PHOENIX — Now that Raul Mondesi has gotten out of the Bronx, he's letting it be known how unhappy he was with Joe Torre and the New York Yankees.
Before Mondesi and his Arizona Diamondbacks teammates played the New York Mets on Friday night, the outspoken outfielder lashed out at the Yankees manager.
Mondesi said Torre showed him little respect in the two seasons he played with the Yankees.
"They don't like me the way they like (Derek) Jeter and Jorge (Posada) because they come from there," Mondesi said. "I understand that, but when you play for somebody, he's supposed to treat everybody the same."
Mondesi also said Torre was biased against him and All-Star second baseman Alfonso Soriano.
"Soriano and me, where are we from? Dominican Republic," Mondesi said. "When (Jason) Giambi was hitting like .120, he was there batting third.
"Soriano was in a slump for four or five games, he was hitting seventh and eighth," Mondesi said. "Soriano. He's the best player that they've got. They're never going to get a player like Soriano. They've got to wait 100 years to get a player like Soriano."
Torre didn't wish to engage in a war of words with Mondesi.
"I'm sorry he feels that way and that's all I want to say," Torre said Friday night after the Yankees beat the Seattle Mariners.
New York traded Mondesi late last month, a move that Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said was made in response to Mondesi leaving the clubhouse in Boston after Torre pinch-hit for him on July 27. Mondesi traveled to Anaheim for the next series on his own and was traded on July 29.
Mondesi said the deal was made based on his request.
"They said they traded me because I left the team. That's not true. They traded me because I told my agent to tell them to trade me," Mondesi said. "I was upset with how they treated me. When Joe pinch-hit for me, he didn't tell me. I was the last to hear of it. ... That's not respect for me."
Mondesi got off to a fast start this season, but slowed down. He was batting .258 with 16 home runs and 49 RBIs at the time of the deal.