Mondesi Leads Off--It Doesn’t Help

Raul Mondesi, leadoff guy?

That’s where the struggling slugger batted Thursday afternoon during a 6-3 loss to the San Diego Padres at Qualcomm Stadium.

Manager Davey Johnson is grasping for solutions because of the ballclub’s offensive malaise, and Johnson hoped moving Mondesi to the top of the order might help. Eric Young batted second.

Typically this season, the outcome wasn’t impressive.

Mondesi went one for five with a run-scoring single. The right fielder finished five for 25 on the six-game trip with one RBI. Overall, Mondesi is batting .260 with 19 home runs and 51 RBIs.

For Johnson and the Dodgers, things are getting worse.

“I was trying to jump-start him and also our offense,” the frustrated manager said. “We’ve been inconsistent offensively as a group. With what we’ve been doing, you’ve got to try something. I keep trying to throw things against the wall.”

Mondesi has now batted leadoff four times in his career, but the last time was Sept. 29, 1993, against the Chicago Cubs at Dodger Stadium.

After beginning the season on a torrid pace, Mondesi acknowledges he was lost at the plate in June. He has not homered in his last 70 at-bats and has only one homer in his last 107 at-bats.

Mondesi welcomed the move Thursday because he’s willing to try anything at this point.

“Sometimes, you have to try different stuff,” said Mondesi, who participated in early batting practice. “You have to make changes to help the team. Davey Johnson is the manager. I just want to do whatever to help the team win games.”