Ex-NL MVP Kevin Mitchell ordered to stand trial in assault case at golf club near San Diego

Ex-NL MVP Mitchell to stand trial in assault case

CHULA VISTA, Calif. — A judge has ordered former National League MVP Kevin Mitchell to stand trial on charges of punching a man several times in the head in July at a golf club in Southern California.

The ex-San Francisco Giant and New York Mets slugger faces four years in prison if convicted of battery and assault. A judge on Wednesday scheduled his trial for Nov. 3 in San Diego County.

The 48-year-old Mitchell has pleaded not guilty and is free on $25,000 bail.

Mitchell, who won a World Series ring with the Mets in 1986 and the MVP award three years later as a Giant, is charged with giving another golfer a concussion during an attack at the Bonita Golf Club course.

The San Diego Union-Tribune reports the alleged altercation happened because Mitchell was upset the golfer had spoken disparagingly about him.

Mitchell’s attorney, George Siddell, has said there was an exchange of words and “whether anyone was actually hit has to be sorted out.”

Mitchell’s previous legal run-ins include rape charges in 1991 that were dropped, and an arrest in 1999 for allegedly beating up his father. A year later, while managing the minor-league Sonoma County Crushers, he was suspended nine games after punching the opposing team’s owner during a brawl.

In 2002, he was suspended seven games for punching the same team’s third-base coach, who Mitchell accused of stealing signs from the catcher.

Mitchell hit 47 homers for the Giants in 1989 to win the NL MVP. The two-time All-Star third baseman and outfielder batted .284 with 234 homers and 760 RBIs during his 13-year career. He also played for San Diego, Seattle, Cincinnati, Boston, Cleveland and Oakland.

Information from: The San Diego Union-Tribune, www.signonsandiego.com