Mondesi Likes His New Digs

Those with long memories can still recall the sounds of profanity echoing through the Dodger clubhouse.

And the chants of “R-a-a-u-u-l, R-a-a-u-u-l” rolling through the Dodger Stadium crowds.

Those were the days when Raul Mondesi--who was once touted as the next Willie Mays, the next superstar outfielder with a gun for an arm, an anvil for a bat and wings on his feet--had instead turned into a problem child for the Dodgers.

They loved some of the numbers he put up. Twice he had 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in a season. What they didn’t like was his refusal to not swing at bad pitches, his unhappiness over lineup switches, his reputation as a party animal and the feeling that he was never going to reach his potential.

It came to a head in 1999, when he expressed his feelings of mistreatment by spewing profanities to reporters about Kevin Malone, then the Dodger general manager, and Davey Johnson, then the Dodger manager.

Mondesi was traded in the off-season to the Toronto Blue Jays for Shawn Green, leaving the Dodgers with no regrets.

Nor are there any by Mondesi, who seems to have found a new life and a new image with the New York Yankees after joining the club on July 1 in a trade with Toronto for left-hander Scott Wiggins.

When he came to bat against the Angels in the second inning of Friday night’s game at Edison Field, few chanted Mondesi’s name, as in the old days.

He is almost an afterthought in New York, playing in the shadows of Derek Jeter, Jason Giambi and Bernie Williams.

But Mondesi doesn’t mind.

In the second inning Friday night, he got aboard on a bunt, raced to third on a double by Nick Johnson and sailed home on a passed ball.

“I think the last time I bunted like that was in ‘95,” Mondesi said. “I’m not the big guy here, so I can do things like that.”

In the fourth inning, he was in pain after fouling a ball off his foot but stayed in the game. Just after the All-Star break, Mondesi crashed into a wall in Cleveland chasing a fly ball, injuring his sternum and kneecap, but missed only two games.

Despite his new-found resolve, Mondesi isn’t putting up big numbers at the plate. He began play Friday night hitting only .228 with 19 homers and 60 runs batted in.

“He’s still trying to pull the ball too much,” Yankee Manager Joe Torre said.

Said Mondesi: “I’m still trying too hard. But it will come. I don’t have to worry about hitting all the home runs now, with the great guys on this team.

“Everybody wants to play for the New York Yankees, and now I’m getting the chance.”