Editorials

Should The Dodgers Stick With Don Mattingly At Manager?

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Los Angeles Dodgers manager Don Mattingly has led the team to consecutive National League West titles, but has failed to get them to a World Series.

Mattingly took over as manager for Joe Torre following the 2010 season after coming to Los Angeles with Torre from New York. In his four seasons, the former All-Star first baseman is 354-293. He finished second in the NL Manager of the Year vote in 2013 after the Dodgers went on a 42-8 run to go from last place in their division to champions.

While Mattingly has been able to successfully steer the big-spending Dodgers in the regular season, his flaws as a manager have come to the forefront in the postseason. He is often criticized for his in-game managing, including calls to the bullpen and a reliance on matchups. In this new day and age in baseball, there are plenty of stats and analytics to look at, but some of the best managers are able to work with the stats and a natural gut instinct. They often do things that are unconventional to the numbers and Mattingly has yet to show that knack.

After the Dodgers loss in the NLDS this year and the hiring of Andrew Friedman from the Tampa Bay Rays, many began to believe that Mattingly could be on his way out. In Tampa Bay, Friedman had one of the more respected managers in the game in Joe Maddon. Rumors ran rampant once the hire was announced that Maddon would be heading to LA. He spent time in Southern California with the Anaheim Angels and still resides in the area in the off-season. It was believed that Friedman would want to bring in his own manager to handle his new team.

Speculation quickly died down when Friedman backed Mattingly as manager and Maddon said he planned to remain with the Rays. Things were quiet until the breaking news that Maddon was opting out and leaving the Rays. Maddon to the Dodgers became a hot topic once again. As quick as the rumors started up for the second time, they were done as Friedman said the Dodgers were sticking with Mattingly.

This begs the question: Should the Dodgers be sticking with their current manager?

Next Page: See If The Dodgers Are Making The Right Decision

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Vincent Samperio

Vince is currently the Associate Editor and Social Media Manager for Dodgers Nation. Hailing from San Pedro, CA and a student at Cal State Long Beach, Vince has previously written for the Daily 49er and LASF Magazine.

6 Comments

  1. Donnie doesn’t have the correct instincts or temperament to “feel” his way through the big moments as this article points out…IMHO he never will..too laid-back and accepting…no “fire-within” to ignite true belief, so that all those players with “huge egos” play as a TEAM, and not for individual statistics!

  2. Like I said earlier…..the decision has been made….the point is MOOT. Maddon has already stated he is NOT coming to LA> and what is this fascination with Maddon? What have his teams won the last 2 years? NOTHING>>….

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