As some of you probably have already heard, Don Mattingly has reportedly expressed reservations about whether or not he is ready to be the Yankees manager, particularly if replacing Joe Torre after Torre is pushed out. The Star-Ledger first reported last night that Mattingly had told a member of the Steinbrenner family "he does not feel ready for the manager's job and is uncomfortable with replacing Joe Torre, according to a friend."
A source confirmed to Newsday last night that Mattingly has indeed expressed such reservations, though we couldn't confirm if he did so to a Steinbrenner. It kind of makes sense, given that last week Mattingly said taking over after Torre would be like replacing John Wooden and somewhat of a no-win situation. Most people figured he was just being respectful of Torre, but maybe there was more to it than that.
Mattingly, the Yankees' bench coach, was the leading candidate to replace Torre. If he's not interested in the job, the chances of Torre returning go up dramatically. The Yankees' head honchos are meeting today in Tampa, so hopefully we'll have some news later today.
Comments (22)
If there is a new manager, he should be able to choose his own coaches. Even if he keeps some of the incumbents, every coach should know he owes his job to his manager, and should know his manager has good reason to want him to succeed.
If there is a new manager not named Mattingly, and the Yankees still want to groom him for the future, the place for Donnie next year is managing in the minors.
In fact, even if the manager is named Torre, Donnie should be managing a minor league team. He has had several years to absorb whatever Torre has been teaching. Let's see him put it into practice.
That way the organization and Donnie will both have reason to know whether he's ready when the position next becomes vacant.
(I posted this a few minutes ago to the previous thread not realizing it had already been succeeded by this one. Apologies if anyone already saw it.)
Marianne,
I agree, the best way to learn is not to sit and play question and answer with Joe Torre, Mattingly should get some On the Job Training in the minors.
I think part of the reason today's players will have a hard time managing or coaching in the minors because they will be too rich and spoiled to ride buses and eat bologna sandwiches. However I don't put Mattingly in that category, he's always seemed like a "blue collar" type guy to me but his reluctance to manage in the minors is disturbing.
I love baloney sandwiches and bus rides ... !!!!
I think they should bring in Girardi.
Remember in 1996 we saw Mike Stanley and Buck S. go and we were all upset?
Well, even if Mo, Jorge, Stray-Rod and Joe Torre and Andy Pettitte come back we will all only be the fourth best team.
Time for a cool change.
A couple of thoughts:
1. Mattingly's hesitation could buy Torre another 2 year deal. I don't think they would name Girardi or someone else manager just to groom Donnie. So I could see Torre getting 2 years $4.5 mil per year (a 2.5 mil pay cut but still leaves him the highest paid manager - a nice compromise).
2. Gator is gone. I'm sorry to say but it seems like a foregone conclusion at this point that the Yankees want someone with a little more history working with young pitchers than Gator. And rightly so. Next year's pitching staff could include only a couple of veterans and a slew of young kids. It looks like Eiland and Nardi Contreras are the two candidates (with Leo Mazzone being a distinct possibility)
3. Baseball people believe Jorge can get a 4 or 5 year deal from another team, the Yankees are believed to offer only 3 years but may retain him anyway.
4. Mariano is expected back for 3 years $40 mil.
5. Bill Stoneman has stepped down as GM of the Angels - he built up a good stock of prospects but refused to move any of them for the bat the team needs - this could open the door for the Angels to be major players. I could see them signing Bonds (1 year $15 mil) Alex (12 years $400 mil) and trading Brandon Wood, Juan Rivera, Ervin Santana, and Jared Weaver to the Twins for Johan Santana - that would give them the following:
Rotation
Santana
Lackey
Escobar
Colon
Joe Saunders
Lineup
Chone Figgins - LF
Orlando Cabrera - SS
Bonds - DH
A-Rod - 3B
Vlad - RF
Matthews - CF
Kotchman - 1b
Kendrick - 2b
Napoli - C
I love baloney sandwiches and bus rides ... !!!!
I think they should bring in Girardi.
Remember in 1996 we saw Mike Stanley and Buck S. go and we were all upset?
I know I was. I did not want Torre and Girardi but it was the right move. Buck, like LaRussa acts like he invented the game.
Torrie was a great fit.
That said, even if Mo, Jorge, Stray-Rod and Joe Torre and Andy Pettitte come back we will only be the fourth best team in the AL.
Time for a cool change.
Sorry for the double post I don't know what happened ...
Chip,
I think Gator should go, but I don't know of anyone in the organization who has experience with all of the young pitchers the Yanks have since they've come from all different levels in the organization.
I remember when the Yanks were so high on Neil Allen as a pitching coach and now he's gone so I can see Eiland coming in and I guess at this point I'd be happy with it. I just don't think Gator was getting the job done as it seems as if all the pitchers were going to Rivera or Mussina for guidance.
On to the Angels: Artie Moreno would look like a huge hypocrite if he signed Bonds as he has been one of the most vocal owners regarding steroids. I can see them being a player for A-Rod though, without a doubt. I just don't see the Angels getting both Bonds and A-Rod. I also figured the Twins would look for a NL team to work a deal with Santana before they would come back to the AL where Santana would haunt them on a regular basis.
I've said before the Yankees are currently a "rudderless ship", and the current "situation" is proof positive. First, it takes the hierarchy a week to convene, and now they discover George's "fair haired boy" is not ready to manage the Yanks. Absolutely no one should be surprised at this "revelation". Mattingly has never, ever, managed a major league game, at any level, at any time. If merely sitting next to Torre "qualifies" someone to manage the Yankees, who is the Yanks 2nd choice, Don Zimmer? Mattingly is no more qualified to manage the Yanks, than Hank and Hal Steinbrenner are to join the Yankee heirarchy, and make decisions that will "impact" this great franchise for years to come. This "rudderless ship" is beginning to resemble The Titanic. What a way to say goodbye to "The House That Ruth Built".
Roy,
Feel "free" to "become" a "Mets" fan at "any" time. "They" could "use" a "guy" like "you".
Roy - Girardi never managed until he got his first job managing. Randolph never managed until he managed. Bottom line is that the only way to get experience is to start with no experience and work your way up.
And if this is rudderless - then I'm okay with that. The plan is the same one that has been in place the last couple of years and it is a good plan. If you don't like it, you don't have to stick around.
JIM A-
Please remove the "rose colored" glasses. First, the heir apparent son-in-law, is no longer gonna "run" the organization, then the "unqualified" Steinbrenner Boys join the Yankee Heirarchy, now Mattingly gets "cold feet" right at the altar. Getting me to become a Met fan will not "right" this ship. What the Yanks currently need is a strong leader at the "top", who right or wrong, will make the "tough" decisions and be held accountable. Yankee decisions are currently being made by a "committee" that not only takes a week to assemble, but also contains "unqualified" members.
Jim,
I agree that no one guy has worked with all the young arms but I think the gist is that the organizational powers that be believe that Eiland or Contreras are more qualified to work with young pitchers than Gator is given how much time they spend around the youngsters to start with. Of the two, I would say Contreras is the better option because as the roving instructor he has worked with each of these guys (not just the big three but also Ohlenorf, Veras, Ramirez, Clippard, Wright, Sanchez, Garcia, et al) But because of the success he's had doing that the last couple of years, they may want to keep him there. My choice would be Mazzone but then I think you have a situation where there's a struggle between philosophies about how to best groom young pitchers.
Depending on the LaRussa situation, Duncan may be available as a pitching coach.
Roy,
So what do you propose? Selling the team? Because if the organization is going to stay in its current ownership then there will be a Steinbrenner at the helm. Hank and Hal are no less qualified to run the Yankees than George was 30 years ago.
As for the unqualified committee (to use your words) you have the General Manager (Cashman), the head of player development (Oppenheimer), the president of operations (Randy Levine), Stick Michael, and the guys who sign the checks. The other people there are window dressing.
As for why it takes a week for them to assemble. There's no rush. Why make rash decisions in the wake of the ALDS loss when you can wait a week and let cooler heads prevail. Gather up the information you need, and proceed with fact rather than emotion.
Free agency doesn't start until 15 days after the last out of the World Series - that's over a month away. Nothing is going to happen until then at the earliest.
LaRussa is staying, and Duncan is still under contract in St. Louis for another year regardless.
Discussing whether George was "qualified" 30 odd yrs. ago is pointless. The Yanks will not be sold until "The Boss: is no longer with us, or unless some sort of "diminished capacity" free for all should develope. But I do believe the team will be sold once George is no longer involved either physically or mentally. The Steinbrenner Boys are unqualified, and are not there as "window dressing". They are "watching" over their inheritance, and will be "active" members of the Yankee heirarchy. I'm sure Cashman is now looking over his shoulder, knowing at some point in the near future, he will need to use his "golden parachute".
Roy,
Rudderless ship is ridiculous. George is not the guy he was and is passing the responsibilities of operating the ballclub to his family and his GM. Makes perfect business sense and is in the best interest of the ballclub. The boys should be able to handle it much better, splitting the roles of team and finances. I think all of us Yankee fans should look at this as a positive change, which will assure our team will be in the mix of things for years to come. I wish George good health in his twilight years and look forward to the new changes, especially at the manager position.
M from J makes sense. NYY is undergoing the normal stresses of the succession from the founder in a family business. As fans we should be as supportive of this generational change as we are of the change from old guys to rookies on the field.
Roy,
Stop looking through sh*t colored glasses. The Yankees are in fine shape financially and that is what matters. They will be competitive as the Steinbrenner boys will honor their father's wishes.
You act like this team can't make a single decision now that George is not himself anymore, well I say he hasn't been himself for a long time, we just haven't known about it much. The Yanks are taking their time making the decision because it's a very tough one and that's all there really is to it.
It's not like George sold this team to the owner of the Pirates or Royals or something, it's still in his family with good baseball people in place.
And this company is not a finite money machine. It will continue to make money long after the ship building or horse stables run dry. This family business equals wealth for offspring. The business may go under after all of us are long gone, but not now, or in the near future.
All you guys arguing with Roy, let me remind you of something...
Besides the Gagne and Tex issues, here's a guy who insisted that 101-61 was 20 games over .500.
'nuff said.
LOL.