Braves take $1.6 million gamble on Jordan, Mondesi

<p>The always optimistic Bobby Cox has a predictably upbeat angle on opening the 2005 season with two new starting outfielders, Raul Mondesi and Brian Jordan, who combined for only eight homers and 38 RBIs last year.</p><p>"I like the additions," Cox said this week, adding that center fielder Andruw Jones, the lone holdover in the Atlanta Braves' outfield, was in desperate need of some company.</p><p>"We were left with Andruw, and it's a little tough for him to play center, left field and right field, too," the Braves manager added.</p><p>It was a similar tack as the one offered by general manager John Schuerholz, who after adding Mondesi and Jordan concluded "That's a pretty solid outfield, considering a month ago we didn't have an outfield."</p><p>Jordan and Mondesi were far from the top of the most-wanted list of free-agent outfielders this winter, but Schuerholz has a history of signing players who make successful career revivals in Atlanta. Recent comeback success stories include pitchers Jaret Wright, John Burkett and Chris Hammond and first baseman Julio Franco.</p><p>Having to depend on Mondesi and Jordan may be the biggest gamble for Schuerholz, because there are no experienced outfielders standing by as a backup plan if the veterans can't hold the jobs.</p><p>Jordan, who will be 38 on opening day, has not played in more than 66 games in a season since 2002. He says he did not fully recover from 2003 knee surgery until late last season.</p><p>Mondesi, who will be 34 when the season opens, had his contract voided by two teams last season. First distracted by family problems and then sidelined by an injury, he appeared in only 34 games.</p><p>After losing J.D. Drew to free agency and trading Eli Marrero and Charles Thomas, the Braves have taken a low-cost, high-risk approach to filling out a starting lineup.</p><p>Mondesi ($1 million) and Jordan ($600,000) will be paid like utility backups to handle starting jobs, though each can boost his base salary through incentives.</p><p>The low-cost approach has left holes in the middle of the batting order. There is no obvious choice to bat fourth if third baseman Chipper Jones hits third, his favorite spot.</p><p>The team hopes that Mondesi, who has never driven in 100 runs, fits somewhere in the middle of the lineup with Andruw Jones and Johnny Estrada, behind Rafael Furcal, Marcus Giles and Chipper Jones.</p><p>"I don't know, I always work that out during the spring," said Cox, who cheerfully added "With that lineup, it's going to be hard to determine who's going to hit eighth. It's going to be a pretty good lineup."</p><p>Drew spent most of the 2004 season hitting third. Chipper Jones hit in the cleanup spot in 112 games, but Cox says "Chipper loves the third spot."</p><p>In a possible preview of his plans for 2005, Cox gave Estrada a start in the cleanup spot in Game 5 of the Braves' playoff loss to Houston last season. Estrada led the team in 2004 by hitting .338 with runners in scoring position.</p><p>Adam LaRoche and Franco return in a first-base platoon. LaRoche hit .302 with 10 homers and 30 RBI after the All-Star break as a rookie last year.</p><p>Cox says Jordan will need rest, so there will be playing time for at least one young outfielder. Cox named Braves minor leaguers Ryan Langerhans, Billy McCarthy, Jeff Francoeur and former New York Mets prospect Esix Snead as outfielders to watch in spring training.</p><p>"What I envision is giving Brian some time off," Cox said. "Brian hits lefties and righties. It never has been a problem for him. It's just been a matter of keeping him healthy and giving him some time off. Brian has some baseball left, I believe, some real good baseball."</p><p>Jordan enjoyed consistent production with the Braves from 1999 to 2001, setting a career high with 115 RBI in 1999 and hitting .295 with 25 homers and 97 RBI in 2001.</p><p>Cox said he believes Mondesi "is on a mission" after a forgettable 2004 season.</p><p>The Pittsburgh Pirates terminated Mondesi's contract on May 19, less than two weeks after he left the team to return to his native Dominican Republic. Mondesi said he feared for his family's safety due to a lawsuit by former major leaguer Mario Guerrero, who said Mondesi promised him 1 percent of his major league earnings for helping develop his skills.</p><p>Mondesi later signed with the Angels, who terminated his contract when the team said he failed to show up for a rehabilitation appointment following a leg injury.</p><p>"Everything is clear and I want to play like my first year in 1994," said Mondesi, the 1994 NL Rookie of the Year with Los Angeles. "I feel strong and everything is fine. I think I'm going to have a good year this year."</p><p>Mondesi had three straight seasons with 30 or more homers from 1997 to 1999, and he followed that string with four years of 24 or more homers before his 2004 struggles. He had 24 homers and drove in 71 runs for the New York Yankees and Arizona in 2003.</p><p>Braves pitchers and catchers report to spring training Feb. 17. The first full-squad workout is Feb. 23.</p><p>"We thought we may have to wait all the way to spring training to see if someone might be available for those outfield spots," Cox said. "We like the idea of getting these guys early. We've basically got the pieces of the puzzle now."</p>

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