Former Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Raul Mondesi was once as soon as one of the vital league’s highest blends of energy and pace.
Opening Day 1999 Raul Mondesi Hits A three Run 💣 In The ninth To Tie The Recreation, Then Walks It Off With A 2 Run Shot In The eleventh …. The Dodgers Beat The Dbacks 8-6 #Dodgers #OpeningDay percent.twitter.com/HyqrXrxwsy
— GSH (@gman416) March 26, 2020
He turned into identified for his 30 house run and 30 thieve seasons, an excellent feat.
Mondesi performed in portions of 13 seasons on the Primary League stage, however started to fall off as he were given older.
This after all resulted in his retirement, the place he ended up pursuing a occupation in politics within the Dominican Republic.
Here’s a whole take a look at his occupation, and the place Mondesi is lately.
A Teen With A Dream
Mondesi was once signed by means of the Dodgers when he was once simply 17 years previous in 1988 out of the Dominican Republic.
It took him a few years to make the transition to the US, and he entered Rookie Ball in 1990.
In his first season {of professional} baseball, Mondesi hit .303 with 8 house runs and 30 stolen bases, appearing a glimpse at his long run MLB manufacturing.
It charted a snappy construction time within the Minors, as he spent simply 3 extra years between Double-A and Triple-A.
In the end, in July of 1993, Mondesi was once referred to as as much as the Dodgers for his first style of motion within the Majors.
In simply 42 video games, he hit .291 with 4 house runs to turn the Dodgers that he was once able for a full-time spot with the membership.
Mondesi Stands Out As A Rookie
In his rookie season, Mondesi seemed in 112 video games and obviously stood out.
He hit .306 with 16 house runs throughout the strike-shortened 1994 season.
This was once just right sufficient for him to take house the Rookie of the 12 months Award for the Nationwide League.
He adopted this up with every other stellar yr, incomes his first occupation All-Superstar look.
Through the tip of the yr, he tallied 26 house runs, 88 RBI, and 27 stolen bases to move along his .285 moderate.
Nowadays in 1995:
Raúl Mondesí led a rally down 3-0 together with his first occupation grand slam and tallied 5 RBI’s to assist the @Dodgers defeat the Cubs, 7-5 at Dodger Stadium.
(🎙️@SportsCenter) percent.twitter.com/2JYLzRDJyy
— Dodgers Archive (@DodgersArchive) August 15, 2021
It briefly turned into transparent that Mondesi was once setting up himself as one of the vital recreation’s highest and brightest younger avid gamers.
After a powerful 1996 season, 1997 could be Mondesi’s highest.
Right here he hit .310, with 30 house runs and 32 stolen bases, becoming a member of the 30-30 membership for the primary time.
This earned him a low end within the MVP balloting, and he additionally earned his 2d occupation Gold Glove Award.
On the other hand, this will be the top for Mondesi.
He by no means reasonably reached the similar stage of manufacturing as he started to bop round other groups and struggle accidents.
A Secure Drop Off For Mondesi
In 1999, Mondesi completed his 2d go back and forth to the 30-30 membership after hitting 33 homers and stealing 36 baggage.
On the other hand, on the top of the steroid technology, this went moderately overlooked.
His averages started to dip against .250 as his energy numbers started losing into the 20s for house runs.
On July 17, 1999, Raúl Mondesí (first homer in 113 at bats) shook off a stoop going 2-for-5 whilst Eric Karros blasted a couple of homers to assist the @Dodgers rout the Angels, 13-3 in Anaheim.
(📽️ @SportsCenter) percent.twitter.com/GBZ3BQCn1p
— Dodgers Archive (@DodgersArchive) July 17, 2021
He was once traded to the Toronto Blue Jays earlier than the 2000 season, and performed in simply 96 video games earlier than tearing ligaments in his elbow.
Mondesi returned to the sector in 2001 and hit 27 homers with a .252 moderate.
All the way through the following season, he was once traded to the New York Yankees the place he spent only a year-and-a-half.
There his manufacturing was once forged however didn’t stand out, together with his moderate falling to .232 in 2002.
This resulted in him being traded once more in 2003, this time to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
In half of a season with the crew, he hit over .300 and seemed to have a resurgence in his occupation.
On the other hand, this was once simply brief as he signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates the following yr and left the crew by means of Might.
He then signed with the Anaheim Angels however tore his quadriceps and was once launched after now not appearing as much as his rehab treatment.
Mondesi’s occupation would result in 2005 as he seemed in simply 41 video games with the Atlanta Braves, hitting .211 with 4 house runs.
When all was once mentioned and completed, he completed with 1,589 hits, 271 house runs, 229 stolen bases, and a .273 moderate.
Mondesi Enters Politics
Not up to a yr after leaving the game of baseball, Mondesi returned house to the Dominican Republic to turn out to be a public reliable.
He was once elected to the Chamber of Deputies and represented his house province.
This persevered till he was once elected mayor of his homeland in 2010, a place that has a six-year time period,
Politics grew to become south for Mondesi regardless that in 2017, as he was once charged with corruption and the mishandling of price range throughout his time as mayor.
He was once discovered allegedly embezzling 30 million pesos ($6 million) when he was once mayor.
This netted him an eight-year jail sentence, together with a $1.3 million positive.
It additionally earned him a 10-year ban from politics, which means that any aspirations he had there can be placed on dangle for now.
In spite of Mondesi’s go out from baseball and into politics, his namesake carries on in MLB.
His son, Adalberto, is an infielder for the Kansas Town Royals.
Raul Mondesi hit a homer onto the manager construction in proper box. Mammoth is acurrate. percent.twitter.com/5OKmSSJZBA
— Shaun Newkirk (@Shauncore) April 26, 2016
He made his MLB debut throughout the 2015 Global Collection, serving to the crew to the name.
Whilst he doesn’t generally display the similar energy his dad had, Adalberto definitely has identical, if now not higher, pace.
Even though his post-playing occupation has been forgettable, Mondesi was once as soon as a budding famous person within the Majors.
He was once a powerful mix of energy and pace, striking up stellar numbers throughout the steroid technology.
Fanatics of the game, particularly Dodgers enthusiasts, will most probably now not overlook that any time quickly.
