Inside Baseball: Uncertainty surrounds Mattingly

Don Mattingly is the first Dodgers manager to win three straight division titles. He navigated a lot of issues and injuries once again, and he delivered over 162 games again.

But is it going to be enough to save his job?

By all rights, it should be plenty. Mattingly has proven to be an excellent manager of people and a better-than-you-think in-game manager. But the Dodgers’ expectations and standards are sky high, and the season ended short of a World Series once again. It has been like that every year since 1988.

Mattingly says he has been treated well by Dodgers baseball president Andrew Friedman and the entire new front-office regime, but word is he hasn’t been told anything, one way or another, regarding his future. So it’s hard to know what to think. In most cases with a trio of division titles, it would be an easy call, but while the new group is said to like him, he wasn’t their pick (Ned Colletti hired Mattingly), and they likely expected more than 92 wins and a first-round defeat. Anyway, there may be some uncertainty.

While no Dodgers official is speaking publicly about the situation, one person with some Dodgers connections says he sees Mattingly’s status as “an open question.” Which is nothing but what everyone figures after an early October exit, anyway.

Of course, a strong case could be made that Mattingly should have answered those questions with the way he has handled some tough stuff over the past three seasons, including a horrid start in 2013, an ego-filled clubhouse last year and multiple injuries to the rotation this year, not to mention too many outfielders for a couple of years and not enough relievers the past two years.

And here’s another big reason they should keep him: Aces Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke are said to love Mattingly. They are the key to the team, 1 and 1A, and what’s more, Greinke will opt out after the year and have a chance to leave.

The new regime likes Mattingly personally (it’s impossible not to), and it’s said that they particularly liked the way he handled at least three very difficult situations this year alone: 1) the spring pessimism surrounding Andre Ethier’s uncertain situation (the dugout yelling by Ethier in Game 5 of the NLDS apparently was directed at the umpire, not Mattingly); 2) the shortstop conundrum once top rookie Corey Seager came up to join established veteran Jimmy Rollins (although Rollins is said not to be thrilled to become a backup for the first time in his superb career, Mattingly’s bosses appreciated that Mattingly ran a meritocracy); and 3) a catching conundrum with newcomer Yasmani Grandal and popular holdover A.J. Ellis.

And maybe all that work is enough to save him. But at the moment, that appears to be no certainty.

The bosses also are said to understand they never adequately fixed the bullpen a year after that was the team’s main bugaboo. They know a manager can look good or bad depending largely on who he calls out of the pen.

They also understand the record $300 million team isn’t really a $300 million team, considering they are paying for Matt Kemp, Dan Haren, Michael Morse, Hector Olivera’s bonus and many more players who are no longer there, and for Brandon McCarthy and Hyun-Jin Ryu who aren’t active due to injuries (not to mention that some active Dodgers like Carl Crawford and some others aren’t worth quite what they’re being paid anymore).

They may also get that he was working with a pitching staff that was quite top-heavy for most of the time he has been manager. There are of course the Cy Young-worthy Greinke and Kershaw at the top of the rotation, and closer Kenley Jansen was typically dependable after a late start this season due to injury. But the loss of McCarthy and Ryu killed the rotation depth, and inconsistencies in the pen hurt almost as bad.

Mattingly, it is said, has been quite cooperative on the lineup input he receives from above, and word is, it’s substantial. The club is blessed with terrific positional depth at full strength, giving them options galore, though Mattingly doesn’t always make the ball. (That might explain why he answers questions about lineup decisions with “We thought it gave us the best chance to win.”

Under normal circumstances, Mattingly should easily be safe. But he also knows his job comes with no guarantees, and the one year to go on his three-year contract brings no certainties, either (if anyone’s shown they’re wiling to eat money, it’s the Dodgers).

Dodgers people haven’t said much, if anything, about his situation, and they may just keep him after weighing all these factors. But if they aren’t sure he’s their guy long-term, it’s possible they could allow him to talk to other interested teams, and there is at least one that’s interested, maybe more.

Sources tell CBS Sports the Marlins have long had keen interest in Mattingly, and he may well be their No. 1 choice for their managerial opening. The Marlins’ own managerial search seems to be moving slowly, and that quite likely is because they are waiting on Mattingly. Miami is known to have interviewed Manny Acta, Bo Porter and Larry Bowa to date, and all have the previous major-league experience they seek, but some wonder whether they could also be thinking of pairing Mattingly with Bowa, with Bowa playing the role of sage bench coach.

The Nationals-owning Lerners have show interest in Mattingly in the past, though they seem to be moving more quickly in their search, perhaps indicating they believe they can find an excellent choice from among the rather inspired list which includes at least Bud Black, Dusty Baker, Ron Gardenhire, Ron Wotus, Alex Cora and others.

While Mattingly is said to love his Dodgers job, friends also say he loves the job of managing. And while he may well have reservations about Miami if he’s talked in the past to Yankees people, including, Joe Girardi and Tino Martinez, who’ve been through there, it’s also possible he could get more security and more authority there.

This sort of scenario has happened before, where a sitting manager was allowed to interview elsewhere; and aren’t the Giants thrilled they were willing to give Bruce Bochy a multiyear deal at a times the Padres didn’t want to do so?

In the event of the Dodgers move on — and it’s hard to say how likely that is — the new regime could look close to home. First year director of player development Gabe Kapler is one who’s been speculated on by the Los Angeles press, makes some sense. And the new regime does love Kapler, a very smart man who has a sabremetric bent. But that’s just a guess.

Mattingly is a big boy. Even with the consistently strong regular seasons, he’d probably understand if the Dodgers made a change, at least to a degree. And at this point, he himself probably wouldn’t be shocked.

But that doesn’t mean it would be the right things to do. And it wouldn’t be.

Is Don Mattingly coming back as Dodgers manager? Should he? (USATSI)

More Inside Baseball…

Team	News
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While Colby Rasmus became the Astros’ best hitter in the postseason, it still is thought more likely than not that Houston declines to give him the $15.8 million qualifying offer. He certainly proved to be a worthy power hitter when they needed him most, but some find him “quirky” and wonder about some lapses in left field … Alex Gordon, who is expected to become a free agent (he will surely not exercise his $12.5M player option without turning it into something more), is a name to keep an eye on with Houston for left field. They could also consider an on-base guy for left field, as they have enough power … The Astros’ 230 home runs were actually just two fewer than the MLB-leading Blue Jays, but they didn’t come close to scoring as many runs as Toronto. So there’s a belief the Astros will look to add some more high-average pieces to Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa, which means they may take a long look at first base and third base where the all-or-nothing types, Chris Carter and Luis Valbuena, mostly manned things … Jon Singleton, who was wise to sign that $10 million, five-year deal, may need a change of scenery, some believe … They had to play Jason Castro every day at the end due to Hank Conger’s throwing problems, but he wore down by the end and that could be something else they look at … The Astros had a terrific year, but one person associated with some Astros people said that “morale is at an altime low.” That’s because team higher-ups decided to remove the team’s non-uniformed pension plan. They will replace it with something else, but it has employees concerned. The Astros also pay notoriously low salaries, with some sabremetric exceptions … They are saying they may use the TrackMan system more for scouting, which measures spin rate, launch angles and the like, thus giving a nod to robots. One plus: Robots don’t need pensions.
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Zack Greinke will opt out of a contract that has $71 million over three years remaining, according to sources. Read more about Greinke here … The Dodgers plan to give second baseman Howie Kendrick the $15.8 million qualifying offer, no questions asked. That’s not a lot of loot for them … More of a surprise is that they seem to be planning to do the same with Brett Anderson. While Anderson pitched well (and stayed healthy) for much of the year, he lost his changeup by the end, leading to the shellacking the Mets put on him in Game 3. An executive with another team chuckled when he heard Anderson may get the $15.8 million, but with McCarthy and Ryu coming off injuries, the Dodgers need pitching, and certainly need it more than money … Chase Utley has a right to appeal, and a right to mount his defense, under the current rules. But the way things are, if he’s penalized at all, it may not come until the 2016 regular season, when the penalty will have lost all meaning. And some actually wonder whether Utley may retire, or should retire. “He’s lost his legs,” one scout noted …. If Ruben Tejada’s condition weighed into the two-game ban, well, there’s nothing wrong with that. If a baserunner is deemed reckless, even if he didn’t intend to do harm to the fielder (and Utley obviously did not intend to hurt him), it is fair to consider the damage the baserunner has done to the fielder … A.J. Ellis will be a manager if he wants to be one, one Dodgers person predicted. (Me: He’d be a natural.)
Dan Jennings’ move back to the front office as GM was expected to happen this week, but as of mid-week, the sides were said to be still “ironing a few things out.” Jennings is still expected to return to an executive role as he has three years remaining on a contract reported to have about $5.5 million left (according to Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com). Jennings, according to one person in the organization, might have to assume the role with “diminished” power. Mike Berger did many of the GM duties while Jennings was in the dugout, and a few others have been promoted while some of Jennings friends have left or were forced out, including Marty Scott, Mickey White and Matt Kinzer … Jennings, though, should get huge credit for winning over a skeptical group of players, who generally loved him by the end, which is was reflected in their late play — the Marlins won eight of their final 10 series despite being long out of it and missing franchise player Giancarlo Stanton. Jose Fernandez, Martin Prado and other key Marlins wound up loving Jennings.
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Josh Hader struck out three in two scoreless innings and got it up to 98 mph in an Arizona Fall League game Wednesday. He’d be a candidate for the Brewers staff anyway, but it may not hurt that new GM David Stearns knows him from Houston. Hader came to Milwaukee in the Carlos Gomez trade.
Noted surgeon Neal ElAttrache, who isn’t Matt Harvey’s doctor but consulted with Harvey’s surgeon James Andrews at various steps along the process, mentioned Harvey’s in a better position because of the long time between surgery and first pitch back (17 months) and also agreed “we don’t have any science behind it.” ElAttrache said he hesitated to weigh in on “someone else’s player,” but still said the general guideline is to hold pitchers to previous personal innings marks. “If it was twelve months I’d be a little worried at this point,” ElAttrache told CBSSports.com. “I think we could make a case either way.” ElAttrache, one of the two foremost Tommy John surgeons along with Andrews (he does 70-80 a year), also noted that Harvey feels good, and his condition appears to be very good, as well … Dodgers people thought Jacob deGrom was much better than even they realized. “You can’t pick up the ball,” one Dodger marveled after deGrom’s first start against them. And a scout opined that deGrom has plenty of chances to improve. He’s as good as he is, and “his secondary stuff is not that good.” … Meanwhile Dodgers people say that Harvey may have been throwing 97 mph, as the radar gun read, but it didn’t quite seem like it. “The pitches didn’t have the usual life,” said a Dodger … Harvey’s plea, caught on camera, to go one more inning in Game 3 wasn’t taken seriously by anyone. Harvey had labored through 97 pitches and had a huge lead, and he’s already beyond the innings limit agent Scott Boras says was prescribed by Andrews … Yoenis Cespedes’ speed-power combo drew comparisons to all-time talents Mickey Mantle and Bo Jackson. There’s an expectation Cespedes could earn $150 million, or more, as a free agent. For comparison, Mantle made $1.128 million for his career … There isn’t much doubt the Mets will make a play for Cespedes as a free agent at this point. Mets people were quizzing yours truly at what the price might be (my answer: high) … Of the Mets’ middle relief, one scout said, “It stinks.” Well, if that’s true they are in a big boat. Many teams rely on their top starters plus one great reliever, and maybe another good one or two … The belief among Mets people is that Daniel Murphy will be allowed to leave via free agency, though he’s putting some pressure on them with a monster postseason (two home runs against Kersahw and one against Greinke is downright miraculous). Word is, he has not been expected to receive a qualifying offer, though, as $15.8 million is high for a second baseman, even a second baseman who can also play third and first … Willie Randolph deserves to be a managerial candidate again, and it’s a wonder he hasn’t been connected to any team yet … It’s been said before but Omar Minaya made a huge contribution to the division champions, with the drafting of deGrom, Harvey, Daniel Murphy and Lucas Duda, and the signings of Juan Lagares and R.A. Dickey (who brought in trade Noah Syndergaard and Travis d’Arnaud, thanks to Sandy Alderson’s deal) … Terry Collins should get a new multiyear deal once the season is over — and at a significant raise over the $1.1 million he made this year, too.
Former Cubs GM Jim Hendry, a Yankees executive, is a big voice in the organization now, leading to even more speculation Samardzija will be on the agenda. Hendry was the one who plucked Samardzija out of Notre Dame, and gave him a $10 million signing bonus for the Cubs (a wise call in hindsight) … Greg Bird still has options, and with Mark Teixeira doing nothing but solidifying his first base job before breaking his leg, Bird could start the 2016 season in the minors. Bird did well in the majors, and scouts seem to like him even better than outfielder Aaron Judge, another touted prospect.
Piccolo is a name still being linked to the Phillies GM job. The search has been done in secret, but there’s a belief Kim Ng, identified here, on Comcast Philadelphia and elsewhere as a possibility, isn’t currently at the forefront of the talks at the moment, though that could easily change. Indians exec Ross Atkins and ex-Marlins GM Larry Beinfest are also among those in the mix. The Phillies do have some excellent folks in the front office already. Mike Ondo, an assistant GM, is respected inside the organization as the one who’s led the Rule 5 drafts where the Phillies landed Odubel Herrera and Shane Victorino. Scott Proefrock, another assistant GM, is a respected administrator and rules guy.
Alex Cora seems like he would be a good fit for a youngish team, and GM A.J. Preller is known to be one of his first and biggest admirers. Diamondbacks minor-league manager Phil Nevin is seen as another strong possibility in an eclectic mix of managerial candidates. Cora and Nevin are joined by Ron Gardenhire, Diamondbacks third base coach Andy Green and Pirates third base coach Rick Sofield as known candidates, though there are said to more. Dusty Baker does not appear to be a candidate in San Diego at the moment (he may be a little pricey for them, anyway) … While Padres people have been suggesting there’s a likelihood they extend the $15.8 million qualifying offer to Ian Kennedy, rival GMs remain skeptical that a small-market team would risk spending that kind of money on a mid-rotation pitcher.
San Francisco is still hoping to be able to sign Cuban outfielder Eddy Julio Martinez. They thought they had a deal for $2.5 million before Martinez apparently forged a second one with the Cubs for a reported $3 million. MLB will try to sort it all out in coming days … The Giants gave permission to the Nats to interview longtime coach Ron Wotus for Washington’s managing job … With agent Tom Little going from Relativity to the Ballengee Group, there seems a possibility star pitcher Madison Bumgarner, who’s very close with Little, the brother of former manager Grady Little, could change agencies. However, that hasn’t been firmed up yet.
Tim Bogar is in the managerial mix, as was suggested here first, and some believe he’s the favorite. One person who knows both GM Dipoto and Bogar opined, “I’d guess it’s Bogie’s job to lose.” Alex Cora is also a candidate for the managing job, according to sources. Cora, it was learned, is in the mix here, as well as all three other open managing jobs (Miami, Washington and San Diego), making him the hottest candidate of the moment … Mariners areas of concern: shortstop, catcher, center field, first base, closer, fifth starter, Triple-A depth.
Texas deserves credit for beating everyone’s expectations after losing ace Yu Darvish in spring training to a UCL tear and Tommy John surgery. With Darvish due back sometime in the first half next season, Texas should be a major threat … The speed of Delino DeShields Jr. and Rougned Odor (known as “Rough Neck” by former manager Ron Washington) is something other teams might want to emulate … No surprise, Texas plans to extend the $15.8 million qualifying offer to excellent starter Yovani Gallardo.
Eschewing David Price for young Marcus Stroman as the decisive Game 5 starter seemed like quite the gamble, but give Blue Jays people credit for taking that chance. Without Stroman’s solid performance, they might not have won Game 5. It was nice how they painted things in a good light for Price, emphasizing what a team player he is, and that’s true. And it was indeed odd to waste Price in a Game 4 where the score was 7-1 rather than at least having him available for Game 5. But it’s also clear they preferred Stroman, the second-year player who engineered a miracle comeback after tearing his UCL in spring training … While Price is said to be enjoying his time in Toronto (what’s not to like?), the chances of a return to the Blue Jays seem to be diminished now. It’s not certain whether money will tell the tale in this case, but consensus around baseball is that most folks don’t believe the Blue Jays are likely to go over $200 million … It’ll be interesting if the Blue Jays and Mets happen to face off in the World Series, with a potential matchup of Stroman vs. the Mets’ Steven Matz. The two young pitchers faced each other in the Long Island high school championship in 2009, with Stroman pitching for Patchogue-Medford and Matz for Ward Melville, as Sam Ryan of MLB Network pointed out. One Northeast scout said he never would have predicted starting stardom for the 5-foot-8 right-hander who’s a power pitcher despite the stature. But Stroman has made a career out of defying odds. Who thought he’d be back pitching the decisive game after going out with that serious knee injury in March? … Kevin Pillar has made some of the most miraculous plays of the year, but the Gold Glove competition in the AL is stiff. Among center fielders, Pillar, Jake Marisnick, Kevin Kiermaier, Jackie Bradley Jr., Adam Jones and Mike Trout are all superb (one scout’s pick: Kiermaier, JBJ) … Toronto’s fans certainly are enthusiastic, but they overreacted to the call on Russell Martin’s errant throw off Shin-Soo Choo’s bat, especially since the call was ultimately correct. Fortunately for all concerned, that didn’t end up being the decisive play in the game … Anyway, the bat flip was fine in my book.
Washington is off to a great start in its interview process, meeting with exactly the right types to lead this ready-to-win team. Dusty Baker met with team officials Wednesday morning, Bud Black was due in this week and Gardenhire is also on the docket. Black and Baker were advocated here for this desirable position, and based on track record, you would have to think either would have a good shot. Baker was inexplicably fired after winning 187 games his last two seasons in Cincinnati, but some teams have shied away from Baker due to the expected price tag of such an accomplished manager with so many other things going on (he has a solar business and other endeavors, including TV, where he and Pedro Martinez have been great on TBS) … The iconic Cal Ripken Jr., a game announcer also on TBS, talked to Nats GM Mike Rizzo multiple times in the last managerial go-round, before Rizzo selected Matt Williams, and while Ripken didn’t want to talk specifically about the Nats’ job, he showed general interest in managing. “I always thought that’d be a position I’d be interested in,” Ripken told CBS Sports the other day. The reason he didn’t pursue it immediately after retiring, he explained, is because he had school-aged kids at the time … Due to the injuries, Denard Span would seem unlikely to get a qualifying offer.

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