Dodgers Report : Mondesi Still Hearing It From Dodger Stadium Fans

Right fielder Raul Mondesi has expressed remorse about his recent expletive-filled tirade, and Dodger officials said they have moved beyond the unfortunate incident.

However, Dodger fans aren’t letting Mondesi off the hook quite so easily.

Mondesi continues to be booed when his name is announced during the opening lineup and before he bats at Dodger Stadium.

Fans blasted Mondesi again during the Dodgers’ 4-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday afternoon.

They weren’t as vocal as some other groups have been during the last two home stands, but their point was clear: The Dodgers may have moved on, but Mondesi remains in the fans’ doghouse.

Will that ever change?

“I think so,” said coach Manny Mota, Mondesi’s mentor. “Mondy knows he made a mistake, he apologized [to Manager Davey Johnson and General Manager Kevin Malone] and now he just wants to focus on doing his best for the fans. Mondy loves the fans, and he plays hard for the fans.”

Mondesi did receive some applause Saturday for his hustle in the second inning. He stretched a single into a double, stole third base and scored on a groundout by Adrian Beltre to tie the score at 2-2. He also walked in the sixth and is batting .251 with 25 home runs and 75 runs batted in.

The second inning Saturday marked one of the few times recently fans have been on Mondesi’s side. Of course, the good vibes didn’t last long.

The booing resumed during Mondesi’s ensuing at-bats. For his part, Mondesi also is trying to put the disturbing event in his past.

He no longer discusses his Aug. 11 outburst, acknowledging that saying too much got him into this situation. Teammates and officials continue to support Mondesi, saying he simply let his emotions overwhelm him.

Malone has said he won’t trade Mondesi during the off-season unless he receives an acceptable offer. That might not happen because Malone will want a lot in return for Mondesi.

So the Dodgers and Mondesi still might be together next season, making the ongoing reconciliation in the best interest of everyone involved.

“At this point, Raul and I are going to assume that it’s going to be status quo [Mondesi won’t be traded] through the end of the season,” said Mondesi’s agent, Jeff Moorad. “Raul was obviously as upset as he was ever going to be [when he lashed out]. His focus is on the field now.”

TONIGHT

DODGERS’ DARREN DREIFORT (11-12, 5.20 ERA) vs. CUBS’ KYLE FARNSWORTH (2-7, 6.17 ERA)

Dodger Stadium, 5

Radio--KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330).

Update--Dreifort has been impressive in winning three of his last four starts. The right-hander has given up only four earned runs during his last 23 1/3 inningsstrikeouts and only two walks during that span.

Tickets--(323) 224-1HIT.