the burden or not, he’s going to be the key to the ballclub.”

Right fielder Mondesi, 26, grimaces when told of his perceived importance. This is a team game, he says. How can anyone be more important than the others? This team has Piazza, Ramon Martinez, Karros, Todd Worrell, Brett Butler. What about them?

Mondesi suddenly stops and says, “I think I will have a big year. I think this is my year. If I have a big year, the team will have a big year.

“I guess that’s what everybody’s talking about, no?”

Dodger management won’t publicly acknowledge that but readily concedes his significance. It was management’s idea, after all, to move him up to third in the batting order, even though Piazza is a better hitter, Karros is much more disciplined and Todd Hollandsworth could handle the role.

Still, there is no one in the organization with the all-around talent of Mondesi. If he lives up to this potential this year, if he bats .300, hits 30 homers, drives in 100 runs, scores 100 and steals 30 bases, the Dodgers’ biggest problem might be dividing World Series shares.

“This guy . . . probably is the best player in the league,” Karros said. “No, check that. He’s probably the best player in baseball. I know the best player right now is in San Francisco. He has four MVP awards to back him up.

“But no one can tell me that [Barry] Bonds has the tools that Mondesi has. Mondy has the ability to be the biggest impact player in the game.

“The trouble is that he’s as unpredictable as he is exciting. Mondy has yet to have that impact year. He’s had some good years, but he’s capable of doing so much more.

“I mean, he could hit .275 with 15 homers and 60 RBIs this year. But he could hit .320 with 30 homers and 110 RBIs. Really, he’s capable of anything. But we need him.

“Look, we can overcome Mike’s offense if he got hurt, pitching problems or a lot of things.

“But if Mondy struggles, we can’t overcome that. He has got to succeed for us to win.”

Mondesi’s potential led the Dodgers into taking this calculated risk. They have tried batting him third but have always given up the idea. Last year, they didn’t even bother. Piazza was the No. 3 hitter, with Karros batting cleanup.

This time around, after watching him bat .342 with 13 doubles in spring training, they are committed. Mondesi will be in the No. 3 spot, with Piazza fourth, Karros fifth and Todd Zeile sixth.

It’s up to Mondesi to show if the change can work the entire season. If he can lay off bad pitches, as he did in Vero Beach, he can resurrect an offense that has been among the worst in baseball.

“He’s done everything we’ve asked,” hitting coach Reggie Smith said. “The willingness to learn, the willingness to show patience, the willingness to look for a take sign, it’s all been there.

“You’ve got be willing to fail in this game to get better, and this is the first year he’s done that. I haven’t even turned him loose yet. That’s why he didn’t hit any home runs this spring. But that power will come as a result of good things.

“He’s about to be turned loose, and when he does, you’ll see some amazing things.”

Manager Bill Russell said, “If he does what we think he can, they might be handing out the MVP trophy to him at the end of the season.”

The game plan is simple. If Mondesi walks, pitchers will have to pitch to Piazza. If Mondesi demonstrates patience, pitchers eventually will have to pitch to him, giving him the opportunity to drive in runs. Gone will be those maddening double plays. Gone will be the rallies that rely solely on the home run.

But if he reverts to old habits, swinging at anything remotely near the strike zone, he can kill rallies by himself and leave the Dodgers no better off than they have been.

“He can make all of the difference in the world,” Piazza said. “Look, you’re not really getting any surprises when it comes to me and Eric. You know what you’re going to get. But Mondy has yet to really do what he’s capable of doing.

“This guy is capable of driving in 100 and scoring 100, year after year. The sooner he does it, the better off we’ll be.

“We’re all hoping this is his year, because if it is, this could be our year.”