Mondesi decides to sit out the year

[sahyder1]

Mondesi decides to sit out the year

Associated Press

5/10/2004

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) - Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Raul Mondesi won't play for the rest of the season, saying he can't concentrate on the game because of personal matters.

``I won't play another game this season,'' Mondesi told The Associated Press on Monday. ``I can't concentrate well enough to play baseball. I don't want to become a distraction for the team. This is the best for the Pirates, for myself and my family.''

Mondesi, who has been playing without pay since April because of a pending lawsuit in Dominican courts, returned to his native Caribbean country on Saturday.

A Dominican civil court ruled in February that Mondesi owed former major leaguer Mario Guerrero about $640,000 US for helping him improve his baseball skills, a claim which Mondesi denies.

Mondesi appealed the ruling, but said the court ordered his nine accounts in nine Dominican banks frozen and the Pirates withheld his pay.

In April, Mondesi had threatened to leave the team if the Pirates didn't pay him by the end of the month.

However, a Dominican court order that caused the Pirates to withhold Mondesi's pay was lifted Wednesday. The Pirates said Wednesday they would release Mondesi's wages from an interest-bearing escrow account.

Mondesi said he would call his agent, Jeff Moorad, to tell him his decision and that Moorad would communicate it to the Pirates. The 33-year-old slugger said the decision was only for this year and he may return next season.

Mondesi has a career batting average of .276 with 266 homers and 842 RBIs in 12 seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Arizona Diamondbacks and Pittsburgh.

Mondesi, signed as a free agent in February, is hitting .283 with two homers and 14 RBIs this season. He was the National League's Rookie of the Year in 1994 with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He won Golden Glove awards in 1995 and '97 and went 30-30 in home runs and stolen bases twice in his career.

Mondesi said he needs a rest and wants to spend more time with his four children.

``I've played 20 straight years of baseball all year round,'' he said. ``I deserve a rest even if it's only a few months. Today I took my children to school for the first time in my life. It was an amazing feeling.''

[DYSI]

Well he IS playing for the Pirates...

[Sabu]

Pretty big blow for the Pirates. They already suck, and they needed Mondesi.

[HailtotheYo]

Yeah, this sucks. Mondesi is a hell of a player. The thing about his kids is crazy though ... never imagined that it would have been his first time EVER to do that. Damn.

[Guest Sean O'Haire]

Mondesi is one of the best on the team, this seriously hurts them. Does that mean he forfeits the rest of his pay for the season?

[sahyder1]

Mondesi is one of the best on the team, this seriously hurts them.  Does that mean he forfeits the rest of his pay for the season?

←

Yes, he does forgeit his pay. But this could be a great thing for the Pirates. Let Wilson and Bay play a lot more.

[Lowerdeck]

If they build up on the decent young players they have, they might have something going for them. Of course they'll never catch Chicago or Houston, but they might get out of the shitter.

I have a few Pirates on my fantasy teams. So, they better be doing something good.

[Corizzle]

Damn, I have him in one of my fantasy leagues. I don't care if your mother is dying, play dam you *insert not uploaded shifty smiley here*