Catching up with Don Mattingly: On his future, Hall of Fame and latest chance for a ring
NEW YORK – This was just an ordinary infield practice before a game at Yankee Stadium.
But for any Yankees fan of a certain age who might’ve been paying attention, well there was Don Mattingly back at first base, deftly fielding throws from Toronto Blue Jays infielders.
Afterward, Mattingly amiably signed autographs near the visitors’ dugout and greeted waves of old friends and acquaintances from this playing and coaching days in the Bronx.
In his first year with the Blue Jays as manager John Schneider’s bench coach, Mattingly is very much enjoying this run with a talented playoff contender.
“I like coming here a lot,’’ Mattingly said before Thursday’s game against the Yankees. “It’s a little weird coming here when you’re on this side, but I love coming back.’’
Asked if he has thoughts of managing again in the majors, Mattingly smiles and says: “I give thought to keeping my feet right where they’re at.
“I don’t want to get ahead of anything,’’ said Mattingly, 62. “I like it here, they’ve treated me well. I love the staff…it’s a good place.’’
Naturally, Mattingly’s name turns up on lists of potential candidates should the Yankees find themselves in the market for a new manager.
With a year left on his contract, Aaron Boone might be secure despite the Yankees’ October-less season due to key injuries and a faulty roster.
Final evaluations will be rendered at year’s end, though “as far as my job, I don’t really have any thought on it,’’ Boone said when asked Wednesday.
“That’s ultimately not my decision. My job is to try as best I can to get this team ready to go and put us in the best position, not only tonight but moving forward,’’ said Boone. “And I’m going to continue to do that to the best of my ability.
Don Mattingly's Hall of Fame candidacy
Newer, more in-depth statistical analysis of Mattingly’s career has re-fueled a Hall-of-Fame candidacy that failed to gain traction on the baseball writers’ ballot.
But last December, Mattingly was four votes shy of being elected by the 16-member Contemporary Baseball Era committee, which voted in one player: Fred McGriff.
"At this point - I guess the best way to say it is that I've played all my cards,'' said Mattingly, suggesting his on-field record isn't going to change.
And that record includes a .307 lifetime batting average, nine Gold Glove awards, three Silver Slugger awards and an AL MVP award in a 14-year career with the Yankees that ended after his age 34 season due to chronic back issues.
Mattingly's 12 years as a manager included playoff appearances with the Dodgers and a 2020 Manager of the Year award with the surprising Marlins, three years after Miami's sell-off - which included Giancarlo Stanton, traded to the Yankees.
As Marlins manager in 2017, Mattingly had a front row seat for Stanton's NL MVP season, when he clubbed 59 homers.
Struggling to find any rhythm or consistency this year, batting .188 overall (.089 since Aug. 31), Stanton was benched Wednesday after going 0-for-8 against Toronto pitching.
"You never know what's going on with a guy's body, or anything else - I'm not in the know,'' said Mattingly. "But I always look at guys and say, 'If they did it once, they can do it again.' ''
Don Mattingly's latest chance at a World Series ring
As difficult as it is to imagine Yankees Universe being interested in a Blue Jays’ playoff run, well, this is Mattingly’s latest chance at a World Series ring that eluded him in the Bronx.
Toronto was clinging to the second AL wild card spot by a half-game after Gerrit Cole led the Yankees to a 5-3 victory on Thursday night, denying the Blue Jays a three-game series sweep.
“If we can get in, we’re built pretty good for a playoff run because we have good pitching a good bullpen and I think we can put the ball in play when we need to,’’ said Matttingly. “We’ve got some guys that can hit.
“It’s not the ’27 Yankees lineup or the Braves lineup by any means, but it is a lineup that can win in the playoffs.’’
And in this final week-and-change of the regular season, Mattingly is getting a charge out of the daily urgency of Toronto’s situation.
“We need to win every day,’’ said Mattingly. “It’s the best kind of baseball.’’
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Former Yankee Don Mattingly, now Blue Jays coach, talks at Yankee Stadium
