ANAHEIM – A late-game shower Sunday night in Boston and an early departure from Fenway Park while the Yankees were attempting a stirring comeback against the Red Sox led to Raul Mondesi getting dealt to the Diamondbacks last night.
“He was upset about being pinch-hit for and didn’t stay and root the team on,” GM Brian Cashman said of trading the slumping right fielder for three players.
“He decided to shut it down. He showered and left. He plays hard between the white lines, but I need players that respect the manager’s decisions even if they don’t agree with it.”
The move came on a day George Steinbrenner called a major sitdown of his inner circle today in Tampa – where more discussions are sure to take place about what’s available on the trade market before tomorrow’s 4 p.m. EDT deadline.
Until Sunday night Cashman had listened to the Diamondbacks and Marlins and decided he would keep Mondesi despite his struggles since a strong first two months.
However, Cashman and manager Joe Torre decided that the Yankees would be better off without Mondesi, who didn’t fly with the team from Boston to California. Instead, he arrived Monday, one day after the Yankees did.
A clear sign that Mondesi’s days were numbered was that Torre had Karim Garcia in right field against Angel right-hander Kevin Appier last night. According to Cashman, had Mondesi not showered and left Fenway early, he would have remained a Yankee.
In return for Mondesi and about $2.34 million the Yankees received outfielder David Dellucci, minor-league pitcher Bret Prinz and minor-league catcher Jon Sprowl.
Dellucci will join the Yankees while Prinz goes to Columbus (Triple-A) and Sprowl joins Battle Creek (Single-A).
Mondesi didn’t make himself available to comment on the trade that was made in the fourth inning of last night’s game but did pass word through the Yankees’ PR department that he was looking forward to joining the Diamondbacks.
“This is best for me,” Mondesi said in the statement. “I am going to a good team and going back to the National League where I had success.”
Prior to the game, Torre said tomorrow’s trading deadline didn’t figure into the decision to bench Mondesi.
“If it was August 2, I would do the same thing,” Torre said.
Mondesi was batting .258 with 16 homers and 49 RBIs and has been a bust in the clutch, hitting .152 (16-for-105) with runners in scoring position.
While Cashman said he is looking forward to seeing what Torre does between Garcia, Ruben Sierra and Dellucci, the GM also said he isn’t necessarily done looking for outfield help.
“It’s settled for now, I can’t predict the future,” Cashman said. “I am comfortable with right field but like everything else, I have my ear to the ground to see if something makes us better.”
As for Mondesi, Cashman wished him well but wasn’t second-guessing his decision.
“We tried to pull out all the stops,” Cashman said. “He was hitting under .200 for the month of July and we had Reggie Jackson work with him to try and make it work.”
Mondesi you later
The Yankees last night traded unhappy outfielder Raul Mondesi to the Diamondbacks for outfielder David Dellucci and two minor-leaguers.
Here’s a look at the deal:
TO DIAMONDBACKS
Raul Mondesi
32-year-old righty-hitting outfielder
11 years major league experience
Acquired in trade with Blue Jays, July 1, 2002
2003 with Yankees:
98 G, .258, 16 HR, 49 RBIs
TO YANKEES
David Dellucci
29-year-old lefty-hitting outfielder
Nine seasons pro experience
Major league debut, 1997
2003 with Diamondbacks:
70 G, .242, 2 HR, 19 RBIs
Bret Prinz
26-year-old right-handed pitcher
Six seasons pro experience
Major league debut, 2001
2003 with Triple-A Tucson:
10 G, 0-1, 6.00
Jon Mark Sprowl
22-year-old lefty-hitting catcher
Drafted 47th round by Cubs in 1998
2003 with Single-A South Bend:
.296, 4 HR, 42 RBIs
