Pittsburgh (12-17) at Colorado (13-17)
Currently: - Game info: 9:05 pm EDT Tue May 11, 2004
- TV: FSPI, FSRM
The Pittsburgh Pirates were counting on Raul Mondesi to provide a spark for their anemic offense this season.
However, the outfielder will not be in the lineup when the Pirates begin a three-game set against Colorado at Coors Field. Mondesi has decided to sit out the rest of the season.
The 12-year veteran missed a three-game weekend series against Los Angeles to return to his family in the Dominican Republic, and confirmed on Monday that he wouldn’t play for the rest of the year.
“I won’t play another game this season,” said Mondesi, who signed as a free agent in February. “I can’t concentrate well enough to play baseball. I don’t want to become a distraction for the team. This is the best for the Pirates, for myself and my family.”
A Dominican civil court ruled in February that Mondesi owed former major leaguer Mario Guerrero about $640,000 for helping him improve his baseball skills, a claim which Mondesi denies. The Pirates withheld Mondesi’s salary for most of the season because of the civil suit, but last Wednesday, a Dominican court order that caused the Pirates to hold his pay was lifted.
Mondesi was tied for second on the team with 14 RBIs and was hitting .283.
The Pirates will be hard-pressed to end their six-game losing streak. Pittsburgh has averaged just 2.8 runs during the skid and has scored the second-fewest runs in the NL (114) this season.
Colorado dropped two of three over the weekend to the Chicago Cubs, including a 5-4 loss Sunday that completed a 2-4 road trip.
Todd Helton hit a solo homer and finished 2-for-4 with two walks for the Rockies.
Team Comparison
| Team | Record | Standings | Away/Home | Streak | L10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | 72-89 | 5th Central | Away 33-48 | Won 2 | 4-6 |
| Colorado | 68-94 | 4th West | Home 38-43 | Lost 4 | 1-9 |
Bucs Dugout
Purple Row
