The Return of Mondesi Is Just Business to Him

Raul Mondesi was dressing in front of his locker Monday when he heard on the television in the visitors’ clubhouse at Edison Field that Mike Piazza was at bat.

Mondesi interrupted his conversation with teammate Jose Cruz Jr. and turned to watch as Piazza lined out to Philadelphia third baseman Scott Rolen.

Mondesi looked at a writer, looked back at the television and shrugged, noting the significance of Piazza playing in Philadelphia for the New York Mets while he, Mondesi, was getting ready to play a game in Anaheim for the Toronto Blue Jays.

“It’s a business,” he said.

Returning to Southern California for the first time since the Dodgers traded him last winter, Mondesi wasn’t the most willing interview subject.

He knew there were going to be a lot of questions about what could have been, and, if you look at the Dodgers’ record in recent years, the answer is that what could have been probably was. It wasn’t like they were threatening the Yankees with that old rookie-of-the-year gang of his.

Eventually relenting, Mondesi pointed to his Blue Jay blue batting-practice jersey and said, “Everything is cool. I’m wearing the same color and the same number. The only thing that has changed is the team and the city.”

That’s not exactly true. The country has changed too.

“I was proud to play for the Dodgers for six years,” he said, “but now I’ve forgotten about them. I play for Toronto now.”

Not particularly pleased about that Monday night was Angel Manager Mike Scioscia, the Dodger bench coach for two seasons while Mondesi was playing in Los Angeles.

“Mondy’s one of the guys you’d really pay to see play,” Scioscia said. “The guy plays the game so hard in the field. Nobody plays harder than Mondy.”

The Dodgers sometimes questioned what Mondesi was doing off the field. That’s one of the reasons they traded him. His tirade last season against Manager Davey Johnson and General Manger Kevin Malone didn’t make him popular in the front office, either.

So far, though, Blue Jay Manager Jim Fregosi said Monday that no one in Toronto has any complaints.

That includes pitcher David Wells, who was critical last winter of the trade that sent Shawn Green to the Dodgers for Mondesi. Wells, who hadn’t seen Mondesi play much before spring training, later said that he had spoken too soon.

Because of his experience with Mondesi, Scioscia acknowledged that he has a thick book to give to his pitchers on him.

“But it’s one thing to have a book on him and another to do what the book says,” Scioscia said. “There’s such a small margin of error with him. You can get him in the right location. But if you miss, the ball’s in the gap or off the wall.”

He also said that Mondesi is more selective than when he was younger.

Not that he doesn’t still have moments of impatience.

He struck out in the fourth inning Monday night swinging at a Scott Schoeneweiss wild pitch.

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After last Friday’s anthem mixup during the Davis Cup at the Great Western Forum, it was good to see the Angels play the right one Monday night in honor of Toronto. . . .

“Oh Canada” went off without so much as a missed note. . . .

The anthem experience could have been worse for the Czechs. Roseanne could have been asked to sing it. . . .

I can’t remember such a geographical gaffe since the ticket office for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta rejected an application from New Mexico because sales weren’t yet open to foreign countries. . . .

One adjective Scioscia used to describe Mondesi was “electric.” . . .

I was less impressed when I learned that he also had used the word to describe Jason Dickson’s fastball. . . .

“My vocabulary is expanded,” Scioscia said. “I just don’t know what all the words mean.” . . .

Another catcher-turned-manager, Yogi Berra, would be proud of him for that quote. . . .

Horse trainer Bob Baffert visited Joe Torre at Edison Field when the Yankees were in town last week. . . .

Asked if Baffert might name a horse for him, Torre said George Steinbrenner beat him to it. But the horse has never been healthy enough to race. . . .

Discussing Captain Steve’s slow charge to the Kentucky Derby, Baffert said he took solace from Torre. . . .

“The Yankees had a bad spring,” he said. “We’ve had a bad spring.” . . . There aren’t many managers who can go into a visiting ballpark and see their faces on the outfield wall. . . .

Fregosi did Monday. His picture was there as part of the all-time Angel team elected by fans before this season. He was a member as both the shortstop and the manager. . . .

He will be honored by the Angels with a ceremony either tonight or Wednesday. . . .

He will be happier with a victory or even a run. . . .

Who says the Angels have no pitching?

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Randy Harvey can be reached at his e-mail address: randy.harvey@latimes.com.