Yankee 21
07-11-2003, 02:03 PM
07/10/2003 8:28 PM ET
Yankees notes: Mondesi mad
Veteran slugger wants back in the lineup
By Mark Feinsand / MLB.com
Raul Mondesi is hitless in 10 at-bats this July. (Frank Franklin II/AP)
CLEVELAND -- Raul Mondesi came to the ballpark on Thursday expecting to play the outfield for the first time since July 4. Instead, he found himself on the bench, as Joe Torre opted to start Karim Garcia in right field.
"Karim is swinging the bat real well and I want to use him against right-handed pitchers," Torre said. "I still consider Mondesi my right fielder, I just want to see him more comfortable at bat. He's fighting a little bit right now."
Mondesi, who has battled a sore hip flexor for the last week, sat out his first four games of the season before serving as the Yankees' DH on Wednesday. Torre told Mondesi before Wednesday's game that he would be back in the outfield on Thursday, but the manager changed his mind.
"I told him yesterday that he'd play tomorrow, but I watched him swing the bat last night and I changed my mind," Torre said. "Right now, he doesn't look as comfortable as I think he needs to."
Mondesi was clearly upset with Torre's decision, saying that he felt he should be in the lineup. Mondesi was batting .301 at the end of May, but a .204 average in June dropped him down to .268. Mondesi is 0-for-10 in July, lowering his average to .258. He has 14 home runs and 43 RBIs, but he has only four home runs and 12 RBIs since June 1. On the season, Mondesi is hitting just .160 with runners in scoring position.
"I didn't swing the bat good for the last two weeks, but I still have three months left," Mondesi said. "Nobody said anything the first two months of the season when nobody was hitting but Soriano and me. There's no reason for this."
When informed of Mondesi's comments, Torre said he understood where his right fielder was coming from.
"I know he feels bad. Stuff that he says doesn't change the way I think or feel," Torre said. "He's an emotional guy, and I respect that about him. He wants to contribute as much as anybody else. If I didn't think there was a reason to talk to him, I would have just put the lineup card up and wouldn't have approached him."
Mondesi, who will be a free agent at the end of the season, indicated that he would look for a new team to play for next season.
"There's only three months left [in the season]," Mondesi said. "I'll sign and play for somebody else next year."
Added Mondesi: "I'm going to call my agent right now."
Garcia, who was acquired from the Indians in late June, did his best to deflect any controversy regarding the right-field job.
"This is Mondesi's job. He plays right field every day, I'm just filling in," Garcia said. "Ultimately, Joe is going to make that decision. ... This is a great opportunity right now, so I'll try to take advantage of it as much as I can. I just want to play good defense, get a couple of hits and contribute as much as I can."
Torre said that he was only worried about his team's immediate future, and if using Garcia in right field gave the Yankees their best chance to win, that's what he would do.
"I'm thinking more in the short-term right now," Torre said. "I'm worried about the next three days. I have a great deal of respect for the way he plays and does his job. He knows how I feel and I know how he feels. Sometimes, everything can't be wonderful."
"I want to be here, but if it's going to be that way, I don't want to be here," Mondesi said. "I'm not going to get better sitting on the bench, watching somebody else play for me."
Contreras feeling better: Jose Contreras showed up in the Yankees' clubhouse after Thursday night's game. The Cuban right-hander was traveling with the team to Toronto to take care of a visa issue.
Contreras has been on the disabled list since June 10 with a strained right shoulder, and has been rehabbing in Tampa.
"I feel a lot better," Contreras said through an interpreter. "I don't have any pain."
Contreras has not thrown off a mound yet, but has been throwing 10-minute sessions on flat ground. Another MRI is scheduled for Wednesday, and if it shows that his shoulder has healed, a mound program will be set.
"If everything is clear, we'll have a date set," Contreras said. "I've been throwing (on flat ground) and I don't have any discomfort."
See you, Osuna: Antonio Osuna was scheduled to throw another inning in a minor league rehab game on Thursday night, and the right-handed reliever should rejoin the Yankees on Saturday in Toronto.
On June 19, Osuna was placed on the 15-day disabled list for the second time this season with a strained right groin. Torre said that even though the injury was in the same exact spot both times, there isn't much the Yankees can do in the way of preventing it from happening again.
"We really didn't push him," Torre said. "It didn't seem like it was as bad the last time, but it took every bit as long. We'll have to make sure he stretches real good and tries to keep himself in the best shape he possibly can."
Down on the farm: Triple-A Columbus swept a doubleheader from Syracuse on Wednesday, pulling the Clippers within four games of the .500 mark. Adrian Hernandez tossed a perfect 16th inning, striking out two to earn his third win of the season. Columbus has won eight of its last nine games. ... Third baseman Brian Myrow (Double-A Trenton) is batting .471 (8-for-17) in his last five games. ... Second baseman Robinson Cano (Single-A Tampa) is among the Florida State League leaders with 99 hits. He leads the team with a .291 batting average and 49 RBIs. ... Single-A Staten Island defeated Batavia, 5-2, in a 21-inning marathon on Wednesday. It was the longest game in Staten Island's five-year history.
Yankees notes: Mondesi mad
Veteran slugger wants back in the lineup
By Mark Feinsand / MLB.com
Raul Mondesi is hitless in 10 at-bats this July. (Frank Franklin II/AP)
CLEVELAND -- Raul Mondesi came to the ballpark on Thursday expecting to play the outfield for the first time since July 4. Instead, he found himself on the bench, as Joe Torre opted to start Karim Garcia in right field.
"Karim is swinging the bat real well and I want to use him against right-handed pitchers," Torre said. "I still consider Mondesi my right fielder, I just want to see him more comfortable at bat. He's fighting a little bit right now."
Mondesi, who has battled a sore hip flexor for the last week, sat out his first four games of the season before serving as the Yankees' DH on Wednesday. Torre told Mondesi before Wednesday's game that he would be back in the outfield on Thursday, but the manager changed his mind.
"I told him yesterday that he'd play tomorrow, but I watched him swing the bat last night and I changed my mind," Torre said. "Right now, he doesn't look as comfortable as I think he needs to."
Mondesi was clearly upset with Torre's decision, saying that he felt he should be in the lineup. Mondesi was batting .301 at the end of May, but a .204 average in June dropped him down to .268. Mondesi is 0-for-10 in July, lowering his average to .258. He has 14 home runs and 43 RBIs, but he has only four home runs and 12 RBIs since June 1. On the season, Mondesi is hitting just .160 with runners in scoring position.
"I didn't swing the bat good for the last two weeks, but I still have three months left," Mondesi said. "Nobody said anything the first two months of the season when nobody was hitting but Soriano and me. There's no reason for this."
When informed of Mondesi's comments, Torre said he understood where his right fielder was coming from.
"I know he feels bad. Stuff that he says doesn't change the way I think or feel," Torre said. "He's an emotional guy, and I respect that about him. He wants to contribute as much as anybody else. If I didn't think there was a reason to talk to him, I would have just put the lineup card up and wouldn't have approached him."
Mondesi, who will be a free agent at the end of the season, indicated that he would look for a new team to play for next season.
"There's only three months left [in the season]," Mondesi said. "I'll sign and play for somebody else next year."
Added Mondesi: "I'm going to call my agent right now."
Garcia, who was acquired from the Indians in late June, did his best to deflect any controversy regarding the right-field job.
"This is Mondesi's job. He plays right field every day, I'm just filling in," Garcia said. "Ultimately, Joe is going to make that decision. ... This is a great opportunity right now, so I'll try to take advantage of it as much as I can. I just want to play good defense, get a couple of hits and contribute as much as I can."
Torre said that he was only worried about his team's immediate future, and if using Garcia in right field gave the Yankees their best chance to win, that's what he would do.
"I'm thinking more in the short-term right now," Torre said. "I'm worried about the next three days. I have a great deal of respect for the way he plays and does his job. He knows how I feel and I know how he feels. Sometimes, everything can't be wonderful."
"I want to be here, but if it's going to be that way, I don't want to be here," Mondesi said. "I'm not going to get better sitting on the bench, watching somebody else play for me."
Contreras feeling better: Jose Contreras showed up in the Yankees' clubhouse after Thursday night's game. The Cuban right-hander was traveling with the team to Toronto to take care of a visa issue.
Contreras has been on the disabled list since June 10 with a strained right shoulder, and has been rehabbing in Tampa.
"I feel a lot better," Contreras said through an interpreter. "I don't have any pain."
Contreras has not thrown off a mound yet, but has been throwing 10-minute sessions on flat ground. Another MRI is scheduled for Wednesday, and if it shows that his shoulder has healed, a mound program will be set.
"If everything is clear, we'll have a date set," Contreras said. "I've been throwing (on flat ground) and I don't have any discomfort."
See you, Osuna: Antonio Osuna was scheduled to throw another inning in a minor league rehab game on Thursday night, and the right-handed reliever should rejoin the Yankees on Saturday in Toronto.
On June 19, Osuna was placed on the 15-day disabled list for the second time this season with a strained right groin. Torre said that even though the injury was in the same exact spot both times, there isn't much the Yankees can do in the way of preventing it from happening again.
"We really didn't push him," Torre said. "It didn't seem like it was as bad the last time, but it took every bit as long. We'll have to make sure he stretches real good and tries to keep himself in the best shape he possibly can."
Down on the farm: Triple-A Columbus swept a doubleheader from Syracuse on Wednesday, pulling the Clippers within four games of the .500 mark. Adrian Hernandez tossed a perfect 16th inning, striking out two to earn his third win of the season. Columbus has won eight of its last nine games. ... Third baseman Brian Myrow (Double-A Trenton) is batting .471 (8-for-17) in his last five games. ... Second baseman Robinson Cano (Single-A Tampa) is among the Florida State League leaders with 99 hits. He leads the team with a .291 batting average and 49 RBIs. ... Single-A Staten Island defeated Batavia, 5-2, in a 21-inning marathon on Wednesday. It was the longest game in Staten Island's five-year history.