Don Mattingly: Donnie Baseball, the Next Dodgers Manager?
October 15, 2009 – 8:15 am by Jimmy Shapiro
His nickname was Donnie Baseball, he is one of the most beloved New York Yankees of all time and he never got into a World Series game. He missed out on that by one year on both ends of his career. Most well known and beloved Yanks are World Series hero’s, Donnie Baseball is not. After retirement from baseball, Mattingly was still with the team as a special instructor. He was promoted after some time to Joe Torre’s bench coach and when Torre left for the Dodgers, Mattingly was passed over for the manager job that was given to Joe Girardi.
The irony in this year’s MLB playoffs would reach an all time high if the Dodgers made it to the World Series against the Yankees. This would be the homecoming for Mattingly, Joe Torre and Manny Ramirez back to Yankee stadium as a Dodger, instead of one of the hated Red Sox.
Don Mattingly joined the Dan Patrick Show to talk about the chance of playing the Yankees in the World Series, batting against left handed pitchers, Joe Torre and if he is ready to become a manager in the MLB.
Asked about the chance of playing the Yankees in the World Series:
“Oh yeah that would be fun. It’s kind of what the country wants, it seems like. They would love to see to the Dodgers and the Yankees; I think it would be great. I would get the chance to see the new Yankee Stadium; I wouldn’t get to see the home clubhouse, only the visiting one. You know New York, when you’re in the playoffs and they are trying to win something, they may still like me, but they are trying to beat the Dodgers. “
Asked why left handed hitters have problems with left handed pitchers:
“I really think it goes back to your whole life. You don’t see that many lefties. I think righties see righties their whole life. When you’re growing up, playing in high school and college it’s still righties then lefties that you’re seeing. So when you see that lefty it’s always different, it’s always something a little different. I just think it’s that in itself, I don’t think there is any reason. If righties can hit righties, then lefties should be able to hit lefties. It’s a matter of trying to put a game plan together for those guys, knowing what they can do with the baseball.”
Asked if this is Joe Torre’s last year, is he the next manager of the Dodgers:
“I have been through that before. From my standpoint I am getting ready for the Phillies, everything I have been doing for the last few year your hopefully getting yourself ready to become a manager at some point and wherever that may be. I enjoy it here right now; we will see where that leads. I am not so worried about that, you just feel like you are getting more and more prepared for the next step all the time. I feel like I am ready.”
(This post was written by Zach Krantz)
Listen to Don Mattingly on The Dan Patrick Show
Tags: Don Mattingly, Donnie Baseball, Joe Torre, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, NLCS
