Don Mattingly

At 62 years old, Don Mattingly has this physical status:

Donald Arthur Mattingly (born April 20, 1961) is an American former professional baseball first baseman, mentor, and current manager for the Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball (MLB).

He spent his entire 14-year career with the New York Yankees and later managed the Los Angeles Dodgers, nicknamed "The Hit Man" and "Donnie Baseball." Mattingly graduated from Reitz Memorial High School in Evansville, Indiana, and the Yankees selected him in the amateur draft.

Mattingly made his debut with the Yankees in 1982 after three seasons in minor league baseball, and the Yankees' starting first baseman in 1983.

Mattingly was called to the American League (AL) All-Star team six times.

He received nine Gold Glove Awards (an American League record for a first baseman), three Silver Slugger Awards, the 1984 AL batting championship, and was named the Most Valuable Player.

Mattingly served as the Yankee captain from 1991 to 1995, when he retired as a player.

Mattingly's uniform number, 236, was later retired by the Yankees.

Mattingly is the only Yankee to have his number retired after winning a World Series with the team. Joe Torre, a former Yankees coach, moved to the Dodgers in 2008 and succeeded him as the Dodgers' manager in 2011.

After the 2015 season, the Dodgers and Mattingly mutually parted, and he became the Miami Marlins' manager.

Personal life

Kim Sexton married Mattingly on September 8, 1979; the pair separated after his playing career ended, amid warnings of Kim's alcoholism problems. Taylor, Preston, and Jordon are three of Mattingly and Kim's three children. Taylor was drafted in the 42nd round (1,262nd overall) of the 2003 Major League Baseball draft by the New York Yankees and appeared in 24 games for the Gulf Coast Yankees in the rookie league before being cut short of his season. Taylor retired from baseball in 2005 after only 58 professional at bats, after being left out all of 2004 and 2005. Don't think of his eldest son: "He loved the game, not the lifestyle."

Preston was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the supplemental round (31st overall) of the 2006 Major League Baseball draft, and was rated as a B+ prospect in John Sickels' 2007 Baseball Prospect Book. "Position is a mystery," Sickels said, "but has promising tools and bloodlines." Preston was traded to the Cleveland Indians on September 26, 2010, just nine days after his father was announced as the Dodgers' manager for the 2011 season. He was then released by the Indians at the end of spring training and re-signed with the Dodgers. The Yankees signed Preston to a minor league deal on January 11, 2012, but he was released on March 27. Preston was a student at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, and he graduated. He was from 2014 to 2015 as a starting guard for the Lamar Cardinals' basketball team, an NCAA Division I program in the Southland Conference.

Mattingly remarried in Evansville, Indiana, on December 10, 2010. The wedding, as well as his work with the Phoenix Desert Dogs of the Arizona Fall League, barred him from attending the Fall 2010 Winter Meetings.

Randy Mattingly, Mattingly's older brother, was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fourth round of the 1973 NFL Draft before playing in the Canadian Football League.

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Playing career

Mattingly is ambidextrous. He played in Little Leagues and was also a first baseman, throwing both right-handed and left-handed, and he was a member of Pete Studer and Earl Hobbs' 1973 Great Scot Little League championship team in Evansville, Indiana. Mattingly started second base for Funkhouser Post #8, throwing right-handed.

Mattingly led the school to a state record 59 straight victories from 1978-1979. In 1978, the Tigers captured the state championship and finished as the runner-up. Mattingly was the L.V. In 1979, Phillips was named as the recipient of the Mental Attitude Award. He was an All-City, All-Southern Indiana Athletic Conference (SIAC), and All-State in 1978 and 1979. Mattingly batted.463 during his four years in high school, leading the Tigers to a 94–9–1 victory. He still holds Reitz Memorial hits (152), doubles (29), triples (25), and runs batted in (RBIs) (139), and runs scored (99). His 25 triples are also a state record in Indiana. Mattingly was selected to the SIAC all-conference basketball team in 1978 as a multi-sport athlete.

Mattingly was given a scholarship to play baseball for the Indiana State Sycamores following his high school career. Bill Robinson, Bill's father, told Major League Baseball (MLB) teams that his son expected to keep the pledge and not sign a professional contract. Mattingly was in the 1979 Major League Baseball draft until the 19th round, when he was drafted by the New York Yankees. He was not keen on attending college, so he signed with the Yankees, earning a $23,000 signing bonus.

Mattingly began his minor league baseball with the Oneonta Yankees of the Class A-Short Season in 1979. He wished to bat.500 for Oneonta but was dissatisfied with his.349 batting average, which never fell below.340. In 1980 for the Greensboro Hornets of the Class A South Atlantic League, he batted a record-best 177 hits in addition to his record-best 177 runs. He earned the league MVP award and was selected to the All-Star team for the second season. He hit.316 and led the Southern League with 35 doubles in 1981 with the Double-A Nashville Sounds. He was chosen to play in the Southern League All-Star Game and named to the team's postseason All-Star team.

Despite Mattingly's hitting ability, there were questions over his lack of speed and strength. Bob Schaefer, Greensboro's manager, said the company considered moving him to second base, which he would throw right-handed. Mattingly was batting.325 for the Columbus Clippers of the Triple-A International League when he made it to the majors late in the 1982 season. He was named to the league's postseason All-Star team and finished third in the voting for the International League MVP Award.

Mattingly made his Major League debut against the Baltimore Orioles on September 8, 1982. In the seventh inning, he got his first at-bat against the Milwaukee Brewers on September 11, bursting out to third base in the seventh inning. On October 1, Steve Crawford's first Major League hit occurred in the bottom of the 11th inning against the Boston Red Sox, a single to right field. In 12 at-bats this season, he only had 2 hits.

Mattingly spent his rookie season as a part-time first baseman and outfielder. In 279 at-bats, he batted for.283 runs. On June 24 against Red Sox's John Tudor, he scored his first home run.

Mattingly was the Yankees' full-time first baseman in 1984. He was chosen as a reserve for the 1984 All-Star Game with a batting average of.339. Mattingly and teammate Dave Winfield were competing for the American League batting title, with Mattingly trailing Winfield by.002. On the last day of the season, there are some things you may have missed. Mattingly went 4-for-5, while Winfield went 1-for-4. Mattingly won the batting title with a.343 average, while Winfield came in second with a.340 average. Mattingly led the league with 207 hits. He went for 23 home runs in a league-leading 44 doubles. He was second in the league in slugging percentages (5.37) and at bats per strikeout (18.3), fourth in total bases (324), fifth in sacrifice flies (9), and tenth in on-base percentage (.381).

Mattingly captained the American League in 1985, winning the MVP award. He batted.324 (3rd in the league), 48 doubles (1st), and 145 RBIs (1st), then the most RBIs in a season by a left-handed major league batter since Ted Williams drove in 159 in 1949. Al Rosen's 21-RBIs lead in the category was the most in the American League since 1953's 30-RBI lead. He was the second in the AL in sacrifice flies (15), total bases (370), and extra base hits (86), and ranked 2nd in intentional walks (13.9), 6th in runs per home run (18.6). With two out and runners in scoring position, he batted.354 out and runners in scoring position.

Mattingly was also rewarded in 1985 for his brave conduct, winning his first of nine Gold Glove Awards. Even though he was a left-handed thrower, he was considered such a valuable defensively by Yankees' leadership, who allowed him to play games at second base and third base early in his career. During the 1981 George Brett "Pine Tar Incident" game, Mattingly appeared as a left-handed throwing second baseman for one-third of a single inning. During a five-game series against the Seattle Mariners in 1986, he played three games at third base.

Mattingly had a great year in 1986, leading the league with 238 hits, 53 doubles, and smashing the single-season franchise records set by Earl Combs (231 hits) and Lou Gehrig (52 doubles); both records had been established in 1927. He also had 388 total bases and a 53% slugging percentage. He batted.352 (second in the league), hit 31 home runs (sixth) and drove in 113 runs (third). However, he was defeated in the American League MVP voting by pitcher Roger Clemens, who also received the Cy Young Award that year. Mattingly was also the first left-handed player to field a ball at third base during a Major League match.

Mattingly tied Dale Long's major league record of eight games in a row from 8 to 18 July (the All-Star game was played at first base; Mattingly was 0 for three). Ken Griffey Jr., of Seattle, tied the record in 1993. In ten straight games, Mattingly tied a record for the first time in a single game. During this stretch, Mattingly had a career-best ten home runs (Long and Griffey had eight during their streaks). Mattingly set a major league record by hitting six grand slams in a season (two during his July home run streak), a record set by Travis Hafner during the 2006 season. Mattingly's grand slams in 1987 were also the first grand slams of his career.

Mattingly strained his back during some clubhouse horseplay with pitcher Bob Shirley in June 1987, but both denied it. Despite this, he had a.327 batting average, 30 home runs, and 115 RBIs, his fourth straight year with at least 110 RBIs. Mattingly played 96 home runs in 1987, with only 114 strikeouts.

Mattingly had 18 home runs and 88 RBIs in 1988, but was still in the top 10 in the league in batting average at a.311 clip. He bounced back to 113 RBIs in 1989, but his average dropped to.303. Mattingly's five runs scored on April 30, 1988, the 12th time a Yankee had done so.

Mattingly's back problems resurfaced in 1990; after struggling with the bat, he had to go on the disabled list in July, only to return later this year for an ineffective finish. His record, which included a.256 average, 5 home runs, and 42 RBIs in almost 400 at-bats, was a surprise. Mattingly underwent extensive therapy in the offseason, but his hitting ability was never quite the same. Despite hitting.290 over his last five seasons, he became more of a slap hitter, with just 53 home runs in the span. In 1993, he saw a brief revival in power, hitting 17 home runs and driving in 86 runs in 134 games, finishing second in the division behind Toronto. He had a.304 average in the 1994 season, the first time since 1989 that he had over.300. Mattingly's defense was solid, but he was unable to play properly.

Mattingly made his major league debut in 1982, the year after the Yankees lost the World Series. The team did not make it to the playoffs in any of Mattingly's first 13 years, although they may have made the playoffs in 1994, when the Yankees had the best record in the American League.

When the Yankees won the AL wild card on the next to last day of the season, Mattingly made it to the playoffs. Mattingly batted.417 with six RBIs and a spectacular go-ahead home run in Game Two, his last game at Yankee Stadium, in the only postseason series of his career, facing the Seattle Mariners. Mattingly tied for the second game of the season (and his career), breaking a double. In the 11th inning of the pivotal Game Five, the New York bullpen faltered and Seattle won.

After the 1995 season, the Yankees signed Tino Martinez to replace Mattingly. Mattingly, who was unsigned for the 1996 season, has decided to delay the year's investigation into the Baltimore Oriolers, who attempted to sign him at midseason. Mattingly also announced his resignation in January 1997.

Mattingly never appeared in the World Series, and his time with the Yankees marks the team's longest drought without a World Series appearance. In 1981 (the year before Mattingly's rookie year) and 1996 (the year after he last played for the Yankees), the Yankees made the series.

Coaching and managing career

Mattingly spent seven years as a special educator during the Yankees' spring training in Tampa, Florida, from 1997 to 2003, after retiring as a kid. The Yankees named Mattingly as the hitting coach after the 2003 season. He spent three seasons in that role, drawing a lot of praise from the Yankees organization and his players. The Yankees set an all-time franchise record of 242 home runs in 2004 under Mattingly. Mattingly was promoted to bench coach after the 2006 season, replacing Lee Mazzilli.

Mattingly, along with Joe Girardi and Tony Peca, were the finalists for the Yankees' manager position after Joe Torre's one-year deal extension in 2007. Girardi, the Yankees, was given the managerial job, but the Yankees declined.

Mattingly joined Torre as the team's hitting coach after not being offered the position of manager for the Yankees. Mattingly was fired as hitting coach on January 22, 2008, citing family reasons, but the Dodgers continued as a major league special assignment coach. Mattingly took over as the Dodgers' hitting coach in July after Mike Easler. Both National League championship series, the Dodgers were the National League runners-up in 2008 and 2009 (losing to the Philadelphia Phillies) in both National League championship series, largely due to mid-season acquisition Manny Ramirez's bat.

Mattingly was a finalist for the Cleveland Indians' managerial role, for which Manny Acta was eventually hired. Mattingly was named as his replacement after Torre decided to retire at the end of the 2010 season. Mattingly managed the Phoenix Desert Dogs of the Arizona Fall League in 2010 in order to gain some managerial experience.

Mattingly made his managerial debut on March 31, 2011 by defeating the San Francisco Giants' in-state rival and defending champion Mattingly 2–1. Despite the fact that the Dodgers' owner Frank McCourt and his wife's marital breakdown put the Dodgers' fiscal stability in jeopardy, Mattingly helped the Dodgers beat them on a winning run this season, including MVP nominee Matt Kemp and Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw.

Mattingly and the Dodgers got off to a rocky start in 2013 due to various injuries and were in last place in May, sparking a lot of rumors that he might be fired shortly. However, the team went on a roller coaster and defeated the Atlanta Braves in four games as a result of player recovery. In six games, they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS. Mattingly called out Dodger management for ostensibly lack of funding during the season, and said he wanted a multi-year deal in order to return in 2014. In the national League Manager of the Year poll, Mattingly came in second second place.

Tony La Russa, Mattingly's managerial idol, was one of his managerial heroes. Mattingly admired La Russa from his time with the Yankees in the late 1980s. LaRussa had coached the Oakland Athletics teams of the era. Mattingly recalled that, despite the A's nitracy to the Yankees, they still played ferociously.

Mattingly and the Dodgers decided on a three-year contract extension for him to serve as the Dodgers' manager. Mattingly became the first manager of the Dodgers franchise in both Brooklyn and Los Angeles on September 29, 2015, when the team won the playoffs for the first time in three years. In the National League Divisional Series, the Dodgers lost in five games to the New York Mets in five games.

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Mattingly decided to parte ways on October 22, 2015, leaving him with one year remaining on his deal. He was a 446–363 record with the Dodgers, with a winning percentage of.551, the second best in Los Angeles Dodgers history. He was the first manager in franchise history to lead the team to three straight post-season appearances in consecutive history, with eight wins and 11 losses.

Mattingly agreed to work with the Miami Marlins for four years beginning in the fall of 2015. Mattingly led the Marlins to win 79 games in his first year (the most wins for the team since winning 80 in 2010) and placed fifth in the final voting for NL Manager of the Year. Mattingly led the Marlins to the NL Wild Card in 2020, leading them to the playoffs for the first time since 2003. He has also been named NL Manager of the Year. Both Mattingly and the Marlins selected Mattingly's mutual option for the 2022 season on July 8, 2021. Mattingly announced on September 25, 2022, that he and the Marlins mutually decided that he would complete the season as boss, and not return to the role in 2023.

International career

Mattingly led the MLB All-Star Team in the 2018 MLB Japan All-Star Series.

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