TASR: 1995 Topps #180 Raul Mondesi

In our effort to cover all the Topps All-Star Rookie Cards we are going to run into some stories that are not fun. Raul Mondesi's post playing career is one of those not fun stories. 

For the past seven years Raul Mondesi has been under house arrest in his native Dominican Republic. 

In 2017 Mondesi was convicted of embezzlement of $6 Million public funds. Baseball-Reference estimates Raul Mondesi's career earnings to be $66 Million. 

Earlier this month it was reported that Mondesi has completed his sentence and is now a free man. Hopefully the $66 Million dollar man can avoid embezzlement charges in the future. 

 

1995 Topps #180 Raul Mondesi

1994 was a much better time for Raul Mondesi. He came a HR shy (Klesko 17) of leading NL Rookies in the Triple Crown categories (.306, 16, 56).  He also led all MLB rookies in Hits, Doubles, Triples, Total Bases and the NL in Runs Scored.  

Those numbers were good enough to make Mondesi a unanimous selection for ROY. Modern analytics backs up the selection as his 1.8 WAR also led NL hitters, although a couple of pitchers led by Steve Trachsel (3.4) did finish better. 

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We direct your attention to the text below Mondesi's numbers that features a quote by his Manager Tommy Lasorda who name drops Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente plus a few 1950s era stars - no pressure kid. 

Well I had to check the stats to see how Lasorda's analysis stacks up. Here is what we found:

Turns out Tommy Lasorda was pretty astute. Mondesi's assist numbers are comparable to Carl Furillo and Rocky Colavito. As one can imagine, nobody is in Clemente's Neighborhood, of course. 

Parallels

If Mondesi's numbers appear modest for league leading numbers it is because they are for a partial season. 30 years ago MLB played a strike shortened season. Topps turned this bummer around and used it as an opportunity to produce a parallel set of cards with different back featuring "Cyberstats" 

In Topps completed 1994 season stats Raul Mondesi picked up 6 Home Runs to finish with 22. 

Another interesting Cyberstats development is that Topps awarded Raul 3 Triples which was good enough to tie League Leader Brett Butler at 11 (Butler in reality had 9) and pass 1994 Triples Co-Leader Darren Lewis who went from 9 to 10. This meant that Raul Mondesi received a mythical Cyberstats League leader flare while Lewis lost his. 

It was the only time Darren Lewis Led the league in Triples, in fact it was the only time he led the league in anything - in 13 years of Major League Baseball

Conversely Raul Mondesi who also played for 13 years never led the league in anything. Had he led the league in Triples it would have been his one and only black ink.

It's weird and interesting how a single opportunity to lead the league in an offensive category can turn on a shortened season. And somehow Topps found it.  

This concludes our look at 1994 Rookie of the Year and convicted embezzeler Raul Mondesi. 

Sources and Links

1995 TASR Index

LA Times (Steve Henson)

Baseball-ref

1995 Topps Rookie Cup All-Star Team

This is an index to our postings related to the 1995 Topps All-Star Rookie subset. Players were awarded based upon their performance during the 1994 season which was shortened by a lockout.   

143	ROB HAMELIN	Royals	1B
574	JOHN PATTERSON	Giants	2B
451	JOSE OLIVA	Braves	3B
277	CHRIS GOMEZ	Tigers	SS
180	RAUL MONDESI	Dodgers	OF
324	RYAN KLESKO	Braves	OF
577	MANNY RAMIREZ	Indians	OF
567	JAVY LOPEZ	Braves	C
54	JOEY HAMILTON	Padres	RHP
542	BRIAN ANDERSON	Angels	LHP

Sources and Links

Topps All-Star Rookie Cup Master Index

20th ANNIVERSARY: 1995 Ben Davis taken 2nd overall in the June Draft

We have a sort of Phillies related post this AM. 20 years ago this month Ben Davis out of nearby Malvern Prep HS was drafted 2nd overall by the San Diego Padres.

1995 Topps Traded #74T Ben Davis Draft Pick

Davis' Playing career is really not #2 overall pick worthy. He stuck in the Majors for seven seasons half of which were with the Padres. His best year was 2001 when he led NL catchers in games with 135 with a career High 11 Homers and 57 RBIs.

Ben Davis ended his career with a 2.7 WAR placing him 10th among 1st round draftees for 1995. Among the players the Padres passed on to get Ben Davis were Todd Helton (61.2 WAR), Kerry Wood (27.7), and Roy Halladay (64.6).  The player drafted in front of Davis was Darin Erstad who compiled a rather surprising 32.3 career WAR.

The Phillies never had a chance at Davis and missed on both of their 1995 1st round picks Reggie Taylor (14th, -0.5 WAR) and Dave Coggin (30th, +0.3). The Phillies did score a modest victory with Marlon Anderson in the 2nd round, 42nd Pick 7.2 WAR.
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1995 Topps Traded #74T Bend Davis Draft Pick

Today Ben does Color Commentary on Phillies TV Broadcasts. He does a good job and I am happy to have a catcher's perspective in the booth. 

Sources and Links
Baseball-ref
Baseball Cardpedia