From: kbos@carina.unm.edu (Kurt "Some Guy" Bose)
Subject: Re: Raul Mondesi
Date: Thu, 08 Oct 92 07:13:44 GMT
Organization: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

In article <92281.182835IO81144@MAINE.MAINE.EDU> <IO81144@MAINE.MAINE.EDU> writes:
>I hear talk on occasion about how this guy should be protected and is
>projected as outfield starter next year, but I can't track any information
>down on him.  He didn't appear to be called up and I couldn't find any
>minor league information on him.  Can anyone out there enlighten me?
>Brian Scheller

Hey, I've seen a lot of the guy and ya got me.

He's got tools is what he's got.  Coming into the 1992 season, in about 500
at bats, he had about 15 HRs and 45 SBs, split fairly evenly between the 
Florida State League, Cal League, and Texas League.  He's a center fielder who
had 7 triples and 4 HRs in 138 at-bats in AAA, hitting .312 in the PCL.

^^^^Florida State should read "Pioneer" instead.  He was at Great Falls, not
Vero Beach.  Great Falls is Rookie League, not A ball.

{Note for those who don't know: unless you play in Vancouver, it ain't *that*
special.  It's probably .250-.260 in the majors.  And Mondesi doesn't walk.}

About a third of the way into the season, he missed a couple of practices and 
a flight to Phoenix (I think).  He was sent to San Antonio to develop the right
attitude, and broke a wrist a couple of weeks later.  I think he was upset that
Tom Goodwin was called up instead of him.

Frankly, potential is the biggest reason he's on the list.  He isn't at all
disciplined (career 6/1 K/W ratios are good...if you're a pitcher), I haven't 
seen any followups which say his attitude has improved, and I'm not sure he's
healthy.  I guess the McWeekly has the Dodgers protecting him instead of Henry
Rodriguez, and checking in along with Billy Ashley in the OF by 1994.

Why are the Dodgers doing this to the kid?  (Note: use of the word "kid" shows
that the guy's a prospect; he was born in March of '71.)  They've got a kid
who had a great year in 1990 in Rookie ball, split 330 at bats between A and AA
ball with fairly good numbers, and had an injury which kept him sidelined most
of the year, after being reprimanded for an attitude problem.

Meanwhile, they've got two of the fastest men in organized baseball at the same
position, one ahead and one behind, who are both better at getting on base than
Mondesi, who is moving into a stadium which will rob him of a good portion of
his power (since he isn't the kind of guy who jacks the ball out).  And both
of them are going to be unprotected.  And Fred Claire is keeping his job.

But, I can say this: the man is sculpted.  Well, OK, my ex-girlfriend said 
this. (This is the one who ran off with the male stripper, for those who are 
keeping score.)  If Mondesi is as good as hype says, I'll be pleasantly
surprised, but I can see him not living up to expectations in LA.  Right now,
he's a 21 year old kid being asked to be the savior for the Dodgers, and I 
think that's unrealistic.  If Straw can recover, and the infielders get over
the collective defensive slump (yes, defense can slump; these guys just do
_not_ look the same as they have before), they don't *need* a savior, but the
media will hype Mondesi as "the man", and the players will see that, and if
Mondesi doesn't start hot and stay hot, the Dodgers will do poorly as the
media, fans, and other players lose confidence in the "rookie", and themselves.
Right now, I see that as being more likely than Raul coming in and being
the world beater everyone predicts.  We may have another Gary Sheffield here 
down the road?

The question is, is waiting two or three years to reap the benefits of this
talent, if it comes in LA, worth losing the more polished prospect with the 
ceiling that isn't as high?  Or in this case, losing Mike Sharperson, an older
but still quite talented player who got a bad rap with Toronto and hasn't been
able to overcome that until 1992?  (Folks, he's a darn good player.  The All-
Star season wasn't a joke.)

My predictions:  Mike Sharperson will be an All-Star in 1993...for Miami.
                 Raul Mondesi will be an All-Star in 1995...for Toronto.

(Had enough???)

-- 
Kurt Bose (as in Daisy, not Rose) *  kbos@carina.unm.edu * Make outs, not walks!
Keeper of the R.S.BB FAQ, and Junior Stathead {tm} *  Maintainer, R.S.BB Archive
Be kind. Don't flame the mediots. * Look, stupid comments are funny!' -R. Lustig
I'd rather see Doug Dascenzo pitch than suffer through John Burkett's batting...