Mondesi Hit by a Pitch Twice

Right fielder Raul Mondesi was hit by a pitch twice Friday in the Toronto Blue Jays’ 10-4 exhibition victory over the Dodgers and had to be taken to the hospital.

Mondesi, who was traded to the Blue Jays for Shawn Green after six seasons with the Dodgers, was hit in the left arm by Orel Hershiser in the second inning and on the left pinky by Matt Herges in the fourth inning. He was taken to the hospital for X-rays, which were negative.

Mondesi was mildly upset, wondering why the Dodgers were pitching inside during an exhibition game.

“I don’t know why they threw at me twice. There’s something wrong,” said Mondesi, who had a run-scoring single in the first inning. “They better throw harder because the baseball is not going to hurt me.”

Said Hershiser: “I’m glad he’s not hurt, but I would love to see him get out of the way of those pitches. I watched both the replays and he didn’t make a great effort to get out of the way.”

Hershiser (0-1) struggled in his final exhibition start, giving up seven hits--including two home runs--and six runs in three innings. He is scheduled to start the Dodgers’ third game of the season, against the Montreal Expos Wednesday.

Green, who played seven seasons with the Blue Jays, received a mix of boos and cheers from an announced crowd of 7,006. He had a walk and hit into a double play.

Eric Karros hit a first-inning grand slam, but the Dodgers still fell to 11-18-1.

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Believing he’s no longer in the Dodgers’ plans, middle infielder Juan Castro has asked to be traded.

Castro, considered the best fielder in the organization, wants to play elsewhere because he has been outrighted to the triple-A Albuquerque Dukes, and the club has a logjam at shortstop. Several teams have inquired about the smooth-fielding Castro, who cleared waivers Thursday, and the Dodgers are trying to accommodate him.

Many baseball executives said Castro cleared waivers because the Dodgers waited until the end of spring training to put him through the process, and because he’s owed $400,000 this season.

Most clubs had their infields set by Thursday, reducing the pool of teams interested in claiming the shortstop-second baseman. Moreover, Castro’s salary is considered high for some clubs seeking help defensively.

He could have rejected the demotion and become a free agent, but would have forfeited his salary.

Instead, Castro will report to Dodgertown at Vero Beach, Fla., where the Dukes train until Monday, after spending the weekend with his family in Arizona, unless a deal is completed.

Castro, 27, has been in the Dodger organization his entire career, signing as an undrafted free agent in 1991. He has batted .188 in five stints with the Dodgers.

Castro played for Albuquerque most of last season despite making $325,000 in the first year of a guaranteed two-year, $725,000 contract.

He also didn’t make the 25-man roster after last spring because Manager Davey Johnson prefers players who do more offensively.

Castro said he’s “very confused,” and just wants to “wait and see what happens.”

Said Suarez: “Let’s just call it like it is. Davey Johnson is never going to play him, so they should give him a chance someplace else.

“When you see that Kevin Elster is the Dodgers’ starting shortstop, and Alex Cora is going to play every day at Albuquerque, there’s nothing for Juan. The Dodgers play in a ballpark where defense has to be played, everyone knows that Dodger Stadium is a ballpark for pitching and defense, and you can’t use someone who they [team officials] all say is their best fielder?”

Cora, a notch below Castro defensively, batted .176 this spring before being optioned to Albuquerque.

Elster, 35, was out of baseball last season, and hasn’t played a full season since ’96. Castro batted .240 in Grapefruit League games.

Associated Press contributed to this story.