Tag: don-mattingly

Don Mattingly’s Rotten Baseball Luck

The New York Mets hosted the Toronto Blue Jays for three games this past weekend. Along the way, we got some pictures of the Blue Jays’ bench coach, none other than the great Don Mattingly. Mattingly obtained this position prior to the 2023 season, the latest stop in a post playing career that has seen him manage both the Los Angeles Dodgers and Miami Marlins. New York swept Toronto, dropping the Jays to .500. With the contract of Bo Bichette set to expire at the end of the season and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. inking a long term extension, the pressure is on the Jays to make the playoffs. If they fail to make it to the postseason, there is the possibility of a regime change. And with that, the rotten baseball luck of Don Mattingly would continue.

Don Mattingly’s bad luck needs to stop. Credit: Englewood Daily Voice

If you are a Yankees’ fan of a certain age like me, Don Mattingly was your favorite player. He was the Man, a bright light in an otherwise dim era of Yankee baseball. He came up to the Majors surrounded by the likes of Dave Winfield, Ron Guidry and Willie Randolph and was on the team in 1990 when they finished last, with George Steinbrenner being kicked out of baseball during the season. Derek Jeter was booed. Mickey Mantle was booed. Mariano Rivera was booed. Mattingly was the only Yankee superstar I can think of who never had a bad word said about him at the Stadium. The fans understood that even in the darkest of days in the late 80’s and early 90’s, Mattingly was the guy we latched onto and for whom we had great sympathy throughout this chaotic period of time. When his back started giving him trouble in 1990 and robbed him of certain Hall of Fame immortality, he became even more of our hero.

Don Mattingly’s rotten baseball luck began when he was called up. He debuted in 1982, the year after the Yankees made the World Series, losing in six games to the Dodgers. Mattingly then became part of the longest playoff drought in franchise history, only reaching October baseball in his last season, 1995. Immediately after he retired, the Yankees put together their latest dynasty, with four World Series championships over the next five seasons. After a five year stretch that saw Mattingly establish himself as one of, if not the best player in the game, he suffered a debilitating back injury which sapped his power. He would never hit 20 home runs in a season again. Mattingly’s bad luck didn’t stop after his retirement. He became a Yankees’ coach in 2004. Care to guess what happened that year? That would be the Boston Red Sox epic comeback from down 0-3 to beat New York in the ALCS. When Joe Torre was let go as the Yankees’ manager after the 2007 season, Mattingly was looked at as a potential replacement. The job went to Joe Girardi. Mattingly then followed Torre to the Dodgers. A year after leaving, what did the Yankees do? They won the 2009 World Series. Mattingly then became the Dodgers’ manager in 2011 under the ownership of Frank McCourt who nearly wrecked the franchise. He left the Dodgers after the 2015 season and are now considered baseball’s best franchise. Mattingly next became the manager of the Marlins in 2016 and after a lot of losing (and a COVID playoff appearance), resigned after the 2022 season. Would you believe the Marlins made the playoffs the following season?

Don Mattingly deserves a World Series appearance. I don’t care how he gets it, what team he is with or if he unretires for a week to play for the Dodgers. No one has dealt with more misfortune in a baseball life than him. If the Toronto Blue Jays win the World Series in 2025, I will be a happy man. It means my guy finally gets a ring.

MLB Election Day: Your Vote Matters!

There is a rumor going around that today we will be electing a new President. Actually, this is an Election Day that far supersedes who will become the leader of the free world. May I present to you the first-ever Threeunassisted vote for the Hall of Fame! Avoid the stress of politics and read on to participate in something a little bit more fun and less aggravating. I have gone through a deep vetting process to choose a nominee for each of the teams that are covered in this blog. I have run the numbers, conducted my own internal polling and have arrived at the three candidates that are most worthy of this inaugural event. These are three players who are steeped in their respective franchise’s history and who may one day get into Cooperstown thanks to either the Veterans’ Committee or the Classic Era ballot. It also just so happens that they all played first base.

The real election is taking place on this blog! Photo from the NY Post

Introducing the nominees:

Don Mattingly-New York Yankees

Despite never winning a World Series championship, Mattingly remains one of the most beloved players in Yankees’ history. Fans regard him as a sympathetic figure. He was the star in arguably the darkest period of Yankee baseball in my lifetime and his back injuries kept him from championships and Hall of Fame induction. For a four or five year span, Donnie Baseball was regarded as the best player in the game. He won a batting title in 1984 and was the American League Most Valuable Player the following season. His 1986 campaign was arguably better as he led the league in hits with 238, doubles with 53, slugging at .573 and OPS at .967. He was a nine time Gold Glove winner and captured three Silver Sluggers. In his one playoff series, he batted .417 in 25 plate appearances. Had he stuck around in 1996 to win a World Series, his Hall of Fame credentials would have been even more enhanced.

Ryan Howard–Philadelphia Phillies

He was the slugger on those great Phillies teams that won five consecutive division titles from 2007 through 2011. Howard was named the National League Rookie of the Year in 2005 and captured the National League MVP the following season. When the Phillies became World Series Champions in 2008, Howard led the NL in home runs with 48 and RBI’s with 146. He was also named the MVP of the 2009 National League Championship Series. The Big Piece totaled five other top 10 MVP finishes and ranks second only behind Mike Schmidt in Phillies’ history with 384 home runs. Like Mattingly, injury robbed Howard of his full potential. He tore his Achilles tendon at the end of Game 5 of the 2011 Division series and was never able to eclipse 30 home runs again. His descent as a player coincided with the decline of the Phillies as the team did not finish above .500 again until 2021.

Keith Hernandez-New York Mets

It is hard to believe that Hernandez has been broadcasting Mets’ games longer than his actual Major League playing career. Because first base is primarily known as a power-hitting position, Hernandez’s Hall of Fame voting results have been skewed. He was an MVP in 1979 and is a two time World Series Champion, once with the Mets and the other with the St. Louis Cardinals. He won 11 Gold Gloves and is arguably the best fielding first baseman in baseball history. His on base percentage exceeded .400 six times during his 17 year career. Hernandez had three top ten MVP finishes while with the Mets and was one of the leaders on both of his championship teams. He is a lifetime .296 hitter with a .384 OBP and was a guy you wanted at the plate in a tough situation. His work in the booth alongside Gary Cohen and Ron Darling enhances his Hall of Fame credentials much like it did for Phil Rizzuto.

Put your vote in the comments section along with a simple reason for doing so. I’d love to see how this turns out!