Yankee 21
07-30-2003, 09:54 AM
07/30/2003 12:36 AM ET
Yankees send Mondesi to D-Backs
New York obtains Dellucci, Prinz and Sprowl
By Mark Feinsand / MLB.com Get tickets
Raul Mondesi had a fast start to the season, hitting .301 with 10 home runs and 31 RBIs through the end of May. (Frank Franklin II/AP)
ANAHEIM -- The Yankees shook up their outfield on Tuesday night, trading Raul Mondesi and about $2 million to the Arizona Diamondbacks for outfielder David Dellucci and two minor leaguers, right-handed pitcher Bret Prinz and catcher Jon Mark Sprowl.
Mondesi essentially wrote his own ticket out of New York on Sunday night, leaving Fenway Park before the Yankees' game against the Red Sox was finished, having been pinch-hit for in the eighth inning.
"Sunday night, after he was pinch-hit for by Joe Torre, he decided that he was going to shut it down, shower up and leave," said general manager Brian Cashman. "Before that game was concluded, he had left the clubhouse and took off. That's what motivated me and Joe Torre to pursue a change of venue for Raul.
"The fact that he didn't stay to root the rest of the team on against one of our rivals, that type of statement made me feel this way," added the GM. "He plays hard between the white lines and he gives it all, but I need our players to respect our manager, even if they disagree with him."
"He didn't do the worst thing anybody has ever done, but I wasn't comfortable with it," Torre said. "It's not acceptable, what he did."
Mondesi left the Yankees' clubhouse at Edison Field after hearing of the trade during Tuesday's game, opting not to meet with reporters to discuss the trade. Mondesi issued a statement through Yankees Media Relations Director Rick Cerrone.
"I think this is best for me," Mondesi said in the statement. "Arizona is a good team. I'm going back to the National League, where I've had success. This is good for me."
Mondesi played for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1993-99, winning the NL's Rookie of the Year award in '94. His best seasons were from 1996-98, when he averaged 31 home runs and 92 RBIs with Los Angeles.
Mondesi had a fast start to the 2003 season, hitting .301 with 10 home runs and 31 RBIs through the end of May. But the right fielder dropped off in June, batting just .204 with four homers and 12 RBIs, as his average fell to .268. His decline continued in July, as he hit .191 with two homers and six RBIs.
"Performance may have caused a lot of his frustration," Torre said. "But I can't say that this wouldn't have happened if he was hitting .300."
"The Yankees and Mondesi were not going in the same direction," Cashman said. "He's a player that plays extremely hard and has pride in what he does, but I don't know if he was on the same page with us in terms of what we're trying to accomplish. This puts him in a happier situation and puts us in a position to have 25 men going in the same direction."
To replace Mondesi in right field, the Yankees will turn to Karim Garcia, Ruben Sierra and possibly Dellucci to fill the void. Garcia and Sierra were acquired in June trades, but have played sparingly since Bernie Williams returned from the disabled list before the All-Star break.
"I feel we have alternatives," Cashman said. "It's settled for now. I can't predict the future. I look forward to seeing the players that Joe chooses to run out there and what they're capable of doing."
"I think I have a great opportunity, and I'm very excited about it," Garcia said. "I'm going to approach it like I always have. When I get the opportunity to play, I'm going to try to help the team win."
Mondesi was not in the lineup on Tuesday night against the Angels, a sign that a deal was in the works. Torre insisted that the move was simply to get Garcia some at-bats, but Mondesi said before the game that he thought there was a chance he would be dealt.
"Probably," said Mondesi when asked if he thought he would be traded. "I don't know. There's nothing I can do."
In 70 games, Dellucci hit .242 with two home runs, 19 RBIs and nine stolen bases, getting just 165 at-bats as a reserve outfielder. Dellucci, an original expansion pick for Arizona, had his best season in 2001, batting .276 with 10 home runs and 40 RBIs in 115 games, helping the Diamondbacks to their first World Series title.
"I'll miss him and I know the fans will. He's always played the game the right way," said Arizona manager Bob Brenly. "He's always played hard and you knew when you sent him out there David Dellucci was going to do everything and anything he could to help you win a game."
"I told him you go back to the beginning of the organization and you were one of the reasons we won a World Series," said D-Backs GM Joe Garagiola Jr. "He was a fan favorite and deservedly so. We'll miss him, but I think he's going to do a great job in pinstripes."
Prinz will report to Triple-A Columbus, while Sprowl will play for Class-A Battle Creek.
In the end, both Cashman and Torre said that this deal was more about team chemistry than Mondesi's ability between the lines.
"You can't walk away in the battle while the rest of our guys are trying to get the job done. Based on that action, I felt it was best to move on and go forward," Cashman said. "I'm not trying to create an issue with Mondy, but the facts are the facts. I don't think he's accustomed to different alternatives by a manager, and he didn't react well to it. I'd rather have 25 guys who are 'All for one, one for all' rather than what went down Sunday."
"He's got a great deal of talent, but he fought himself a lot," Torre said. "He didn't get the message as far as the team concept. I know he's not a bad person, but he just let his frustration be ahead of the team."
Mark Feinsand is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not
Yankees send Mondesi to D-Backs
New York obtains Dellucci, Prinz and Sprowl
By Mark Feinsand / MLB.com Get tickets
Raul Mondesi had a fast start to the season, hitting .301 with 10 home runs and 31 RBIs through the end of May. (Frank Franklin II/AP)
ANAHEIM -- The Yankees shook up their outfield on Tuesday night, trading Raul Mondesi and about $2 million to the Arizona Diamondbacks for outfielder David Dellucci and two minor leaguers, right-handed pitcher Bret Prinz and catcher Jon Mark Sprowl.
Mondesi essentially wrote his own ticket out of New York on Sunday night, leaving Fenway Park before the Yankees' game against the Red Sox was finished, having been pinch-hit for in the eighth inning.
"Sunday night, after he was pinch-hit for by Joe Torre, he decided that he was going to shut it down, shower up and leave," said general manager Brian Cashman. "Before that game was concluded, he had left the clubhouse and took off. That's what motivated me and Joe Torre to pursue a change of venue for Raul.
"The fact that he didn't stay to root the rest of the team on against one of our rivals, that type of statement made me feel this way," added the GM. "He plays hard between the white lines and he gives it all, but I need our players to respect our manager, even if they disagree with him."
"He didn't do the worst thing anybody has ever done, but I wasn't comfortable with it," Torre said. "It's not acceptable, what he did."
Mondesi left the Yankees' clubhouse at Edison Field after hearing of the trade during Tuesday's game, opting not to meet with reporters to discuss the trade. Mondesi issued a statement through Yankees Media Relations Director Rick Cerrone.
"I think this is best for me," Mondesi said in the statement. "Arizona is a good team. I'm going back to the National League, where I've had success. This is good for me."
Mondesi played for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1993-99, winning the NL's Rookie of the Year award in '94. His best seasons were from 1996-98, when he averaged 31 home runs and 92 RBIs with Los Angeles.
Mondesi had a fast start to the 2003 season, hitting .301 with 10 home runs and 31 RBIs through the end of May. But the right fielder dropped off in June, batting just .204 with four homers and 12 RBIs, as his average fell to .268. His decline continued in July, as he hit .191 with two homers and six RBIs.
"Performance may have caused a lot of his frustration," Torre said. "But I can't say that this wouldn't have happened if he was hitting .300."
"The Yankees and Mondesi were not going in the same direction," Cashman said. "He's a player that plays extremely hard and has pride in what he does, but I don't know if he was on the same page with us in terms of what we're trying to accomplish. This puts him in a happier situation and puts us in a position to have 25 men going in the same direction."
To replace Mondesi in right field, the Yankees will turn to Karim Garcia, Ruben Sierra and possibly Dellucci to fill the void. Garcia and Sierra were acquired in June trades, but have played sparingly since Bernie Williams returned from the disabled list before the All-Star break.
"I feel we have alternatives," Cashman said. "It's settled for now. I can't predict the future. I look forward to seeing the players that Joe chooses to run out there and what they're capable of doing."
"I think I have a great opportunity, and I'm very excited about it," Garcia said. "I'm going to approach it like I always have. When I get the opportunity to play, I'm going to try to help the team win."
Mondesi was not in the lineup on Tuesday night against the Angels, a sign that a deal was in the works. Torre insisted that the move was simply to get Garcia some at-bats, but Mondesi said before the game that he thought there was a chance he would be dealt.
"Probably," said Mondesi when asked if he thought he would be traded. "I don't know. There's nothing I can do."
In 70 games, Dellucci hit .242 with two home runs, 19 RBIs and nine stolen bases, getting just 165 at-bats as a reserve outfielder. Dellucci, an original expansion pick for Arizona, had his best season in 2001, batting .276 with 10 home runs and 40 RBIs in 115 games, helping the Diamondbacks to their first World Series title.
"I'll miss him and I know the fans will. He's always played the game the right way," said Arizona manager Bob Brenly. "He's always played hard and you knew when you sent him out there David Dellucci was going to do everything and anything he could to help you win a game."
"I told him you go back to the beginning of the organization and you were one of the reasons we won a World Series," said D-Backs GM Joe Garagiola Jr. "He was a fan favorite and deservedly so. We'll miss him, but I think he's going to do a great job in pinstripes."
Prinz will report to Triple-A Columbus, while Sprowl will play for Class-A Battle Creek.
In the end, both Cashman and Torre said that this deal was more about team chemistry than Mondesi's ability between the lines.
"You can't walk away in the battle while the rest of our guys are trying to get the job done. Based on that action, I felt it was best to move on and go forward," Cashman said. "I'm not trying to create an issue with Mondy, but the facts are the facts. I don't think he's accustomed to different alternatives by a manager, and he didn't react well to it. I'd rather have 25 guys who are 'All for one, one for all' rather than what went down Sunday."
"He's got a great deal of talent, but he fought himself a lot," Torre said. "He didn't get the message as far as the team concept. I know he's not a bad person, but he just let his frustration be ahead of the team."
Mark Feinsand is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not