Cedeno Rewards Mets for Their Faith in Him

The Dodgers supposedly couldn’t find a place for outfielder Roger Cedeno, so they tossed him in the three-team trade that sent catcher Todd Hundley from the New York Mets to the Dodgers.

Big mistake.

Cedeno is thriving in the Big Apple, this after Dodger officials said he wouldn’t make it anywhere. The Mets also acquired hard-throwing reliever Armando Benitez from the Baltimore Orioles in the deal that is considered the biggest steal of the off-season.

The Mets believe they acquired a rising star in the 24-year-old Cedeno, and his outstanding performance is supporting that belief.

The switch-hitter is leading the majors with 54 stolen bases and is batting .313 with a .408 on-base percentage. The only Dodger regular with an on-base percentage above .400 is Gary Sheffield at .406

Not bad for someone the Dodgers couldn’t use.

“Roger really has grown up a lot this year,” said Met catcher Mike Piazza, also Cedeno’s teammate with the Dodgers. “Roger came over here with no expectations on him, and everyone really worked with him. He’s more mature now and he just grasps things better.”

Cedeno agrees.

“I was very young over there,” Cedeno said of his Dodger experience.

“When I came up, I still had a lot to learn. They gave me a chance, but I think I was just too young when I was over there.”

Cedeno won’t say it, but he also felt some influential Dodger officials did not believe in him. That hurt his confidence, which hurt his performance.

“It was hard on Roger because there was a lot of pressure on him,” Piazza said.

“He would make mistakes and feel like that would be it, that he wouldn’t get another chance. Then you’re in and out of the lineup, and that hurts your confidence.

“Roger still makes mistakes, but when he makes mistakes here they sit him down and explain things to him.

“They’ve really shown a lot of patience, and that’s helped him remain relaxed.”

That’s the key, Cedeno said.

“You have to be relaxed to do your best,” he said. “The Mets have given me a lot of confidence, so now I’m relaxed.”

*

The Mets, actually Cedeno, stole two bases against Hundley, who has thrown out only 14 of 89 base stealers. . . . Tom Hallion, who umpired at third base Friday night, barely made it to the ballpark in time. The car service driver mistakenly took him to Yankee Stadium instead of Shea. . . . Met third baseman Robin Ventura extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a double in the fourth inning. He has seven homers and 14 RBIs in that span.

DODGERS’

JAMIE ARNOLD

(2-2, 4.80 ERA)

vs.

METS’

AL LEITER

(9-7, 4.46 ERA)

Shea Stadium, 4 p.m. PDT

TV--Channel 5. Radio--KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330).

* Update--This marks Arnold’s third start of the season. The rookie right-hander is scheduled to meet with National League President Leonard Coleman on Monday to appeal his five-game suspension for fighting during the July 11 melee against the Seattle Mariners at Dodger Stadium. Leiter is 5-2 with a 4.61 earned-run average in seven appearances against the Dodgers.