It took a full year for the Yankees to accept what J.P. Ricciardi knew almost immediately. What's surprising is, they found another sucker. Raul Mondesi was banished to the desert yesterday. According to Anthony McCarron in the NY Daily News, it wasn't just that he publicly ripped his manager last week, or bolted on his team during a game:
The Yanks were concerned about the influence Mondesi was having on their other Latin players, particularly Alfonso Soriano, who has struggled recently.
Gee, what a surprise. He taught Felipe Lopez so much in Toronto. This isn't as obvious or significant an improvement as adding Scott Williamson was for the Red Sox, but the Yankees are much better off without Mondesi. Raul, as he always does, will try to make a good first impression, but his behaviour will infect the Arizona clubhouse before long.
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20030730090007999