Raúl Ramón Mondesí Avelino (born March 12, 1971) is a
Dominican former politician and
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...
player. Mondesí played in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...
(MLB) for 13 seasons, primarily for the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League West, West division. Established in 1883 i ...
, and made his MLB debut with them in 1993. He was the
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
(NL)
Rookie of the Year in 1994, an
MLB All-Star
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual professional baseball game sanctioned by Major League Baseball (MLB) and contested between the all-stars from the American League (AL) and National ...
, and a two-time
Rawlings Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as simply the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball (MLB) players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in bo ...
winner. Known for his combination of
power
Power most often refers to:
* Power (physics), meaning "rate of doing work"
** Engine power, the power put out by an engine
** Electric power
* Power (social and political), the ability to influence people or events
** Abusive power
Power may a ...
and speed, Mondesí twice achieved the
30–30 club
In Major League Baseball (MLB), the 30–30 club is the group of batters who have collected thirty home runs and thirty stolen bases in a single season. Ken Williams was the first to achieve this, doing so in 1922. He remained the sole member ...
. He led MLB right fielders in
assists in three separate seasons over the course of his career.
After baseball, Mondesí began a career in politics, gaining election to the Dominican
Chamber of Deputies
The chamber of deputies is the lower house in many bicameral legislatures and the sole house in some unicameral legislatures.
Description
Historically, French Chamber of Deputies was the lower house of the French Parliament during the Bourbon Res ...
in 2006. In 2010, he became mayor of
San Cristóbal in the
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares with ...
, serving a six-year term. In 2017, Mondesí was sentenced to eight years in prison on corruption charges arising from his mayoral tenure.
Career
Los Angeles Dodgers
Mondesí was originally signed by the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League West, West division. Established in 1883 i ...
as an amateur free agent in 1988 out of the
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares with ...
. With the
Great Falls Dodgers in 1990, he hit .303 with 30 stolen bases and was selected to the
Pioneer League All-Star team. In 1991, he played in 21 games with the
Bakersfield Dodgers
Bakersfield is a city in Kern County, California, United States. It is the county seat and largest city of Kern County. The city covers about near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley and the Central Valley region. Bakersfield's pop ...
, 53 games with the
San Antonio Missions
The San Antonio Missions are a Minor League Baseball team of the Texas League and the Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres. They are located in San Antonio, Texas, and are named for the Spanish missions around which the city was founded ...
, and 2 with the
Albuquerque Dukes
The Albuquerque Dukes were a minor league baseball team based in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
History
The first Dukes team was formed in 1915 as part of the Class D Rio Grande Association. The team finished in third place with a 32-25 record. Frank ...
hitting .277 with 8 home runs and 18 stolen bases. In 1992, he played 18 games with San Antonio and 35 with Albuquerque, hitting .296. He spent all of 1993 with the Dukes, hitting .280 with 12 homers and 13 steals.
He made his MLB debut for the Dodgers on July 19, 1993, against the
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
, hitting a single to center field as a pinch hitter in seventh inning against
David West for his first major league hit. He hit his first home run, a two-run shot off
Bob Scanlan
Robert Guy Scanlan Jr. (born August 9, 1966), is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1991-2001. He played for the Chicago Cubs (1991-1993), Milwaukee Brewers (1994-1995, 2000), Detroit Tigers (1996), Kansas ...
in the 13th inning of a game against the
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is locate ...
on July 31. He returned to the minors after the August 6 games, but was back with the Dodgers for good in September. He appeared in 42 games that season for the Dodgers, hitting .291 with four home runs.
Mondesí made the Dodgers opening day roster in 1994 and played in 112 games, hitting .306 with 16 homers, 56 RBI, and 11 stolen bases. He was selected as the
National League Rookie of the Year
In Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is given annually to two outstanding rookie players, one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL), as voted on by the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA). The aw ...
.
In 1995, he was twice selected as
National League Player of the Week (April 30 and July 5), he won the
Rawlings Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as simply the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball (MLB) players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in bo ...
and was selected to the
1995 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. He flew out to right field in his one at-bat in the All-Star game. He also competed in the
Home Run Derby. Overall, he hit .285 with 26 home runs, 88 RBI, and 14 stolen bases. He had two hits in nine at-bats for the Dodgers in the
1995 National League Division Series loss to the
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
. He was two for twelve in the
1996 National League Division Series against the
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
, with two doubles.
In 1997, he hit .310 with 30 homers, 88 RBI, and 32 steals becoming the first Dodger player in history to join the
30–30 club
In Major League Baseball (MLB), the 30–30 club is the group of batters who have collected thirty home runs and thirty stolen bases in a single season. Ken Williams was the first to achieve this, doing so in 1922. He remained the sole member ...
. He also won his second
Rawlings Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as simply the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball (MLB) players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in bo ...
and finished 15th in voting for the
National League Most Valuable Player Award The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) is an annual Major League Baseball (MLB) award given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers' ...
. In 1999, he again joined the 30–30 club with 33 homers and 36 steals, though his average had dipped to .253.
Toronto Blue Jays
On November 8, 1999, Mondesí was traded by the Dodgers (along with
Pedro Borbón Jr.
Pedro Félix Borbón Marte (born November 15, 1967), generally known as Pedro Borbón Jr., is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for five teams, over nine seasons. Borbón was mainly a reli ...
) to the
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
for
Shawn Green
Shawn David Green (born November 10, 1972) is an American former Major League Baseball right fielder. Green was a 1st round draft pick and a two-time major league All-Star. He drove in 100 runs four times and scored 100 runs four times, hit ...
and minor league player Jorge Nunez. He only played in 96 games during his first season in Toronto after he tore ligaments in his right elbow during a game on July 21, which required season-ending surgery. He played two and a half seasons with the Blue Jays, playing in 320 games and hitting 66 home runs. He won the
American League Player of the Week Award for the week of May 6, 2001.
New York Yankees
Mondesí was traded by the Blue Jays to the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
on July 1, 2002 for
Scott Wiggins. He played in 71 games for the Yankees that season and another 98 in 2003, hitting .250 with 27 home runs and 92 RBI. He had 3 hits in 12 at-bats for the Yankees in the
2002 American League Division Series against the
Anaheim Angels
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ha ...
.
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Yankees traded Mondesí on July 29, 2003 to the
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
for
David Dellucci
David Michael Dellucci (born October 31, 1973) is an American former professional baseball outfielder, who played 13 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for seven teams.
High school
Dellucci graduated from Catholic High in Baton Rouge, Louis ...
,
Bret Prinz and minor leaguer John Prowl. In 45 games with the Diamondbacks, he hit .302 with eight home runs.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Mondesí signed as a free agent with the
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
on February 24, 2004. By May he was talking of leaving the team for personal reasons, involving a legal dispute, in the Dominican Republic. He left the team on May 11, 2004 and his contract was terminated a week later.
Anaheim Angels
The
Anaheim Angels
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ha ...
signed Mondesí on May 30, 2004. The deal was investigated by
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...
, but the Angels were cleared of any wrongdoing. Shortly after Mondesí signed with the Angels, he tore his quadriceps and was placed on the disabled list. He was released by the Angels in July for not showing up for his rehab therapy.
Atlanta Braves
The
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
signed Mondesí in 2005; he appeared in 41 games with the team before the Braves released him on May 31.
Post-baseball career
In May 2006, running on the ballot of the
Dominican Liberation Party
The Dominican Liberation Party (Spanish: Partido de la Liberación Dominicana, referred to here by its Spanish acronym, the PLD) is a political party in the Dominican Republic. Founded in 1973 by former president Juan Bosch, the party, along ...
, Mondesi was elected to a seat in the Dominican Republic's
Chamber of Deputies
The chamber of deputies is the lower house in many bicameral legislatures and the sole house in some unicameral legislatures.
Description
Historically, French Chamber of Deputies was the lower house of the French Parliament during the Bourbon R ...
, representing his home province
San Cristóbal. In November 2007, he switched sides, aligning himself with the
Dominican Revolutionary Party
The Dominican Revolutionary Party ( es, link=no, Partido Revolucionario Dominicano, PRD) is a political party in the Dominican Republic. Traditionally a left-of-centre party and social democratic in nature, the party has shifted since the 2000 ...
after discrepancies with the government over humanitarian aid to be given to his province after
Tropical Storm Noel
Hurricane Noel was a deadly and very damaging tropical cyclone that carved a path of destruction across the Atlantic Ocean from the Caribbean Sea to Newfoundland in late October 2007. The sixteenth tropical depression, fourteenth named storm, a ...
. He was elected mayor of his hometown on May 16, 2010, for a six-year term.
In September 2017, Mondesi was sentenced to eight years in prison and ordered to pay a $1.3 million fine for
corruption
Corruption is a form of dishonesty or a criminal offense which is undertaken by a person or an organization which is entrusted in a position of authority, in order to acquire illicit benefits or abuse power for one's personal gain. Corruption m ...
and mishandling of public funds during his term as mayor of San Cristóbal.
Personal life
Mondesí's son
Adalberto Mondesí (formerly known as Raul Mondesí Jr.) is also a professional baseball player. He made his MLB debut for the
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...
in the
2015 World Series
The 2015 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2015 season. The 111th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the National League (NL) champion New York Mets and the American Leag ...
.
See also
*
List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
This is a list of the 300 Major League Baseball players who have hit the most home runs.
In the sport of baseball, a home run is a hit in which the batter scores by circling all the bases and reaching home plate in one play, without the benefit ...
*
List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders
In baseball statistics, a stolen base is credited to a baserunner when he successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is throwing the ball to home plate. Under Rule 7.01 of Major League Baseball's (MLB) Official Rules, a runner acqu ...
*
30–30 club
In Major League Baseball (MLB), the 30–30 club is the group of batters who have collected thirty home runs and thirty stolen bases in a single season. Ken Williams was the first to achieve this, doing so in 1922. He remained the sole member ...
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mondesi, Raul
1971 births
Living people
Águilas Cibaeñas players
Albuquerque Dukes players
Anaheim Angels players
Arizona Diamondbacks players
Atlanta Braves players
Bakersfield Dodgers players
Baseball players at the 2007 Pan American Games
Dominican Liberation Party politicians
Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in Canada
Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in the United States
Dominican Republic prisoners and detainees
Dominican Revolutionary Party politicians
Gold Glove Award winners
Great Falls Dodgers players
Los Angeles Dodgers players
Major League Baseball players from the Dominican Republic
Major League Baseball right fielders
Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award winners
Mayors of places in the Dominican Republic
Members of the Chamber of Deputies of the Dominican Republic
Politicians convicted of corruption
Prisoners and detainees of the Dominican Republic
National League All-Stars
New York Yankees players
Pittsburgh Pirates players
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes players
Salt Lake Stingers players
San Antonio Missions players
Toronto Blue Jays players
Pan American Games competitors for the Dominican Republic
Sportsperson-politicians