Mondesi, Karros Miss Out

Dodger Manager Bill Russell said he was disappointed that outfielder Raul Mondesi wasn’t selected to play in next week’s All-Star game.

Moises Alou of the Montreal Expos, Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants and Ray Lankford of the St. Louis Cardinals were selected as reserve outfielders by Atlanta Manager Bobby Cox, who will manage the National League All-Star team.

Mondesi is batting .290 with 17 home runs, 20 doubles, 48 RBIs and a .538 slugging percentage. Alou is batting .297 with nine home runs, 17 doubles, 64 RBIs and a .479 slugging percentage.

“I think Mondesi deserved to be on the team,” Russell said. “He’s played well all year long. He’s played hurt.”

Mondesi took it in stride.

“I can go home and see my family for a couple of days,” Mondesi said. “If I don’t make it, what can I do?”

First baseman Eric Karros has hit 10 more home runs (18) and driven in (14) more runs (50) than Chicago Cub first baseman Mark Grace, but the Cubs didn’t have any other players selected to the All-Star team.

“I could care less about the All-Star team right now,” Karros said. “It would be a nice honor sometime, but it’s not what’s important.”

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Catcher Tom Prince, one of the least-known Dodgers, was center stage Wednesday night when he got into a fourth-inning altercation with Angel left fielder Tony Phillips that caused both benches to empty.

Prince tried to restrain Phillips after starter Chan Ho Park threw a pitch near his head, but Phillips lost his temper.

Prince, who started as Mike Piazza was used as designated hitter, is rarely recognized in public, unlike Piazza.

“I like it that way,” Prince said. “I’m a pretty boring person. I just go about my job “

Prince, who has started 11 games this season, knew that he wouldn’t play much when he signed with the Dodgers as a free agent in November of 1993.

“I’ve been around the game awhile, I know how it works,” Prince said. “If he’s healthy, he’s going to catch 140-145 games a year. I knew that when I signed here.”

Prince is a superb defensive catcher, throwing out seven of nine runners going into Wednesday night’s game.

“I’ve been a defensive catcher my whole career,” Prince said. “I’ve never gotten a whole lot of at-bats in a season. I know what my job is, I just go about my business.”

Russell said Prince plays a key role.

“He’s a good defensive catcher and that’s what a good backup catcher does,” Russell said. “If he could play offense, obviously, he’d be a starting catcher somewhere.’

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Rookie second baseman Wilton Guerrero, who aggravated his strained left shoulder swinging at a pitch in Tuesday’s 6-3 victory over the Texas Rangers, didn’t start Wednesday’s game.

Guerrero, who was originally hurt in spring training, said he can’t bat right-handed because he has difficulty opening his left shoulder. However, he may be available to bat left-handed. Guerrero is batting .210 right-handed with one triple and he’s batting .316 left-handed with seven triples, one home run and 17 RBIs.

Tripp Cromer started his second game at second base in place of Guerrero, who has started 63 games.