As Jim Allen calls him (without the bit of censorship on my part...) wink But I wanted to post about this since I first heard that he signed with the Angels.
The story goes like this: he's sued by some guy in his home country, and because of issues involved with the court case the Pirates withhold his salary for a little while. They come to some kind of resolution that allowed the Pirates to start paying him again. He then leaves the team and goes home, and a couple of days later says he can't play again this year because of some sort of family or personal issues. For some reason the Pirates terminate his contract so they no longer have his rights, so he's a free agent. He promptly turns around and signs with Anaheim.
What a weasel! And what utter morons the Pittsburgh Pirates are!
Full Version: Raul f----ing former Dodger clubhouse toxin Mondesi
I think the Pirates are pretty smart, actually. Given Mondesi's history with every one of the teams he's played for, I can't imagine why the Angels, or any other team, would want to be associated with him.
I don't think they should have let him get away with it, though. They should have let him sit out and if he wanted to return so badly for another team then they could have forced him to work out a deal that gives them some compensation.
When Joe posts, Bud Selig listens. It is now reported that the Commissioner's Office is investigating Mondesi's departure from the Pirates and signing with the Angels. Selig said that neither team asked for the investigation and Mondesi denies that he finessed baseball rules in order to sign with the Angels. Pirates' GM, Dave Littlefield: "The idea that Mondesi manipulated anything, I just don't buy it. As intriguing as it sounds, it didn't happen." Angel GM Bill Stoneman says he's not concerned about the possibility of having to pay Pittsburgh for Mondesi, adding that the team began negotiating with Modesi after receiving notice that the Pirates had released him.
Bud Selig has asked executive VP Sandy Alderson to lead the investigation, which has no set timetable.
~Adam
Bud Selig has asked executive VP Sandy Alderson to lead the investigation, which has no set timetable.
~Adam
QUOTE
Munson Man:
Given Mondesi's history with every one of the teams he's played for, I can't imagine why the Angels, or any other team, would want to be associated with him.
Exactly. I am sure the Yankees, Dodgers, Blue Jays, Diamondbacks and Pirates are all thinking: "He is all yours, Angels!".
Given Mondesi's history with every one of the teams he's played for, I can't imagine why the Angels, or any other team, would want to be associated with him.
Apart from the clubhouse toxin---a term I saw used by a St. Louis beat writer to describe former Card > Angels pitcher Joe Magrane--issues and all that, I and some of the people on the Angels blogs I go to were puzzled by the Angels acquisition of ANOTHER outfielder. Guillen and Vlad are set; DaVanon has done a good job replacing Garret Anderson, who's due back in about a month [crosses fingers and toes]. Chone Figgins has done a good job in CF, too and Erstad could play there. What they needed more than anything was a 3B to replace Troy Glaus, who's 99% likely toast for the season--Shane Halter is awful and Alfredo Amezga couldn't hit the ocean from the end of a pier.
Very odd--one rumor is that they got The Clubhouse Toxin to pacify Jose Guillen, who made a big stink about the pitching staff not nailing somebody when Guillen got plunked. Hmmm....Guillen and getting brushed back/hit, sound familiar Cattledog?
Very odd--one rumor is that they got The Clubhouse Toxin to pacify Jose Guillen, who made a big stink about the pitching staff not nailing somebody when Guillen got plunked. Hmmm....Guillen and getting brushed back/hit, sound familiar Cattledog?
QUOTE
Jim Allen:
Hmmm....Guillen and getting brushed back/hit, sound familiar Cattledog?
All I can say is that I am really looking forward that Yankees/Angels ALCS, JA! wink
Hmmm....Guillen and getting brushed back/hit, sound familiar Cattledog?
From MLB.com
06/09/2004 11:31 PM ET
Mondesi could be lost for season
Outfielder has torn quadriceps
By Doug Miller / MLB.com
ANAHEIM -- It didn't take outfielder Raul Mondesi long to join the ranks of the Angels' infirm.
In his eighth game as an Angel since signing with the club May 29, Mondesi tore his right quadriceps (thigh) muscle while running to first base in Tuesday night's loss to Milwaukee and could be out for the year.
The Angels immediately placed Mondesi on the 15-day disabled list and said he will be out "indefinitely."
The recovery time for this type of injury can vary but is usually measured in months, so it's possible that Mondesi, a free agent at the end of the season, has played his last game as an Angel.
Angels manager Mike Scioscia said he felt Mondesi could be back before the end of the season.
"He plays hard and can play through a lot of pain and a lot of nicks," Scioscia said. "But this one is going to take some time."
Mondesi, who was hitting .118 in 34 at-bats over eight games, left the Angels clubhouse while his teammates stretched on the field before Wednesday's game.
He was sent for an MRI and was re-examined by team physician Craig Milhouse on Wednesday evening. Milhouse confirmed the tear.
Mondesi will likely be replaced on the roster by center fielder Garret Anderson, who played in his third rehab game for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga on Wednesday night and went 2-for-3 with a walk.
Anderson was deemed by Scioscia to be "further along than we ever thought he'd be" in his recovery from arthritis that has kept him out of action since April 22 and will probably join the Angels on Thursday.
Mondesi joins Anderson, Darin Erstad, Troy Glaus, Brendan Donnelly, Tim Salmon and Troy Percival as Angels who have spent time on the DL this year.
The injury continues a strange year for Mondesi, an 11-year big-league veteran.
Mondesi started the season with the Pittsburgh Pirates and played until late April, when he said he would sit out the rest of the season to fight a lawsuit filed against him by Mario Guerrero, a former player who alleged that he deserved about $650,000 -- one percent of his earnings -- for teaching Mondesi how to play baseball while growing up in San Cristobal, D.R.
Mondesi did not travel to Denver for a series against the Colorado Rockies, so the Pirates placed him on the restricted list. Then he didn't show up for a series opener against the Padres and was waived.
The Angels signed him May 29 for a remainder-of-the-season deal that paid him $1.75 million.
Doug Miller is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
06/09/2004 11:31 PM ET
Mondesi could be lost for season
Outfielder has torn quadriceps
By Doug Miller / MLB.com
ANAHEIM -- It didn't take outfielder Raul Mondesi long to join the ranks of the Angels' infirm.
In his eighth game as an Angel since signing with the club May 29, Mondesi tore his right quadriceps (thigh) muscle while running to first base in Tuesday night's loss to Milwaukee and could be out for the year.
The Angels immediately placed Mondesi on the 15-day disabled list and said he will be out "indefinitely."
The recovery time for this type of injury can vary but is usually measured in months, so it's possible that Mondesi, a free agent at the end of the season, has played his last game as an Angel.
Angels manager Mike Scioscia said he felt Mondesi could be back before the end of the season.
"He plays hard and can play through a lot of pain and a lot of nicks," Scioscia said. "But this one is going to take some time."
Mondesi, who was hitting .118 in 34 at-bats over eight games, left the Angels clubhouse while his teammates stretched on the field before Wednesday's game.
He was sent for an MRI and was re-examined by team physician Craig Milhouse on Wednesday evening. Milhouse confirmed the tear.
Mondesi will likely be replaced on the roster by center fielder Garret Anderson, who played in his third rehab game for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga on Wednesday night and went 2-for-3 with a walk.
Anderson was deemed by Scioscia to be "further along than we ever thought he'd be" in his recovery from arthritis that has kept him out of action since April 22 and will probably join the Angels on Thursday.
Mondesi joins Anderson, Darin Erstad, Troy Glaus, Brendan Donnelly, Tim Salmon and Troy Percival as Angels who have spent time on the DL this year.
The injury continues a strange year for Mondesi, an 11-year big-league veteran.
Mondesi started the season with the Pittsburgh Pirates and played until late April, when he said he would sit out the rest of the season to fight a lawsuit filed against him by Mario Guerrero, a former player who alleged that he deserved about $650,000 -- one percent of his earnings -- for teaching Mondesi how to play baseball while growing up in San Cristobal, D.R.
Mondesi did not travel to Denver for a series against the Colorado Rockies, so the Pirates placed him on the restricted list. Then he didn't show up for a series opener against the Padres and was waived.
The Angels signed him May 29 for a remainder-of-the-season deal that paid him $1.75 million.
Doug Miller is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Hahaha. Stupid ex-Dodgers. Mondesi contracted terminated:
[ July 31, 2004, 11:25 AM: Message edited by: Jim Allen ]
QUOTE
The Angels' brief association with outfielder Raul Mondesi ended Friday when the club terminated his contract, thereby denying Mondesi the remainder of the $1.75 million he signed for in late May. The Angels cut him loose because he failed to show up for several prescribed rehabilitation sessions for his injured right quadriceps since June 17.
According to a team press release, \"This action was inconsistent with the Club's right and his obligations under the Basic Agreement and Uniform Player's Contract, thus constituting a breach of contract. After repeated warnings regarding Mondesi's failure to perform rehabilitation and a suspension (June 19-21) for an unauthorized leave of absence, the club has decided to terminate his contract.\" Angels general manager Bill Stoneman said he spoke with Mondesi's agent, Jeff Moorad, on Thursday and Friday and was under the impression that Moorad was unaware of Mondesi's discretions.
Stoneman also said he didn't know where Mondesi was but assumed he was in his native Dominican Republic. \"We'd reached the point where enough was enough,\" Stoneman said. \"He had an obligation to show up and try to get better. We reached the point where we realized his commitment wasn't at the same point that ours was.\"
This is the second time this season Mondesi has had a contract terminated by a Major League team.
Good riddance. He wasn't going to play much anyway. Way to torch a MLB career. Mondesi always had a reputation of being as stupid as a box of hair, but man.According to a team press release, \"This action was inconsistent with the Club's right and his obligations under the Basic Agreement and Uniform Player's Contract, thus constituting a breach of contract. After repeated warnings regarding Mondesi's failure to perform rehabilitation and a suspension (June 19-21) for an unauthorized leave of absence, the club has decided to terminate his contract.\" Angels general manager Bill Stoneman said he spoke with Mondesi's agent, Jeff Moorad, on Thursday and Friday and was under the impression that Moorad was unaware of Mondesi's discretions.
Stoneman also said he didn't know where Mondesi was but assumed he was in his native Dominican Republic. \"We'd reached the point where enough was enough,\" Stoneman said. \"He had an obligation to show up and try to get better. We reached the point where we realized his commitment wasn't at the same point that ours was.\"
This is the second time this season Mondesi has had a contract terminated by a Major League team.
[ July 31, 2004, 11:25 AM: Message edited by: Jim Allen ]
I can't imagine any team would be dumb enough to consider signing him again.
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