Mondesi Doesn’t Want to Look Too Far Ahead

CHICAGO —  Raul Mondesi made his Angel debut at designated hitter Sunday, and after going through a rigorous workout in Angel Stadium today, Mondesi is expected to take over as the regular center fielder Tuesday night against Boston.

But what happens when Garret Anderson returns from his arthritic condition later this summer, Tim Salmon returns from an inflamed left knee in June, and there are limited at-bats for Mondesi, who signed a $1.75-million deal with the Angels Saturday?

“I don’t know what to say,” Mondesi said when asked how he’d feel about a reserve role later this season. “I’ve always been an everyday player. ... I want to think about now, the present. Whatever they do is fine. I want to win and do anything for the team. I don’t want to bring anything negative to the team.”

There is a reason Mondesi has changed teams seven times in the last seven years. He has had several publicized run-ins with managers, and last July he left the park before a game was over after Yankee Manager Joe Torre pinch-hit for him. Two days later, Mondesi, who earlier in the season accused Torre of showing a bias against Dominican players, was traded to Arizona.

Mondesi’s occasional outbursts haven’t all centered on playing time, but most have been triggered by Mondesi’s perception that he is being treated unfairly. If Mondesi is an Angel reserve in August, it might not be a stretch to predict he won’t be real happy with the situation.

“Most of the times when I’ve had problems with managers, it’s been simple things,” said Mondesi, who popped out, walked and grounded out in three at-bats Sunday. “I’ve never had a problem with my teammates or any coaches. If you respect me, I respect you. Respect me, and we can spend a hundred years together.”

Mondesi, 33, said he chose to sign with the Angels because he knows several of the team’s Latin players, has a good relationship with Manager Mike Scioscia and several coaches, “and I want to play for a winning team,” he said. “I don’t want to go home in October and watch someone else play in the postseason.”

Mondesi played 26 games with Pittsburgh this season, batting .283 with two home runs and 14 runs batted in. But the Pirates terminated Mondesi’s contract after he left the team May 7 to return to the Dominican to fight a bizarre lawsuit filed by former major leaguer Mario Guerrero, who claims Mondesi promised him 1% of his major league earnings for helping develop his skills.

“I never signed any papers,” Mondesi said. “He said I would give him 1% [of my earnings] 17 years ago. I was 15 years old and playing Little League in the Dominican Republic. He doesn’t know what he’s doing.”

Mondesi cleared waivers May 21, making him a free agent, and some in Pittsburgh have speculated that his concern over the lawsuit in the Dominican was a ruse to get out of Pittsburgh.

“This whole thing is appalling,” columnist Gene Collier wrote in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “There’s a lingering stench in this outcome that shouldn’t be ignored.”

In response, Mondesi said there was “no way” he used the lawsuit. “I was fine before everything happened,” he said. “I was happy in Pittsburgh and playing hard. I made the decision to go home because I was concerned about my family. Three days before I was placed on waivers, the Pirates said they’d give me another week, and I said fine. Then, they let me go.”

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There was one bright spot on the pitching side for the Angels on Sunday. Ramon Ortiz, the demoted starter, threw three innings of scoreless relief and now has given up only one run and five hits in his last 8 1/3 relief innings. ... Right fielder Vladimir Guerrero threw out Juan Uribe at second base in the fifth inning Sunday and leads the American League with seven outfield assists.